Joy is the tragic hero of Kara's narrative. All she wants is to get to the Castle of Good Decision, but her miserable past and uncertain future haunt her. Can she change her fate?

Kara is the 11-year-old author of "Journey of Faith," a novelette she wrote for a school assignment. She loves her story and thinks her sister Liesel will love it too. 

Kara and Liesel have a good dad, who just wants them to grow up to be faithful, creative, loving girls. Hopefully, this story is an answer to Dad's prayers. :)

Dad is creative, too, though we don't get to see much of his creativity in the story. His mode d'art is an impressive, well-ordered train set in their basement. 

Hope is Joy's companion and guide, though her own circumstances make it challenging for her to give advice or provide adequate support for her new friend. 

Liesel is Kara's 14-year-old sister. In contrast to Kara's naive confidence, Liesel struggles with low self-esteem due to a recent failure in her own writing life. She has a high standard of excellence and low tolerance for anything that reminds her of her own self-perceived non-excellence.

Mom is very proud of the exploits of both of her daughters, though she often feels too busy to appreciate them fully. She is seen most often in the kitchen, cooking fusion cuisine.