Character Sketch: Charlie Davies

It has been a bit since I have done any writing. And it’s also been a while since I have done a character sketch for the blog. And this one is fun because I am actually developing this character as I write the post.

I had this idea to try and write a horror/romantic comedy thanks to Josh Ruben’s trailer for the upcoming film “Heart Eyes.” I’ve always loved horror comedies and they have a special place in my heart. So the possibility of writing a full-length story in this vein is very exciting. But before I do that, I need a story.

As someone who wrote a YA romance novel (Check out Phantom Janitor!), I want to do a story that put the romance first and then work on the horror. The setting is an overnight camp by the edge of a beautiful lake. Because nothing says campy horror like… well, camp! And to make it more camp, it’s also furry! Because why not?

The story idea that I have so far surrounds a trans-masc Cavalier King Charles Spaniel going away to work as a camp counselor with his sister/best friend. He’s just gone through a break-up and he’s handling it like someone who’s just been broken up with. (Yes, in hindsight the name Charlie is so uncreative, I know. But like, it’s cute! Especially for a transmasc puppy!) I haven’t quite figured out the horror element, but I am thinking maybe a werewolf or someone with a chainsow, OR a werewolf with a chainsaw!

When I started creating the idea, the first character to actually completely form in my head was the love interest. His name is Kyler and he’s a lynx. He’s been involved with this camp since he was a kitten and really loves being there and helping kids enjoy a place that brought him so much happiness. He’s an archery instructor in his late twenties that spends his spare time helping out in the kitchen. He is very outdoors, and he loves going for hikes, playing paintball, and wears flannels in the heat.

The next thing I figured out is that this love interest is almost parallel to the ex-boyfriend who is another big cat, just in a different and less sexy font. His name is Kyle and he is a mountain lion. He’s not really important to the story, expect for the fact that he grew disinterested in his relationship with our protagonist, and that our hero was very much into Kyle and it broke his heart.

Which brings us to the reason for the post. Charlie. Charlie is, as I said, a trans-masc Cavalier Spaniel, uses he/him pronouns. He’s going to the camp to be an arts and crafts instructor for the campers and has some fun craft ideas to show the campers. (I am thinking most of the romance develops when the camp is working on getting ready to open.) He’s not great at outdoor activities, specifically things like sports. Kyler offers him some hands-on help with archery, but Charlie is very bad at it. Comically bad. However, he loves board games and actually brought a few of his own from home to share with other counselors. He loves bundling up and listening to audio books in his spare time. He’s quick to apologize for things that aren’t his fault, but his friends stick up for him. It’s one of those things where he’ll be like “Sorry” and one of his friends will say “No, he’s not.” and Charlie will go “Yeah… I’m not.” It’s a thing he’s working on.

So that’s a loose character sketch so far. I am going to try and write out something and post it later down the line. What do you think? Does Charlie need more? I mean, he probably does. It’s a character sketch. What do you think of Kyler? What are your favorite comedy tropes?