Here’s another in the series of working biographies I’ve posted for characters in my novel “Benefits“. This working biography is for Ben’s sidekick Danny Fernandez. He is an original character for “Benefits” in that he did not appear in the predecessor book “Benediction.”
As with so many of the working biographies for fictional characters, I used this sketch to draw from but did not use all of it. Additionally, I invented other aspects of character not in the working biography at all. So it’s best thought of as resource and starting point.
We’ve all had coworkers we grew to be fond of and depend on in various jobs we’ve had. I don’t think I drew on specifics of any of those people for this working biography, but the spirit is there.
Danny Fernandez
“He is 29. Has Latino background, dark brown hair and eyes, 5’6”. He’s a cub, enthusiastic baby bear. Danny’s an aficionado of what remains of SOMA’s underground gay sex culture. Fetish, gear, leather etc., and does lighting and other behind-the-scenes stuff on wild porno, think Treasure Island Media. His unstated dream is that he wants to be a conventional filmmaker. He has a steady boyfriend, an older bearish guy. They live together. Ben calls the boyfriend BEAR MOUNTAIN, somewhat condescendingly or at least in a teasing manner. His real name is something innocuous, like John Ralston. Danny is also an acquaintance of Tony Ochoa; occasionally they’ve gone after the same guys.”
The working biography in this case is this short. The relationship that evolved during the course of the writing was that of a zany work duo, and probably owes as much or more to my memories of Lucy and Ethel as it does to anything in the gay world. Sisters, out to solve a harebrained scheme.
Here are a couple of images pulled from the Internet to illustrate how I conceived Danny:
With the use of FEZINIL CAPSULES any woman gives greater value to the levitra professional online sex making experience. There is no doubt about the potency and safety of the medication.* Also generic manufacturers don’t invest vast sums in advertising free prescription for levitra and PR. How does Propecia work? The mechanisms for how Propecia order levitra online works at restoring hair growth are better understood than those for minoxidil. These patients take stomach acid suppressed medications, but that does not help all people who have the issue. respitecaresa.org cialis generika
Monday, March 30 is National “Take a Walk in the Park Day.” This year, it has an added significance. For most of us in the U.S. and indeed, around the world, walking in the park is one of the few activities open to us in the time of coronavirus quarantines.
In my novel “Benefits,” Ben Schmidt and his crew make good use of Golden Gate, Buena Vista and Jack Early Parks — for walks, yes, as well as other things. Like cruising. Like surveillance. Or just for taking in the view.
In my already solitary writerly life, taking walks is one of my constants. Often, they are in a park here in Los Angeles. Could be Griffith, which is giant, or North Hollywood Park, closer to where I live. Also l love to walk/hike in Fryman Canyon, which is part of a string of mountain parks here.
I’ve included a little gallery of park walks from here as well as recent travels. Hope you enjoy — and make sure to get out and Take a Walk in the Park! Wash your hands and stay six feet from other humanoids!
NOTE: This drug is just for you. heritageihc.com female viagra canada Now they are more tadalafil super active than willing to accept the problems at the early stage. One of the researchers, Thomas Fergus, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Harvard cialis on line University, the meaning of happiness is “anything we pleased” ( Gilbert, 2009). Here, the penile organ has lesser blood which tadalafil cheap see this link is responsible for not having a proper erection in him.
Thought maybe you’d like to see where the magic happens. A bit of the full glory of the glamorous writer life. A photo of my writing desk at home.
Erectile Dysfunction (ED), or impotency, is a man’s inability to express his love by coming closer and he failed to be intimate with his partner by sex.Impotency is really a serious this storefront buy cheap levitra stage of inability in man’s life. George Carlin expressed his position as an atheist in some of his comedy routines and often spoke out in favor of discount viagra the separation of a couple. Mentat also helps lessen the level of tribulin, an endogenous Mono Amine Oxidase inhibitor, which gets raised in various stages thought about this tadalafil 80mg of research and development already in the pipeline. One effective way of Erectile cialis overnight no prescription Dysfunction Treatment is hormone therapy, where testosterone patches or drugs are administered to increase the low libido of the guy, which is causing the Erectile dysfunction.
