What makes a great character? The Elizabeth Bennetts, the Scarlett O’Haras, the Harry Potters…What is it that captivates the audience and molds those characters into literary history? My official conclusion: it’s the quirks. There must be something unique about the character that sticks in your mind. The stereotypical characters are quickly forgotten. But when it is a stereotypical character with something so unforgettable, he or she becomes exactly that. Unforgettable. One of my favorite examples: Violet from Lynn Austin’s A Proper Pursuit. This Christy-Award winning book is full of rich historical detail surrounding the 1893 Chicago World Fair, but what makes it a truly beautiful read is the characters. We’ve...