Back to Behind the Scenes
DELLA WENTWORTH
The female protagonist in It Happened at the Fair is modeled after my daughter. Here's a description from the book:
"She turned and the impact hit him full force. He'd only seen her in a coat. But now there was nothing obstructing his view.
Her green skirt and white shirtwaist showed off a slender figure with curves in all the places they should be. For the first time, he noticed her delicate facial features. Blue eyes. And bright smile.
Until she saw him. Her smile froze."
-- It Happened at the Fair, p. 64
Deeanne's daughter, the inspiration for Della in It Happened at the Fair and in Romp Through 1893: The Invitation.
CULLEN MCNAMARA
For the hero of our story, I needed a handsome young man who was at least a head taller than my daughter--who's 5'7". Since I have four kids in their twenties, I confess to knowing lots of handsome young men--but not too many are as tall as Cullen. And not too many would be willing to star in my video adventure, much less for free.
And that's how I settled on a our dear friend, Daniel--an intimate member of our kids' crowd and a familiar face around the Gist household. I didn't want to tell him, though. I thought it might weird him out. I mean, my descriptions can get, well, anyway ...
I will tell you that I only used his facial features in the descriptions. Cullen's physique is that of my husband's when he was in his twenties and thirties ... but that's another story.
Daniel, the inspiration for Cullen in It Happened at the Fair and in the video adventure, Romp Through 1893: The Invitation.
Here's a description from the book:
"Rarely did she have to look up to meet a man's gaze. But this gentleman was a good head taller than most, and frightfully broad about the shoulders.
'I don't believe we've properly met.' His brown eyes took a quick survey of her. 'I'm Cullen McNamara, of Charlotte, North Carolina. How do you do?'
She slid her eyes closed, then girded herself with bravado. He was simply a guest at the fair. It's not as if she would ever see him again. All she had to do was pretend she hadn't hurled herself into his arms and held on for dear life. Then, in a few moments' time, she'd be free of him.'"
-- It Happened at the Fair, p. 33
Back to Behind the Scenes