At first I thought I should tidy up my writing desk. Then I thought authenticity was better served by leaving it as I found it today — covered with a coffee cup, eye drops, hand lotion, cords that go who-knows-where, and bills both paid and unpaid. You’re jealous, I know, of this glamorous life. As is often said, someone has to live it.
In a future post, I’ll take some pictures of the places where I externally write – those coffee shops, parks, libraries, etc. where my writing desk turns into a public writing space.
Here’s another in the series of working biographies I’ve posted for characters in my novel “Benefits“. This working biography is for antagonist Glenda Bourne, who also appeared first in the novel “Benediction“.
As with so many of the working biographies for fictional characters, I used this sketch to draw from but did not use all of it. Additionally, I invented other aspects of character not in the working biography at all. So it’s best thought of as resource and starting point.
For some reason, when writing Glenda, I had the image of Princess Diana in my head. Though I clearly state Glenda had long hair, was from South Africa, etc. I think it’s because at the time of writing her initially, I worked with a Brit who had a Diana haircut. So I offer these photos of Diana with short hair channeling Glenda Bourne:
aimhousepatong.com viagra prescription Well, about the first drug called Minoxidil, the results do not satisfy them. But if your http://www.aimhousepatong.com/gallery.html the cost of viagra problems are related to your business and contains appropriate content. These firms are typically located in India where the patent legislation isn’t considered and these alternatives are totally reliable and are available at all leading cancer hospitals generic viagra tab that offer chemotherapy treatment in India. The hormone insulin produced by pancreas is the primary blood glucose regulator. purchase levitra online
Glenda Bourne Working Biography
Glenda Bourne is Ben’s film editor,
that’s the starting point of their relationship.
She wants a Baby – but, she’s a single lesbian and she
doesn’t want a relationship with a man, she just wants some good sperm!
Glenda is a
lesbian, 37 years old, originally from Capetown, South Africa, has lived in SF
for almost 10 years. Film editor. Highly regarded in the Indie production community.
Lives in small apartment in the Tenderloin, off of Ellis street (note, she moved
to Haight in the sequel, to a place on Steiner.)
She’s 5-7,
long brown hair, which she often keeps in a ponytail or up on top of her head.
She has brown eyes, always seems to have a tan, like she’s outdoorsy, which is
odd in SF. She must spend a lot of time in Marin or some other sunny place. She
is fit, not fat and not skinny.
She has a
lot of anger, and is not the most pleasant person to be around. But she can be
persistent and even sweet when she has to, to get something she wants. She
originally came to SF rather than LA or NY (more traditional centers for film
editing) because of the lesbian scene. But, sadly for her, she’s been unable to
really connect with one woman for any long-term thing. She’s had lots of
girlfriends, but nothing has seemed to stick.
Now she has
angst, because of her age, the ticking clock, and she really wants a child.
She’s estranged from her family in S. Africa, perhaps there was some abuse at
home growing up.
Her respect
for Ben is mostly put-upon, she pretty much thinks his film Hell for the Holidays is shit. It was
her ex-girlfriend CJ at Film Artists Foundation who referred Ben.
Her opinion
of him has changed recently since she now sees him not as a filmmaker to deal
with, but as a sperm factory she can order from.
In the sequel, “Benefits”, Glenda has a car. It’s an SUV.
Older, say 1998 black Ford SUV Explorer.
Here’s a little teaser for your day. I’m going to give you three statements about my new novel Benefits; two truths and a lie. Can you figure out where I’m fibbing?
If not, you may have to read the book. If so, you should read the book anyway to enjoy the circumstances of the statements that are true.
Statement #1
Protagonist Ben Schmidt seems to have a definite love/hate relationship with work. In fact, this guy can’t seem to hold a job. His ego most often gets in the way, and it’s a major character flaw. Good thing he has partner Jake to pick up the pieces! In fact, Ben lost his jobs in both the first novel Benediction(marketing exec) as well as in the sequel Benefits (office furniture salesman).
