K is for...

Krystal!

Bear with me; this is going to be somewhat of a soul-baring post. Krystal has come a long way, as have I. When I initially wrote the story, Krystal was me. So, I envisioned myself when I thought of her--only prettier.

Years later, I got that in my girls. Last year my youngest even wanted to be Krystal for Halloween--how special is that?

But if they decide to make a movie about my book, they wouldn't use either of my girls. So I had a few other suggestions. Like Sara Bolger from The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Or Abigail Breslin. When she's a little older.

Krystal is more than the sum of her beauty, though. She's spirited, sassy, resourceful and pretty good with a sword. She grew up on a farm with her family. When Krystal was 7, her father died and left her oldest brother--Andrew--as the head of the family. He was 15. Their mother let her grief consume her. She lost her husband and her eyesight inside of a year. This left Krystal to become the woman of the house--and with four older brothers that's a lot of responsibility.

When she ends up in Fayterra as a captive of King Gregory, Krystal uses her skills to do what anyone would do--get away. No matter how hard he tries to make her his queen.