Swift Six Character Interview- Adelei #Fantasy

Character Name: Adelei aka Iliana Poncett of Alexander

Which book/world do you live in? The Boahim Trilogy, beginning in Book I, Amaskan’s Blood

Tell us about yourself:

I serve Anur, God of Justice, first and foremost, but beyond that, I’m fairly simple. I enjoy weapons-work and hunting, as well as working with my battle steed, Midnight. I’m nineteen but some days my years stretch further in the distance than I’m capable of seeing, which is a polite way of saying I feel old. Perhaps it’s the killing. I know I only kill when Anur requires and only to serve Justice, but the blood never leaves you.

What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

I feel that my strengths lie in my ability to deliver Justice swiftly and without…complications. Where others might worry about taking a life, I understand my role in the grand picture set by the Thirteen (the gods). My greatest weakness is my past. I love my adopted family, especially Master Bredych, my father, but he lied to me about my birth family. Sometimes it’s a challenge to know who to believe.

Name three important people/creatures/institutions in your world (such as lovers, pets, government institutions, leaders, gods etc).

The Order of Amaska (including my adopted father, Master Bredych)—they took me in and made me who I am; King Leon Poncett III, my birth father; and Anur, God of Justice, may I find the way.

What does ‘heroism’ mean to you?

It means standing up for what is right and defending those unable to defend themselves. Heroism also means ensuring Justice is served. Always.

What do you think of your ‘creator’?

I have thirteen. While my life is Anur’s, I’m not as fond of the others. They aren’t always as fair and just as He.

Give us your favourite piece of advice:

Family is what you make of it, so choose wisely.

Links to book

Autographed copies can be obtained here: https://booksandchains.square.site/

Otherwise, links to book here: https://books2read.com/ravenoak

Swift Six Character Interview – Saelth #Fantasy

 

Tell us about yourself: (Name, race/species, etc.) I am Saelth, a warrior lord and slayer of monsters. My band has ventured where none other dare tread to best creatures of legend.

Which book/world do you live in? Erana – from the Tales of Erana – The Warrior’s Curse

I’m an adventurer – why should I recruit you to accompany me? Did you not hear me? I do not fear the monsters who infest this realm. I will slay them, large or small. If I am victorious so much the better and if I fail, I shall go to the Halls of the Dead a hero, not one who cowers behind the table, or beneath the bed. I am no coward, nor simpering woman. Nothing is all powerful, or unable to be vanquished, save the gods. My name shall live forever.

Tell us about your companions?  How do they see you?  I am their chieftain, they respect me. Perhaps they speak of my arrogance, but so long as they praise my exploits I do not care. I like women and have bedded many. So perhaps there are husbands, brothers and fathers who would speak ill of my exploits.

What’s your most heroic exploit to date? Slaying the witch-born monster of the Hellirinn mountain – that foul beast had brought many warriors to the Halls of the Dead and near-ruined the old king.

What’s your greatest failure? I have none. (Although fate would say it’s my love of a pretty face and a seductive smile).

Where do you think you’ll be in a decade? Lord of this land, renowned in song and tale and in the bed of the most beautiful women.

Do you have a great love? (This could be a person/trait/item). Glory

 

 

Links to book etc

 

He who bargains with monsters beware! A hero forges an unholy bargain with a witch and learns magic never forgets.

Mythic tales in a land of forbidden magic.

A Tales of Erana dark fantasy novella.

Audio editions narrated by Rob Goll

Universal Link  https://www.books2read.com/WarriorsCurse

 

5 Tips on Writing Fantasy Characters – Guest Post Desiree Villena

5 Tips for Writing Fantasy Characters – Desiree Villena

Most creative writing classes treat writing characters and writing fantasy characters as one and the same. They provide run-of-the-mill tips (create conflict, establish flaws, etc.) and you end up with run-of-the-mill characters — well-developed, but nothing out of the ordinary.

But what fantasy writers need are legendary characters — characters that stay with you for a lifetime, like those that occupy the worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien and George R. R. Martin. Unfortunately, these writers haven’t exactly revealed all their secrets to the rest of us. But by working backwards, I’ve put together five top tips, exclusively for fantasy writers, that should help you think outside of the character-profile box.

1. Interview your characters to get to know them

Whether you adopt the tactics of a police interrogator or Oprah Winfrey, interviewing your characters is a great way to flesh out their motives, weaknesses, history, habits, and hobbies. Sure, the same advice is given to authors of all fiction genres, but when writing fantasy this exercise calls for more creative flair.

For instance, most questionnaires will ask your character about their career: What’s your dream job? What job would you never consider? When writing contemporary fiction, it’s easy to fall back on conventions: I want to become a writer, a football star, a successful entrepreneur. I’d never be a high-school teacher, a telemarketer, a pest control worker. Your fantasy characters, however, will need to produce answers that make sense in the context of their world.

Let’s take the Harry Potter series as an example. Some Hogwarts graduates will join the Aurors — an elite group of Dark Wizard catchers — others take soul-crushing jobs in magic middle management, and I imagine someone has to clean up the mess made by the post-office owls. These jobs are recognizable; we can place them in the real world, and even make assumptions about a character based on their magical nine-to-five. But at the same time, they place the character firmly in the unique world of the books, seamlessly weaving the two together and adorning the bigger picture with original details.

