Using Astrology to Define Characters

Well, this is a groovy post!  I have always been interested in astrology, probably because my mother was interested in it during my childhood.  Growing up in the 1970s, I remember seeing books such as Linda Goodman’s “Sun Signs” & “Love Signs” on the living room bookshelf.  Although I don’t rely on astrology as an “end all, be all” source of information, I have always felt that it can provide a generalization about a person’s personality.  Using sun signs to help define my characters’ personalities is a lot of fun and it gives the reader something to think about in terms that they may be familiar with.  Most people know what their own sun sign is and have an idea, if somewhat vague, about the other eleven.  The use of astrology works particularly well in my novel because it takes place in a time period when that type of “alternative” way of looking at people & life was in vogue.  I try to use it  sparingly as well as generally, such as making my two most successful, strong & driven characters Capricorns while the artist is a Scorpio as is the troubled, intense biker.  Of course, making the characters interested in astrology as well is a great way to incorporate the definitions of each sign without sounding like a loon!  I let the characters talk about it so that it becomes part of the overall story as it would have been during the 1960s & 1970s.  BTW-what’s your sign?  Mine’s Pisces…