Hello everyone 😊

Welcome to the Dance Macabre Extras! Here we will be discovering characters, events and trivia of my noir/gothic novel. This way I hope you will get a glimpse of this dark and grim world that I am working on and feel even a little bit my excitement as well!  The first part of this…series, is dedicated to the characters and of course we wouldn’t start with anyone else but our dear narrator, William Dandeline. Let’s dive in, shall we?

A Few Words:

We are first introduced to William at the beginning of the novel. He is both the narrator of the events and the main character of this story. We are quickly given the impression that he is a man dedicated to his profession, a pretty introverted character, close to himself and an individual who prefers alone time than the company of others. Having survived a quite harsh childhood, William is someone who doesn't neccesserily follows the beliefs of the era that he lives in and neither does he agree with the system of justice. Is he a liberal man? Someone could say yes. For one thing, William is no racist and can't find reason behind such acts and neither he is a sexist as he frowns upon the society's ideals regarding a woman's position and capabilities. Is he thriving for an overall chance? Yes, but his own demons sometimes stop him from intereferring and sees himself as a bystander when he could achieve so much more by simply acting. He is not your typical hero who will throw himself in front of a bus to save someone, but he will try and help as much as he can. He can see through the system's corruption; its failures and the outcomes, but he also is awaare of his own humanity and his mortal substance. William is after all just a tiny piece of an even bigger board and it all depends on whose move it is.     

Family & Relationships:

His family was rather unusual, for the time (we are talking about early 30s to 40s). The mother, Sheila, was the one working, while his father had given up his job to raise their son. Despite being a very devoted and loving parent, William can remember mostly his melancholic expression rather than a smile or a laughter. Of course, things got twisted when his mother was struck by dementia at the age of 32, resulting in giving up her career as a dancer and slowly losing her mind from depression. She died when William was just eight years old, a trauma that he has hidden deep inside. Ten years later he also lost his father, who couldn’t handle his wife’s passing. William was left on his own, shutting himself away from everyone, forcing a rather emotionless side of him. People of his circle were wondering how a child could not weep for his dead parents, but eventually they let him go.              
Two years after he joined the police force, William met his new partner and soon to be his best friend, Richard Griffith. Just a few years older than him , Richard turned out to be the only person that William would confine in and ask for advice even outside the job. They were inseparable and most importantly, they solved a handful of cases successfully, marking a golden era for the Chicago Police Department as Richard would always say.  Alas, this delightful era was not bound to last. During the Shallow Grove Operation, Richard tragically lost his life, a death that scarred William deeply and haunts him still.

Likes & Dislikes:

             Likes                                                  Dislikes

         - Whiskey                                         - Beverages 

         - Tobacco                                          - Chewing Gums

         - Silence                                            - Crowded Places

         - Blues & Jazz                                   - Country Music

         - Beef Stew                                      - Anything Fish Related

General Information:

Birthday: 19.10.1930                            Age During Events: 35

Hair: Short and dark brown.                 Eyes: Hazelnut    

Body Type: William is tall, with average weight but well-built and fit. You could say he is a hairy man but in all the right places (yes, you should know that XD).

Scars: One above his abdomen from a gunshot.  

Tattoo/Piercings: None

Character: He is silent and mostly lost in his own thoughts, especially during work. He tends to think by himself and rarely shares those thoughts. His previous chief, Christopher, tried to help him with that habit of his but only Richard was the exception. William is an honest man; he hates lying and mostly when he is forced to in order to get things done. He doesn’t like admitting defeat and his job means the world to him. He doesn’t get too emotional and people can misunderstand that behavior of his.

Relationship: None. He used to date a girl, but it all ended in vain due to his introverted character. Her name was Cynthia.

Education: Master of Criminal Justice

Work: Homicide Investigator   

The Face behind the idea: 

Tom Welling, I got more pics of this wonderful man and of the whole 'cast' of Dance Macabre, but you know, I might share on a later post or something :D

Fanart:

Artist: Emalie

Artist: Specz of Studio Manex

Artist: J.K.Borealis

Verdict:

That's pretty much everything I had in mind. If you find yourself with more questions about William or the process of his 'birth' as a character, you can comment and I will make sure to answer everyone completely spoiler-free !!