It’s a running joke in the literary world that writers love to torture their characters, and this is true to some extent, after all, swoon-worthy character arcs don’t happen on a cushion of cotton balls! But we writers aren’t persecuting a defenseless agent; characters have a way of fighting back through stubbornness, unexpected plot twists, and, as in the case of Errol, by plain refusing to show up to work.
Because I was choosing to craft my main characters using the organization of Jeremiah 9:23-24, I knew that there would be three of them and that they would hail from Flamebridge, Firmgrasp, and Spreadfeather. For the most part, Doran and Mavis developed quickly and easily, stepping into line exactly where I pointed and saying whatever I put in their mouths. Then, there was Errol. Ah, Errol. No character tried my patience or obstinately refused to do my bidding more than the son of Nelius. Let me break it down for you by our tried-and-true categories: design, backstory, arc, and Jeremiah Factor.
Design
Long after I had conjured the soft features and sharp tongue of an uppity heiress, and even longer after I had sketched the swarthy, sarcastic slave boy with a limp and chip on his shoulder, I remained stumped about the third element in the equation. When I say stumped, I mean that every time I sat down to try to figure out how this character would look, sound, and act, I came up with zilch. All I knew was that he was arrogant, wanted to be the wisest person in Tenebra, or maybe even thought he already was, and that he was a pain in the neck. As I did with any part of the book that stumped me, I prayed about it, read scripture, and waited. I knew God would reveal the character to me at the right time and that when He did, it would be worth the wait.
I don’t remember exactly when Errol finally showed himself, but as I sat down to work on his character sheet one day, the ideas finally began to flow and the still-nameless form of the cocky, aristocratic son of a high-ranking Auteer philosopher began to take shape. When it came to naming him, I could only capture the “vibe” of the name, not anything actually resembling a personal title. I knew it should have a similar feel to the name Everett, but with rounder, smoother tones. The moment “Errol’ finally crossed my mind, I was elated. Now he had a name, a face, and a personality. The rest would be easy, right?
Wrong. I had already begun to write the book when Errol finally reported for duty, and when it came time for his spotlight appearance in chapters ten and eleven, he had his own ideas for everything. It took me a week or two to get up the nerve to write his parts, and when I tried to create the tone for his point of view (POV), he came across so pompous and aggravating that I longed to return to Doran. He was exactly how I’d meant for him to be; the problem was that he was too good at being arrogant and rude. Would readers respond well to such a character?
I found part of the answer in USA network’s Psych, a show I was watching quite a bit of during the time I wrote Errol’s introductory chapters. The show’s main character Shawn Spencer is many of the things I needed Errol to be: hyper-intelligent, mischievous, quick-witted, vain, and obnoxious. It would be too generous to say Errol was inspired by Shawn, but he certainly shares a lot of the same characteristics—characteristics that helped me understand what makes an annoying character lovable and fun to read (or watch). Shawn is likeable despite how often he leaves you frustrated or make you roll your eyes in disgust, because he shows up for the people he cares about and lets them see his vulnerable side from time to time. And perhaps even more importantly, we’re able to understand him because we know where he’s coming from (episodes typically begin with a flashback to his childhood raised by a sarcastic, paranoid police officer father). For Errol too, the key to grabbing the readers’ sympathy was backstory, or rather, current story: an injustice that makes Errol vulnerable and relatable.
But while Shawn Spencer and Errol share many characteristics, I consider Errol’s true inspiration to be the Apostle Paul. Like Paul, Errol is trained in his ancestor’s philosophy and dedicated to achieving the highest excellence within this school of thought. Like Paul, Errol is forced off of a path toward personal glory by unexpected events, and, like Paul, Errol will eventually become one of the most powerful and brilliant tiding bearers the world has ever seen. You’ll see more of the parallels between Paul’s and Errol’s lives in the third book of the trilogy, coming hopefully sometime in 2023.
Backstory
People would probably be surprised at how many scenes I started writing with no idea of how they would play out or where they’d end up. Errol’s introductory conversations with Rhys and his prank at the university is one example. Needing to get a feel for his voice, I just started writing a dialogue between him and a boy I deemed his best friend. As this supposedly genius character prepared to pull one of the lamest pranks I’d ever seen, I had to do a face palm. What was he thinking? Rhys voiced my own concerns when the plan went bad almost immediately. How embarrassing for him and how contrary to my plans!! I was almost ready to scrap the scene completely, when Errol gave me a wink and said, “Now watch this.” (I mean this to be a poetic and imaginative way of describing the writing process; my characters don’t literally communicate with me this way.) Errol turned to Rhys and burst out laughing. “Joke’s on you, idiot!” Now, that’s the Errol I’d been waiting so long to meet.
