Zora Marie's Blog, page 3

James T. Stewart author of King of a Thousand Suns

Jame T. Stewart here is the author of King of a Thousand Suns, why don’t you tell us about yourself and what inspired you to start writing.

I’ve loved reading ever since I was a small child. My mother was a retired teacher and I was reading at a 3rd grade level when I began first grade. The “Wizard of Oz” was the 2nd movie I ever saw, age 4. In the second grade my class took a trip to the local library. They had ALL the Oz books. I checked out and read them ALL from September through mid December, i.e., before Christmas because my parents bought me the first 10 books for a Christmas present. I read them all many times. (I could tell those by L. Frank Baum were better than those with other authors. I decided I would like to be a writer some day.)

How did you go about getting published?

I met a lady on “Books and Writers” who had a publisher and she gave me an introduction. The book I sold the rights to is still being published by the new owners of the rights and it is now selling for over $200/copy.

What is your writing process?

I’m presently pretty much disgusted with writing. I thought my book would have sold better. I used to work 60 hours/week in a law office and began writing my SciFi book after a dream I had in the Air Force while stationed in Germany in 1971. I dreamed about a leave I planned going back to the U.S. and deer hunting in Northern California. I didn’t get a deer in my dream and also in real life. I made notes after I awoke and later while hunting, sitting still, hoping to see a legal buck. I didn’t. (See the blurb on my back cover.)

What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Full-time job, pets, hobbies?

I was a senior claim supervisor when I left “The Hartford” to work in the Law Office as a legal assistant. I have read many thousands of SciFi books, but not so many since I retired. I’m living near where I grew up in Northern California. My wife and I bought a house here a few years ago and after she retired, we moved here to “Shelter Cove,” on “The Lost Coast.” Our house faces the Pacific Ocean. It is about 200 yards west of us with waves breaking on rocks. We overlook a golf course which surrounds an airport runway. Beyond that are houses and then the Pacific. I don’t have to water our lawn because there is a “spring” which runs along the north side of our property and water runs under the grass and then to a small ditch which runs in front of our house. We have a golden retriever, Molly, whom I walk at least twice a day. My wife walks her as well, and she sleeps with us, as does our cat, ” Cali.”

Sounds like a nice relaxing life. Happen to have a favorite animal?

The several dogs I have owned, beginning with “Sadie,” my first when I was 4 years old.

Do you have a favorite myth? If so, tell us about it.

The “Trojan Horse,” except I’m convinced it is based on history, which no doubt became enhanced a little each time the story was told! I’m thinking here of the party game where a circle is formed and a very short 2 or 3 sentence story is begun at one point and each person in turn around the circle has to try to tell the same story to the next person but as the story goes around the room in whispers, it changes until it is no longer recognizable.

I am inclined to agree with you on that one. Though it is based on some form of truth, it has been embellished as all good tales have been. One last question before you go, what are you reading now?

I read a lot of posts online and make a few. It is time for me to re-read “The Source” by James A. Mitchner again. I have re-read it every 4 – 5 years ever since it was first pubished in 1965. My reading has greatly diminished the last few years. I go to the library every other week or so. Scalzi is my current favorite author.

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Jay Shaw the author of The Hunted (Dragonus Chronicles II)

First, as someone has not yet read any of Jay Shaw’s work, let’s look at his blurb for The Hunted for a bit of insight before jumping into the interview. 

Abducted without a trace, Colonel Mark Holden remains in the clutches of Arcadia’s Grand Chancellor – a maniacal dictator who continues to enslave and experiment on X2 humans.

Meanwhile, far away on an alternate reality Earth, Julia Holden lives a life she no longer belongs to. She spends her days rescuing those who cannot save themselves, and pining for her lost love.

Can the Arcadians achieve galactic domination, or will Hayden rescue Mark before his genetic secrets are stolen?

And when Phoenix City calls, will Mark and Julia return to fight for the hunted?

Not half bad if I do say so myself. Now, on to the questions for you, dear Jay Shaw.  Tell us about yourself and what inspired you to start writing.

Six years ago I’d been going through major life changes and wondering ‘where to from here?’ But it wasn’t until my uncle came to visit and asked a thought-provoking question. What I was going to do with the next phase of my life?

It was invigorating to have someone take an interest in what I felt and thought, and it opened the door for me to ask these questions of my self. I hadn’t done that in a long time.

A week after his visit, an image of a woman wandering along a deserted beach alone; enjoying how nature affected her senses and the peace it gave her, lingered in my mind. As I made lunches, waved goodbye to my children on the school bus, and hung out the washing; her thoughts about her work, her dreams, and her feelings, helped solidify the person she was and who she dreamed to be.

