Addict –> Have you heard of the song “Addict with a Pen”? Ellie is “addicted” to good books and writing. She is borderline clinically addicted to one or two fandoms as well, but aren’t we all?

Anxious –> Ellie is a very good student, or she used to be before her life fell apart, but she’s suffered from anxiety attacks since the bullies started to attack her viciously in Elementary School. She’s been struggling with anxiety at school a lot, and it’s seeped into the rest of her life.

Bad Liar –> I’m sure Ellie would see that as something to be proud of rather than a flaw. She was raised by the best dad in the world, and he taught her by example how to be a decent human being.

Blunt –> Ah, another “flaw” that Ellie is proud of. She tells it like it is, even if she is incredibly shy. Her inner voice never sugar-coats things, and when she’s given the chance to give her opinion, you’ll get nothing but the truth from her. It won’t be put in the nicest way, but the truth it will be.

Cynical –> She is extremely cynical, but who wouldn’t be, after the life she’s been through? However, she tries to be optimistic and brave.

Delusional –> Ellie believes she is delusional for a good part of the beginning of Salt for Air. I mean, who wouldn’t, when a hot dude claiming to be an exiled mer prince shows up in your bathroom and demands that you help him save his kingdom? Is she though? Well, I can’t tell ya. The book is coming out sooooon though.

Dependent –> She grew up with a single parent, and having few friends, because of the all the bullying she went through, so she was somewhat dependent on him. With her dad being gone now, however, that’s a moot point.

Depressed –> Ellie is not clinically depressed. (I have reserved that questionable honor for the MC of one of my future novels. How exciting.) BUT, she is grieving the loss of her dad and is sad a lot of the time. Well, as sad as you can be when you open your bathroom door and see a guy who looks, smells and feels like the sea. Majestic, gorgeous, and terrifying.

Deranged –> Wouldn’t you feel deranged if you saw a merman in front of you? Ellie does.

Envious –> Ellie is envious of everyone who still has their parents alive and with them. That simple. 

Guilt Complex –> Ever heard of survivor’s guilt? It’s what tortures the relatives of terminally ill patients. She used to wonder why it was her dad who got sick and not her. And even now that she’s accepted that he’s gone (kind of) she still wonders what she did wrong, or what she could have done to keep him here. She knows it’s irrational; it’s the grief talking. But still, it’s there.

Gloomy –> Some nights get really long and lonely. But she’s usually writing furiously on her laptop (about, you guessed it, MERMEN! Fanfiction, no less) to chase the blues away. She’s never one to dwell too much on the morose.

Gluttonous –> She was never gluttonous per se, but she was overweight as a younger kid. It’s one of the main reasons that the bullying started. *sad face*

Gullible –> She has lived a protected life (as every teen should) and hasn’t been exposed to the kind of evil and danger she is going to be in Salt for Air. So yeah, in a sense she is gullible and unaware of the darker corners of this world. However, she is very smart and, for a person who has no one to talk to (at least right now) she… well, I can’t tell you, because SPOILERS.

Idealistic –> I always thought that writers, or most of them, are somewhat idealistic, in the sense that they want to create a world and then put it to rights according to their ideals. Does that make sense? Anyway, I put that into the motivation behind Ellie’s writing. She is powerless to change all the horrible things that have happened in her life, but when she sits at her laptop… the weak win and good triumphs. And isn’t that what we all seek?

Insecure –> She is extremely insecure about herself, due to years and years of being told that she’s “fat” and “gross” and “should just die”. She’ll never let it show, though. Never.

Melodramatic –> Ah, the drama. She is, very melodramatic, even though she keeps accusing Ky of it. But gosh does she enjoy it.

Moody –> She isn’t moody now, but she used to be for a long period of time, due to all the tough times and ups and downs she went through with her dad’s illness. She’s stronger now, and much more stable in her moods, even though she doesn’t realize it.

Naive –> She’s as naive as a normal seventeen-year-old girl. She isn’t clueless. But she is still a teen. She knows things. But other things… not so much.

Perfectionist –> It’s a struggle for a perfectionist to deal with things going horribly wrong in real life, and that’s why she tries to be a straight-A student. Or at least she did, back when it mattered. 

Sarcastic –> THAT IS NOT A FLAW. THAT IS HER GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT.

Timid –> She is painfully shy. And guess what? There are few things more conspicuous than walking to school with a merman in two. Just saying. Poor girl, what am I putting you through? *strokes her hair*

Unathletic –> She’s horrible at sports. That, along with being a complete (and proud) nerd, not to mention a whovian, has resulted in major bullying. She doesn’t get picked last. She doesn’t get picked at all. (Which makes the basketball court scene my personal top favorite scene that I’ve ever written in my life.)

Unlucky –> Ummm yeah? And it gets worse.

Unsophisticated –> That’s one of the things I love most about her. She gives zero thought to what she’ll say or how she’ll appear to others. She has about her the sophistication that reading diversely and a lot gives a person (something you can acquire no other way), but she hasn’t reached that point where she will take particular care of the words she picks to use, or how she’ll dress to impress. And when a certain someone tells her she’s effing gorgeous, it’s all her. Until the mirror scene. Someone, please stop me from posting spoilers all over the place. 

Workaholic –>  Most nights, she writes until 6 am and sleeps one or two hours before getting up to go to school. Does that make her a workaholic or an addict? Back to the top of the list again.