Meet The Astro A Team & Counterparts! (Signs of the Zodiac Series)

Hi all!

Today’s post is very special because I will be introducing you to the characters in my Signs of the Zodiac trilogy. My wonderful illustrator, Stephanie Parcus and I, worked together to design every single member of the Astro-A Team and their counterparts. Stephanie is an extremely talented freelance illustrator travelling around the world with her beloved. I cannot thank her enough for bringing my creations to life! If you wish to use her services, click here!

Buy ‘Astrology Pond’ Here!

Buy ‘Facing the Stars’ Here!

Before I begin introducing my characters to you, I would first like to explain the concept of my novels. Book 1, Astrology Pond, takes place in the fictional town of Juggler’s Corner, Australia where protagonist Danni, begins dreaming about an astrological group she needs to form in order to uncover the mysteries behind the stars. The group (which is named the Astro-A Team) must only contain 12 members (one of each zodiac sign) and in their weekly meetings, they discover one another through the properties/traits of their signs. With any young adult/fantasy/fiction novel, the characters find themselves fighting, falling in love and betraying one another. At the end of the book, the group are transported to an alternate reality in space and time named Bastion where they are given a mission to unite the warring counterparts who are threatening to cut off ‘starlight’ – the main source of life on that planet supplied by them. The second novel, Facing the Stars, sees the Astro-A Team coming face to face with their difficult counterparts and attempting to reunite them before Bastion is destroyed. The book ends on another cliff-hanger and the third and final novel in the trilogy, Aligning the Signs, is currently being written and due for release in 2021.

When it comes to the zodiac, I’m not so much a believer of the daily horoscopes you find in magazines/newspapers as I feel they are much too generic. What sparks my interest is the way people behave true to their sun sign’s personality traits and attributes. I emphasise these qualities through each member of the Astro-A Team so, as well as listing more information on each character, I will also discuss what behaviours you’re likely to see when interacting with that particular astrological sign. You will also notice that each character has a background/frame with the shades and colours of their element: Fire, Water, Air & Earth. I will discuss how these elements influence one’s personality depending on when they were born as well as provide you a historical background of each sign stemming from ancient mythology. If you’re interested in the whole thing, by all means read away! Otherwise, feel free to scroll to your zodiac sign and learn a bit more about it and yourself! Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

~ ARIES ~

Name: Hunter McGowan 

Age: 18 

Sign: Aries 

Element: Fire 

Planet: Mars 

Colour: Red 

Quality: Cardinal 

Birthstone: Diamond

Personality Profile: Hunter is prone to losing his temper; particularly if he is feeling threatened, rejected or those he loves are in danger. He is incredibly active, enjoys running and competing in team sports. His favourite pastime is listening to music with his best friend Ambrite. Hunter is first introduced in Astrology Pond having counselling sessions with Dr.  Yates at the Juggler’s Health Care Centre. Dealing with extreme anger issues stemming from a traumatic childhood, Hunter slowly begins to feels accepted and safe in the Astro A Team which he named himself. 

Counterpart Name: Ares 

Zodiac Symbol: The Ram 

Aries Strengths: Courageous, Confident, Enthusiastic, Fiery, Honest & Passionate 

Aries Weaknesses: Impatient, Moody, Short-Tempered, Impulsive, Competitive & Aggressive

Aries Mythology: In Greek Mythology, the Aries Ram was golden and his fleece was removed by two gods that were siblings. The legendary Golden Fleece was retrieved by Jason and his Argonauts. Zeus honoured the sacrificed ram by placing him as a six starred constellation in the sky. 

                                              ~ TAURUS ~

Name: Ambrite Fielder  

Age: 18 

Sign: Taurus 

Element: Earth

Planet: Venus 

Colour: Green 

Quality: Fixed 

Birthstone: Emerald 

Personality Profile: Ambrite is an edgy and creative individual with a need to remain different to everybody else. A passionate vegan, Ambrite cares for all animals and loves to promote their welfare. Throughout life, she was very close to her late grandfather and does not have a good relationship with her parents who named her Amber from birth. She ditched the name unofficially as a teenager and has been calling herself Ambrite ever since. She works at ‘The Funky Fries’ as a waitress and has a tattoo of her zodiac sign on her ankle which inspired the Astro A Team to do the same. Despite having a close relationship with her best friend Hunter, she is a lesbian looking for true love. 

