Tall, tanned and slim with a bit of definition in her muscles from her constant exercise, she’s often found running or surfing. A few scars litter her body, one on her right knee and then a few track marks on the inside of her elbow. Light brown hair that was lightened due to years in the sun, might be slightly damaged because of this.
7: Describe your OC’s fashion sense.
Comfortable and practical. Often wearing a bikini underneath. Sometimes wears baseball caps. Loves flannel shirts and has stolen almost all of them from Edward, who doesn’t complain. But can dress up well
10: You are conducting a ritual. What 5 items would you need to summon your OC?
1. A surfboard.
2. Her dog, Bear.
3. Sunglasses.
4. Her car.
5. Some Cigarettes
can you tell me about the main conflicts in your desperato series??
Nicky v.s. The Police.Nicky v.s. Trisitan Cooper.Emmy v.s. Smithy. Emmy v.s. the expectations that are connected to the Donovan name
Well Nic against the police is a self explanatory one, I’d say. But It’s been something that’s been there since she was a child. It’s not just as straight forwards as Nicky is a criminal and they’re the law. Like Diana Fowler, the main cop in the series, has a personal vendetta against Nicky because of Jacob. Like Nic knows something about Diana’s husband and that’s fun. Nicky against Trisitan is self explanatory again, since he made her life a living hell and got her addicted to drugs and all. So when he gets out of prison, that’s a fun time.
Emmy’s conflict with Peter Smith aka Smithy, stems down to the fact that everyone gets those bad vibes from him and she’s right to listen to them. The conflict gets deeper after Ruby’s disappearance, one of Emmy’s sort of friends. Like Ruby is that friend, like is a friend of a friend and hang out as a group. Emmy knowing the criminal circumstances of the city, knows there’s something more to it. When Emmy became a Donovan, there’s this “Oh she’s of that family” so people expect her to be a criminal and do criminal stuff. So it’s a thing of if someone is treated as if they’re a criminal they’ll act like one.
And then there’s the conflicts of the both of the Sisters with their mothers. And the problems that Nate faces while trying to adopt a baby when he has a business partner and best friend of who is Nicky, with a long suspected criminal history. Sofia and Holly who are trying to get married while dealing with Amber who is an angry criminal teenager who didn’t cope with the lose of her parents right. Scott and being a part of the “hidden homeless”. Ryan and borderline alcoholism and how that impacts on his relationship with James, his son. Olivia and personal conflicts about should she lie to protect her friends when she’s been raised on a very strict moral code and has been warned about interacting with the Donovans.
yes!!!! of course!!! I love talking about desp so much. I may not always talk about it here, but i’m constantly working on it in the background. I never know how to answer these type of open ended questions so I’ll just ramble random things here about it and stop eventually?
Trigger Warning for mentions of abuse, death and drug addiction.
So Desperato Series, affectionately referred to as Desp by myself and maybe a few others, is set in the (fictional) beach side city of Cartwright, Queensland, Australian (name of city is still subject to change). It’s got dual pov from two half sisters: Nicola “Nicky” Donovan, a piece of shit and the leader of the local gang, The Vipers (still subject to change). and Emmy Donovan, Nicky’s younger half sister and a law student at the local university.
There’s four books in the series, three main with the girls as main povs, and then there’s a prequel with their father, Jacob, as the lead and he’s a mess and it’s great.
The first book, The Reckoning, is about Nicky’s struggles not only in running a gang while dealing with the incompetent police investigation into who murdered Uncle Jackson and staying clean with all these issues and problems around her. While Emmy’s side is about trying to find out what happened to a friend of hers, her friend Ruby, disappeared after the first party of the year. Emmy’s morality gets tested as she gets pulled further into the underbelly of Cartwright all while Nicky tries to distant herself from it because it’s killed too many members of her family and she doesn’t want to be next.
Other issues/plot points/storylines?:
And then there’s the relationships that both of the Sisters with their mothers. And the problems that Nate faces while trying to adopt a baby when he has a business partner and best friend who is Nicky, someone who has a long suspected criminal history. Sofia and Holly who are trying to get married while dealing with Amber who is an angry criminal teenager who didn’t cope with the lose of her parents right. Olivia and personal conflicts about should she lie to protect her friends when she’s been raised on a very strict moral code and has been warned about interacting with the Donovans.
