Beautiful People: Darrilynn Barker

This week I'm going to be participating in the Beautiful People blog meme from over at Further up and Further in.  I'll be answering questions about one of my "beautiful people-" aka, one of my characters.  I've chosen to answer the questions for Darrilynn Barker this week.  She's one of the two main characters in Dawns Rise.  Now, I know I've been taking a break from that story, but I've been craving to write some Dawns Rise lately, and I'm hoping this will satisfy me.  So, without further ado, here is Darrilynn Barker.

1. What first inspired this character?

  Well, I first created Darrilynn’s character around the new year of 2013.  I originally based her off myself, however it was a very poor copy- you would think I’d know myself a little bit better.  But after three years of changing, and being rewritten, Darrilynn now has no trace of me whatsoever.  

Is there a person/actor you based them off?

  Well, if you see my top answer, you’ll find out.  

2. Describe their daily routine.

Darrilynn’s routine consists of waking up around nine o’clock- she’s homeschooled, so her mom let’s her sleep in.  Darrilynn will then go downstairs, have some breakfast, then get school done while her mom is at work.  Then she will practice either archery or sword fighting for hours, until sweat soaks her body.  When her mom has gotten home, Darrilynn would have done a variety of these, as long as it consists of moving the entire time.  

  She and her mom then usually practice martial arts together- Darrilynn is taught by her mom.  After a long while of sweating and gaining bruises, she and her mom eat dinner.  A little while later, she will go to her room, then fall asleep early.  She enjoys her sleep.

3. If they joined your local high school, what clique would they fit into?

  Well, that question is kind of difficult to answer, because I’m homeschooled.  So, I’ll just have to leave this one unanswered.

4. Write a list of things they merely tolerate. Ex: certain people, foods, circumstances in their lives...

1. Being still

2. Fear

3. Her mom’s cooking

4. Tears

5. Religion

6. Reading

5. How do they react in awkward silences?

  Well, knowing Darrilynn, she probably stayed quiet during the conversation, and wanted to leave anyways, so the awkward silence would just give her an excuse to leave.

6. Can they swim? If so, how did they learn?

  Nope.  Darrilynn cannot and does not like to swim.  She has hardly even stepped inside a public swimming area.  She has never swam, and doesn’t even like to touch water- cold water, specifically.

7. What is one major event that helped shape who they are?

   One day when Darrilynn was twelve years old, she and her mom were hanging out in a hotel room (her family use to do nothing but travel, so they spent a lot of time in hotels), when there was a knock on their door.  Her mom opened it to see an officer.  Without a word, her mom stepped outside of the room, and shut the door.  Darrilynn tried to listen to the conversation, but she didn’t hear anything besides her mom sobbing.  

  A few minutes later, her mom walked into the room- with tear filled eyes- and told Darrilynn that her dad had been murdered.

8. What things do they value most in life?

  Darrilynn values loyalty, and family above all else.  She will do anything to keep her family- being her mom- close by.  Anyone that gets in her way, if her mom is in danger, will be torn down.

 

9. Do they believe in giving other people second chances?

  No.  Darrilynn would never give anyone who betrayed her a second chance.

Do they have any trust issues?

  I don’t think she has any trust issues because of some major thing which happened to her, but she does tend to hold in secrets more often than tell them.

10. Your character is having a rough day...what things do they do to

make them happy again?

  Well, Darrilynn isn’t really ever “happy.”  She’s not grumpy, but she’s not a necessarily happy person.  But if she’s upset, that probably means she’s on the verge of tears- which would make her just angry.  Darrilynn would probably go practice sword fighting until she’s forgotten her problems, and is in the instinctive rhythm of hitting the dummy with her sword.

Is there anyone they talk/interact with to get in a better mood?

  The only person Darrilynn would ever consider would be her mom.  But even then, she wouldn’t want to bug her.  So, it’s a very unlikely option that Darrilynn would talk to her mom to get into a better mood.

Elemental Quiz

I have mentioned before my work-in-progress, Twelve Dawns Rise (As you can see, I still haven't changed the name), and some of the aspects of the story.  One of the very important dominant features of the Elemental Islands, are the clans, and each of the clan's element.  There are seven clans in all, the Mists, the Flames, the Shadows, the Clouds, the Icicles, the Roots, and the Shocks.  Each of the clans have their own little personalities.  So I have created a quiz to determine what clan you would be in, if you were to live on the Elemental Island.  So to figure out which clan you belong in take this quiz and find out.  Keep track of your answers (I'm sorry there are so many answers for each question, but there are seven clans).

Which element would you have if you lived on the Elemental Island?

1.  Which word would you use to describe yourself?

A.  Unpredictable

B.  Quick-tempered

C.  Demented

D.  Impulsive

E.  Insecure

F.  Stubborn

G.  Arrogant

2.  Which word would your friends use to describe you?

A.  Caring

B.  Passionate

C.  Patriotic

D.  Driven

E.  Quiet

F.  Strong

G.  Bold

3.  What would be your strategy when fighting an opponent?

A.  Do the least thing they expect

B.  Hit them till they're dead!

C.  Kill them swiftly then bask in the glory

D.  Succeed or die

E.  Do my best and hope I live to see the next day

F.  Outline a careful plan to leave alive

G.  Intimidation.  I won't have to do anything after that

4.  What happens when you're angry?

A.  I don't know.  I'd probably just stare at you or something

B.  I burn with anger

C.  ..........

D.  I'd probably attack you

E.  My attitude turns icy cold

F.  I don't really get angry, but when I do, everyone feels it

G.  I have short bursts of rage all the time

5.  What force of nature is most fascinating?

A.  Rainstorm

B.  Forest fire

C.  Lunar eclipse 

D.  Windstorm

E.  Blizzard

F.  Earthquake

G.  Lightning storm

If you answered mostly A's then you are a Mist.  You have the power of water and live in Mist Lakes.  You can breathe underwater, manipulate water, and drown someone at will.  You can make geysers shoot up out of the ground, and when you stomp, waves seem to erupt from the ground, and crash down upon others around you.  Even though no one quite understands you, or why you do things, you care for everyone.  You hardly have a bad thing to say about anyone you know.