2. Don’t assume that your characters think like you

When a story takes place in a world that’s not our own, its characterizations should reflect that on a deeper level than just creative job titles and otherworldly hobbies. Everyone in your world, good or bad, leading lady or forgettable friend, will share a baseline set of assumptions informed by the world they inhabit, which means that their inherent ways of thinking won’t always resemble our own.

Let’s say your fantasy novel is set in a world where gods regularly show their faces to interfere in everyday life. Though atheism might be common here on Earth Prime, it would make no sense for anyone in that world to be an atheist. This doesn’t have to mean that everybody thinks and feels exactly the same way about the gods; some characters might fervently believe that they reward devotion and punish sin, while others might quietly think of them as meddling pranksters.

Setting up coherent belief systems and knowing where your characters stand on your world’s “big questions” will help you to build more complex relationships among your characters, and between your characters and their world.

3. Build diversity into your cast of characters

In general, creating some diversity in your cast of characters can be a really useful thing to do. Meaningfully different perspectives and experiences will add complexity to your world, and hopefully create intuitive conflict or tension among your characters.

If your world is divided into different regions, for example, then the people in each region might have vastly different cultures due to the influence of climate, landscape, or the way they’re ruled. Take A Song of Ice and Fire. The people in the North live, think, and dress very differently from the people in King’s Landing: the first being sparsely populated, harsh, and independently ruled while the other is crowded, coastal, and right under the thumb of the Iron Throne.

Even within distinct groups, one member doesn’t need to have the same mannerisms, views, and values as the next. In The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien has creatures that are familiar to fantasy readers, and certainly employs generic tropes. But his elves, dwarves, hobbits, and wizards are not carbon-copy fantasy races. Among the dwarves, for example, there are good and wicked, eloquent and crass, loyal and traitorous characters.

4. Revitalize common character tropes

Lots of fantasy writers love character archetypes — which is not necessarily a bad thing, because fantasy readers love them too. But if you rely too much on clichés, you might stray into overly predictable territory. There’s also no reason to get anywhere near that black hole when there are so many great ways to revitalize common character tropes. Here are a couple to get you thinking:

• Deconstruct it: Even if you adhere to its traditions, you can deconstruct a trope by shining a light on its implications and consequences. For example, Harry Potter may be the Chosen One — but only because the antagonist, Voldemort, decided to believe a prophecy and mark Harry out. The notion of the Chosen One only has as much power as Voldemort gives it.

• Defy expectations: When readers encounter an archetypal character they’ll bring certain expectations to the table (because that’s how archetypes work). But you can give your character a dose of originality by meeting enough of the required standards that make a trope recognizable, while defying other characteristics that are simply expected. For example, the White Witch of Narnia ticks all the boxes of an Evil Overlord, but she defies character conventions by being a woman shrouded in white, rather than a male character cloaked in darkness.

5. Keep the bigger picture in mind

You may have noticed that in fantasy writing, worldbuilding and character development often go hand-in-hand. And nowhere is this more evident (or more important) than in the mood and tone of your story. Whether you build your setting or your characters first, the general tenor of both elements should work together to create the perfect atmosphere.

The easiest way to think of this is to look at some more examples. In the Song of Ice and Fire books, where the dead stand up to fight and swords are forged with blood, even our favorite characters are flawed — Arya is obsessed with revenge, Tyrion is morally ambiguous, and Daenerys is proud and stubborn (and burns down a city). These gray characters meld perfectly with the grim and somber tone that shrouds this highly cynical series.

Meanwhile, the first few books in the Harry Potter series are full of wonder and whimsy. Its magical world features bat-bogey hexes, dodgy spell-checking quills, and wacky divination lessons. So it makes perfect sense that the protagonists be quirky teenagers who are always bickering, fumbling first crushes, and failing to get to grips with Muggle technology (I’m looking at you, Ron).

So take inspiration from fantasy legends JKR and GRRM. Don’t just fill in a character profile. Think about the emotional texture of your book and the kind of reaction you want from your readers. Then approach the task of character development with your mind on the bigger picture.

Author Interview – Simon Williams #Fantasy

Author name: Simon Williams

 *Please tell us about your publications.

I’ve written the five-book Aona series, as well as two novels for all ages (Summer’s Dark Waters and The Light From Far Below) and Embers Drift, a standalone metaphysical fantasy work.

Are you a ‘pantser’ or a ‘plotter’?

Definitely a pantser- I start with a collection of concepts / ideas and situations, a few characters, and then I work on it and see where it goes. The plot is determined by how it all turns out, not the other way round.

What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you started your publishing journey?

Don’t bother trying to get noticed by the big publishers and well-known names. Unless you’re incredibly, unbelievably lucky, they won’t notice you and they won’t care about you. If you believe in your work and your creations, stick at it and carve your own destiny.

What are your views on authors offering free books? Do you believe, as some do, that it demeans an author and his or her work?

