Beautiful People #12 // Zaneta and Angelina

Today we're looking at two friends from Masked Souls (also known as VeniceNovel because I'm not sure how much I like that title):

Zaneta and Angelina 

    

1. How long have they known each other, and how close are they?

They've been friends since they were tiny children (about seven years old?) and met up while playing on the banks of the canals, so I guess that would be... ten years? They live a short walk away from each other, so it was a convenient friendship. They're pretty close, since they grew up together, and Zaneta's longing for sparkle in every part of her life naturally grasped on to Angelina, who is playful sparkle incarnate.

Giovanni

2. What's their earliest memory of being best friends?

Zaneta would say that it was when Angelina took her side against Angelina's brother, Giovanni, in an argument. Angelina, though she won't admit it, worships her older brother to a certain extent, and Zaneta appreciated that Angelina considered her a good enough friend to take her side in the discussion.

3. Do they fight? How long do they typically fight for?

Their tempers are very similar. They flare up quickly, and then disappear just as quickly. They don't fight as much as they have five minute squabbles before returning to love again.

4. Are their personalities similar, or do they compliment each other?

At many levels, their personalities are very similar. They both laugh easily, cry easily, and get angry easily. At first glance, Zaneta appears to be the more headstrong and tough one, and Angelina the weaker, more delicate, and more superficial one, and I suppose this is true to a certain extent. But Angelina has hidden strength, and Zaneta can be just as flighty as Angelina. 

I suppose they compliment each other by being similar. Angelina satisfies Zaneta's need for sparkle and superficiality and pretty nothings, and Zaneta satisfies Angelina's desire for a friend who takes her seriously. 

Also, I think an interesting study is a comparison of their flirting methods. :-) Angelina is a hair twirler, giggler, and an "Oh dear, could you help me with ____?" All the while overwhelmingly elegant in swooshing skirts.

Zaneta can make flattery sound honest, and has the most fantastically charming smile in all of Venice. She has a touch of mystery and adventure to her that is kinda irresistible. And she can be clumsy sometimes, but forgiveably so, because she's kinda cute, you know? 

5. Who is the leader of their friendship (if anyone)?

I think it depends on the situation. At parties, Angelina is the leader, and Zaneta learns from her. On the street, hanging out with friends (and many beaus), they are equal. And in the marketplace or when interacting with the slightly more lower classes, Zaneta leads, and Angelina follows.

6. Do they have any secrets from each other?

Angelina is secretly shipping Zaneta and Giovanni very VERY HARD. (This would be a good place to point out that Giovanni is Zaneta's friend too, just not as close as Angelina. He's kind of taken on a big-brother role with Zaneta as well, since she was always hanging out with his sister.)

handsome stranger (i.e. Nicolo)

Zaneta has many secrets that she acquires over the course of the story (though not in the beginning). Some, she tells Angelina (like meeting the handsome stranger during Carnivale). But many she keeps to herself (like the mysterious cloaked and creepy man who had been having odd deals with her father, or like her father suddenly getting arrested with no warning for no reason, or like the note her father left in the workshop about a very odd mask he had been working on).

7. How well do they know each other's quirks and habits?

Angelina has taught herself how to look very very interested and enraptured when she isn't interested at all. Zaneta can tell the difference between interested Angelina and fake-interested Angelina, which is something not everyone can do.

8. What kind of things do they like to do together?

Rowing on the canals is always fun, especially if they can recruit some cute guy to row for them (which isn't hard for them to do). Angelina hosts a lot of parties, and Zaneta is always invited. And when there aren't people to hang out with (or boys to flirt with), they like to sit on the front stoop of Soranzi Masks and chat and watch the boats float down the canal.