I carried the empty laundry basket back inside, passing by my computer, and I knew I had to write it down. How else would I clear my head for the million-and-one other things we mothers think about each and every minute of the day? So I sat and wrote what would, five years later, become the integral moment in “The Space Colonel’s Woman” and the opening up of an entire alternate reality to explore.

But it was the encouragement from a friend to join 2015 Nano which kicked my author career into top gear. I wrote “Wolfhaven” in a month and published it within three. It was safe to say I’d been bitten by the bug, and could finally answer the question of what I would be doing with this new phase of my life.

I’m glad you found your calling! Now I have to ask, how did you go about getting published?

One day I answered my door to a woman who said she lived across the road and asked if I would like to come to a New Year’s Eve party. I said yes, excited to meet more people in the semi-rural area I’d moved to. It turned out she was a published author and so were many of her friends. They are amazing women, eager to help and encourage. It is with their support and advice I’ve managed to find my way into this world. I’m still new and finding my way, but if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have made it this far.

As far as advice…trust your gut. There are incalculable options, both legit and dastardly, you’ll be spoiled for choice. So start small, establish your online presence, and write, write, write. For readers cannot buy books if they’re not written.

Sounds like you have an awesome neighbor. So, what is your writing process? Do you have a time, day or place you like to write?

Because I write everything by hand, I keep a stack of pads and a cup of pens by my bed and as soon as my eyes open I’m reaching for them. It’s not uncommon for me to be writing before I’ve even sat up. With this method I can average four thousand words a day, which I type up after the teens are in bed for the night and the house is quiet.

And here I thought my 3,000 was good and that’s only on a good day! Now, what do you like to do when you’re not writing? Full-time job, pets, hobbies?

Between being a mum to two teens, I love reading action/adventure, sci-fi, fantasy, contemporary, m/m or m/f romances. I have a passion for photography and just purchased a Nikon DSLR which I can’t wait to get outside and use this summer. I love movies, and dancing around the lounge with the music cranked up. And when I’m not doing all of the above, I’m going for walks, and attending two writing groups, or hanging with friends and family.

Sounds like the typical mother, with an added splash of awesome author fun.

Nathalie M.L. Römer author of The Wolf Riders of Keldarra series

Nathalie M.L. Römer is an author of many books, including The Wolf Riders of Keldarra series, Subject (The Utopus Series), The Mystery of Priory Mansion, The Keldarra Series (novella spin-off series based on The Wolf Riders of Keldarra) plus a lot more in progress. That’s a lot, so tell us about your main series. 

My main series is The Wolf Riders of Keldarra, and it’s fantasy set in the land Keldarra. It is the story of Marrida and Alagur, who come from different backgrounds which are at odds with one another. She is a Keeper, a part of the secretive Order of Truth; he is a Wolf Rider, who gets wounded and ends up healed by her. Their chance meeting sets in motion events foretold in a prophesy of more than three thousand years ago, which until now by most is dismissed as “myth”. They discover that the prophesy is a lot more, that there’s a plot going on to bring back the events that caused Keldarra to become enslaved by “the northern invaders”, and by the end of book two war has started in Keldarra and that complicates things even more. In book three and beyond you’ll discover who is behind all these events, and why the Order of Truth is not quite the benevolent organisation it claims to be.

Tell us about yourself and what inspired your writing. 

My writing journey is a long one. As a child and teen, even in my early twenties I wanted to write, but life always got in the way of it somehow. In my twenties and thirties it was an abusive marriage. But then in 2008 I met a new guy and after a few years of him helping me heal, I started to think about the dream of writing again. In 2014, after a few years of trying to find a job I could do with the debilitating back problems I have, I started to think about an idea for a story I had. I wrote that story down. These days I joke about the fact it was just 1,600 words long, and in a way you can consider it as “flash fiction”. It featured Marrida from the series I mentioned above. I play World of Warcraft, and it’s a game based on the idea of conflict between two factions, and one day I was thinking about Marrida and how I wanted to make a longer, better story for her. I decided I had to create a world of conflict myself. But I decided to base my conflicts on real events that govern our own world. Around the time I was thinking about this I saw a news report about the boy soldiers in Africa and also another one where they talked about the abduction of the girls in Africa. I immediate was deeply moved by this, and decided to feature a world in which children might not be safe from the conflict going on. The next inspiration came from World of Warcraft. I logged in to the game one day on a Horde character, and that character had to jump aside when I saw some new non-player characters (“NPC”) riding past… it was these NPCs who were the direct inspiration for the theme of The Wolf Riders of Keldarra. A lot of my plot revolves around things that happen in our world, or as I always say on my book bio “the rights and wrongs of our world”. I developed the series to cover a lot of politics of our world, conflicts of our world, beliefs of our world, behaviours and social norms of our worlds. I guess any social science or political science student will have a field day with figuring out what in my books is based on the real events that happen in our own world. So my inspiration to start writing is because I want to tell people what goes on in this world of ours, but in a subtle way so it makes you think about it.