Counterpart Name: Cerus 

Zodiac Symbol: The Bull 

Taurus Strengths: Dependable, Loyal, Patient, Persistent, Generous & Creative 

Taurus Weaknesses: Stubborn, Moody, Lazy, Materialistic, Possessive & Self-Indulging

Taurus Mythology: In Greek Mythology, Zeus fell in love with the beautiful Europa so to get her attention he turned himself into a handsome bull and grazed in her father’s herd. When Europa saw him, she became immediately seduced by his charm, climbed on his back and they flew across the sea to Crete. He changed back to a human and they mated; creating three children. Grateful for the Bull’s help, Zeus made Taurus into a 14 starred constellation in the sky. 

~ GEMINI ~

Name: Danielle (Danni) Hamilton 

Age: 17 

Sign: Gemini 

Element: Air 

Planet: Mercury 

Colour: Yellow 

Quality: Mutable 

Birthstone: Pearl 

Personality Profile: Danni is the protagonist and leader of the Astro A Team. She formed the astrological group after recurring and prophetic dreams urging her to do so. Danni is rarely seen without her two best friends, Reilly and Drew and has a love/hate relationship with her little brother Colin. She makes it her mission to bring everybody together and unite them despite their differences and finds herself caught in multiple love triangles along the way. Danni priorities her friendships above everything else and is passionate about the secrets behind the stars.

Name: Charlotte Orion 

Age: 17 

Sign: Gemini 

Element: Air 

Planet: Mercury 

Colour: Yellow 

Quality: Mutable 

Birthstone: Pearl 

Personality Profile: Charlotte Orion is Danni’s ‘evil twin’ who has grown up rich, bratty and entitled. From the beginning, she is hellbent on making Danni’s life miserable and is clearly jealous of Danni’s ability to make close friendships. At the end of Astrology Pond, she is in a relationship with Crawford but refuses to connect with any of the others. In Facing the Stars, Charlotte learns that she is tired of her selfish ways and tries to reform her behaviour but not before she lands herself in trouble again!

Counterpart Name: Castor and Pollux  

Zodiac Symbol: The Twins  

Gemini Strengths: Witty, Versatile, Communicative, Adaptable, Intelligent & Flexible

Gemini Weaknesses: Flaky, Restless, Nervous, Impulsive, Indecisive & Superficial 

Gemini Mythology: Brothers in arms, Castor and Pollux were the closest pair the mythical world had ever seen. It was said that Zeus disguised himself as a swan and seduced the mortal Leda who laid two eggs that produced the twins. They grew up together as best friends until one day Castor was killed in a mythical battle. Pollux was so inconsolable and lost that Zeus, moved by their brotherly love, made Castor an immortal and placed the two together as a seven star constellation in the sky to shine down for eternity. 

                                              ~ CANCER ~ 

Name:  Hannah Chase 

Age: 18

Sign: Cancer

Element: Water 

Planet: The Moon

Colour: White 

Quality: Cardinal 

Birthstone: Ruby 

Personality Profile: Hannah is Reilly’s cousin and Drew’s one true love. She is an extremely sweet, kind and sensitive girl prone to anxiety attacks. Incredibly emotional, Hannah finds herself crying over the smallest things and struggles with stressful or scary situations. She finds her voice and confidence in the Astro A Team as well as a wonderful relationship with her cousin’s best friend, Drew. 

Counterpart Name: Karkinos (Karki) 

Zodiac Symbol: The Crab  

Cancerian Strengths: Loving, Kind, Sensitive, Protective, Loyal & Dependable 

Cancerian Weaknesses: Moody, Clingy, Withdrawn, Self-Pitying, Possessive & Insecure 

Cancerian Mythology: In Ancient Greece, Hercules was undergoing his twelve trials of atonement. In one of his tasks, he was expected to fight a Hydra (a serpent with nine heads) however every time he cut off one head, two more grew back. The goddess Hera sent a giant crab to attack him as well as the Hydra but Hercules crushed the crab under his foot. Grateful for the crab’s help, Hera placed it in the sky as a six starred constellation. 

