Finding Inspiration for Characters

People ask me where I find inspiration for my characters.  One only has to look around to find all the inspiration they need as "characters" are everywhere.  Traveling is the perfect opportunity to observe people and find characters.  They may be a composite of several you see or meet or they may be a total one-of-a-kind person you meet.

My wife, Susan, and I are in Alaska now doing research for the second and third books in "The Colors of Alaska Trilogy", Blue Ice and Green Skies.  Yesterday we took a bus ride from the McKinley Princess Lodge into the small town of Talkeetna.  On the bus ride we sat next to your stereotypical "rich Texan" or at least one who wanted to be.  He was friendly but boastful of everything he had from fancy cars to the big house he was building.  The town of Talkeetna is acknowledged to be eccentric, even by Alaskan standards.  The character that stuck out most in my mind and will probably end up in one of my books is a waitress at the Mountain High Pizza Pie restaurant in Talkeetna.  She is 29 and a total throwback to the 70's.  She lives by herself in a tent in Talkeetna and is full of life and stories.  The Mountain High Pizza Pie restaurant fits her perfectly with its psychedelic feel.  Regardless of the appearance, the pizza and Alaskan Amber Ale were great!  

 Mountain High Pizza Pie restaurant

Mountain High Pizza Pie restaurant sign