9. Describe each character's fashion style (use pictures if you'd like!) How are their styles different/similar?

Well, Angelina's a little higher on the aristocracy pole than Zaneta (though not by much), so it impacts the dress. This isn't at ALL historically accurate, but I'm not writing hist fic here. Anyway, here are pictures:

Angelina, daily wear

Angelina, Carnivale dress

Zaneta, daily wear

Zaneta, Carnivale dress

 Now that I look at these pictures, I see how horribly historically off some of them are. *shrugs* I'm afraid if I focus too much on historical accuracy, I'll never get to my story, so oh well.

10. How would their lives be different without each other?

Zaneta would go to less parties. She would probably get into more mischief than she already does. Going to the dances with Angelina keeps her out of trouble. 

Angelina wouldn't have someone to talk to about serious matters, since a lot of people see her as kinda superficial.

This is the last Beautiful People post this month, I promise... (Finally caught up!) Check out the other friendship-themed posts and join the linky HERE!

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Oh and before you go, some news: I got a tumblr! Which might not have been the best idea considering I start school tomorrow. Oh well.

Beautiful People #11 // Angelina

Continuing on with my Beautiful People barrage of posts...

And with my VeniceNovel inundation!

Today, I'm going to introduce you to a character who showed up briefly in one of the first Beautiful People posts: Angelina Caro, Zaneta's best friend.

1. What's their favorite ice cream flavor?

Anything fruity! Though she prefers sorbets.

2. Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where are they going? What are they wearing? Who will they be with?

Since it's a night out, I can't say that she's preparing for a party at her own house, which is a very common occurrence in her life. But she also goes out to many parties of her friends, so I'm guessing that's what she's doing for this question. She is on the border of upper-middle-class and lower-class-nobility, so she still gets invited to many of the posh parties. She and her brother are going together to this one - it's being hosted by one of his business partners. Angelina is hoping that many of her beaus will be there, but even if they're not, she's confident in her ability to make some new ones. She's very resourceful like that. :-)

Angelina is wearing a pink gown with lace all over, and pearls. It's not new-new, but it's only a second wearing so it'll have to do. See? She is resourceful.

3. Look at your character's feet. Describe what you see there. Do they wear dress shoes, gym shoes, or none at all? Are they in socks that are ratty and full of holes? What do they consider comfortable, and what do they consider agony?

For daily wear, Angelina has a few pairs of nice little black lace-up boots, sturdy enough for the Venetian cobblestones, but adorable enough to be enticing when she lifts up her skirts climbing stairs. For parties, her shoes are more colorful dancing shoes, depending on the style of her dress.
Angelina will suffer for beauty without a peep. Agony would be having to wear ugly shoes.

4. Do they have any birthmark or scars? Where are they and how did they get them?

Though Angelina got some bruises as a kid frolicking around the streets of Venice, there's nothing that lasted as a scar, and now she's old enough to know better than to get into those kinds of rough-and-tumble situations.

In terms of birthmarks, she does have a slight hint of freckle on her nose, which she is mortified by and does her best to hide.

5. What kind of music do they listen to? Does it change depending on their mood or is it always consistent? (Feel free to share samples!)

Angelina loves dancing music, and will always get up and dance at the slightest suggestion. She's been to orchestral and choral performances, but usually spends most of the time making eyes at the cute guys in the audience next to her. Once she made the (very attractive) cellist blush by smiling at him, and found it a very entertaining game to see how flustered she could make him. Don't ask her how the music was at that concert - she won't remember.

6. Do they have any musical talent? Play an instrument? How's their singing voice?

Angelina sings decently, nothing to be ashamed of. She used to play the piano but not very well.

7. What kind of book would you catch them reading?

Some kind of romantic thing, with lots of elegant descriptions of trees and fields and castles.

8. How would they spend their summers (or their holiday)?

Parties! Dances! Howe else?

9. It's Saturday at noon. What is your character doing? Give details. Ex. If they're eating breakfast what's on the menu? Are they hiking, shopping, lazing around?

Chatting with Zaneta while sitting by the Grand Canal, watching the gondolas.