About Nicky:
She’s 27 years old, literally a terrible human being, (she’s literally with a married man who has a child). She’s a recovering drug addict and an abuse survivor. She’s mean, sarcastic and when I say she’s a terrible person, I mean it, she is but i love her regardless. She co-owns and is the main manager for the garage that she has with her best friend from childhood, Nate. She’s bisexual, and will ruin families by sleeping with everyone in said family, when she’s not currently with Edward (the married man). She’s been involved in crime since she was a young child, Jacob may or may not have had her help bury bodies when she was a teenager, but that’s Jacob for you. He did love Nicky a lot and would have done anything for her. Always complains that she could have been a pro surfer.
About Emmy:
She’s 19 and a law student. A decent human being compared to her sister. She’s also an abuse survivor from the time she lived with her mother. Her mother, Leah, was/is a drug addict. Emmy never knew her father unfortunately, Jacob died when Nicky was 16. She’s good, not involved in crime, takes her studies v. seriously, loves reading. Doesn’t surf (which annoys Nic to no end) but is very good at the guitar. Bisexual as well. Friends with benefits with James. Is very headstrong and has a bad temper that she is almost always in control of, but it’s a temper that is reminiscent of Jacob’s which scares people who knew Jacob. Occasionally is a bartender at The Pit.
Other Characters:
Sofia - A paramedic and heavily tattooed lesbian, engaged to Holly.
Holly - another childhood best friend of Nicky, manages The Pit, the bar that Nicky inherited from Jackson’s death. Lesbian. Older sister to Amber.
Amber - currently off doing fuck knows what, she straight up disappeared when her parents died. Wasn’t coping well at all. Lesbian.
Nate - Co-owns the garage and is very much Nic’s number one fan. Gay man, married to Joseph, a lawyer.
James - the son of a rich man who was a fence for the Donovan Family. Mother recently died. FWB with Emmy and best friends with Olivia.
Edward - The married man that Nicky is sleeping with/in love with. He also loves Nicky as well, but can’t leave his wife. Also the rival for the position that Nicky assumed on Jackson’s death.
Jacob: Nicky and Emmy’s father and a terrible man who loved crime and chaos too much. Died in a car accident. But a good father.
Bisexuality runs in the Donovan Family and it’s a funny joke, because Richard, (Jacob/Jackson’s father and Nicky/Emmy’s grandfather) would have hated it.
The themes/Other things/Misc. ramblings:
Recovery, acceptance, love and justice are all very important ideas. Surf culture. A huge concept in desp is the rejection of the notion of a nuclear family and the total acceptance of a found family being real family, like family isn’t always blood but who is there for you. And a wee touch of good old Irish Catholic guilt. The idea that Nicky has lived her entire adult life on borrowed time and that time is coming to an end.
The vibes I’m aiming for are; Animal Kingdom, a Modern Peaky Blinders, Mayans Mc, Sons of Anarchy.
Despite everything else, at Desp’s core, it’s a series about the love that Nicky has for Emmy and how she’d do anything, and I mean anything, to protect her.
This the tag I talk about Desp in, mainly crying over it at 1am (x)
This tag is the edit one (x)
and this is more questions (x)
20. Who is the person they love the most in the world?
Without a doubt, it would have to be Emmy.
40. What is their moral alignment?
I go back and forward on this, but she’d either be a chaotic neutral or neutral evil. Because she does do some day things but it’s often for the good of those around her.
45. Do they have any other survival skills?
She can hunt, fish, build fires, can build things. knows how to patch herself up with minor injuries.
Thanks!! I’ll answer these for Desperato Series because I’ve been thinking about writing some more of it.
10. What’s a line of dialogue you’re particularly proud of?
“so you can tell me how disappointed you arewith me because I haven’t been to a meeting since this all kicked off? I don’tneed to hear it from you”
I just enjoy these lines because I just enjoy Nic who is lashing out against those who love her and see that she’s struggling.