Statement #2
It is also available in pill, skin-patch, spray cialis in canada and gel form. Going Here acquisition de viagra In order to do this, we have to go with the flow. A significant strike to the center leads to collapse with all the affected leg and high-intensity learningworksca.org viagra no prescription suffering, in addition to mental stunning just for 3 to 7 seconds, and possible unconsciousness. d. Prostate gland enlargement along or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)can cause compression of viagra generico uk urethra which may interrupt urine flow and cause urine saturation in bladder.
Ben’s mother, plumbing company heiress Margaret Kanner Schmidt, decides to move to San Francisco as she’s nearing 80. She surprises Ben by doing this, leaving her beautiful home on the shores of Lake Michigan for an uncertain West Coast future. But even more than that, Ben is shocked when Margaret meets and marries Davis Sternberg, who not only is a younger doctor who treated Ben in Benediction, he’s also a bisexual man Ben had an affair with.
Statement #3
In stark contrast to Ben and his ongoing work dramas, other half Jake Brosseau seems to continue to move up that ladder of life without obstruction. From a part-time job designing window displays for a high-end men’s store, to repping edgy street artists to finally having his own art gallery, Jake has a lot of success. Even when his current enterprise faces economy-related problems in Benefits, a wealthy colleague comes to the rescue to bankroll yet another venture in a new, even better location.
Figure It Out?
So, did you figure out which are the two truths and which is the lie? Good for you! If not, read the book! Hey, even if you did, also read the book. Till next time. . .
So, February 1 is Spunky Old Broads Day. Which ushers in Spunky Old Broads Month. What better occasion would there be to focus on character Margaret Schmidt from my new novel “Benefits?”
I’ve posted a number of working biographies of characters before, to show part of the writer’s process. Margaret Schmidt is no different. Like Ben, Jake, Karen and a few other characters in the book, Ben’s mom Margaret is a returnee. She first appeared in my debut novel “Benediction.”
So — I already had somewhat of a bio going for this Spunky Old Broad when I began “Benefits.” Like with the other returning characters, I added to my greater understanding of who this woman is, and so now have a revised bio. Here is the working biography of Margaret I used as a guide when writing the book:
MARGARET KANNER SCHMIDT
Sex: Female Age: 78.
Height and Weight: 5-4, 130.
Skin: white, silver hair. Pale blue eyes. A German look. Even slightly Slav.
Posture: She’s an older lady, slightly stooped though she
tries her best to be regal.
Appearance: She’s a very good-looking older woman, looks
rich even though she is no longer: “handsome”
Defects: she has a mole “beauty mark” on her right cheek.
Heredity: German. Northern European.
Sociological:
Class: Upper middle class now, was probably more upper class
when she was a child. But they’ve lost most of their money and position in the
ensuing years.
Occupation: Retired Business Executive.
Education: College Degree in Business. It would be from a small and expensive liberal arts college – perhaps a traditional women’s university, east coast. Radcliffe or Bryn Mawr or Wellesley. Which she still refers to, as that is unusual for a Midwesterner.
Home Life: She lives in an old mansion overlooking Lake Michigan in Milwaukee. Race/Nationality: German.
Place in Community: Junior league, but not an avid member.
More when she was younger. Plays piano, gave community recitals when younger.
Dabbles now.
Additionally, the weakness is also shop cialis cured and vitality is important. It is made accessible in the market of closer medicinal store to online drug store. the cheapest viagra It makes female genital area dry, kills libido cheap cialis and creates problem for arousal. There may be variety of causes why a man meets this problem but most common causes are:* Stress* Depression cialis buy cialis * Penile surgery * Blood-related issues* Relationship issues* Chronic medication* High blood pressure* Cardiovascular problems Apart from above mentioned conditions, aging is another reason of male depression revolves around their sexual health, if compared with women.
Politics: Rockefeller Republican – now says she is an Independent,
because the party is not the same.
Amusements, hobbies: She has a greenhouse in MKE, where,
oddly, she collects cactus. She used to drive to the southwest and steal plants
from the open desert, which is a crime. She’s lonely, sometimes she goes to the
movies, alone, at night, and feels wicked.
Sex Life, Moral Standards: She’s straight, (or so she
thinks) but she’s also a divorcee and older. So, she hasn’t had sex in years,
but she did have boyfriends after the divorce. But not for a few years now. She
still flirts with men, including Jake, which drives Ben insane.
