The Morning Realms Dispatch No. 11
Casting call
This past JJubilee, I posted some of my sketches for the characters of Wintersong, so for this month’s Morning Realms Dispatch, I thought I would do the same for the characters of Zhara!
One thing you should know about me is that I am not a visual writer. I joke, but am not entirely joking, when I say all first drafts of my books should be titled Bodiless Voices in Featureless Rooms. If there is one thing I dislike more than anything, it’s physically describing the way anything looks, which…makes writing kind of tough, let me tell you.
Although I am a visual person, I am not a visual writer; in fact, the majority of writing starts with a voice for me. The process of writing might be like the process of painting—thumbnail, sketch, inking, painting—but the actual act of writing is a bit like watching a play more than a movie. There is darkness, a voice, and a spotlight. I can only see what exists in the spotlight.
So every once in a while, during the process of writing, I have to take myself out of the act of writing and try to visualize what it is I’m writing about. That frequently comes in sketches for me, both in little snippets of personality and also in doodles.
So without further ado, here are some portraits of my main characters from Zhara with some notes I sketched out while doing this exercise.
jin zhara
Jin Zhara, 16 (turning 17 on the Night of the Sevens): medium-dark skin, abundant black wavy hair that is prone to frizzing in the humidity, bright eyes, sharp chin, small and delicate, likes to read romance novels, is an orphan of the Just War and works as an apothecary’s assistant, gets giggly around people she finds attractive, talks to herself a lot, tends to notice things in list form, has some self defense techniques learned from bitter experience. Pretty in a cute, youthful way, her wide-eyed looks can read innocent or insincere, depending on the person looking at her. Soft and not well-muscled, inclined to plumpness if given the chance. There is a fullness or voluptuousness to her flesh that hints at indulgence or even hedonism, even though she’s suffered from want nearly her entire life. Has a habit of pulling her sleeves down over her hands to make sweater paws, as though trying to make herself smaller or take up less space, a subconscious holdover from knowing that her touch can sting people. Sweet, romantic, and a bit dreamy. Has a rich, inner world that is her shelter in adversity, and the only person she lets in to play with her is her sister, Suzhan. Loves all things beautiful—loves feeling beautiful, looking at beautiful things, listening to beautiful voices, etc. Part of it is to avoid the darkness she doesn’t want to look at—her growing powers, her fear that the Second Wife will turn her out, that she may turn into an abomination like the other magicians—but part of it is because she genuinely loves beautiful things.
EXTRA TIDBITS
Decorates her living area with pretty little trinkets she’s either saved or made or been gifted. She especially loves colored glass, which will throw bits of playful, fanciful light everywhere.
Favorite Bangtan member is the handsome one (Bohyun)
Has read every light sentimental novel and romances in Master Cao’s bookshop
wonhu han
Wonhu Han, the Royal Heir of Zanhei, called The Monkey Prince, 17: chiseled cheeks, pouting lips framed by an angular jaw, large, round, puppyish eyes, a nose slight too big for his face, broad-shouldered, well-muscled, a complete himbo who would do anything to protect the ones he loves, turns bright red when drinking alcohol, develops a love of romance novels once he accidentally acquires one, wears a sunburst token on a ribbon about his throat which was given to him by his mother before she was executed by the Falconer. Boy next door, but hot. The sort of person your parents would love you to bring home because he seems so safe, and also the sort of person you would spend said entire visit home necking with in secret on the back porch. No two ways about it: Han is very, very, very handsome in a traditionally masculine way and knows it, but only in the way a child knows he is good-looking when constantly affirmed his mother and other adults around him. Therefore, while Han understands he is objectively handsome, he is constantly bewildered when other people actually find him attractive. Xu once said that the moment Han discovers he’s For Real For Real Attractive™ is the moment he will become insufferable; fortunately, Han’s saving grace is that he’s too thick-headed to ever truly comprehend the depth of his hotness. Hates his studies, although he has a fondness for poetry. Inherently good-natured and sweet, the sort of person who would probably easily get scammed by people pretending to be beggars on the street. A generous soul, a little bit too pure to exist. His best friend, Xu, despairs of getting him to his majority alive. As a child he was was prone to mischief, especially shortly after his younger brother Anyang was born because he wanted attention. This was when he learned his dimples would let him get away with anything, especially with women.
