Welcome back, archivists. 

Today, I'm talking about someone very near and dear to me (and also the cause of several sweat-inducing sessions): Kyle Bone.

Let's start with the thing that always trips me up first --- names. Cue the dramatic music.

I stared at my computer for way too long, various names chasing each other throughout my brain. I went through Shane, Thomas, and a number of others before finally landing on Kyle. I mean...I know someone named Kyle. He's cool. Why not use a cool name?

The last name. Hmm. That one just...happened. I wanted something a little weird, something that hinted at his dark past. "Bone" popped into my head at the stroke of midnight and refused to leave, so here we are.

Next...demeanor. Ho boy. To be fun or not to be fun, that is the question.

I had to think: a psychologically damaged young adult raised as an assassin. Cool. So...how would he talk?

So I did what any writer does when they're out of ideas: I stole from myself. Kyle's defensiveness is a nod to his past, but the sarcasm? The dark humor? All me. His inner voice is basically my inner voice, just shoved into a dystopian world.

Honestly, appearance didn't even cross my mind until I was almost done with my Advanced Fiction Workshop assignments. Then I realized, "Oh, I should probably describe what he looks like. Oops." Each protagonist in Traitor of the Veil has one of my physical traits. In Kyle's case, he permanently wears the expression I have when I smell brussel sprouts. I'll let you decide if that's a good or bad thing.

Anyway --- that's Kyle. Or at least the version of him I can talk about without giving away too much...

I hope you enjoyed this deep dive! More chaos --- particularly about the other protagonists --- is coming soon, archivists.