Your Character (Wishful Thinking)

Your Character in Wishful Thinking is the main protagonist of the Wishful Thinking book.

Although her default name is "Lydia Gibson", the player can choose to name her as they wish. She was a part of the writing staff at Northbridge News for two years, before being promoted to Junior Reporter in Chapter 2. As of Chapter 9, she is promoted to Head Reporter after Ellen is fired or suspended.

Appearance
Your appearance is customizable according to the player's preferences. You can choose the skin tone, facial features and hairstyle. You have a closet available to change your wardrobe.

Personality
Your personality depends on the player's choices but can be generally perceived as helpful and amiable if not a bit clumsy at times. A recurring theme is that you don't have much confidence, stemming from the fact that you dropped out of college and have been working as a writer for a couple years with no place to go for career advancement. Alec says you have a spineless craving for approval and that you're the 'fluffy' type. June describes you as being solid, dependable and hardworking. Your career aspirations have always been journalism, and it takes a bolt of lightning for you to be given the chance to prove yourself.

When you develop telepathy, they help you a little but are not the answer to your problems. In Chapter 9, you tell Jaime that you feel lost in spite your powers. When you compromise your integrity at the same time that your powers disappear, it takes hard work and your newfound confidence to elevate you. When your powers return, it is as if you no longer need them because you have become a stronger person inside.

Acquiring Telepathy
In Chapter 1, Your Character decides that it is time to go and ask your boss, Alec, for a promotion to become a reporter. He gives you a (unfair) chance and decides that you are not fit for the job. However, as you reach to touch a chair in his office, a small ping shocks your hand and you catch the end of something Alec is saying in his mind. The shock catches your hand a few times: During a conversation with Aubrey, a conversation with your dad when you touch a doorknob and a final conversation with Jaime. This all culminates in an unfortunate end to the day for you as you're struck by lighting right outside the Northbridge News studios.

You wake up in a hospital and not only is everything fine, but you experience a weird moment when you can hear your doctor's thoughts. Because of this, you ask to be discharged from the hospital but when you pass by the waiting room, you hear the voices of several other people in the room. This is when you realize that you can read minds.

Promotion & First Assignment
At the end of Chapter 2 (which continues into Chapter 3), Alec promotes Your Character to Junior Reporter as he sees that you were able to get more out of Anna Koishi than Ellen did in her interview.

He assigns you a fluff piece, to interview the internet sensation cat lady known as Jinx99. When you and Tony -your cameraman- arrive at Jinx99's home, she quickly ushers you inside as she is nervous about being on television. She tells you that her cat's name is Jinx, but her real name is Tilly Henderson. However, she prefers to be called Jinx99 for the sake of anonymity. As the interview commences, you ask Tilly different questions and because of your newfound powers, you hear various voices in your head. Thinking that there is more to the story, you can try to play it cool and figure out how to get Tilly to reveal the truth or demand to know what is on the other side of the door that she purposely leaves closed. When you finally open the door, you find a combination of different exotic animals there. Tilly tells you the truth of her predicament and is put into police protection, asking you to adopt Jinx since she can no longer care for the cat.

Wishful Thinking

 * Chapter 1: I Can Only Imagine
 * Chapter 2: On My Mind
 * Chapter 3: Thought Process
 * Chapter 4: Good Idea
 * Chapter 5: Don't Think Twice
 * Chapter 6: Mind Games
 * Chapter 7: Bright Idea
 * Chapter 8: Birdbrained
 * Chapter 9: Hold That Thought
 * Chapter 10: One-Track Mind
 * Chapter 11: It's Not What You Think
 * Chapter 12: Second Thoughts
 * Chapter 13: Mind Over Matter
 * Chapter 14: Think Again

Ellen Thompson
The lead reporter for Northbridge News, she's your rival. She’s abrasive to your character (and everyone else) but it’s shown through her thoughts that she is just overworked and trying to prevent anyone from finding out. You can read her thoughts in a premium scene in Chapter 2 (amongst June and Tony). In Chapter 7's premium scene, you can follow her to find out what she's hiding. In Chapter 9, after you and Ellen argue on live television, Alec calls you in and what you say determines Ellen's outcome. If you tell Alec that she was snooping in his office, she is fired. If you tell him that she scared Anna again, she is suspended. Either way, you are promoted to her former position.