Awe, intertwining the real with the fiction, such a fun thing to do. How did you go about getting published?

I am an independent author. I own my own imprint Emerentsia Publications, and I use KDP, CreateSpace, Ingram Spark and Kobo to get my books out there. To me publishing is an evolutionary process. I never stop trying to improve what I wrote and what I am writing. One day, perhaps, I’ll have at least one book also published with a traditional publisher. I am working (slowly!) on the plot of that book. If I make the book good enough, this dream will happen.

What is your writing process? Do you have a time, day or place you like to write?

I am a night owl. I function best at night. I don’t watch television, and everyone else sleeps so there’s no outside noises to distract me. My writing process begins when I see something that touches my heart. I may see a news story on the news when I do watch television, or I read something inspirational on the internet, or I may just get an interesting “what if” idea in my head. Usually the title comes first. I write that down. I think my “possible titles” list is now six pages long in a notepad I keep next to me on my desk. Then a plot idea is written down. Most of the idea I come up with a sub-plot first and then the main plot of a story. For example, in my book The Mystery of Priory Mansion, the relationship between Lucas Cayton and his girlfriend is the sub-plot, but coming up with the sub-plot leaves me to come up with a good main plot because of it usually. Marrida’s story is also a sub-plot. The real story, well, err like Dr. River Song from Dr. Who says “Spoilers…” so I won’t tell what the real plot is about, but the clues ARE there if you pay attention to the story.

‘Night owl’ that is definitely not me, though it would be nice since that’s the only time it is quiet here. So, what do you like to do when you’re not writing? Full-time job, pets, hobbies?

I am creative as an artist and doing crafts as well. That’s what I do when I need to “meditate” so to speak. I love cooking (something I planted squarely into the books). My partner claims reading my stories makes him hungry. In addition I love photography, I’d have a Alsatian if I didn’t live in an apartment on the first floor and I had somewhere with a garden, and if I had more money I would travel (need to tick off all the places on the bucket list). My partner and I are planning to visit Curaçao at the end of 2017, because that’s where my father’s family is from. We also both want to visit New Zealand at some point. When I don’t write or do any of this or any of the dreaming about places to visit, my partner and I are working on a business we want to get going.

Business, business are so much ‘fun’.

Character Interview with Ikuko Takenokawa from At Yomi’s Gate

With us today is Ikuko Takenokawa from At Yomi’s Gate. Thank you for joining us, Ikuko Takenokawa. Tell us, do you have any family? If so, what’s your family like?

My late mother and father taught me everything I know about communicating with spirits and yokai. It was a lot to take in, certainly. But they were both very patient. Well, my father was. But then, he’d been raised to be a priest. He was a quiet, peaceful man. But I could always tell there was something hiding behind that smile he put on. Something awful happened to him, but I think it made him kinder as a result, you know? More compassionate to make up for… whatever he saw.

Mother could get frustrated sometimes, but being a spirit medium was never her chosen path in life. She’d prided herself on being an expert swordswoman before the accident broke her back. But I think she learned to accept her new path in the end.

What about your siblings? Do you get along?

*chews her lip* I have several sisters… though I haven’t seen them in years. Well, I mean- I see them every time I try to channel the underworld. Can’t really even keep them away. But it’s been a while since I’ve spent much time with them. I suppose they just miss me. But it’s hard to do my job when they try to drag me into Yomi every single time we meet.

My sister Aoi isn’t so bad, though. I’ve been seeing a lot more of her lately. Maybe I’ll help her come through the portal for a visit. Especially since she’s quite fond of my friend, Fumito-san.

*smirks*

He tends to have that effect on women. Even yokai women.

What’s your greatest fear?

I fear the pollution of my soul. I’ve seen what spiritual pollution does.

*looks around anxiously*

Please don’t tell Takashi-san I said that. I know it hurts him to hear me say that. It’s not his fault his family is forced to work with leather and dead bodies. I don’t think he realizes how much all that death infects their souls. They’ve been so good to me and my friends, though…

What do you hate most about yourself?

*tugs a lock of hair over her eye*

I worry that I’m too naive sometimes. I try, you know? Try to be smart about the world. But I spent so much of my life at my parent’s shrine. I didn’t see the outside world until I helped Miss Sakura escape from Lord Kotoheisei.

I also hate being so tall. I’m at least two heads taller than everyone I know. I feel like a monster sometimes.

What is your greatest strength?

*puffs up a little* well, I would say it’s my ability to communicate with the dead and with yokai. People are so afraid of ghosts. But you just need to talk to them, you know? They’re usually just lost and angry. They just need help.

Yokai aren’t so bad, either. I mean, some of them can be dangerous. But if you know how to reason with them, you can usually get them to leave you alone.

Do you have a weakness?