If you answered mostly B's then you are a Flame.  You have the power of fire and live in the Flaming Forests.  You are able to create a wall of fire, and a fire sword out of thin air.  By the flick of a wrist, you can create a fireball, and you manipulate fire.  When you stomp fire spreads to all sides of you, and pushes against your opponents.  Anger makes your hands heat up in anger.  You tend to be very quick-tempered, and often times your anger will get you in trouble.  

If you answered mostly C's then you are a Shadow.  You can manipulate the shadows of others, and you live you in the Shades Forest.  You rip other's shadows right away from them, and can manipulate the shadows you steal to form a shield.  You can also turn into a shadow.  You also have whatever your parents power is, so if you would like to know, have a parent take this quiz.  Shadows tend to be very vengeful, but it's all for a patriotic reason!

If you answered mostly D's then you are a Cloud.  You can control the air and the breezes, and you live in Cloud Valley.  You can control air, and tornadoes.  When you stomp it creates winds which overtake your enemies.  You can overwhelm a person by crashing the air around them, and sucking the air from their lungs.  You tend to be very driven, and ambitious.  When you want something, you will get it, because you work hard toward all your goals.

If you answered mostly E's then you are an Icicle.  You have the power of ice and snow, and you live in the Frost Woods.  You can create a sword transformed from ice, and a dart.  You are able to walk on water because when you do, ice forms a solid surface, you can also create an ice wall.  When you stomp, ice spikes from the ground and forms a spiked barrier between you and your opponents.  You don't grow angry often, but when you do, your hands frost over and you become cold and harsh to anyone who tries to talk to you.  You don't have many friends-due to your cold behavior- but when you do, you will be there loyal friend to the end.  

If you answered mostly F's then you are a Root.  You have the power of earth, and live in The Woods.  You can create flexible root whips out of thin air, and can explode rocks too- if you develop this enough, you can create avalanches- When you stomp, the ground explodes around you, and people will want to stay clear, because rocks and other minerals will be flying everywhere.  You can telepathically pull up roots, and make plants die quickly and at your will.  You hardly ever get angry-like never- but when you do the earth quakes beneath your feet.  

If you answered mostly G's then you are a Shock.  You manipulate lightning and electricity, and live in the Shocking Empire.  You can shoot lightning , and create a wall of electricity.  You have the ability to stimulate nerve endings, and can manipulate the electricity to do your will.  When you stomp, it sends electricity crawling through the floor, and electrocuting anyone in its path.  And when you get angry, your body sparks with electricity.  You are very strong-willed and bold.  You express your opinion and mood whenever you feel like it.  You can also be very vicious.

What clan do you belong in?

777 Writing Challenge

I was recently tagged by Hannah Williams in the 777 Writing Challenge.  The 777 Writing Challenge challenges a blogger to find the seventh page of their work in progress, and scroll down to the seventh line of the page.  Then they display the next seven lines in a post.  Here are my seven lines of my present work-in-progress, Twelve Dawns Rise.  This is only the first draft however, so it is far from flawless.  I hope you enjoy.

Her Mom gave her a stern look, and pointed up, in the direction of Darrilynns room.  Darrilynn reluctantly stood up, and trudged up to her room to get ready.  She made her way up the stairs and to the door to her room.  She placed her hand on the doorknob, and was about to turn it, when a crash sounded from her room.  She froze, what was that?  Is someone in my room?  She heard footsteps inside, but how would they get in?  But then she remembered the window in her room, it had a ladder connected to the house below the window.  But who is it?  

Twelve Dawns Rise

I am in the process of creating a story titled, Twelve Dawns Rise at the moment.  It's of a fifteen year old teenager who's name is Darrilynn Barker.  Well, her real name is Darrilynn of Flame, but she doesn't know this.  Because she was taken away from the world she was born into, and thrown into our world as a tiny baby.  She lives here for fifteen years living with her adoptive mom in Sedona, Arizona.  Then one day, she travels back to the world she never knew, and begins her adventure on the Elemental Island.
   The spark for this story appeared in my mind  a year ago.  I practically forced the story onto myself, because I had just received a new pen and notebook, and I desired to use them badly.  When it did come to me, it was much different then it is now.  It was supposed to begin with an event a little like the Hunger Games.  The Elemental Island started out as an invisible island in the Atlantic ocean of this world, and Darrilynn lived all her life on the Elemental Island.  In fact, her name was not Darrilynn in the beginning.  Originally Twelve Dawns Rise was going to be made into a ten paged story, but evolved into over a hundred pages.
   On the Elemental Island there are seven clans, one of them is extinct.  The clan which is extinct is Shades Forest.  It is dark and overgrown, and muddy, it's a cold and eery place.  And I was very excited when I was able to go into this place.  I was able to go into the Shades Forest last Sunday night.  I did not realize this at first glance, but when I did I became very ecstatic.  I have gone into there many times through the past years, and I never noticed how much it resembled till now.  I could almost hear the Shadows coming from behind me, but they probably were just the nutrea and cougars which were out there.
   I have enjoyed creating this story, and I hope you will enjoy when I give future updates on it.