Munday: Momma Kimberly

1. Is your character's mother alive, or deceased? If alive, what kind of health / shape is she in? If not, how did she die?
Lucy's mom, Kimberly Leech, is indeed still alive -- doing quite well for a woman slowly getting on in years. She's still very active, though she's beginning to deal with some arthritis.

2. Was she married, or a single parent? A young or older woman when she gave birth to your character? How many children does she have?
She was and remains married to Lucy's father, Terrence Leech. She was 28 when she had Lucy, so about average for new mothers. Lucy's her only child. She and Terrence considered more from time to time, but Lucy proved to be such a handful they decided to stick with just one.

3. What sort of mother was she to your character when they were small? How did the relationship change as your char grew up?
She was a pretty loose but loving mother. She had some hippie leanings, so she wasn't too crazy with discipline or making sure Lucy was spotless or things like that. She basically made sure Lucy wasn't sick and in one piece, and encouraged her to do all sorts of stuff. As Lucy got older, Mom shared with her tips on how to get through puberty and encouraged her to find herself. You could say she was a cool mom.

4. Was there ever / could there ever be a time when your character and mom were more like friends than parent and child?
They've developed into friends as Lucy's grown up and gotten a life of her own. She honestly likes talking to her mom and sharing news about her life. And she knows she can always ask her mom for advice. I don't think they'll ever fully get past the parent/child dynamic, though. Lucy never stops thinking of her mom as "mom," and she censors herself accordingly sometimes.

5. If your character has children (or plans to), how did their mother's parenting style influence the character's own? (can be positive or negative influence)
Lucy's not sure if she ever really wants kids. But if she ever did, she'd want to be the kind of mother her mom was -- loving, caring, and willing to sweat the small stuff.

6. Did mom have any sayings, quirks, or rules that still influence the character's thoughts or behavior? (you'll put your eye out with that crossbow!, don't wear white before labor day, etc.)
Well, thinking about it, Lucy probably gets a lot of her "free spirit" from her mother. Kim was all about chasing your dreams. She also gets her love of plants and the color green from her -- Kim was an avid plant lover and had a few little gardens over the years. Grew her own herbs and tomatoes.

7. What role (if any) does your character's mother play in his or her story?
Kim doesn't show up much in Lucy's "story" so far -- but given that Lucy's story is basically little slices of life, she could easily make appearances in future works. She's basically the person who helped shape Lucy into what she is today, so she's pretty important in the background.

8. Does your relationship with your own mother influence how you write your character's relationship with his or her mother? Why or why not?
Well, I haven't actually thought too much about Kim before -- but honestly, I can see a little of my Mom in her. My Mom's not exactly a hippie, but she loves plants and natural things. So yeah, I guess a little of my mom made its way into Lucy's mom. As for why, I can't give any better reason than, "it felt right."