Casting My Characters

Marni did a great post recently about creating a character bible. Check it out! Creating a Character Bible – Miss Demeanors

I do that. And there’s another thing I do for my crime fiction series: I create a character board – which looks a lot like the suspects board in Midsomer Murders. I cut out photographs of actors who I feel would play my character well and glue them to posterboard. It helps me to picture my characters as I write.

For Implied Consent, my book that released on January 26, 2023, I casted five of the main characters. Here you go!

Maureen Gould

Our hero, is a lawyer in San Francisco with a solo practice specializing in representation of sexual abuse victims.  Her early life was a combination of privilege and tragedy which instilled in her a need to help others. She’s tall, athletic appearing (although she doesn’t exercise much) with unruly shoulder-length red hair and prefers jeans to suits. Yet she pulls off both with equal aplomb.

I see Emer Kenny for Maureen. She meets the physical criteria. I love her character, Bunty, in Father Brown – outspoken, sometimes even outrageous. The actor herself is one smart cookie, having written the fabulous Karen Pirie TV series based upon Val McDermid’s books.

Jake Kuhn

Maureen’s tall, dark, handsome husband. He put himself through law school at night while working as a San Francisco police officer. Now he is a prosecutor with the District Attorney’s Office in the white-collar crime division. He is equally as comfortable in a suit as on a basketball court.  Naturally the first actor who came to mind was Joe Manganiello.

Eli Conroy

Maureen’s investigator. He’s tall and lanky, particular in his person, and suspicious of just about everyone. A former San Francisco police officer, there’s something under the surface that makes you think he’s troubled and possibly dangerous – but hopefully not to his friends. Paul Anderson from Peaky Blinders fits the bill.

Yolanda Martinez

Maureen’s paralegal/office mom. She’s a caring, but no-nonsense kind of gal inspired by the characters played by Shelly Morrison. I watched “Will and Grace” just to see her.

Josephine Navarre  

The client. I like Zoe Saldana for her. Elegant. Appears fragile the outside, but a formidable presence.

Francis E. Gould

Maureen’s father and archnemesis. When she files a #metoo lawsuit on behalf of Josephine against a Hollywood producer, Frank steps in to defend him. That’s when things get complicated. During the entire time I wrote the book, I pictured Jon Voigt as Frank.

It’s Your Turn!

Writers: do you create character boards?

Everyone: Have you read Implied Consent yet? Do you like my casting, or do you have other suggestions? I’d love to hear how you see my characters.

About Implied Consent

Lawyer Maureen Gould has a dark secret and a need to prove herself. When a young woman walks into her office with a Hollywood #metoo case, Maureen spots the chance for redemption.

Enter the opponent: Maureen’s father, Frank Gould, a man as evil as the movie producer he defends. While Frank pulls every dirty trick known inside the courtroom, someone behind the scenes is engineering Maureen’s defeat. Doors are slammed in her face. Disturbing photographs are “discovered.” A witness dies mysteriously. Clearly someone means to silence her.

Will Maureen muster the strength to free herself from the past, reveal the truth, and win justice for her client?

Implied Consent, a Maureen Gould Legal Thriller

Buy Here: Implied Consent: A Maureen Gould Legal Thriller – Kindle edition by Powell, Keenan. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

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Keenan Powell

Author

Keenan Powell is the Agatha, Lefty, and Silver Falchion nominated author of the Maeve Malloy Mystery series, Deadly Solution, Hemlock Needle, Hell and High Water.

While still in high school, she was one of the illustrators of the original Dungeons and Dragons. Art seemed an impractical pursuit – not an heiress, wouldn’t marry well, hated teaching – so she went to law school instead. When not writing or practicing law, Keenan can be found oil painting, studying the Irish language, or hanging out with her friends at mystery conventions.

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11 comments

  1. Keenan, I love Emer Kenny! So accomplished and whip smart— seems like a perfect Maureen.
    I’ve torn photos out of magazines for a few characters but this board idea is attractive. At a glance you can see the character you are thinking of—I’m stealing this!

  2. Keenan, this is my favorite exercise when writing! I cast all my books in my mind. Sometimes I come right out and tell the reader exactly what actor my character looks like because I figure, they all know these people, why not have them picture them the same way I do. In my current WIP, my character tells a detective point blank that he looks like Kevin Bacon. (Because I really like Kevin Bacon :-))

  3. I’ve written two characters based on Tom Hardy. He’s on my historical board.

    On the book I’m now writing, I figured I’d just say, “he looks like Robert Redford.” Figuring I can only get away with that once per book – otherwise I’d work Liev Schreiber in too. Can I?

  4. I do casting too! I feel like Judi Dencch is always coming up. I probably need to introduce Maggie Dove to Robert Redford.

  5. I never cast my books. I find it too confining. My characters are their own people and they go their own way. That being said, I loved your casting choices and I loved Implied Consent. Good job!

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