*blushes* Miss Sakura, I suppose. She takes some getting used to, but she’s got a good heart.

Is there something from the past that haunts you, keeps you awake at night?

*looks at the ground a moment* That night when Miss Sakura burned Lord Kotoheisei’s castle. She was so angry. So full of hate and revenge. He’d done so many awful things to her…

I know she didn’t mean to hurt anyone. Besides him. But…So many people died that night.

*looks into the distance for a moment*

I’m sorry. What were we talking about?

It doesn’t matter. What’s your favorite animal and why?

Baku are a delight. They look like- I guess you call them tapir? Yes, like tapir, except they can fly and they’re covered in scales. And they eat dreams.

I also like giant salamanders. We call them Oshanshouo. I used to daydream about riding one when I was a girl.

Thank you for coming Ikuko Takenokawa, that’s all we have time for. Don’t forget to check out Ikuko Takenokawa’s author at http://nocturnalseapress.com/

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House of Horror Review

So, we all know the basic horror tropes, but this one’s not quite the same as most. While some tropes just can’t be avoided, this one took some turns I just couldn’t see coming. While characters seem to be flat and be nothing more than the generic pancake in this genre, this little read breaks that mold and runs out of the gate with backstories and lives that leave you questioning who you want to ‘win’ right up to the very end.

Go have fun with this short read, it’s free here for a limited time! If that’s not enough to convince you, here’s the blurb:

When Mathew Hansen first heard the disembodied voice of a woman through the wall of his new London flat, he thought he imagined it. Mind playing tricks, in a flat that settled and creaked like an old woman. Or maybe too much booze fuelling his nightmares.

The voice couldn’t be real; just the wind, moving around the old Victorian house.

Besides, his bangable neighbour Amanda couldn’t hear the strange chanting sounds. She was just messing with him when she said she did. A little payback for sleeping with her and never calling her back.

It must be his imagination.

Right?

And just for good measure, here’s the link to the free book again:

https://www.instafreebie.com/free/IF2YL

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Special Guest Interview Julian St Aubyn Green

Welcome, Julian St Aubyn Green, where did you hear about this lovely advertisement opportunity?

From the Dark Queen herself.

Hehe, if you can’t tell, Julian and I run some of the same circles on facebook… we’re a bit crazy over at SciFi Roundtable. Julian actually has a book, Suffrage – Book 1 – The World Key Chronicles, coming out soon. Want to toss the cover and blurb this way, Julian?

There is something hidden on Earth. A secret so immense it’s worth killing for. In a race against time, five travelers arrive, hunting a key that will change the balance of power in their world.

Jay’s birth father is a monster. He destroyed half her world and established a twisted version of utopia from the ashes, ruled by the Five Monarchs. But his blood flows in her veins, giving her power beyond any human. She has to prove that she’s not him; that she’s better. With the help of her teammates, she has to stop him from destroying her adoptive family and her world by finding the one thing that can make her his equal. But will the world key make her a monster, too?

Dr Stanford Ellis, an American scientist, is tasked with understanding these travelers. What does their arrival mean, for his country and the world? He must unravel the mystery before it’s too late.

Little do the travelers know, they were followed to our Earth. The Walker King has come seeking the rebels, and will let nothing stand in the way of his revenge. Freedom comes at a price.

I must say, I like your cover. Now, tell us about yourself and what inspired you to start writing.

*Checks character limit* Ahh, short version then. I have a wondevil muse who likes to beat my brain. I don’t know exactly how she got inside my brain. But now I can’t get rid of her. But it’s all good, she likes to slaughter my doubt demons in her spare time. Just wish she didn’t track her bloody boots through my frontal cortex.

Hey! No fair, giving away the secret form format (college crunches my time a bit). How did you go about getting published?

I actually researched this question a lot. Eventually I settled on an assisted publisher, who allows me to bring in the skills I’m lacking in and self publish my book.

Research, I like you already. What is your writing process? Do you have a time, day or place you like to write?

All words, all the time. Not quite true, but if you see me throw up a #amwriting hashtag, bother me at your peril. I’m an extreme plotter with a devil-may-care attitude that the plan will hold as long as I don’t get a bright idea that requires me to change my elaborate planning. Sometimes I think my muse give me ideas, just to see my chagrin when I have to change my plans.

Hm, I know that feeling… only plotting takes place in the margins of my notes for class so changing them is always fun. What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Full-time job, pets, hobbies?

I live in a world of words!! Something I’d like to do full time. I live two streets from the beach. I have a small tortoiseshell-coloured lion by the name of Missy.

Okay, now I’m slightly jealous… but enough of that, have a favorite animal?

Hedgehog. Where’s that clay?

Do you have a favorite myth?