Whilst I don’t think authors should (or need to) offer all their works for free, there’s nothing wrong with offering a few of your books (e.g the first in a series) for free if it helps readers to discover you.

What are your views on authors commenting on reviews?

One word: don’t! Everyone is entitled to their opinion and not everyone is going to like your creation.

How do you deal with bad reviews?

Generally, it isn’t for authors to “deal” with reviews at all, good or bad. If a review is misleading, offensive or makes categorically untrue statements then you can contact the people who run the medium, whether it be Amazon, Goodreads or whatever else, and ask that it be removed. But if a review is simply by someone who doesn’t like your work- leave it alone. I refer you to my answer above.

What’s the best advice you’ve received about writing/publishing?

To keep going until you’ve found your “voice” i.e your particular style and method- and if you’re comfortable with it, then stick with it.

Which authors have influenced you the most?

Alan Garner, Clive Barker, Cecilia Dart-Thornton, C J Cherryh, Tad Williams,

Tell us about your latest piece?

Embers Drift is a standalone novel of metaphysical fantasy / mystery with elements of sci-fi and psychological horror, in an industrial / slightly dystopian setting. But although it bridges many genres, it’s conceptually consistent and is really about the lives of four main characters- specifically, the parts of their lives that they’ve forgotten.

 I’m happier about the result than I’ve been with any of my previous works. I reworked it a number of times until I realised that- at last- I was telling the exact story I wanted to tell. So I’m relieved to have finished it but also very satisfied.

 The process of creating was different to the Aona books, largely because they were more complex on a practical / logistical level. But at the same time the process required more effort in other ways- because there’s an overarching concept to Embers Drift which requires some explaining, and my goal was to do this through the lives of these four main characters. It wasn’t easy but in the end it was very rewarding.

What’s your next writing adventure?

So many! Well, several.

 I’m part of the way through writing the first in a new dark fantasy series which will probably seen as more “traditional” fantasy but which will have a number of unique features to it. It explores the nature of magic and of conflict and there isn’t going to be a clear-cut “good vs evil” thing going on- I’m not a fan of such absolutes, I want to explore characters’ motivations, whether or not most people think of them as acceptable. What made them this way? Are they able to change- either for the better, or worse? It’s that aspect that interests me.

 I also have another standalone book in progress- this is more a sort of cosmic horror about three demonic beings who have existed in a vast city for hundreds of years, weaving mischief and woe wherever they go, and a young man from an ancient family of magicians and thieves, who is the only one to suspect their existence.

 Lastly, I’m also working on a somewhat leftfield YA magical realism novella- I’m not entirely certain how this one will turn out but I’m pleased with some of the concepts involved so this may see the light of day shortly.

 What was the last book you’ve read?

The last book I finished was Scar Night by Alan Campbell, which I greatly enjoyed. Industrial, violent fantasy with angels. I’m currently reading The Witchwood Crown by Tad Williams and it’s as good as all his other books.

Is this the age of the e-book? Are bricks and mortar bookshops in decline?

I think shops of most kinds are in decline, but in my experience, the number of paperbacks sold has stood up pretty well. I think about a quarter of my sales are paperback, which I don’t think is too bad.

How important is writing to you?

Very. It’s the only thing I’m any good at really, so if I didn’t do it I would truly be a non-entity.

Meet My Character Week – Justin the Wizard #Fantasy #Meetmycharacter

Author’s name:  J. K. Lutes

Link to book or books where this character appears.

 

CHARACTER’S NAME:  Justin

Who are you? (Give a brief description of yourself)

I am a White Wizard, so I have mastered the four elements and I can command plants, animals, magical creatures, and dragons.  A dragon sired one of my ancestors, so I also possess Dragon Magic, so I can use the breath weapon of a dragon.  I have already mastered breathing fire, ice, and lightning.  I can also smell gold, become invisible, and transform myself into an elemental cloud.

How did you find yourself in your current predicament/on your current adventure?

My father told me stories every night before I fell asleep, and my favorite story of them all was about the fall of our ancestor’s ancient city.  The fall of the city was awful, but it was my ancestor who led the survivors to safety and founded their new home.  I heard the story one last time on the day I faced the trials to see what sort of magic I would learn.  When I finished my training, I traveled back to the ancient city to recover magical weapons that were lost during the attack.  Not only will I have to face the creatures that now inhabit the city, but the journey to get there is filled with perils of its own.

Who are your companions?

My friend, Grace, accompanied me on my journey, so that she could summon animals to scout the city for us.  Alyssa, the wizard who taught me plant magic, has come along to recover an ancient crown lost by the faeries during the fall of the city.  Lauren, the wizard who taught me gold magic, has come along to recover a dragon lance lost by her most famous ancestor.  And finally, Niall, another White Wizard, has come along to recover Cumhacht, the sword of power.

What is the government structure of your world? Are you happy with this or do you strive to change the status quo?

My city is ruled by a council of wizards, one wizard from each of the wizard sects of my city.  While they seem to have the best interest of the city at heart, they seek personal fame and recognition.  They are also stuck in the past and refuse to allow my people to grow beyond their current constraints for fear that they will lose their power and influence.

