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Name: Bethany Gardner

Appearance: She is a heavy-set, middle-aged woman. She wouldn’t have much to say about her appearance that could be construed as positive, but that has more to do with her attitude than her looks. She has thick, dark hair (which she dyes to keep the grays away), kind eyes, and a soft voice perfectly suited for reading bedtime stories.

Occupation: Receptionist at a Science Lab. She is not overly fond of the job, but it pays well and is steady, so she can’t justify leaving it.

Writing Style (Click Here if confused): Second Person, Present Tense. If you follow my blog, you probably already know that I have a singular fondness for this writing style (Exhibit A). I thought it was particularly appropriate for Bethany because it implies a distancing from one’s own emotions, which is something she struggles with. Example: “You wake up to a blaring alarm clock, only to discover that it is the weekend and you missed a perfectly good opportunity to sleep in.”

What does she want? More than anything, Bethany wants to have a baby. She and her husband, Ralph, have been trying for years and haven’t had any success.

Song: Ne Me Quitte Pas (“Don’t Leave Me”) – Regina Spektor

Also, I would highly recommend giving the above song a listen. It’s a fantastic song and I feel like not nearly enough people know that it exists.

When I was doing character building, I discovered that Bethany studies French as a hobby. I don’t really use that factoid in the book, but knowing it just made it click that this had to be Bethany’s song.