When I began writing, decades ago, I based Ashley’s appearance on Tessa from the anime series Full Metal Panic.* A peer review of my first short story draft, created for a Uni writing assignment, noted the (possibly incorrect) obscure references to albinism and lack of detail, something all authors should avoid (in theory).** I then set about researching all I could about the condition, and soon realised how woefully misinformed and inaccurate my depiction was. Lesson learnt.
And when my novels were hosted on Fiction Press I did encounter a few mystified Beta readers, often asking why a teenage girl had white hair or why she had so many eye problems. When I mentioned in correspondence Ashley’s an albino it all seemed to click for them. Ah well. Those were half victories. Ashley worked as a mysterious and entertaining character.
*After watching a preview clip for the FMP series (my first introduction to the series), I was also determined to include the Mi-24 Hind gunships in my future works. Except in my stories those beasties are flown by the ‘good guys’, Ashley’s friends.
**A few related writing quotes:
If it wasn’t good enough, you weren’t close enough ~ Robert Capa (war photographer)
The more specific you are, the more universal you are ~ Nancy Hale
If a reader cannot trust the author with the small details, they will not trust them with the big ones ~ Earnest Hemingway
One aught to know a lot about reality before one writes realistic novels ~ Robert Stone
Good writing in, good writing out ~ William Safire