Do you have a mentor? Tell us about them.

My mentor is Riordan, and he is a White Wizard.  He is a distant cousin of mine and both of our families descend from Lucinor, one of the most famous White Wizards in the history of my people.

What trait do you abhor most in yourself or others?

            During the planning stage of our quest, a wizard who should have accompanied us sought riches rather than help.  And while on my adventure, I noticed that one of my companions was willing to put his own needs above the needs of everyone else.  His selfishness could have led to our capture, or worse, our demise.  Selfishness is the trait that I most abhor.

Tell us about your family.

My father, Jerome, is a Red Wizard.  He can control fire, but unlike most other Reds, he can also control air.  He is the Master of the Great Forge and the weapons that he produces are prized above all others.   My mother was a Gold Wizard, so she could control dragons, but she disappeared when I was twelve.

How does your society deal with those on the edges? Do you approve of this?

My city recognizes nine types of Wizards.  Red Wizards control fire, Blues control water, Greys control air, Blacks control the earth, Greens control plants, Browns control animals, Silvers control most magical animals, and Golds control dragons.  White Wizards possess the ability to use all eight of the basic types of magic.  Within the last hundred years some wizards have found that they possess the ability to use more than one of the basic forms of magic, but not all eight.  Those wizards have been labeled anomalies and have been encouraged not to use more than one type of magic.  I do not approve of this practice; I believe that a wizard should explore all of his or her powers and expand their knowledge as much as possible.

Do you have a best friend/worst enemy?

My best friend is Grace, she is a Brown Wizard, which means she can control the animals of this world.  She is following in the footsteps of her mother, who passed along her love of animals.  She has two animal companions:  a golden eagle named Spiorad (Spirit), and a mongoose named Diabhal (Devil).

 

Do you believe in magic?

Of course I believe in magic, I have used it most of my life.  From an early age I was able to cast spells that most other students could not.  An older student gave me a spell to polymorph inanimate objects, and I got in trouble when I scared my mother by transforming a stick into a snake.

 

Website/Blog/Facebook/Twitter page

Facebook Page

https://brigidstrove.blogspot.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18528487.J_K_Lutes

Zweihander Interview – Kerrien and Rithvik #Fantasy #Mythic

Today we welcome two characters at once – Kerrien and Rithvik

Relationship: it’s complicated

World: Silvery Earth

Books: Beautiful, included in the bundle Mythic Tales or the collection Fairy Tales Revisited

• How and where did you meet?

Rithvik: In my castle! He found me and awoke me with the sweetest…

Kerrien: Shut up, Rithvik! I’m an adventurer and bounty hunter, and I had followed some bandits to an abandoned castle in the forest. I found him at the top of one of the towers, spellbound, asleep…

Rithvik: And he kissed me awake! *beams*

Kerrien *glares*

• What is it you like most about the other person

Kerrien: He’s darn handsome, I’ll give him that. And he has kissable lips, darn him!

Rithvik: He is strong and handsome and awesome and he kissed me awake, so we’ll be together forever!

Kerrien: We’re not. You consorted with demons, I will get rid of you.

Rithvik: No you’re not!

• What is it you hate most about them?

Kerrien: I hate how he sticks to me and tells everyone I kissed him awake.

Rithvik: I hate how he’s trying to get rid of me! We’re meant to be together!

• Do you work well as a partnership?

Kerrien: Well, he can hold a sword. I guess we’re a good team.

Rithvik: I have a lot to learn, but I’m sure we’ll be the best and everybody will want to hire us!

• Do you think your partnership will last?

Kerrien: I don’t know. I like to work alone. And I don’t like his past.

Rithvik: Of course our partnership will last! We’re meant to be together anyway!

Kerrien: We’re not!

Rithvik: See why it’s complicated?

• Describe the other person (max 100 words)

Kerrien: Rithvik is a spoiled prince with a puppy disposition, but he has a nice ass and beautiful emerald-green eyes. And he’s handsome, nobody can deny it.

Rithvik: Kerrien is a grumpy mercenary with lots of hidden scars. He’s like a stray cat, if you get to his heart, he’s the sweetest. And don’t you love his raven hair and hazel eyes?

• Describe how you think the other person sees you

Kerrien: Great and mighty warrior. *snorts* I’m his caretaker, mentor, assistant and another dozen job descriptions!

Rithvik: Erm… he thinks I’m useless and spoiled and that I spellbound him. I didn’t, unfortunately, or it wouldn’t be so complicated.

• Tell us a little about your adventures

Kerrien: We wander, looking for treasures, hunting outlaws, looking for Rithvik’s past…

Rithvik: And yours! I want to know everything about where you come from!

• Tell us about your world – and your part of it

Kerrien: We both live in the north, where the Moren Empire used to be.

Rithvik: The Moren Empire was still there when the spell sent me to sleep!

Kerrien: That was centuries ago. Now we have small kingdoms, city-states and the lands of the barbarian tribes, where I come from.

Rithvik: I think someone mentioned this world is called Silvery Earth and this… continent? Yes, this continent is called Varia.

