Character Notes: Amparo Garcés de Owen

Here are the original character notes I wrote up for Amparo, James Owen's unintended bride in Ride to Raton. Some of the names and facts evolved into others as the writing of the novel progressed. Remember, I am typing exactly what I originally wrote. I've learned a lot about many things since I started this writing journey, including punctuation.

I don't have a picture on Amparo's card. On StoryCasting.com, I put Maya Zapata in the role. I don't have accents, either, so maybe I should leave them out, although it irks me to do so.

AMPARO GARCES MARTINEZ (de OWEN)
Amparo, a girl from Santa Fe, is about 17 years old. Her step-mother, Ana Maria viuda de Garces, recently lost her husband, Amparo's father, to death. In her impoverished and hopeless situation, she has arranged a marriage for Amparo with a wealthy young Mexican rancher in the Huerfano River region of Colorado Territory. Then she shipped the girl off with a family moving north and left town with a man who wanted a companion to go with him to San Francisco. Amparo is up a creek when her intended is thrown from his horse and lights on his head upon a rock in the trail to La Plaza de los Leones, where they were scheduled to meet and marry. She arives, is left off by the family that brought her, and she sits in the church, waiting for the man to show up. Then a handsome young gringo shows up instead, with a grim tale of woe: He buried the days-old body of her bridegroom and set out to find someone to tell and to give his effect to. Amparo, in a strange town without friends, and no future husband, uses her wits to find a substitute spouse. Then she binds him to her in the oldest way; with the only thing left to her: herself.

Okay, if you have questions or comments about Amparo, hit me.