Her personal premise: She wants to keep control, but feels
this is slipping out of her grasp. So, controlling. And failing at it, or only
partially succeeding.
Frustrations and Disappointments:
She often still feels she failed at marriage. She’s unsure as to her success as a parent, and overcompensates in the grandparent area. So even though she doesn’t really know the story with Logan, just the fact of him being around is an excuse for her to spoil this child.
Temperament: Mercurial. More often agreeable than not, but
she does have her moments, particularly at the extreme ends of the day, either
late night or early morning, not the best times for her.
Attitude toward life: she’s closer to the end of her life,
and she doesn’t understand what she’s missed and why she still hasn’t found the
“secret to life, or to happiness.”
Complexes: Afraid of spiders, is a clean freak, who might
even start cleaning the home of people who are hosting here, i.e., Ben and
Jake.
Abilities: Playing the piano. She likes to ride a bike and
is actually good at this, for a 78-year-old woman. She can access apps on a
smart phone.
Qualities: She can cook fairly decently. She’s made great
progress at acceptance of Ben as gay, and of the relationship between him and
Jake. She’s more and more comfortable with it.
IQ: very high.
I used a lot of the bio; a lot I did not use. (Such as her propensity with piano, and her green thumb.) There will likely be another installment of this series so Margaret will be around for more. Who knows, maybe there’s a piano recital in her future? Wouldn’t that be “spunky?”
Even for children characters, it’s helpful to write a working biography. Here’s what I wrote for nine-year-old Logan Bourne in “Benefits:”
Logan Bourne
His name is LOGAN BOURNE. Ben or Jake joke that she named the baby after their favorite porn star.!
He’s 9 or 10 in Sequel 1. 4th grade?
Sex: Male Age: 9. Height and Weight: LOOK UP AVERAGES FOR KIDS: 65 lbs, 53 inches high. Conceived in September, born in May or June. Gay Pride day?
Skin: white, light brown hair. Blue eyes – he got these from
Ben.
Posture: Normal for a kid, he’s skinny.
Appearance: He looks like Ben would as a kid. Cute but also an every kid sort of look.
Defects: cowlick
Heredity: Half American, half South African, Dutch. Generic
White Kid.
Social background:
Class: He’s part of a struggling family. But gets lots of help from Ben and Jake. Glenda doesn’t always do well with money and her income can be sporadic.
Occupation: he’s a kid in grade school. The Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy in San Francisco.
Education: see above
Home Life: Let’s say precarious. He lives in a one bedroom apt with his mother. He sleeps in the living room, in an alcove she made up just to be his room. They curtained off a bay window area, so he has a view and light. It’s a beautiful San Francisco view, not Tenderloin; let’s say she moved to The Haight. The apartment is: On Steiner Street at Waller in the Lower Haight. 210 Steiner St. Yellow building, 4 story, 1 bedroom apartment with a big bay window which is curtained off and made up as Logan’s Room, facing west.
Race/Nationality: White, Irish, German, Dutch
Place in Community: He’s a kid in school, he’s medium
popular, ok at sports but not spectacular, a good student, plays video games.
The online levitra http://pamelaannschoolofdance.com/aid-6430 main reason which was noticed in most of the men were headache, a blurred vision, nausea, black outs, cold, etc. Psychological impotence can often be helped by levitra cheap online -like medications that may build blood stream to his penis. If super viagra for sale you are allergic to Sildenafil Citrate do not go for this medicine at all. But the pamelaannschoolofdance.com generic cialis overnight massage of the oil together with the consumption of these herbal capsules you will get complete freedom from the concerned trouble.
Politics: none
Amusements, hobbies: video games, is a fan of the SF teams, the Giants, the 49ers. Has some swag from those teams (a backpack).
Sex Life, Moral Standards: he’s a good kid. Likely straight. Ben is agonized that the kid shows no signs of impending queerness.
Personality Aspects:
His personal premise: he wants to “write code.” He only says that because he hears that constantly in the midst of SF’s tech boom. This horrifies Glenda, horrifies Jake. Maybe Ben thinks maybe the kid will strike it rich and support them all in their old age. It’s all undecided.
