It was a joy to write someone so unguarded and so unafraid, and I hope I get more opportunities to create characters with her kind of spark in the future. She knows she has to make a choiceconfront her memories of The Painter and overcome her fear of the canvas, or give up painting forever. I love her enthusiasm, her determination to be a positive influence for her sister, and her total lack of restraint when it comes to pushing into her sister’s life. When the yearly Art Showcase once again approaches, Maddie has the chance to win a scholarship and start planning a future far away from the horrors of her past. Writing Autumn’s scenes were some of the happiest moments I had during the creation of Blank Canvas. Three years ago, sixteen-year-old Maddie Deacon was abducted on her way home from her school’s Art Showcase.

But Maddie also knows her sister will always be there to smile when a smile’s needed, and that quality cannot go unappreciated. Read 'Blank Canvas' by Mere Joyce available from Rakuten Kobo. She has her own existence, with her own troubles and her own passions, and Maddie understands this. Yet I soon discovered that Autumn had a big personality just waiting to be explored, and I quickly decided I would give her a chance to shine.Īnd of course, shine she did! Autumn is very much Maddie’s light, a ray of sunshine in her otherwise stormy life. SYNOPSIS: Three years ago, sixteen-year-old Maddie Deacon was abducted on her way home from her school’s Art Showcase. Genre: Young Adult, Suspense, Contemporary. I thought, at first, that Autumn would be a minor character, there for occasional conversation but not actively involved in Maddie’s grief. BLANK CANVAS BY MERE JOYCE Title: Blank Canvas. I wanted them to be friends, and I wanted Autumn to be a source of hope for her older sister.īut even with these thoughts in mind, I didn’t expect Autumn’s role in Maddie’s story to become so important. I didn’t want jealousy or blame between these two siblings, and I didn’t intend them to be always fighting.

One of the earliest things I was certain about when writing Blank Canvas was that I wanted Maddie to have a good relationship with her family, especially her little sister, Autumn. Family Ties (Writing the Character of Autumn)

Blank Canvas by Mere Joyce