Beautiful People {June 2014}: Eustace Rimwood

Beautiful People is a great and very inspiring link-up started by Sky at Further Up and Further In some years ago for the express purpose of getting to know your characters better. However, by the time I had begun blogging Sky was taking a hiatus from it, but now... Sky and Cait (of Notebook Sisters) have brought Beautiful People back!!!

This month I answered the questions for Eustace, an important, but not a central character for (one) of my current WIP's, 'They Searched Who Laughed'. I'm writing TSWL with a lot of creative input from my sister Arwen, and it's more or less a sequel to 'They Loved to Laugh' by Kathryn Worth.

Enjoy meeting Eustace! :)

What is their full name and is there a story behind why they got it? Eustace Albert Rimwood. I must confess that I simply got Eustace because my sisters had been listening to “The Silver Chair” when I was mowing and hence, later when I was writing and needed a name I thought “Ah HA! Eustace!” It really does fit him though...

How old are they, and when were they born? He is now in his thirties and he was born some time around 1810.

Describe their physical appearance. (Bonus questions: 1. What is their race/nationality/ethnicity? 2. Do you have a picture of them? If so, include it!) Brown haired with a thin face and mustache and an all around appearance of a determinedly brave, cheerful, and inquisitive mouse.

Describe your character's personality first in one word, and then elaborate with a few sentences. 

Awkward. Not that his manners are that—quite the reverse as he is actually quite suave—but he is inclined to say and do the wrong things and tends to create awkward situations.

What theme song(s) fit their personality and story arc?Fantaisie d'Amour from the movie soundtrack for “The Artist”. The song is 20's and 30's classic movie jazz and my story takes place in the mid 1800's, but besides that the song is simply Eustace put to music.

Which one of the seven deadly sins describes your character? 

Idleness.-It does not exactly describe him, but it is a flaw.

If they were an element (fire, water, earth, air), which one would they be? 

Air. For the most part he keeps the atmosphere quite light.

What is their favorite word?
Sunshine—as it is happy, go lucky, and free.

Who's one person they really miss? (It could be someone who’s passed away, or someone they’re not close to anymore, or someone who’s moved away.)
His sister's daughter, Elise. She was the only person who made him both talk and act gallant.

What sights, sounds, and smells remind them of that person

The sight of the sea, watercolors, and brick streets. The sound of laughter and gentle voices. The smell of the sea, burning tar, fresh garden flowers, and fresh clam chowder—and new baked yeasty bread with honey.