Kerrien: Where did you hear that, from your demon lover?

Rithvik *rolls eyes*

• Where do you see yourselves in five years?

Kerrien: Still wandering and exploring the world.

Rithvik: Settled somewhere with Kerrien and living happily ever after!

Swift Six Character Interview – Sir Edric Greenlock – Fantasy

Name: Good evening. I’m Sir Edric Greenlock, also known as the Hero of Hornska.

Which book/world do you live in? I live in the city of Awyndel, mostly (obviously I have my estate in the country and some property in Amphios). Many of my adventures and heroic doings occur in far flung corners of the world, but the latest volume of my biography, cunningly entitled Sir Edric’s Kingdom, mostly takes place in Awyndel.

Tell us about yourself: (Name, race/species, etc.) I hope you’re not suggesting I’ve got any elven blood in me. Look at the roundness of my ears, the beard bristling like a lion’s mane. I’m a pure-blood human and I shall shoot any villain who claims otherwise. More importantly, I’m also a knight, and wealthier than half of Awyndel put together. You can’t buy class, you know. Can’t sell it, either, which is a bit of a shame.

I’m an adventurer – why should I recruit you to accompany me? You don’t recruit me. I recruit you. The only commands I take on the battlefield are from men with golden hats (although, obviously, I’m usually obedient to Corkwell’s commands in the boudoir).

Tell us about your companions? How do they see you? Dog is my trusty manservant, and companion for most of my adventures. I’m quite sure he’s filled with admiration for myself and contentment that a peasant could get to enjoy the exotic travels and daring deeds of a knight. Orff No-Balsac is a close friend. We have mutual respect for one another, despite the fact I massacred most of his countrymen a few decades ago (don’t feel bad, they utterly deserved it), and he has a bad habit of eating humans. But worry not, I have since led him to a gentler path. Now he only eats unimportant people.

What’s your most heroic exploit to date? The Battle of Hornska, saving the entire world of men and elves from enslavement (and enlunchment) to the Ursk. And yet, there are barely a dozen statues to me in Awyndel. Shocking ingratitude.

What’s your greatest failure? Undoubtedly, being cursed by the wicked witch of wedlock. In my defence, my options were to marry Esmerelda or be brutally murdered. And I have managed to evade the crone’s clutches for many a year.

Where do you think you’ll be in a decade? Hard to say. Prince Sarpellon will probably still be trying to murder me, but Lawrence might pop his clogs. Maybe he’ll name me heir to the throne. I don’t think he will, as he’s something of a moron, but it’s possible.

Do you have a great love? (This could be a person/trait/item) Certainly do. My stables. Must have over twenty horses now, of all varieties. Rounceys for baggage, coursers for long journeys, and that mad monster Moloch for when I’m going into battle. I do love horses. More trustworthy than women, more obedient than men. What would a knight be without his horse?

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0757PMR7F/

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0757PMR7F/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/745328

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/sir-edric-s-kingdom

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sir-edrics-kingdom-thaddeus-white/1127041546

 

Dirty Dozen Character Interview – Luke Callindor – Fantasy

 

 

Welcome to Luke Callindor

Tell us a little about yourself. I’m . . . Wow, where to even start? I began as a young warrior who wanted to be a great hero and now I’m a champion of Windemere.  That’s a fairly simple explanation of myself, but I’ve been through so much over the years.  Well, I already said my name is Luke Callindor, right? Okay, that’s who I am and I’m working with my friends to save the world.  If I had to describe myself, I’d have to say I’m the speed fighter of the group.  The others might call me the source of chaos too because I follow my instincts, especially in the middle of battle or when we’re trying to solve a problem.  Can’t say they always save the day, but I’m not dead yet . . . That’s probably not a good thing to say considering my current situation.

Tell us why you’re embarking on this adventure? The big quest, is to do what I’ve been chosen to do.  That’s to fight an immortal warlord who was erased from history and is about to return to enslave all of Windemere.  Sounds very cool if you ask me, but Gabriel the Destiny God made it clear that destiny can only get us to the battle in some form.  Not sure about that last part, but the rest means we can still lose, which is why I keep trying to improve myself and use every adventure to get stronger.

As far as this specific adventure, I’m not exactly embarking on it.  More that I’m in the hands of the warlord after what happened in the last adventure.  My only job is to hold out until my friends save me.  Really hope they’re coming.  Getting a little tired of being tortured, healed, and tortured again.  He doesn’t even want answers or information.  Just to hear me scream or babbling incoherently.  Didn’t even know I did that when injured enough.

Would you die for those you love? If that was the only way to save them and I knew it would work then yes.  Although, I wouldn’t really be that logical about it.  I’d simply throw myself into the situation without thinking.

Who is your greatest friend? That would be Nyx who is a very powerful caster. That’s not the reason we’re best friends though. We met on my second adventure because she was assigned to protect the heir of Serab who I was escorting. One could say we got off on the wrong foot. Others would point out she mistook me for a thief and chased me around her masters’ gardens while hurling combat spells. We bonded a lot since then because that’s what death, suffering, and battles will do to you. It’s definitely a sibling-style relationship, but neither of us have blood siblings to be sure. All I know is that neither of us can see a life without the other to be there for support. I can only imagine what’s Nyx is doing since I’m captured.

