Writing: Character Sheet: Madam Sabine

Hello everyone, (this is where you are supposed to wave back.) My book Worth of Luck came out Sunday, and unlike it would be expected I didn’t take a well-deserved rest. I have been working with my second book, and testing Amazon ads. But this post isn’t about Amazon ads, I will write about them when I have something to say. I thought I could show you what I have been doing. A sneak peek into a character sheet.

Just a friendly reminder, this hasn’t gone through an editor and is a raw version what the character would look and feel.

Here is Madam Sabine aka Mrs. Rosa Maupines for you:

Role in Story: Never seen or present in the book. She is only mentioned as a person who influences Agatha’s life and the city.

Occupation: The head priestess of Kraken Cult at the Cult of Kraken Cathedral.

Physical Description: Madam Sabine is a short, soft round woman with a pleasant face and long dark brown hair. She looks harmless when you come across her on the street, but when she dresses on her full priestess costume, there is something sinister and powerful about her. You can say that her harmlessness is part of her allure. It gives her the ability to command others to do as she wants. She “kills” them with kindness or more like guilts them against themselves.

Personality: Friendly, open, warm, manipulative, loves to be thought important and needed.

Habits/Mannerisms: Smiles a lot, a way to guilt people to do like she wants them to, apologize a lot and at the same time asks them to do tasks. Looks straight into eyes and touches people emphatically.

Background: Madam Sabine didn’t have an easy start in life. She was born in a working-class home, having six siblings, all who took up space, causing her to be pushed aside. There simply wasn’t room for her. Her youngest twin brother took all the attention away from her. As soon as she could, she went to work in a local textile factory to get away from her home life. She saved enough money to move out and find herself a small apartment. And she soon fell in love with the first man paying any attention to her, a man working as a repairman at the factory. They got married, and he moved in. But he wasn’t what she thought him to be. Not that he hit her or anything like that, but he was disinterested about their marriage, drank too much, and was always absent. Rosa sought shelter from the nearest church, the Cult of Kraken, and was welcomed with open arms. She had never felt more at home than there, more wanted and needed. She devoted her soul and mind to the church, later getting a divorce and resigning from the factory and pledging her life to the cult. Rosa became a force to be reckoned with. She organized bake sales, fun fairs for the kiddies, and discussion groups, gaining lots of money for the cult more than anyone else had done. She changed her name to Madam Sabine and began her dominance in the church.

Internal Conflicts: Needs to be loved, held, and said that she matters. Searches for some kind of higher approval through success.

External Conflicts: The fall of cult members and donations.

Notes:

Madam Sabine heard steps behind her. She was on her knees at the altar. Someone politely stopped behind her, thinking she must be praying. She wasn’t. She had lost one of the earrings of her priestess costume last night, she was trying to locate it. It was irreplaceable. It was custom made for her and to top if all the jewelry maker had passed away. Also, she really loved the earrings, they were the most beautiful thing she had ever owned. Madam Sabine bowed her head and pushed up.

She turned around to see Agatha Wicks was standing there waiting for her. “How can I help you child?” she asked.

“I… I…” Agatha managed to say. She was visibly distraught.

Madam Sabine guided her to the nearest row of wooden benches facing the altar. “Sit down and take a deep breath in.”

Agatha sat down and she sat next to her, taking her hand into hers. “I’m here. Take your time, I have nowhere I should be,” she said. She had a million things needing her attention, but… but this was part of her role. Madam Sabine sat there waiting for the woman to catch her breath, going over her to do lists. She had two lists every day needing her attention. The list for her personal affairs and the list for the church business. When she got those done, there was nothing left of her at the end of the day. All her to-dos were running from pleasing one person to another, getting them to do what she wanted for the cult, or trying to gain personal favors for herself. Soon she would have to go to see the city’s Housing Inspector, something about the cathedral not being up-to-date with new safety regulations. How the Kraken shit it could be? The building had been built a hundred years ago. Sabine snorted and noticed she had done that aloud. She tied her fingers firmer around Agatha’s hand.

“You know, what always helps me clear my mind?” Madam Sabine said.

“What?” Agatha asked in a weak voice.

“Doing chores,” she replied.

“Oh,” Agatha said.

“It nurtures your soul and mind,” Madam Sabine said. “Wait here,” she added and stood up. She left Agatha alone, hurrying to the supply closet. She took a bottle of metal polisher and a rag with her and returned to Agatha. “Here,” she said and handed them to her.

Agatha looked confused. She held the bottle and the piece of cloth in her hand and didn’t know what to do with them.

“Polish all the door knobs and see your thoughts get clearer. When you have done that, then we can talk and you can tell me what is on your heart. Does that make sense?” she asked.

Agatha nodded, still looking confused.

“Now get up and set up to finish something you know you can. Start here downstairs and then move up,” she said and smiled.

Agatha stood up but hesitated.

Madam Sabine gently put her hand on Agatha’s arm. That seemed to reassure the girl. She would have liked to tie her hands around Agatha’s shoulders, but she was too short for that, so she had found one place on people’s arm that seemed to have the same effect. When Agatha seemed calmer, she took her hand away and gave an encouraging smile.

Agatha headed to the nearest door she could find and began to polish a knob.

Madam Sabine felt proud. She left the necromancer work and hurried to meet with the Housing Inspector.

Thank you for reading.

© K.A. Ashcomb