10. Is there anything your character wants to be free of?

The judgment of others that she is just parties and flirting and pretty dresses. Well, she is parties and flirting and pretty dresses, but it's not the entirety of her, and people think it is.

What do you think of Angelina? And - important question - what's your favorite ice cream flavor? (Mine's chocolate anything.)

Beautiful People #10 // Besina and Bartolomeo

Well lookie here! I finally am doing more Beautiful People posts! And because I missed the June and July ones I thought I'd go back and fill those out first. (So prepare yourself for three BP posts in a row!)

And I've also decided to return to work on my VeniceNovel (also called, for now, Masked Souls, but that might change). It is the only novel that my heart really wants at this point, and I'm working on revamping the whole plot and making it beautiful.

Today we're talking about June's Beautiful People theme - parents. Specifically, Zaneta's parents. I do not yet have any pictures of them. Oh well.

1. Do they know both their biological parents? Why/why not?

Yes. Zaneta has two awesome parents - Besina and Bartolomeo. (In the original version of this story, Bartolomeo dies early on. That's not happening anymore - yay! - though he does get abducted and is thus not present for most of the story anyway.)


2. Have they inherited any physical resemblances from their parents?

Zaneta inherited her mother's petite facial features and willowy stature, though she is taller than her mom. She also has a hint of her father's deep and twinkling eyes, though hers are very green and his are blue-green. She has a robustness about her that can only come from her father, too.

3. What's their parental figure(s) dress style? Add pictures if you like!

Both of Zaneta's parents dress in working class outfits of the Venetian 17th century (ish). Besina wears airy blouses, thick skirts, and an apron over it all. Bartolomeo often wears his maskmaking smock, but only when he's at work. He would never leave the house with it on.


4. Do they share any personality traits with their parental figures? And which do they take after most?

Zaneta takes more after her father than her mother, in terms of personality. They are both vivacious, hot tempered, and quick to laugh (loudly). However, Besina has a certain tranquil mystery about her that Zaneta shares, though more in the sly mystery aspect than in the tranquil aspect.


5. Do they get on with their parental figure(s) or do they clash?

Overall, it's a pretty happy family. Zaneta argues with her parents as much as any teenager might, but she really relies on them both for advice (though in different matters) and loves them very much (and knows it).


6. If they had to describe their parental figure(s) in one word, what would it be?

Zaneta would probably describe them both as artists, though in different senses of the word. Bartolomeo is the best maskmaker in Venice, with extremely dexterous hands, despite his large size.
Besina is an artist of life. She somehow makes everything beautiful.

7. How has their parental figure(s) helped them most in their life?

Bartolomeo has taught Zaneta maskmaking - and so, indirectly, an appreciation for beauty, magic, and mystery.
Besina has taught Zaneta how to see that beauty, magic, and mystery in everyday life.

8. What was their biggest fight with their parental figure(s)?

Zaneta has had many, many fights with both her parents, though they were petty, short, and easily resolved. The biggest fight probably happens near the beginning of the novel, and basically involves Zaneta being stupid on a Carnivale night and not coming home until the next morning. Obviously her parents are going to be angry.

9. Tracing back the family tree, what nationalities are in their ancestry?

The Soranzi are Venetian through and through, and proud of it! (There might have been a Turk somewhere a long time ago, but they don't talk about that.)


10. What's their favorite memory with their parental figure(s)?

Oh, this is kind of impossible, because Zaneta's had such a splendid life with her parents. Her favorite memories are kind of mixtures of a bunch of different times. Her favorite memory of her father would probably be a conglomeration of all the times she's spent sitting on her father's workbench watching him put the finishing touches on a mask.
Her favorite memory of her mother is the way her mother plays with her hair when they're cuddling on a bed or couch.

What do you think of Besina and Bartolomeo? And if you could describe YOUR parents in one word (each) what would they be?

Read the rest of my Beautiful People posts here!