Aubrey Watson
Aubrey is your co-worker and possible love interest. He seems genuinely nice and interested in your well-being, even visiting you in the hospital and surprising you with roses. He also stands up for you in front of Ellen. It’s said in Chapter 1, that many people in the office are attracted to him and Tony says he believes ‘productivity would increase by 40%’ if everyone was less focused on Aubrey. You have the option for a premium scene with him. Aubrey thinks you're beautiful, and the most talented writer the studio has. In Chapter 8, you two can kiss for the first time in a premium scene. In Chapter 10, when rumors about you circulate (courtesy of Ellen) as to why or how you got the promotion, Aubrey steps up to speak to the whole studio to squash the rumors.

Anna Koishi
Anna is the campaign manager for a city councilor and one of your possible love interests. When she comes onto the show to be interviewed, Ellen attacks her character by bringing up her past. When Alec talks to Ellen, she goes to her dressing room hurt. You go and check on her which establishes your relationship with her. Following this interaction, there’s an option for a premium scene with her in which you can improve your romance level. She flirts with you and encourages you to believe in yourself.

Jaime Lewis
Jaime is your childhood best friend and one of your potential love interests. In Chapter 3, you can mention that you once kissed at age 9. He is the first one you reveal your powers to, and uses your ability to read his mind as a way of talking to you. In Chapter 9, you have the option of kissing him in a premium scene or telling him that you don't feel the same way. Despite how you feel presently, if you decide to rummage through your childhood belongings, you discover you had a crush on Jaime on May 15th, eight years ago as per your childhood diary.

Harry
Harry is your dad and your relationship is slightly strained as you feel that he doesn’t believe in you while he wants you to be safe away from danger, and doesn’t want you to be hurt emotionally by disappointment or physically by a demanding job. When you get your "dream job" of being head reporter, he is happy for you but still dismisses your insecurities about how you got the job or if you have what it takes to keep it.

June
June is one of your best friends and co-workers, alongside Tony. She encourages you to flirt with Aubrey. She has a crush on Maggie, a makeup girl in the studio. Throughout the story, you can encourage her to pursue a relationship with Maggie.

Tony Flores
"Don't tell anybody, but you're kind of my hero right now. Until I see another action movie, anyway."

- Tony to Your Character

Tony is one of your best friends and coworkers, alongside June. You can read his thoughts in Chapter 2, if you spend diamonds. He seems fun, as suggested by the pop song he sings in his head which you hear during the premium scene. His dream is to be a violinist instead of a cameraman and you can encourage him to pursue his dream.

Alec Burdock
Alec is your boss. He seems to be stressed and doesn’t like your character brown-nosing him though he does promote you at the end of Chapter 2, due to your conversation with Anna Koishi. In Chapter 9, he promotes you to head reporter when he fires or suspends Ellen for her behavior.

Trivia

 * A version of Your Character is shown on the cover of Wishful Thinking.
 * The default name Lydia is of Greek origin, which means: Kindred spirit, beautiful, noble.
 * The default surname Gibson is of English origin, which means "Gilbert's son". The name Gilbert is of English origin and means: Noble youth, hostage, pledge, bright, famous.
 * This book reuses the Female Faces from The Elementalists series.
 * Your character dropped out of college and never got her degree.
 * In Chapter 8, it was revealed that the reason behind this was because your mother passed away during one of those years.
 * One time, your character tried to fix the doorbell chimes in your apartment, and ended up shorting out your entire building and changing everyone's doorbell chimes to Livin' La Vida Loca.
 * In Chapter 8, in the premium scene with Emi, Aubrey and Emi agree that you are not a very good singer. You tried to teach yourself Mongolian throat singing by watching a video on the internet too.
 * In a premium scene in Chapter 11, it is revealed that you went on a road trip with your family to the Grand Canyon, when you were 15. When you were about five years old, you played a hobbit in a community theater production and your father played Gandalf.
 * If you talk about your mother in Chapter 13, it is mentioned that you had a goldfish named Fido who lived to be several years old.
 * If you talk about your mother in Chapter 13, it is mentioned that you had a goldfish named Fido who lived to be several years old.