Thursday, October 09, 2008

Buffalo Springsteen

She was born on Sirius 4 and thus was ingrained with the fiercely independent spirit of that planet's settlers. Brash and confident, she knows her way around weapons of all sorts, most important the use of her hands to defend herself. A small handful of men, drawn by her substantially striking appearance, have found this out in small but convincing ways. Buffalo Springsteen is compellingly attractive, but — especially since she found her soulmate — she is more than capable of turning back any man who attempts to act on such compulsion.

When she learned the Zero Aggression Principle, Buffalo was transformed, not because it changed the way she handled herself but because it rang true in her soul. She always believed the use of violence to make a point was nonsensical because all that was actually proven was who’s bigger and stronger, but she made herself stronger so she could counter violence effectively. Initiating force seemed a counterproductive exercise, but neutralizing force with an equal measure of force made great sense.

She willingly but not eagerly took part in the Sirius 4 insurrection, uneasy because the response to oppression had its own oppressive elements, and something in the back of her mind wondered if the revolutionary government would be willing or able to abandon those elements once the need for them passed. Sure enough, she soon found herself growing alarmed at the new regime.

An independent woman who fights for independence, Buffalo Springsteen is a distant cousin of a great-great-great-great-granddaughter of musical royalty, and so she enjoys a well-played tune. She really has only one demand of others: Whatever you do, never, under any circumstances, ever call her Buffy. Never. Ever.
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When I planned out the story of The Imaginary Bomb, it revolved around two men who made a living as independent freight haulers. As I wrote the tale, they met a man I'd never imagined named Baxter Hetznecker, who made a profound difference in the way the story was told.

When I planned out the story of The Imaginary Revolution, it revolved around two friends with different ideas about how to win freedom. Once again I've fallen in love with someone who arrived on the scene late but has made herself essential to the telling of the tale. I've often read how characters tend to hijack the story from the person who presumes to call himself the creator of their books, but it's delightful to see that play out in "real life."

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