~ LEO ~ 

Name:  Crawford Price 

Age: 18

Sign: Leo 

Element: Fire 

Planet: The Sun 

Colour: Gold 

Quality: Fixed 

Birthstone: Peridot 

Personality Profile: Crawford is the charming and charismatic member of the group with his trademark winning smile. His father is the caretaker for Bouquet Reserve where the Astro A Team hold their weekly meetings. Crawford helps out with the upkeep and enjoys playing basketball on the side. He and Danni share a romance initially until he betrays her for her ‘evil twin’ Charlotte. He finds an unlikely friendship with Drew and spends a lot of time contemplating his lack of courage and loyalty in Facing the Stars. 

Counterpart Name: Leonis 

Zodiac Symbol: The Lion

Leo Strengths: Generous, Honest, Courageous, Loyal, Proud & Confident 

Leo Weaknesses: Self-Absorbed, Bossy, Vain, Melodramatic, Pretentious & Stubborn.

Leo Mythology: Hercules’s first trial was to slay and skin the Lion of Nemea. The creature was immortal and grotesquely monstrous making him difficult to defeat. When Hercules was unsuccessful in shooting the lion with his arrow, he tried a sword and a club but the lion merely yawned at his efforts. Hercules then decided to choke the lion to death…and finally succeeded. He removed the lion’s head and skin with the beast’s own claws which he wore as armor and a helmet during the rest of his tasks. The Nemean Lion was forever immortalised as the fourteen starred constellation of Leo. 

~ VIRGO ~ 

Name:  Parry Mason 

Age: 17

Sign: Virgo 

Element: Earth 

Planet: Mercury 

Colour: Grey 

Quality: Mutable 

Birthstone: Sapphire 

Personality Profile: Parry is Principal Mason’s daughter and by far the most beautiful and lusted after girl in school. The trouble is…she knows it! Parry is highly superficial and obsessed with her looks. Her gay best friend, Graham, indulges her vanity by treating her like an idol. Parry learns a lot about herself in Facing the Stars and realises pretty quickly that beauty is only skin deep. She develops an unlikely romance with another Astro A Team member that carries on in the third and final book. 

Counterpart Name: The Maiden 

Zodiac Symbol: The Maiden 

Virgo Strengths: Helpful, Reliable, Organised, Precise, Observant & Analytical 

Virgo Weaknesses: Fussy, Inflexible, Cold, Skeptical, Interfering & Worrying 

Virgo Mythology: In Egyptian Mythology, the Virgo Maiden was seen as carrying the tail of the Leo but in the Greek tales, she was known as Erigone who lamented the death of her father who was murdered by shepherds. Zeus placed her in the sky as a thirteen star constellation with her faithful dog Maera (The Dog Star). 

~ LIBRA ~ 

Name:  Brodie Drayman  

Age: 18

Sign: Libra

Element: Air 

Planet: Libra  

Colour: Blue  

Quality: Cardinal 

Birthstone: Opal 

Personality Profile: Brodie and her brother Slade moved from LA to start a new life in Juggler’s Corner as Danni’s next door neighbours. Her and her younger brother have striking white blond hair, sapphire eyes and designer clothes. Despite their honour roll impressions, they are both completely down to earth and a lot of fun to be around. Brodie enjoys cheerleading and shopping for the best bargains. She is described as the most easy-going member of the group and is always willing to help others in need. 

Counterpart Name: Equas 

Zodiac Symbol: The Scales 

Libra Strengths: Diplomatic, Graceful, Peaceful, Romantic, Idealistic & Easy-Going

Libra Weaknesses: Indecisive, Unreliable, Selfish, Avoids Confrontation, Holds Grudges & Self-Pitying

Libra Mythology: Libra is the only sign not associated with an animal or human. Its scales represent balance and justice. It is also linked to the philosophical idea of Judgement Day, first heard of in the Ancient Egyptian text The Book of the Dead. In the book, the merit of a man’s soul is measured by his heart on one side and a feather representing truth on the other. It is a four star constellation that overlaps Virgo and Scorpio on the skies. 

~ SCORPIO ~ 

Name:  Graham Maltin  

Age: 18

Sign: Scorpio 

Element: Water 

Planet: Mars/Pluto 

Colour: Maroon   

Quality: Fixed 

Birthstone: Topaz

Personality Profile: Graham’s family owns Maltin’s Tanning Salon in Juggler’s Corner where he works part time. He is Parry’s best friend and soulmate; worshipping the ground she walks on. Openly gay, Graham struggles to feel comfortable and at place in the Astro A Team but decides to remain after the love and support he is shown from the other members. Ever the romantic, he is on the hunt for his true love. 