EXTRA TIDBITS
Dimples aggressively when frustrated
Cannot drink without turning a dark wine red
He has the laughter of a baby—pure giggles bursting with delight
Works out to pass the time in the most inappropriate places, doing planks or squats in the throne room if he’s bored
Hates shaving, wonders if plucking out the hairs on his chin and upper lip one by one wouldn’t be more efficient in the long run
Has a very healthy appetite and Xu likes to tease him about his increasingly round face and disappearing jawline, a fact about which Han is particularly sensitive since he used to be a chubby child
Allergic to cats
Afraid of heights
chan xuhei
Chan Xuhei, 18, Han’s best friend, only child of the Chancellor, constantly despairing of getting their prince to his majority alive, slim, willowy, incredible with makeup, a bit vain and longing for the finer things in life. Xu likes to balance both masculine and feminine fashions, preferring to appear genderless. They prefer men’s clothing with feminine accessories and makeup, although occasionally they will wear women’s gowns. Their face without makeup is a bit long and narrow, with a sharp nose and chin. Their movements tend toward the feminine, even when Xu is dressed entirely in a masculine fashion. If pressed, they would answer that they would like to be seen as elegant, not as a man or a woman.Incredibly clever and observant. As a child, they excelled at their studies, but was shunned by the other bureaucrats’ children for not adhering to the expected behavioral and gender norms—all except for Han. Witty and charming, they disguise their keen intellect and astute understanding of human nature behind an affected nonchalance. Uncomfortable with earnest emotion, they prefer to show their affection rather than express it verbally, unless the form of expression is nagging. Will flirt with anything that moves.
EXTRA TIDBITS
Loves pets
Always carries a fan on their person
Doesn’t drink, although they frequently pretend to in social situations
Has learned sleight-of-hand
Favorite Bangtan member is the cute one (argues with Jiyi about whether or not Mihoon is the cute one or the grumpy one)
huang jiyi
Huang Jiyi, 20, courtesan and magical scholar: works at Wisteria Court and writes spicy poetry, her most popular work being Tales from the Downy Delta, she is tall, slender, willowy, incredibly beautiful but also someone resentful of her beauty, a symmetrical face and long black straight hair, grumpy and prickly, was a former dancer, stays up late, is a slob, drinks too much oolong tea to stay awake, loves black bean noodles. A troll. Generally the smartest person in the room and knows it. Likes to get under people’s skin, which usually entails her acting contrary to the way people expect beautiful women to act—eating like a pig, belching, picking her nose, etc. Doesn’t like to get too close to people for fear of losing them, especially after the Kestrels destroyed her family when she was young. Despite this, she has a rather strong protective instinct for those around her, even as she tells herself she does not. Has a very intense stare that makes people blush and also tell her things almost involuntarily.
EXTRA TIDBITS:
Would love to be a bit more voluptuous than she is
Writes pseudonymously but people assume she is a man due to her intimate knowledge of a woman’s body from a lover’s perspective
Does not have a favorite member of the Bangtan Brothers as she considers the whole thing to be beneath her (and also she is aware of their work for the Guardians of Dawn)—HOWEVER, if forced to choose, she would say she admires Sungho’s talent the most and finds him most attractive when he’s dressed as a woman
sajah
A large feline creature with a lion’s mane, a peacock-like tail and two small, rounded horns. His fur is an amazing array of gold, scarlet, vermillion, and orange, and the way light glints off of it makes it look like he’s on fire or made entirely of flame, with an electric crackle of lightning flickering in the depths. His eyes are gold and glow in the dark. Spends most of his time as a small ginger cat with golden eyes. No matter what form he takes, his golden eyes and reddish coloring will stay the same. Can only transform into something living, generally a mammalian or avian creature. Cannot, or possibly will not, transform into a human.
That’s all for this month! In a few weeks, I will be sending my 절친 annotations for Zhara, so if you’re interested, make sure to sign up below! I’m running a discount on my newsletter for this very reason.
Until then,