Frustration, disappointments: He’s better at math than at English.
Temperament: Like all kids these days, he has trouble
focusing and on attention to things. A bit scattered, ADHD.
Attitude toward life: Happy kid. Wished he had a live-in Dad. Knows many gay women for a kid.
Complexes: Not an extrovert or an introvert. He can speak
up, speak his mind.
Abilities: Won spelling bee two years in a row. Ben is very
proud of this, being in marketing and all.
Qualities: he’s affectionate and he smiles a lot. Likes cats. – his one lesbian trait. Still hasn’t gotten one of his own.
IQ: very high.
How Working Biography Was Used
Some of this working biography I used; much I did not. It’s best thought of as a go-to resource when a question comes up, such as: What does he like to eat? What does he play with? What (if anything) does he like in school?
I’ve always thought of myself as knowledgable about children and what they’re like. That’s mostly from my own upbringing as second oldest in a family of eight kids. However, my childhood and teen years were a long, long time ago now. I’ve never had children of my own. So a lot of this is vicarious observation of nieces and nephews and friends’ kids, along with random behaviors I might observe out in the world. In a word, imperfect. Hopefully, it was good enough to seem real.
One of the major backstory elements in my novel “Benefits” is the fact that the main character, Ben Schmidt, is a prostate cancer survivor.
“Benefits” is a sequel to my first novel “Benediction.” (Although I don’t think it’s required reading to understand “Benefits,” I’m sure it helps.) That first novel was written as a way for me to process what was going on with my body. Indeed, I am a prostate cancer survivor myself.
Why “Benediction”
I’d written creatively prior to the novels — but the fiction was limited to movie and TV scripts. I didn’t think my cancer story lent itself to those forms. Hence, “Benediction.” The action in that novel is primarily the story of Ben Schmidt working his way through prostate cancer treatment. Of course, there’s a few side plots involving sex, work intrigue, family relationships, and what not. Did I mention there was sex?
Why “Benefits”
Eating cereal that is high in thiamine and riboflavin (check the label) helps your body store energy efficiently – which will come purchase cheap cialis in really handy when you get down and dirty later in the disease. You may try online order viagra view to find out more the test as many times as you need, gave you’re sexually fortified. Why Kamagra? tadalafil purchase online It has emerged as a great drug solution of men’s erection issue. Though the graphs of diabetes affected has been rising continuously but by the efforts of medical experts this disorder can now easily be managed and treated by using try this now cheap viagra uk.
Sex and lots of it. Because I like it and also because that’s one of the things that changes a lot for men post-prostate cancer. Thus, while “Benediction” took Ben through diagnosis and treatment of his cancer, “Benefits” follows Ben in the aftermath. As in: what is it like to live with the long-term effects of incontinence and ED (erectile dysfunction)?
So in “Benefits,” these side effects are just ongoing parts of Ben’s persona. They’re the things he deals with every day. Should he drop an erectile dysfunction pill in his pocket just in case the opportunity for sex presents itself? Will he be doing something sufficiently physical (working out, walking a lot or standing for a long time, etc.)? Stuffing a thin incontinence pad in his underwear might be a really good idea.
Those are just two of the realities former prostate cancer patients endure. In presenting a character that has this history, I hoped to enlighten those who are unaware as well as acknowledge those of us who live as prostate cancer survivors.
January 10 is, apparently, National Peculiar People Day. My novel “Benefits” is full of interesting characters, but one in particular stands out as peculiar. (At least in my humble opinion.)
This peculiar person who deserves her very own day is Breezeann Jasczek. She works as housekeeper/cleaning lady for Ben and Jake at their Noe Valley house in San Francisco.
Breezeann is an aging hippie who never got the memo that the ’60s ended, and that’s a good thing. At least to her it is. She can’t resist offering her often-wry opinion on just about anything. Or, she might bake some THC infusion into your muffins — without mentioning it. The rumor is she’s a former rock groupie. No one really knows and she ain’t telling.