Counterpart Name: Serket

Zodiac Symbol: The Scorpion

Scorpio Strengths: Loyal, Passionate, Deep, Mysterious, Sexy & Observant  

Scorpio Weaknesses: Jealous, Possessive, Vindictive, Manipulative, Suspicious & Unyielding 

Scorpio Mythology: The legendary hunter Orion (and famous constellation) kept bragging about his meticulous hunting skills to Apollo who was beginning to tire of him. To silence Orion, Apollo sent a giant scorpion down to Earth to sting him to death. Artemis, who was in love with Orion, tried to intervene by shooting the scorpion with her famous arrows and ended up killing Orion instead. She honoured Orion’s memory by placing him as a constellation in the sky and put the Scorpion next to Libra to remind her of his death. 

~ SAGITTARIUS ~

Name:  Reilly Chase  

Age: 17

Sign: Sagittarius 

Element: Fire 

Planet: Jupiter 

Colour: Purple  

Quality: Mutable

Birthstone: Turquoise 

Personality Profile: Reilly is Danni and Drew’s best friend since childhood. She is also Hannah’s cousin and a lover of food. Reilly enjoys having a laugh, being cheeky and voicing what she is passionate about. True to her Sagittarian nature, she is an adventurer with a lust for the great outdoors. Reilly finds herself being caught in a love triangle that exposes an insecurity within her of feeling second to Danni and not being good enough. She becomes a target of affection from an unlikely character in Facing the Stars which continues in Aligning the Signs. 

Counterpart Name: Chiron 

Zodiac Symbol: The Archer 

Sagittarian Strengths:  Honest, Adventurous, Philosophical, Active, Fun & Independent 

Sagittarian Weaknesses: Tactless, Unemotional, Restless, Inflexible, Impatient & Careless

Sagittarian Mythology: In Greek Mythology, the centaur Chiron was revered among many. He was greatly admired for his kindness and knowledge. He was a teacher to important figures such as Hercules and Achilles. One day, he was severely poisoned by Hercules’ arrows but because he was a god, he couldn’t die. He gave away his immortality to Prometheus (a man chosen to suffer eternal torture) and he got to die in peace. So Chiron would be remembered for his sacrifice, Zeus placed him in the sky with the arrow that poisoned him. 

~ CAPRICORN ~ 

Name:  Ronan Tate   

Age: 18

Sign: Capricorn 

Element: Earth

Planet: Saturn  

Colour: Black 

Quality: Cardinal

Birthstone: Garnet

Personality Profile: The character of Ronan sees great transformation throughout the story. When he was a child, his mother abandoned him, his brother and father; forcing him to become independent and self-sufficient at a very young age. Unfortunately, this also taught him to be distrustful of women making him very unlikable at the beginning of Astrology Pond. His logical and sarcastic dry wit is a blessing and a curse (particularly in an astrological group) but he soon learns that it’s important to believe in magic. He develops strong feelings for Danni towards the end of Book 1, which continues into Book 2 & 3. 

Counterpart Name: Aegipan 

Zodiac Symbol: The Sea Goat 

Capricorn Strengths:  Logical, Practical, Reliable, Faithful, Responsible & Ambitious  

Capricorn Weaknesses: Negative, Rigid, Cold, Unimaginative, Condescending & Unforgiving  

Capricorn Mythology: In Ancient Greece, the Capricorn was named Pan. During one of the wars between the gods and the Titans, Typhon (the fiercest of the group) drove the gods into Egypt. The only way to escape his wrath was to change their shapes. Pan turned his upper body into a goat and his lower body into a fish, then jumped into the River Nile and swam away. Zeus was so impressed by this concoction that he immortalised it forever in the sky as an eight star constellation. 

~ AQUARIUS ~ 

Name:  Slade Drayman

Age: 17

Sign: Aquarius

Element: Air 

Planet: Uranus 

Colour: Aqua 

Quality: Fixed

Birthstone: Amethyst 

Personality Profile: Slade is Brodie’s younger brother who moved with his family from LA to Juggler’s Corner in NSW, Australia. He is incredibly easy-going, down to earth and likable. His trademark white blond hair, sapphire eyes and designer clothes make him irresistible to others and he soon finds himself trapped in a love triangle that has the potential to ruin friendships. In Facing the Stars, Slade learns about forgiveness and repairing what is broken. 