Umm, no. I stopped playing and imagining in other people’s world a long time ago. I also keep getting my heart broken when writers come up with fun ways of interpreting old myths. *razzafrazzasparklyvampiresgonnaripshred*

I feel your pain on the vampires, but I may spend a bit too much time in art history classes with mythological creatures to let the old myths go… Back to the questions, any marketing tips you’d like to share with other authors?

I’m a noob at this. My cup is empty. Which means I’m willing to try any crazy idea. This is the year of yes. Always say yes.

I can relate to that. Now, tell us about your latest project. 

BOOK 2!!!! Nearing complete first draft. One more step taken out of the mountain of words my crazy Muse has committed me to.

Well, it’s about time for class, but before you go, tell us about this new book release you have coming up. 

Book 1 is currently in pre-order for paperback. If you are one of the first 1000 people to buy a copy, you go into the running to win a painting by the talented Rebecca Edwards, which my cover is based on.

That’s awesome! Toss me a few links and we’ll call it a day.

Character Interview with Alice Pleasance Liddell from The Jabberwocky Book

With us today we have Alice Pleasance Liddel from The Jabberwocky Book. How old are you, Alice?

45…well, 60. Actually, I only look 30. Or 7. It’s complicated.

Do you have any family? If so, what’s your family like?

I have an older sister, Lorina Charlotte Liddell. My younger sister, Edith Mary, died many years ago. Lorina is a bit bossy, but kind-hearted. She knows of my adventures in Wonderland and Looking-Glass Land when I was a girl, but she’s sort of blocked her mind from them, since she certainly doesn’t approve. My parents are both dead, and I am divorced from my husband, Reginald Hargreaves. He never understood me much, either. I guess my only real family now is Dorothy Gale, but she spends much of her time in Oz, and is very hard to contact.

How’s your relationship with your parents? Do you love them? Hate them? How have they influenced you?

My parents were both wonderful people, if a little set in their ways. My sisters and I never lacked for anything. I don’t know if Mother and Father taught me anything exactly, unless it was rebellion. I was a difficult child, not into reading or anything much except daydreaming. There was this Oxford mathematics professor who used to tell some interesting tales, and he was instrumental in sending me off to Wonderland in the first place. He influenced me in many ways, a lot more than my parents it turns out. Especially when it came to dealing with the Red King and the Raven, both of whom wanted their revenge on me.

What about your siblings? Do you get along?

I’ve explained about Lorina above. Edith was another person altogether–the prettiest of the three of us, always happy (except when she tried to bury me alive when I wouldn’t share a barley sugar with her). Unfortunately, she died at the age of 22, which turned out to be most inconvenient years later when we were engaged in dealing with the Red King. It turns out we had to rather questionably handle Edith’s corpse in order to channel her power. I’m not proud of that moment. I think she would forgive me. I hope so, at least. Poor darling, I miss her dreadfully.

How would you describe your childhood?

Ha ha ha. My childhood. Indeed. Well, that’s something I usually try to forget. My childhood led me to becoming an alcoholic. My childhood was perhaps the weirdest thing that could ever befall someone, and all of it engineered, if I may use that word, by forces beyond my control. My childhood was…I’m sorry, can we move onto the next question?

Of course, we can. What’s your greatest fear?

Myself. And my sisters. And the Oxford don. And not seeing Dorothy again. And the Red King, and the Raven. I’m sorry, I’m still upset over that reference to my childhood. My greatest fear? Probably facing the truth about myself. I like to put self-awareness away in a drawer somewhere and pretend it doesn’t exist. But how would you like it if you were the sole reason that four interlocked universes were dying? Learning the truth about myself, that my entire existence was guided by my enemies–that’s enough to scare anyone.

What do you hate most about yourself?

That I somehow disappointed my husband. He left me for another woman. We’d not had the most loving marriage, and no children came from our union. But I think I could have done more to bind Reginald and I together. He was always busy with his financial career, of course. A woman’s duty is to help her husband.

What is your greatest strength?

Probably bringing out the best in others. I treated Dorothy most dreadfully when we first met. The age difference was part of that, I suppose, and not wanting to see innocent people hurt when the Red King turned up. But she emerged like a butterfly to save the day time and again. And Inspector Lestrade of the London Constabulary certainly excelled on a number of occasions. Even Lorina proved good in the end, I think because of my allowing her to. Not really a strength, I suppose.

Do you have a weakness?

Dorothy would say my drinking. But that is none of her business. My curiosity has landed me in trouble a number of times. And I am a dreadful bore when it comes to words and language. I was never interested in them until I went to Wonderland, but after I came back they consumed all my interest. I assembled quite a library of books, until the Raven destroyed it. I am a terrible bore to talk to, really.

Have you traveled? If so, what’s your favorite place? Can you describe it for us?

