Who is Tucker?

The most oft-asked question I get asked about my Tucker series is, “Is Tucker a real person?”  I really appreciate the question because it says that my writing has made Tucker so authentic and believable that, to the reader, she seems like a real person.  The truth though is that Tucker is not a story about a real person. 

Some people get a little upset when they find that out, and some people think I’m being less than honest.  They will insist, “Yes she is!” 

At the same time that I say Tucker is not a real person, I must add that everything about Tucker is real.  Her life experiences are real life experiences people have everyday.  It was very important to me to create a character that people could relate to on different levels, rather than a character that was so extreme it would be difficult to empathize with.

Tucker’s actual birth date is September 28, 2008.  At that time I was taking an online writing class through Long Ridge Writers Group.  My instructor was author Sylvie Kurtz.  My assignment was to create a character that was visually stunning and who would be difficult to forget.  That was when I first sketched a paragraph about a woman who eventually became Tucker.

When I’m asked to speak to groups about my books, I often say that seven years ago a woman came into my life and changed my life forever.  While I only say it that way for dramatic affect, there is a very real element of truth to it.  Little did I know that Tucker would take on a life of her own and demand that her story be told.

I, like most of my readers, love Tucker.  I find her grit and determination to overcome inspirational.  If you’ve never read her story, you are missing out on a real hero.

However, it’s one thing to create a character but an entirely different thing to create a story around that character. My next blog will be about how the story of Tucker came to be.