Counterpart Name: Ganymede

Zodiac Symbol: The Cup-Bearer 

Aquarian Strengths: Humanitarian, Kind, Clever, Inventive, Original & Witty 

Aquarian Weaknesses: Strange, Stubborn, Aloof, Rebellious, Unemotional & Sarcastic

Aquarian Mythology: Ganymede was considered the most handsome man in the land. He was so beautiful, Zeus fell in love with him and swore that nobody else could have him. Transforming himself into an eagle, Zeus carried Ganymede to the skies where he made him an immortal cup-bearer in the twelve star constellation of Aquarius. 

~ PISCES ~ 

Name:  Drew Jaxter 

Age: 17

Sign: Pisces 

Element: Water 

Planet: Neptune 

Colour: Sea-Foam Green 

Quality: Mutable 

Birthstone: Aquamarine

Personality Profile: Drew is Danni and Reilly’s lovable but hopelessly romantic best friend. He is incredibly passionate about music and is a soulful singer, song-writer attached to his beloved guitar. His wit, sensitivity and charm come in handy when he falls head over heels in love with Reilly’s cousin Hannah and they become a couple. Drew also finds an unlikely male friendship in Crawford as the two engage in playing basketball and discussing their favourite topic: women! 

Counterpart Names: Calypsee & Sirena 

Zodiac Symbol: The Fishes

Pisces Strengths: Soulful, Romantic, Creative, Imaginative, Compassionate & Devoted 

Pisces Weaknesses: Lazy, Self-Pitying, Oversensitive, Indecisive, Fearful & Inconstant

Pisces Mythology: Aphrodite and Eros were walking along the banks of a river one day when they encountered a fearsome monster named Typhon. The mother and son called out to Zeus for help and he turned both of them into fish. They leapt into the river and swam away to safety. In commemoration of the event, Zeus placed the two fishes as an eleven star constellation in the sky.

~ THE ELEMENTS ~

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A FIRE SIGN: 

Those born under the Fire Element (Aries, Leo & Sagittarius) are natural born leaders with purpose and passion. They are easily the most dynamic people to be around and will fill their lives with adventure, excitement and activity. Their constant flow of energy can make them reckless and impulsive but they will always have a good story to tell at the end of the day. You will find Fire Signs travelling the world, chasing their dreams and spreading positivity. Get ready for a wild ride if you happen to date or be close friends with one! 

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A WATER SIGN: 

Those born under the Water Element (Cancer, Scorpio & Pisces) are deeply emotional, sensitive and in touch with their feelings. They base the majority of their decisions from the heart not the head and will flow in the direction of their intuition. Water Signs make wonderful partners as they are kind, compassionate and great listeners. They know how to romance the one they love and keep them safe. Water Signs need to be careful not to get too deep as they are prone to depression, anxiety and brooding. You will always feel at home and cherished with a Water Sign. 

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN EARTH SIGN: 

Those born under the Earth Element (Taurus, Virgo & Capricorn) are inherently rooted in logical and practicality. They base the majority of their decisions from the head and care about what is physically right in front of them. They are high-achieving individuals with a patient and methodical approach to reaching their goals. They do not enter into relationships or friendships lightly and whatever they commit to, is life-lasting. An Earth Sign can be stubborn and rigid with a refusal to change their minds even when they know they are wrong. They enjoy organising their life and others. They are the best people to consult when making important life-decisions as they will steer you in the path that is most sensible. 

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN AIR SIGN: 

Those born under the Air Element (Gemini, Libra & Aquarius) are fun, light and witty. They love communication and talk for hours about anything and everything. The Air Sign will revel in reading, writing, entertaining and acting. Their way with words can lead to a career in communications or sales. They are excellent theorists, radical thinkers and philosophers that run on nervous energy. Air Signs are extremely scattered and easily distracted so it is best they focus on one task at time to avoid being overwhelmed. They enjoy flitting from project to project and may find romantic commitment difficult due to their ‘grass is greener’ mentality. However, if they are with a partner who is mentally stimulating, they won’t feel the need to run. Call an Air Sign when you need a laugh or to vent your frustrations. 

There you have it! I hope you enjoyed my rather long yet informative blog post. Please comment below what your sign is and if you feel you can relate the personality traits & elemental attributes. I would love to hear from you. Also, if you are interested in reading the Signs of the Zodiac Trilogy, links for purchase are above. I am forever grateful to you!

Peace & Love xoxo

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