I have travelled a fair bit on the Continent, but in this world at least I have kept mostly to Oxford and London. As for my journeys to Wonderland and Looking-Glass Land, they are quite impossible to describe. I’d refer you to the Jabberwocky Book for descriptions of them, for what they are worth. My favourite place would be Oxford. I spent my childhood there and moved to London after my marriage. I returned after the divorce to Oxford to live with Lorina in our parents’ house. It was so peaceful, and I could keep an eye on the Rabbit Hole and the Looking-Glass there. You know, just in case.

Is there something from the past that haunts you, keeps you awake at night?

Dreams of ravens frequently cause me to lose sleep. Even now. But I think probably the most haunting incident from the past was the night we three sisters looked in a mirror in our parents’ house. It frightened Lorina and Edith terribly. It should have done the same to me. But I stayed and continued to look and that’s when the whole ghastly business began, I suppose.

What is your biggest secret?

Promise you won’t tell? Oh, how ridiculous, this in an interview, of course you’ll tell. But at least circumstances mean that it doesn’t matter now anyway. I do have rather a soft spot for Inspector John Lestrade. If I hadn’t married Reginald, perhaps…? But of course, John was married to Aoife–still is, I presume. And that sort of thing is exactly what ruined my marriage with Reginald. Still, you did ask.

What’s your favorite animal and why?

That would have to be my cat Dinah. We can talk to each other after a fashion. In fact anyone who comes to our Oxford house can speak to cats while there. It’s a little gift my sister and I share with visitors. It unnerves some of them, but we at least can see the humorous side. Another animal I interact with is the Snark (if “animal” is the right word–I’m not really sure what the thing is). It came to my house years ago and I kept it locked up in a bathing-machine in my cellar until I freed it. Then it kept me prisoner for a while as a punishment. We now have a sort of working relationship, not always good. But I admire it’s courage and tenacity.

During your time in Wonderland and Oz, who was your favorite person?

They were all quite mad. Myself included. But so many to choose from. We can eliminate any of the royal families for a start. The Hatter? No, I can’t say I enjoyed his company too much, even though he did become quite brave in dealing with the Raven. Perhaps the Cheshire Cat, although my time with him was so brief. Thinking about it, it probably wasn’t someone from those lands at all, but one from Oz. I never went there, but Princess Langwidere did come through during the Raven problem. She was quite a deal of fun–all of her. I especially liked Number Three. Number Twelve proved quite resourceful, but Langwidere Three was certainly a most congenial person.

Well, it was most delightful to have you here and thank you very much for your time, but it would seem that’s all we have time for. Learn more about Alice’s author at www.russellproctor.com

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Character Interview at the Bar?

This interview for Earth 105 is a bit different and I hope enjoy it as much as I did! 

My name is Rex Wellington of Cetabri City Daily News. I am at the West Side Tavern and today I am interviewing three men who call themselves Immunes. Darek Kemp, Zander Chale and Jash Majeed. They allege they cannot die.  Good day gentlemen.

Darek: Dude, you know I’m going to erase your memories right?

Zander: Let him have his fun Darek.

Rex: Let’s jump right into it, you cannot die. How is that possible?

Zander: There are six Immunes from every Earth. We cannot die and we live on to the next Earth. We can be hurt or injured but we cannot die.

Rex: Live on to the next Earth. What?

Zander: This is Earth No. 105. You are a non-Immune so you will die on Earth No. 105 but we will live on to Earth No. 106.

(A long unsettling silence. I am not sure what to say or if I should continue. I knew this interview would be unreal but multiple Earths. I’m thrown off by that revelation.)

Darek: Screw this. I’m erasing him.

(I look to Jash who stares into his whiskey glass, shakes his head and smirks, amused. The guy is a mystery.)

Zander: Rex you all right?

Rex: Yes, sorry about that. Let’s take this down a notch. How about something simple like, family. Do you have families? Or maybe, can you have families?

(All three Immunes look to each other and silently concur that Jash will answer. They have a brotherly bond. Thick as thieves.)

Jash: Immunes have a singular genetic structure that prohibits the ability to procreate. Or so we thought until these two losers knocked up a couple of non-Immunes leaving that theory questionable at best. To answer the question, no we cannot reproduce yet we have.

Zander: I think what Doc is trying to say is that for 105 Earths, no Immune has ever had a baby but this Earth is different. It is like no other.

Darek: My beautiful blue-eyed angel, Luna.

Zander: My son’s name is Ryker. They are the only two that we know of.

Rex: What about you Jash? Do you have a significant other? Any family?

(Uncontrolled laughter from the three Immunes along with a shout to the bartender for another round of whiskey. These guys can drink. I’m still nursing my first.)

Darek: The Boss has a bit of trouble with the ladies.

Jash: It’s complicated.

Rex: Now I’m intrigued. Do tell.

Jash: It’s a long story so I’ll cut to the chase. My ex-girlfriend and I had a destructive relationship that lasted 10 Earths. She gave me gifts, when I behaved which wasn’t often. Anyway, she gave me a power called seductive magnetism. It complicates things.

