Novelist Advice!

Hey Gordon I’m a huge fan! I’m currently in middle school and I aspire to be a novelist (not an ideal job for the future but hey it’s what I enjoy). I’m currently writing a book right now and wanted some advice. Here’s the blurb and then questions:

Gracie Devereaux is an Insta-famous orphan with a sharp tongue, trust fund, and zero interest in however her infamous millionaire great-uncle Ambrose views her. To him, Gracie is just a minor inconvenience he has to take care of because his brother’s son died. Ambrose’s heir, Alex- already has the fortune on lockdown. Gracie is just biding her time until she can escape her uncle’s manor. 

But when Ambrose and Alex are brutally murdered, everything changes. And the inheritance doesn’t go to Gracie- it disappears from the banks with no trace As she starts to investigate with plenty of her own money at her side, a stranger arrives to shake up her world again: Kane Lemaire, a guy arriving claiming that he is Gracie’s half-brother.

Before Gracie can decide if she trusts Kane, danger strikes again. Someone isn’t settled with the terms that Gracie is the sole living Devereaux- and a few bodies don’t make a difference. With her life on the line and reluctant new family and friends, Gracie has to figure out who she can trust- but a conspiracy leaks underground greater than anyone has ever known.

1. Character development: Making a larger friend group. My characters are older and in high school. So far I have 3 in a friend group, but one of them will already be introduced as a new character, and the other 2 were best friends in the first place. I don’t know how to introduce more new characters.

2. As authors, traumatizing characters is usually a core belief, haha (not ALL the time). And also sometimes major deaths. A lot of advice I’ve heard is that to “kill off the sunshine character”. Elaboration on this and how I could kill one off without killing the sunshine character instead?

3. Events, world-building: World building is what I need help with the most. I don’t want them to be stuck in the same town for AGES. Kind of want it to vary.

4: HOW TO MAKE BETTER CHARACTERS! Usually there’s something with the character and that means it’s their defining trait (ex. the sunshine character is just super silly, the MC will be sarcastic, and the half-brother will be broody and slightly depressed) and I don’t want that, because it makes it boring.

5. Literally just how to make more interesting.

I love your books and hope you give me advice AND continue releasing them!

~Amar