Helena Jarvis
Helena started out as a Maid Marion type add-in to the plot, but I am glad to say, she evolved into a strong and complex character that challenges William in ways that force him to develop as a person. It’s odd that, as an introvert, I find writing strong characters so interesting. Perhaps I am playing the vicarious extrovert. Anyway, I learned a lot about how to and how not to describe female characters in the modern age, and I can only say, I hope I assimilated it into the book that most readers will find acceptable. Helena carries a lot of secrets around with her, secrets that cause her all sorts of trouble with her daughter, Matilda, who doesn’t understand why her mother won’t treat her as the grown-up she believes herself to be. Her transformation by the end of the book was one of the more satisfying aspects of writing this book.