Tucker Watson's character was created in Ninety Degrees - the precursor story to Small Circles. I needed someone to act as the other side of the seesaw, if you will, for Charleigh's balance issues. Her struggle to find love with Logan was something she couldn't fully understand without having a good comparison. Insert Tucker.
Tucker is a country boy at heart. He lives on a farm, has a thick southern accent, and brings moonshine to parties. I know what you're thinking. "They're from Tennessee, Megan. They all have southern accents." No. You are mistaken. Even within the bible belt, there are different levels of the southern drawl. For instance, in east and west Tennessee, the accent is less of a slur and more of a slight twang. Does that make sense? It's like Duck Dynasty versus the show Nashville. The deeper into the roots of the south you go, the lazier the sentences are. Half of that shit needs subtitles, even in real life.
I always imagined Tucker to be filled with traditional charm. The old school stuff like opening doors for girls and saying "yes mam" to their moms. Along with those traits, he has a certain confidence that comes off as sexy and enticing. This is what draws Charleigh to him. He's definitely annoying, when it comes to her need to be independent and his need to make sure she's not, but he's the perfect tool to use in her game. Charleigh's main goal is to find out whether or not love and sex can be separate. It's Tucker that helps her see the flip side of that coin.
**SPOILERS FOR NINETY DEGREES**
I know I was the one that wrote it, but it still made me sad that Tucker didn't get the girl. Coming from Charleigh's POV, she made the right decision. But as for Tucker, I felt really sorry for him. He's actually a really good guy, and his decision to step away in the end brought so many feels to my fingers. When Charleigh visits Tucker at the farm for the last time, and he confesses that he actually fell for her, my poor little author heart was weeping. But good news for all of you that haven't read Infinite Limits yet: TUCKER WILL FIND LOVE! Who, you ask? That's for you to find out...
Now, on to Tucker's disreputable history. At the beginning of Ninety Degrees, the reader learns that Tucker is a transfer student from Foster and Allan Academy. He starts his senior year at Chattanooga Prep, and most of the other students are concerned due to his rumored anger management skills. Throughout the story, we learn that the gossip surrounding his origin isn't necessarily true. It's this that allows Charleigh to trust him, and their relationship blossoms from partners to friends. Then, of course, more than friends. And after a little bit of drama is thrown into the pot... back to friends. There's a quote from Silas towards the end of the novel that goes something along the lines of, "If there was a temperature at which drama boiled, they were all sitting in hot water." After all of the stories intertwine, most of you will find this to be both extremely true and funny. I, for one, LOLed at that one while writing.
Then there's the little brother. Maddox is a special character. He was originally created for the sheer purpose of shedding light on a terrible disease. I met a girl named Jaclynn a year ago, and she suffers from EDS: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. When she told me her story, I was moved but also shocked at the lack of recognition it has. She has done a lot on her own to raise awareness with several musical artists and public figures. She creates jewelry that she sells and gives away. Even people like Ed Sheeran have worn the bracelets to help show support. I wanted to help contribute to the cause by writing about it in my books. So, I created Maddox's character. The idea behind why Tucker stole Logan's pills came much later, but I was happy at how it all made sense.
There are several other things I'd like to talk about when it comes to Tucker Watson, but I don't want to spoil anything from Infinite Limits. So, how about this? Go grab your copy on December 16th, go read it, then come back and we can discuss anything and everything! Sound okay? Okay. (See what I did there? #TFIOS)
I'll be back to post tomorrow on Silas McFuller!
-Megan.
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