Is your world populated by different races? How do they get along? Windemere has plenty of races. Humans, dwarves, elves, fireskins, calicos, orcs, halflings, gnomes, and the list can keep going.  There’s always some friction with the orcs because while most of them are civilized, many are bandits. To be honest, every race has a group of bad apples. You might have some friction over resources and borders, but those are more kingdom-related than racial.  I think Windemere has had so many global threats in the past that the races know that they might have to be work together at any moment.

How do you define ‘heroism?’ Tough one since I never really thought about. I guess heroism is doing what you feel is right no matter what it takes. You don’t have to save the world or defend a kingdom to be heroic. I want bards to sing about me, but that’s just my personal goals. They just happen to be at the high end of heroism. I wouldn’t even say sacrifice is necessary too. Yeah, heroism is definitely staying true to yourself and doing what’s right. Especially if you’re trying to help other people.

Tell us about your family? The Callindor lineage is full of heroes and legends, so I have a big legacy to live up to. I’m doing good so far. There aren’t many of us left too. I heard that I have an uncle on another continent, but he refuses to pass on the bloodline.  There’s my grandfather who trained me and my grandmother who still goes on adventures.  Of course, there’s my dad who is a blacksmith, but used to be a mercenary before he was injured and lost too many friends. That and he met my mom, who gave him a reason to settle down. He really wasn’t happy with me following the family wanderlust, which hits every Callindor in their late teens. Come to think about it, I wonder why there aren’t many of us. I have noticed that a lot of Callindors died on adventures, which probably should have made me think twice about my own path. Well, too late now.

What is your greatest skill/asset? Currently, my pain threshold, but I don’t know how much longer I can say that. Hard to say my swordsmanship and speed when I’m chained to a tree. The one thing that I always have is my courage. It isn’t that I never get scared or want to run away, but I can find a way to get myself to keep going.  One of my old teachers told me that a warrior needs to choose at least one reason to fight and take strength from that. I always keep my loved ones in my thoughts and make sure I stay strong for them. Is this really a skill or asset? Sounds like something that anybody can do, but courage is the one thing that can’t get taken from me. At least, it hasn’t happened yet.

What is your greatest weakness (we won’t tell)? Even after all my adventures, I’m not the most cautious person. I can be very impulsive and go through with a plan before anybody can stop me. Delvin used to get annoyed because I would wreck his plans, but now he factors in that I’ll probably do something unexpected. It gets me out of trouble at times, but it’s also the reason I get into trouble and enemies can use it against me. Hate to say I’m easy to manipulate or goad into action, but that might be the best way to explain it.

How do you think others see you? If we’re talking about my friends then I would say they see me as trustworthy ally, which sounds more sterile than I intended. We’re friends and practically family since our destinies are intertwined and have been through so much. They probably see me as the annoying little brother at times. Sari and Nyx don’t seem to have a problem calling me an idiot when I do something stupid. Not that they’re any better, but we’re friends, so really positive opinions there.

People outside of our circle are calling me a hero ever since stories about my adventures have begun spreading. There’s some praise and fame, but I can’t tell what they think. Maybe nothing more than I’m a celebrity and they’re happy to meet me. Nothing much deeper than that though because they don’t really know me. As far my enemies, I kind of hope they see me as a thorn in their side and a danger to their plans.  Yeah . . . I don’t think that’s really the case right now.

Do you believe you will be successful in your quest? Of course, I did. With the stakes so high, I couldn’t believe anything else. This comes off as cocky, but heroes need to be confident when adventuring. Doubt can keep you alive and fear can make you sharp, but you need to believe in yourself. Simply thinking that I’m going to succeed gave me the strength to find solutions to the problems I faced.

What is your greatest fear? Can I get away with spiders? Not a big fan of them, but I guess that’s a lame answer. I would say my greatest fear is not being able to save the people I care about. As a hero, I’m expected to save innocent people and the entire world. Yet, I think more about those who are closest to me because they’ll be by my side when the smoke clears. If I’m the only one who survives the final battle then I’m alone. Doesn’t matter how many adoring fans or honoured leaders I meet, I wouldn’t have anyone who really knows me. Back when I started, I never considered that I’d prefer close relationships over blind admiration. Now . . . I don’t think I’d be able to go with only the latter.

For the author

Books in which this character appears:

Legends of Windemere: Beginning of a Hero (Vol. 1)

Legends of Windemere: Ritual of the Lost Lamb (Vol. 13)

Legends of Windemere Vol. 2-12 (Amazon Author Page)

 

Bio:
Charles E. Yallowitz was born, raised, and educated in New York. Then he spent a few years in Florida, realized his fear of alligators, and moved back to the Empire State. When he isn’t working hard on his epic fantasy stories, Charles can be found cooking or going on whatever adventure his son has planned for the day. ‘Legends of Windemere’ is his first series, but it certainly won’t be his last.