13. Sort your characters into harry potter houses!
I’ll only do a couple of them because I’d be here forever if i did more, and honestly these are probably wrong because it’s not something i’ve actively thought about.Nicky Donovan - She’s probably be a Slytherin but she’d definitely have Gryffindor tendencies. Emmy Donovan - Ravenclaw Amber Griffin - GryffindorHolly Griffin - HufflepuffEdward Ainsworth - HufflepuffDean Mason - Slytherin
15. Describe each character’s daily outfit.
Nic - black skinny jeans, a grey or similar colour tank top, a flannel that she probably stole from Edward or Nate, and then the gang’s leather jacket. And her work overalls pulled over her jeans and them tied around around her waist once she’s ditched the jacket and flannel.
25. Which character would you most like to be?
Honestly there’s a small part of me that wants to say either Nic or Em, since they’re my babies and they go through so much development through pain and all that. But probably Amber, she comes back just so unsure of herself, not really knowing where she wants to go in life. She’s basically dropped out of uni, she’s heavily self medicating with drugs and alcohol, and isn’t on good terms with basically anyone, her small group of friends or her family. But in the end, she becomes so sure of herself and is willing to fight for her friends and family and has dealt with her mental health issues in a healthy way. and like she’s just goes on such a good and wellness driven journey.
When she was surfing with her father before she blew out her knee. Like it was the last time they both surfed together and they just both so carefree and happy with life
8: Does your character hate anyone? Why?
Tristian Cooper. He ruined her life
10. Would your character ever kill someone?
Yeah probably. Like it’d probably be a heat of the moment sort of thing rather than a planned attack.
13: What would your character die for?
Her little family, mainly Emmy.
16: What other fictional characters remind you of your character?
Sarah Manning from Orphan Black. Like they’ve both got that fuck with my friends/family, and I’ll fuck you up vibe.
The garishbright hospital lights forced Emmy to take a couple of steps back, as the doorsswung open and close behind her. This brief hesitation made Nicky’s hand slipout of Emmy’s grasp. She stood there in the middle of the entrance to theemergency department, just watching as the paramedics wheeled her sisterfurther away from her.
The breezefrom the continually swinging door nipped at her jeans which were still soakedthrough. She ran her hand over her tear stained face. She didn’t know when shestopped crying.
“Are youalright sweetheart?” A soft voice asked Emmy.
She lookedtowards the nurse, not much older than what her mother was.
“My… my…”words got stuck in the back of Emmy’s throat as she searched the woman’s facefor something that said that Nicky was going to be okay, “My sister” shepointed in the general direction that Nicky had been wheeled off.
“Okay,she’s in the best possible hands” The nurse led Emmy to Nicky.
A doctorstepped out to talk to Sofia who had been shoved out of the treatment room fortrying to help. Her heavily tattooed arms were continually swinging in anattempt to keep herself busy.
“Are yousure of that?” The doctor asked the paramedic.
“Yes. I am”
Emmy tentativelywalked over to Sofia, with the nurse guiding her with each step.
“She’ll beokay?” Emmy asked the paramedic who looked over to the young girl, nodding tothe nurse allowing her to leave.
“Of course”Sofia gave a weak smile.
Both knewthat it was a lie, but one that they both so desperately needed to cling to.They both blamed themselves for what they were watching unfold just in front of them, both blamed themselves fordifferent reasons.
Emmystepped forward placing her hand on the glass, keeping her eyes fixed on what they were doing to Nicky. Tubes had been shoved down her throat, the nurses struggled to get lines into her arm.
“Come on Nicky, please don’t.Please stay with me” her pleadswere barely audible to anyone around her.
I'm proud of you for pushing forwards with the Desperato series, as I like what you have posted so far of it. Does Nicky's gang have arch rivals and does she have a love interest or not?
thank you!!! It really means a lot that there’s people enjoying what I’ve shown of Desp. so far!!
In Cartwright, there are three major gangs who don’t necessarily like each other, but they respect each other and are rivals in the terms of not getting along. However as they’re all criminals, they often do push onto each other’s illegal and legitimate businesses. The three major gangs are The Vipers (Nicky’s one), The Raiders and The Hustlers. The Raiders would be considered as The Vipers’ arch rivals.
Yes Nicky does have a couple of love interests, one for each book of the trilogy tbh. And they’re all quiet different and fun and all want the best for Nicky.