From that point on, Errol became easier direct. We understood each other now. Whatever the situation, he would always be in it for what he could get from it and what he could do to prove himself better than the other guy. I’d like to say we shook hands and made peace at this point, he agreeing to obey my directions and I promising to stay true to his personality, but alas, he would not. Our relationship became more of an amicable standoff in which he would do what he pleased, and I would wedge the story around him.
However, it’s sometimes the most frustrating and slow-to-change characters whose arcs are most inspiring, and I believe by the end of the trilogy, you will find this to be true of Errol. But for now, let’s just address his arc in Gift of the Tiding Bearer, because it’s one of my favorites.
Arc & Jeremiah Factor
Despite how much frustration it may have caused me, it’s appropriate that Errol’s arch should have been the most difficult. He comes from a culture that not only accepts pride, but encourages it at every given opportunity, and pride is a flaw not easily overcome. There’s a reason the Bible has so much to say about the value of humility and the danger of conceit. As is demonstrated through Errol’s experience on the Path, arrogance keeps us from salvation with a false belief that we have no need of Jesus.
A pivotal point in the story, one I affectionately call the “What Doest Thou Here, Elijah?, Moment” in reference to the Biblical story of the prophet who ran away from God’s command (1 Kings 19), is the confrontation in Myway. Dara finds that Errol, Doran, and Mavis have strayed into a dangerous detour and fulfills her God-given obligation to call them out on it. I intended it to be a turning point for the characters, who would all realize the error of their ways and repentantly renew their efforts to follow the Path faithfully all the way to the Priceless Treasure. But as I wrote the scene, I realized that Errol had only been on the Path for a week or so, didn’t have any concept of the value of Dara’s gift, and certainly had no intention of repenting. It took some stern words from Dara to quiet him, and even then he was far from humbled.
I love this part of Errol’s story for a couple reasons. First, it offers hope of redemption for mistakes made in foolish ignorance. Errol traded his raw ebenezer stone in a game of tiles, without a thought as to its true value, and only felt sorry for it when he didn’t get a shiny gift from Dara with Mavis and Doran. But when Dara explains the loss, she offers him hope, not of earning it back with good works, but of receiving another gift when he is ready to appreciate it. I’m thankful to serve a God who offers so many chances. Second, it is another example of how every person is on their own path at their own pace. We don’t all accept and obey the truth at the same time, yet we are all given opportunities. Dara doesn’t tell Errol to go back and start over because he lost his ebenezer; she knows that, as in real life, the weak believer may benefit from the company of stronger believers, even when he’s on a different part of his journey.
I had to keep looking to God all the way through Errol’s arc, especially for his gift. I knew Doran’s would be the sword, and Mavis’s necklace was easily inspired by Proverbs, but what would Errol need? I thought of several possibilities, finally settling on a lantern. But before I got to writing that scene, God inspired me with a different thought. A key would be perfect for Errol. Representing knowledge and the treasure store of blessings available to us by humble, believing prayer, this gift would symbolize everything I needed Errol’s journey to mean. It was also handy that keys represent trust and Errol received a much-needed boost of courage from the knowledge that the Giver had entrusted a second gift to him, undeserved as it was.
Probably my favorite part of Errol’s arc, and the point at which he accepts his Jeremiah Factor transition from pride to humility, is when he chooses to continue on the Path to the Priceless Treasure instead of returning home to vindication in Spreadfeather. It’s a powerful moment for a character whose greatest joy in life is to be right and who has thought of little other than proving himself innocent for weeks. The impact of that choice is made heavier by the way Errol steps up for the rest of the book. It’s clear now that he isn’t all talk; when he makes a full commitment, he’s all in.
Errol grew a lot throughout the first book, but he has many more lessons to learn before he becomes “a comfort to the weary, a fair and just voice to every disagreement, and a graceful and perceptive leader in discussions of real importance” (Gift of the Tiding Bearer, p. 234). I am so excited to bring you the rest of his journey in the upcoming sequel and threequel. For now, thanks for sticking around for another lengthy discussion. Keep an eye out for a deep dive into the villains of Tenebra coming soon!
