Ever wish you could grab coffee with a fictional character—just to ask what their favorite movie is? Or whether they’re the kind of person who eats pineapple on pizza?

Same.

That’s exactly why I started the Meet the Characters series. Every few days leading up to the launch of Marked by Fate, I’m introducing one character at a time—spoiler-free, of course—with fun facts, quirky habits, and the kind of surface-level details that make fictional people feel surprisingly real. Because before you care about what happens to someone… you have to feel like you know them.

Today, we’re halfway through the series—and I thought I’d gather the first eight character profiles here, in one place, for anyone just now joining the countdown.

Caroline Mitchell

Age: 45

Favorite Color: Burgundy

Favorite Food: Homemade lasagna

Go-To Drink: Black coffee, no sugar

Favorite Store: HomeGoods

Hobbies: Gardening, organizing the pantry, crossword puzzles

Signature Scent: Fresh linen and whatever candle is on clearance

Pet Peeve: Dishes left in the sink

Vibe: She doesn’t yell—but somehow, silence hits harder.

Professor Miyako Collins

Age: 48

Favorite Color: Plum

Favorite Food: Miso soup with fresh scallions

Go-To Drink: Jasmine tea

Favorite Store: Kinokuniya Bookstore

Hobbies: Ikebana, calligraphy, curating quiet corners of the house

Signature Scent: Lavender and rice powder

Pet Peeve: Loud voices in quiet spaces

Vibe: Quiet steps echo—

a teacup placed with purpose,

the silence obeys.

Professor Donovan Collins

Age: 49

Favorite Color: Warm brown

Favorite Food: Eggplant parmesan

Go-To Drink: Earl Grey with milk

Favorite Store: Any secondhand bookstore with more shelves than space

Hobbies: Chess & writing

Signature Scent: Cedarwood and old paperbacks

Pet Peeve: People who misuse the word “literally”

Vibe: Asks thoughtful questions—but doesn’t always wait for the answer.

Richard Thompson

Age: 45

Favorite Color: Steel blue

Favorite Food: Smoked ribs

Go-To Drink: Black coffee in a dented thermos

Favorite Store: Military surplus

Hobbies: Fixing things, staying alert, and letting others underestimate him

Signature Scent: Sawdust and aftershave

Pet Peeve: People who don’t listen

Vibe: Quiet resolve. The kind of man who knows when to speak—and when to disappear.

Rosalyn Williams

Age: 16

Favorite Color: Pink

Favorite Food: Homemade apple pie

Go-To Drink: Iced lavender lemonade

Favorite Store: Small-town library bookshop

Hobbies: Reading, drawing, tending the garden

Signature Scent: Vanilla and old books

Pet Peeve: People who read over her shoulder

Vibe: Soft-spoken but observant—the kind of quiet that notices everything.

Thomas Thompson

Age: 17

Favorite Color: Turquoise

Favorite Food: Tacos (preferably with something weird in them)

Go-To Drink: Vanilla chai with espresso

Favorite Store: Thrift shops

Hobbies: Singing in the shower, rearranging his room at 2 AM, telling the world he's fine

Signature Scent: Citrus and clean laundry

Pet Peeve: People who fake laugh

Vibe: The friend who makes you laugh, even when he doesn’t feel like smiling.

Elara Kessler

Age: 34

Favorite Color: Charcoal

Favorite Food: Chili (her mother’s recipe)

Go-To Drink: Cold brew coffee

Favorite Store: Army-Navy surplus and the back corner of hardware stores

Hobbies: Training, analyzing, keeping herself three steps ahead

Signature Scent: Leather and gunmetal

Pet Peeve: Unnecessary noise

Vibe: She doesn’t speak much—but she never misses a thing.

Agent David Harris

Age: 34

Favorite Color: Navy blue

Favorite Food: Grilled steak

Go-To Drink: Hot black coffee

Favorite Store: Quiet diners

Hobbies: Chess, long-distance running, spy novels

Signature Scent: Fresh laundry and ink

Pet Peeve: Being lied to

One-Line Vibe: The guy who gets it done, doesn’t complain, and somehow still remembers your dog’s name.

Each of these characters plays a different role in the world of Marked by Fate—some big, some subtle, and some still waiting in the wings for a future next book. But together, they build the bones of this story. A little messy. A little chaotic. A little too human.

I’ll be posting new profiles every few days until May 16. You can follow along on Facebook or Threads, or just check back here for the final compilation before launch day.

Thanks for reading.

If you could ask one of these characters anything... what would it be? Comment below with your answer... you just might get a response!