 

Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.com
Twitter: @cyallowitz
Facebook: Charles Yallowitz
Website: www.charleseyallowitz.com

 

Dirty Dozen – Character Interview – Estella returns

 

Welcome back ESTELLA

• Tell us a little about yourself.

I am the person you least suspect, they deem me holy yet I am not.  I inspire love and hatred in equal measure.  My manor is empty of guests, it is a court for demonic fiends you will never see.  I hold audiences with demons more than the living.  I delight in walking among the Templars, the Clergy, and the Royal Courts hearing their barren truths; for those who speak do not know, whilst those who know do not speak.  How they would love to burn me at the stake.  A dark trail follows me and it will follow you, if you betray my name or the words I now share with you.   I am a seer, not the mediocre kind, I see beyond the heavens into the macabre game between Samael and the Throne.  I have been hither to an unsuspected spectator, until the blind one finds out I have been watching all along.  I am hunted, to be a precious cog in his dark machinations.

I am the lady of Red Fern Manor.  Estella Delcour

• Do you have a moral code? If so what might it be

I abhor mental slavery.  Slavery of the spirit.  The shackles of blind dogma are the roots of the downfall of our civilisation.  The houses of human religion are upheld by the strings of a master puppeteer, who leads you all astray, laughing, as you fight one another.  I yearn for freedom, a tearing down of the veil before everyone’s eyes, that they may see the truth, the unholy truth of how we are but crops reaped by infernal beings.  If my existence is but to shed some shard of light on this then I will happily follow whatever path is set before me, to give humanity that chance.

To simplify my code:  honour nature, honour the Goddess, honour yourself.

• Would you kill for those you love?

Yes.  There are very few people I am capable of loving.  I am capable of pulling down Heaven from its ramparts in order to protect them.

• What is your world like? How does it differ to mine?

I belong to many worlds, not this physical world in which you and I reside, bricks and mortar, but I belong also to a spiritual world unseen.  The Twilit world that is ruled by the Elder gods.  Those that have withdrawn from the rulership of Earth, there we serve them, the gods we love, and they love us in return.  They have boundless realms where we get to live our full potential, where our arts and gifts are valued, and your soul is your own, not the property of some wrathful god, or some blind deity.  I see your world for what it is, because through my discourses with these beings they cast real light on a network, aa system made and wrought of iron and stone that projects itself as the one true light.

• Who is your greatest friend?

I have been friendless most of my life, trusting no one to understand or acknowledge me, but I have found in the end my greatest friend was one I deemed an enemy.

• Who is your greatest enemy

The blind god himself.

• Is your world populated by different races? How do they get along?

The different races, are the many races of beings dwelling in their own realms, who cross through the pathways of our realms unseen to mortals.  They are not physical as we are, but beings of light and smokeless fire.  Some were once worshipped here on Earth as the gods of past civilisations, they extended their hands once and brought us civilisation, though in your new found religions you reduced them to garbled tales and demons.

• What is your greatest skill/asset

My sight is coveted, and has allowed me to have the answer to one of the greatest enigmas in human history.  Though Samael underestimates me, Lucifer recognises my value.  In their hands my sight would become a tool for human enslavement.  My greatest skill is my downfall.

• Within your civilisation what do you think is the most important discovery/invention?

The tapestry of creation.  We are souls woven in to this grand tapestry like threads that can be shorn.  That your soul incarnates in these various worlds.  The many incarnations of you are like a mirror that broke and its broken shards are scattered throughout infinity.  Through the tapestry you can choose where you can incarnate, you are not bound to the flesh or the vessel you were born in to.  Your spark can be reborn into a grander incarnation.

• How would you describe yourself?

A vivacious soul bearing the truth as a lantern with the darkness clawing at my feet, as I wrestle to illuminate the void.

• How do you think others see you?

Men see me as something they would like to possess and break.

Women aspire to my resilience, I am the resilience that all women need in this age

• Do you believe in god(s)?

Yes, my gods.

 

For the author

Books in which this character appears: The Shadow Crucible: The Blind God

Links, short author bio…

I am T. M Lakomy (Tamara Lakomy).  I was born in London, but grew up as a tribal girl in a North African repressive regime. I spent my childhood between the slums of Mellasine and the affluent neighbourhoods in Tunis.

I studied archaeology and became enamoured with the shamanistic practices of indigenous people.

I am an author and poet who seeks to challenge our notions of reality, and see life with a different perspective.

I work in East Africa with indigenous tribes studying the origins of mankind and the salient golden thread in the tapestry of humanity’s beliefs.

Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RedFernManor/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15558568.T_M_Lakomy

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Shadow_Crucible

Book trailer:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Crucible-Blind-God/dp/1590794141

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-shadow-crucible-t-m-lakomy/1124245404?ean=9781590794142

 

 

 

 

Dirty Dozen Character Interview – The Ghost – Fantasy

 

CHARACTER NAME: I’ve had so many names–Ahearn, Pandaros, Darhour, Sigurd . . . You can call me The Ghost. It will due.