Darek: Show the man!

Zander: Really guys?

Rex: Show me what? Oh my…

(Several beautiful women surround me. One kisses me. Aggressively. Before I can even acknowledge her, the next approaches gently brushing her finger along my jawbone and melting me with her big brown eyes. Somewhere in the distance, my distracted mind hears Zander discipline his friends.)

Zander: That’s quite enough Jash. Send them back.

(The girls walk away with no recollection of what just happened.)

Rex: What the heck was that? What else can you guys do?

Darek: I bunch of cool crap. I can fly, disintegrate stuff and erase memories like I’m going to do to you later. And I can surf. It’s not a superpower it’s a fact. I’m the best surfer on any Earth.

Zander: No ego on that one. (Zander smirks and gives a nod to Darek.) I can teleport, heal and clone to name a few and Jash, well it’s complicated.

(Zander looks to Jash as if to ask if he wants to elaborate further but Jash shakes his head. I sense Zander’s need to protect Jash but I’m not sure why.)

Rex: Fly, clone, teleport. Christ X-Men…at the West Side Tavern. Can you show me, something, anything!

(Without warning, Darek grabs Jash’s hand and disintegrates it to ash on the bar. I can’t believe what I am seeing. I am consumed by fear and have lost control of this interview.)

Jash: What the…! A warning would be nice.

(Jash winces in pain holding his wrist where the missing hand was. Zander holds his hand over it and his hand reappears. No one in the bar notices the guy with the disintegrated hand.)

Zander: All better.

Rex: Why I am I the only one seeing this?

Darek: (Tapping his finger to my forehead with a sly grin.) Memory erase. Remember? No one remembers the dismemberment. (Darek laughs. He cracks himself up).

Rex: I…I…right back to the interview. So I’m going to ask a few questions and you guys can just shout out the first thing that comes to mind.

(Another round of whiskey arrives, yet no one actually ordered them. The boys are getting a bit sloppy and are having fun with the interview. Fun with me.)

Rex: You are filing out a personal ad. Describe yourself. (All three bellow in laughter and clink their whiskey glasses.)

Darek: Athletic, strong surfer looking for hot Wahine for walks on the beach and romantic adventures. Brunettes only need apply.

Rex: Wahine?

Darek: A female surfer.

Zander: You have to forgive Darek’s language. Surfer slang can be hard to understand. Not to mention annoying. I’m all set with this question. It’s stupid and I already found my soul mate.

Darek: I’ll answer for the Barney. If you like the serious type, I’m the one for you. No thrills here just a green eyed stud who needs a shave and can heal your broken heart.

(Jash and Darek laugh at this description and even Zander smiles so there must be some truth to it. He runs a hand over his beard considering Darek’s assessment.)

Rex: Jash? (Jash holds his hands up and shakes his head. Not willing to comply but Darek likes this game.)

Darek: Complex, insanely smart, well hung male with perfect body, hair, teeth, etc. seeking a lovely lady that can handle what I have to offer without dying or making me internally combust. No Danna’s need apply.

(We all laugh at this. I feel a happiness envelop us at the bar. It’s a nice feeling. Zander places a hand on Jash’s shoulder and nods his approval. Jash smiles at him. The exchange has a history. Many Earths of history if I can wrap my head around that.)

Rex: Favorite food

Zander, Jash and Darek: (in unison as they down their drinks) Whiskey!

Rex: Where did you grow up?

Darek: Earth No. 1 – Zander too.

Jash: Jabpun – Earth No. 20.

Rex: Occupation

Darek: Immune King

Zander: Only because I let you.

Darek: Zander thinks he’s the leader of the Immunes but it’s really me. I am the King.

Zander: (rolling his eyes) I am a spy. I work for Danna undercover and report back her plans so the Immunes can always be one step ahead of her. It’s not working out so good this time around. So publically, Darek claims he is the leader of the Immunes but the truth is, without me they are all screwed. I am also The Hunter, assigned to capture Jash Majeed and return him to Danna’s custody.

Rex: Capture Jash? (I eye the man watching his ice orbit in his glass.)

Zander: Yeah every Earth I fail miserably at that assignment wouldn’t you say?

Rex: And you Jash. Your job?

Jash: I’m a doctor. Or I was a doctor on my first Earth. Since Earth 20, I’ve had many jobs. Right now I’m working for Alina Lon at the ATA, Aaricem Terrorist Agency.

Rex: If you knew today was the last day of your life how would you spend it?

Jash: Right here doing this. Drinking whiskey with these two boneheads and welcoming the end. It’s been way too long.

(The mood changes and I feel an unexplained overwhelming pain floating in the air.)

Zander: Jash, pull it in.

(Jash nods and the pain lifts. I have to ask.)

