The original post can be found here on Wonderful World of Words
I have a minor character who made her first appearance in my debut novel, Against My Better Judgment. She was so popular with my readers, she has appeared in the second book of the series (Fire & Ice), and now in the third, Lucky Secrets. She is an octogenarian mystery woman with a very colorful past and a knack for showing up at just the right times in each story. That character is the very fun, very enigmatic, Mrs. Sadie Majelski.
She also happens to be my favorite character because she is so versatile in what she can do for the story, and she allows me to have a ton of fun with her while at the same time, moving the story along. Consider that the little old lady effortlessly pumps iron in the gym; runs on the treadmill and through parking lots and garages; maniacally works the elliptical without breaking a sweat or loss of breath; nimbly clambers up walls in a rock-climbing room; deftly wields a blowtorch; is a part-time bouncer at Sunny Time’s Stein Room; drives a tricked-out monster truck with a full gun rack; knows how to hack security systems ranging from residential to high-end commercial ones; has shadowy links to international syndicates and intelligence agencies; and more. Even my developmental editor, the fabulous Jeni Chappelle, said when she returned the Lucky Secrets manuscript to me, “I still wanna be Mrs. Majelski when I grow up.” How can I not love the old lady!!
So, with a character like Mrs. M, it’s not so much her insisting on playing a larger role in the story, it’s my readers, editors, and me demanding she have a subtle yet important role, lurking in the shadows—watching. Since everybody now is expecting to see Mrs. Majelski, it is my job to put her out there and keep people guessing and asking: “Who the heck is this lady? Really.”