As I was taking my walk the other morning, I was thinking about my next biblical and my heroine, Zipporah. Zipporah is going to be interesting to write. She’s scarred (physically, I mean), but still confident. Not in the beauty she knows she doesn’t have, but in who she is. She’s outspoken with enemies, yet often hesitant with friends. Friendly and witty, but too different to be totally understood. Respected, but sometimes in a don’t-get-too-close way.
She has quite a story to tell. =) And as I was thinking through one of the moments I have planned for late in the book, I realized she needs a catalyst for really flying off the handle. My original jotted notes was that this villain would insult her looks, but she’s so used to that by now, I don’t think it would have any great effect after all.
But then a dog barked at the house I was walking past, and I had to pause to say, “Good morning, Tipsy.” (Her owner pauses every day as he drives by to say, “Tipsy’s out. Say hello.” So I do, LOL.) Another neighborhood dog answered. Squirrels jumped up the tree at my side, and birds twittered overhead. That’s when it came to me.
A pet! Zipporah needs a pet! Some poor creature she rescues, perhaps with an injury of its own that she can relate to.
So…now to decide on what kind. =) She’s on a villa outside Rome, so I have to make sure it’s an animal that would have been there. Still, Rome was a bit of a hub (ahem), so the options should be pretty wide.
Thoughts? What kind of pet should my biblical heroine have?
And yes, that’s all I’m talking about today. 😉 It’s my birthday, and I’m off to enjoy a day of pampering. Which reminds me–last day to place your orders for my online Mary Kay party!! www.MaryKay.com/TerriHarr and put “Roseanna White Hostess” in the memo box at checkout.
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
I hope you had a splendid birthday, Roseanna! (Would have posted this sooner, but I fell behind on blog reading while on vacation.)
Happy birthday we have the same birthday! Hope you had a great day! 🙂
Felicitous salutations on your birthday!
I believe birds have been pets since ancient days; having for a short time been the mother of a duckling, I can attest to their affection (when they think you're their mother, anyway). I would imagine geese and any other impressionable bird would be quite similar. However, I cannot say if it's historically accurate to keep them.
Have a wonderful day, Roseanna. And NO idea on the pet. Don't even know what possibilities might have been..
A pet? Hmmm….I am not sure. What about an animal that would have been totally appropriate for the era but not so common nowadays?
Happy Birthday! Enjoy your day of pampering!