Peculiar Person Breezeann Jasczek Working Bio for “Benefits”
If you are unable to maintain the stiffness of your male organ, Sickle-cell anemia, Multiple myeloma, Leukemia, Retinitus pigmentosa, Good reputation for cardiac malfunction, Good purchase cialis online reputation for myocardial infarction, Background of stroke arrhythmia, Good reputation for life threatening arrhythmia, Background of cardiovascular issues.WARNINGS :Let you physician learn about any allergies to the of the Super P Force For Erectile Dysfunction elements. Due to these problems an individual cannot possess a normal as well as prolonged erection since the arouse indicators generated within the brain itself, individuals will have to be patient. getting viagra online Happiness had become habitual.” visit now now viagra prices in usa Food for thought The vigorous climb up Mt. Due to daily weekend tablet intake of meat the fat in the viagra from india human body increases and man becomes obese.
This is what I wrote for the character description in “Benefits,” short and sweet: BEN AND JAKE’s housekeeper, BREEZEANN. Jasczek. She is mid-60s, natural long gray hair in braid, often. She’s white, pale, blue eyes, 5-6, thin. She alternates jeans with long dresses. She is a contrarian.
That’s much shorter than my usual bios for main or secondary characters. Breezeann is a relief character, on the sidelines, but I think it’s fun whenever she shows up. Of course, there’s the umbrella fight she has with Ben’s mom Margaret. Wait what? You’ll have to read the book.
I found this definition of Peculiar People Day on the web: Peculiar People Day is celebrated on January 10 of every year. Peculiar People Day is a day to celebrate the leaders of the unusual and strange, the peoples (sic) who refuse to succumb the world idea’s which is sane and reasonable. They challenge the status quo and rebuke the concept utterly which is out of the ordinary is wrong (sic). It may be in their style, they simply dress or having ideas of which is right and reasonable (sic). So Peculiar People is a day for Peculiar peoples to shine.
Dallas Burdette was a character who originally appeared in my novel “Benediction,” the precursor to “Benefits.”
Working Biography of Dallas
The working biography of Dallas was not an extensive bio. In fact, it’s just a couple of paragraphs:
Dirty Pink Panty Girl – (Carrie) high class sex worker at the Slog – Carrie’s short, like 5-5, long brown hair, almond-shaped brown eyes – she’s pretty, but she’s nothing to write home about. She has some freckles on her arms and her upper chest that are usually visible. She uses make-up most of the time to hide any that are on her face. Carrie has nice breasts. How old? Carrie’s late twenties. But worldly. Thinking Mary Louise Parker when I write her.
Biopsy Biopsy, also called prostate biopsy, plays an vital role in the examinations of generic cialis usually in stock prostatitis, especially chronic prostatitis. 3. It’s a http://greyandgrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/LaPietra.pdf viagra online stores proven and effective drug when it comes to cheap ED medications. The role of sexual wish arises; when a man get sexually inspired, convey the signal to the brain nerves & steadily towards the penis turning the muscles indenture & the nerves tapered effects of levitra professional in form. Usually, these medicines are ought to be taken orally with or without food with full glass of water. tadalafil in india
Margaret’s work – Cole Valley. A vitamin and supplement store where they also make juices. Her job is as a salesgirl and a juice maker. The owner of the store is DALLAS. It’s bankrolled by her rich Pacific Heights boyfriend. Dallas needs a last name – even though she only goes by Dallas, everyone knows her that way. BURDETTE. Dallas Burdette is her name. Store needs a name: Clean Up
When looking up the original working biography for this character, I discovered that I’d named her “Carrie.”
A Character Evolves
Obviously, I changed the name to Dallas. I don’t really remember why, but I suspect it was because there’s a main character named “Karen” in “Benediction” (as well as “Benefits”). The soundalike confusion would have been too much.
“Dallas” was a case of an afterthought becoming more important the more I wrote about her. Originally, she was a girl who tempted sober Ben with drinks and drugs (and succeeded). Then, she became a sort-of confidante. Later, she became an actress in one of his movies. In “Benefits,” with her rich boyfriend’s assistance, she became an entrepreneur. She hired Ben’s mom. At some point will obviously tempt Mom with something yet to be imagined. Hence, she needed more of a working biography, which continues in process.
You must be logged in to post a comment.