Tell us a little about yourself. Which self do you mean? The son of a whore whose mother threw him out when he was a child? The royal stable groom who had an affair with the queen? The exile starving in the streets of a foreign land? The mercenary soldier fighting a war he never bothered to understand? The infamous assassin whose taken more lives than he can count? The king’s Master of the Horse? The chief bodyguard of the crown princess? The oath-breaker who is bound for hell? I’ve been too many people to know which is myself.

Do you have a moral code? If so what might it be? I had one once, but I’ve broken the vow I made at the goddess’s holy altar. If I’d do that, what wouldn’t I do?

Would you kill for those you love? I have, repeatedly, and I’d do so again without hesitation. You threaten my daughter, and you will learn how I earned the name, The Ghost.

Would you die for those you love? I’ve done that too. I ripped my heart out of chest when I left my daughter. I couldn’t risk corrupting her with my darkness or of anyone noticing a resemblance between us. If the court learned she is a bastard, it could cost her her throne or even her life. But without her, I might as well be dead.

How do you define ‘heroism?’ Heroism is a pretty word people use to justify killing others. As Phelix once taught me, whether you kill someone in battle or slit their throat while they sleep, dead is dead, and all end up in Hades together.

Tell us about your family? My mother sent me to her brother when I was seven because her latest man demanded she get rid of me. Whether my mother or any of my brothers and sisters are still alive, I don’t know. I don’t even know how many siblings I have. I went to visit my mother was I was fifteen, and she didn’t recognize me. I told her who I was, and she made it clear I wasn’t welcome and closed the door in my face. I haven’t heard from her since. Still, being sent to my uncle was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. Uncle Barris worked in the royal stables, and he not only took me in with no questions, he treated me like a son and taught me everything I know about horses. I loved him completely. He died when I was fifteen in an epidemic that swept through the capital. I still grieve his death, but I think it fortunately he didn’t live to see what I have become. The only relative that matters to me now is my daughter, the result of an affair with the queen, which caused my exile. My daughter is now queen of Korthlundia and has only recently discovered that the king wasn’t truly her father. For awhile, I served as the captain of her personal guard, but that couldn’t last. She is far too good of a person to be my daughter.

What is your greatest skill/asset? I think you’ve probably guessed by now. My skills as an assassin have made me infamous throughout the known world. I’m so good at getting into my victim’s rooms, some believe I can walk through walls. That’s why they called me, The Ghost. When I worked for the Saloynan king, it was known that if The Ghost was on your tail, it was time to start making funeral plans. I’ve never missed my target.

Do you believe in god(s)? How could I not? I accompanied my daughter to Sulis’s holy shrine on an island that cannot be found without the goddess’s blessing. I knelt there in the presence of Sulis’s holy priestess who knew every secret in my soul. My entire being shook with the Holy Mother’s presence as the priestess pronounced my daughter the goddess’s choice to rule Korthlundia even thought the king isn’t truly her father. Oh, yes, Sulis is the Mother of us all. But not even she can forgive what I’ve done.

What is your greatest fear? That someone will discover that instead of the king, I am Samantha’s father. I deserve anything bad that happens to me, but she must be safe.

What do you think of your author/creator? She’s cruel. But she better not treat my daughter in her next book like the way she treated me in this one, or she’ll wish I really was a ghost.

Do you believe in magic? That’s like asking if I believe in air. Magic is a part of this world. You can’t escape it.

Tell us about your greatest achievement. Fathering my daughter is the only good I’ve ever accomplished in the world. Samantha will be a wonderful queen, but that is only because I had no hand in her rearing.

For the author

Books in which this character appears:

The Goddess’s Choice and The Ghost in Exile

Links, short author bio…

My links:

Website: http://jamie-marchant.com/
Blog:  http://jamie-marchant.blogspot.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jamie-Marchant-Author/164706710298768?ref=hl
Twitter: @RobrekSamantha
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5258855.Jamie_Marchant

Amazon

The Goddess’s Choice Links

Amazon Print

Kindle

Barnes and Noble Print

Nook

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14652563-the-goddess-s-choice

 

The Ghost in Exile

Amazon Print

Kindle

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32727154-the-ghost-in-exile

Bio

Jamie began writing stories about the man from Mars when she was six, and she never remembers wanting to be anything other than a writer. Everyone told her she needed a back up plan, so she pursued a Ph.D. in American literature, which she received in 1998. She started teaching writing and literature at Auburn University. One day in the midst of writing a piece of literary criticism, she realized she’d put her true passion on the backburner and neglected her muse. The literary article went into the trash, and she began the book that was to become The Goddess’s Choice, which was published in April 2012. Her other novels include The Soul Stone and The Ghost in Exile. In addition, she has published a novella, Demons in the Big Easy, and a collection of short stories, Blood Cursed and Other Tales of the Fantastic. Her short fiction has also appeared in the anthologies–Urban Fantasy and Of Dragons & Magic: Tales of the Lost Worlds—and in Bards & Sages, The World of Myth, A Writer’s Haven, and Short-story.me. She claims she writes about the fantastic . . . and the tortured soul. Her poor characters have hard lives. She lives in Auburn, Alabama, with her husband and four cats, which (or so she’s been told) officially makes her a cat lady. She still teaches writing and literature at Auburn University. She is the mother of a grown son.