Introducing Barbara

Barbara is a beloved character in my novel. I was actually quite surprised by how many readers took a liking to Barbara. 

My expectation would be that everyone would hate her and see her as the antagonist to the story. I was quite wrong. Readers felt connected to Barbara. She was sympathetic and understandable. 

There were a few readers that went against Barbara of course. And they are perfectly in their right to do so. 

Barbara, in my mind, is a vulnerable character. She’s lived a life and wants to be cared for as life gets harder. She doesn’t know how to ask for this. So she must use what’s in her toolbelt to get what she needs. 

Barbara grew up on Waiheke in a large family - eight siblings! They grew up on a vineyard which supplied wine directly to one of the well established vineyards on the island. 

Being part of a family of 9, her parents gave as much as they could to each of their children but Barbara never felt it was enough. She craved attention and praise from those around her, often turning to manipulative tactics to get attention. 

She grew up working on the vineyard, helping the family business grow. Once she turned 21, she and her partner at the time were given a home in Auckland City. This was a gift from her parents as a launching pad to make the transition into adult life a little bit easier. 

She utilised this and spent any money she had on creating business adventures and exploring the boundaries of society. She made her own way in the world with a lot of financial help - but lacking in the emotional empathy she craved.