Sometimes you wish a fictional person was real just so you could punch them in the face.

I have a love/hate relationship with a lot of my characters, but I would be lying if I didn’t tell you Rhys is at the top of that list. Just like other characters perceive him, he is really, really, REALLY frustrating when I sit down to write a scene he’s supposed to participate in. The boy just does not accept direction. I tell him “look, we’re almost done with the entire freaking book, okay? All you have to do is say ____.” He does the in-my-head equivalent of frowning silently, arms folded, as if I have no right to ask anything at all of him. Don’t I know he’s busy? Don’t I know I’m not his priority? He’ll get around to saying ____ whenever he feels like saying ____, IF he feels like saying ____, alright?

This goes on for days at a time.

/stranglymotions

And just when I get to the point where I’m ready to tell him “forget it, I’m just going to kill you off, I’ll replace you with a sentient clock, it would have more expression” – that’s when I wake up in the morning with Jul’s voice in my ear.

“I have an idea,” she says. “Let me talk to him.”

Next thing I know I have a new favorite chapter, and I’ve fallen in love with Rhys all over again.

But I still want to strangle him.

/cast iPod [Animal Kingdom – Two By Two]