Rex: What was that all about?

Zander: Danna cursed Jash with the inability of releasing his emotions. That bubble of pain you just felt, well let’s just say you don’t want Jash to release it.

(Jeez. Note to self: don’t upset Jash.)

Rex: What about you two? Last day of your life, where would you be?

Darek: Surfing

Zander: Anywhere with Anwen and Ryker.

(Looking at my standard questions I realize this one doesn’t really apply to this interview but I ask it anyway.)

Rex: Superpower you wish you had.

Darek: The strength of this monster right here. (Darek playfully punches Jash in the arm) The strongest Immune in history.

Zander: Flying

Darek: Seriously dude? You hate flying.

Zander: I hate it because I can’t do it. Besides you haven’t exactly helped my fears any. Have you forgotten the time you dropped me from cloud to pavement?

Darek: Again with that crap. Drop it Chale. (Darek laughs and snorts the words again) Drop Chale! (Zander can’t help but chuckle along. Jash appears deep in thought.)

Jash: Any transport. I don’t care what kind. Relying on these two to get around sucks.

Rex: Where do you see yourself in five years?

Darek: Killing Danna with my bare hands.

Rex: I don’t think I can write that. Who is Danna?

Darek: The chick that destroys Earth and creates the new one. Oh, and Jash’s ex-girlfriend.

(Suddenly Jash stands and scans the room with wide worried eyes.)

Jash: Speak of the devil…time to go.

Rex: What is it?

(Darek takes me by the shoulders and looks me in the eyes.)

Darek: I like you Rex so here’s the deal. I’m erasing you but I’ll let you have this interview. You will call it Immune Interviews: A Sci-Fi Adventure and will be praised for your creativity. Congratulated for making up such crazy, interesting characters and pretending to interview them. You will have a great life Rex Wellington. We’ll be watching you.

(Sitting at a table alone in the West Side Tavern, I look at my notebook and read what I have written. What a cool concept. Immunes. Where do I come up with this stuff? I can’t wait to publish this.)

Website: www.kyraleary.com

Twitter is @LearyKyra

Instagram is beckettleary

facebook is https://m.facebook.com/libroillustratobykyra

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Character Interview with Nova Avery from The One Left Behind: Magic

Today we have Nova Avery from The One Left Behind: Magic with us. How old are you Nova?

Um… I’m 17… (at least in book 1)

Do you have any family? If so, what’s your family like?

Well, everyone has family, I suppose. But I can’t say that I really recall what most of my family is like. From what I do consider about them, the upbringing was strict and shaped me into the person that I am today. So I should thank them if I ever have the chance to see them again.

How’s your relationship with your parents? Do you love them? Hate them? How have they influenced you?

I don’t really remember my parents. So I don’t love or hate them.

How would you describe your childhood?

A majority of my early childhood was spent traversing through the windows of the Phantasm. Plain to say, it was interesting to see the lives of other people, but I wasn’t really living my own. And it stayed that way until the moment that I decided to act, and met Frayle.

What’s your greatest fear?

Being Stagnant. That’s why I’m always on the move.

What do you hate most about yourself?

I think… it’s that I don’t know anything about myself. If I had chosen something different, maybe I would have become a different person. Someone happier, or maybe even someone more sad than I am now. And to me, it’s a scary thought to picture myself as someone other than who I am.

What is your greatest strength? (can be intellectual)

I can say intellect? Definitely has to be that then.

Do you have a weakness?

I didn’t think that I did until I discovered it through Frayle. And now I see that my weakness can also be my strength–that my knowledge is what will carry me far, but can also be what does me in. I’m just going to have to be careful about what I’m considering in the long run.

Have you traveled? If so, what’s your favorite place? Can you describe it for us?

I’ve traveled often, and of all of the places that I have seen, my favorite has to be Belone despite my rough patch with that place. It is a land of snow and ice, frigid cold… but beyond that air besets a magnificent little town full of cottages, and in it, people that wear smiles that melt through even the most frozen heart. And they’re ruled by an even more enchanting prince.

Is there something from the past that haunts you, keeps you awake at night?

Actually… sometimes, I dream of a woman. She cries on her bed until her eyes are bloodshot. And then she looks up at nothing in particular, but it feels like her eyes on me. After that, I wake up. I never talk really about the dream, but it feels so… realistic.

What is your biggest secret?

I’m not sure that I have any secrets.

Last one for the day, what’s your favorite animal and why?

*Thinks on it a bit before a light coat of pink brushes against her face* …I really like rabbits. They’re sweet.

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Character Angelica Cross from The Paranormal Detectives Series

Today we have character Angelica Cross from The Paranormal Detectives Series here. Angelica, how old are you?

I turned 202 on October 14th, 2016.

Just a few years under your belt then. Do you have any family? What are they like?

My father murdered my mother in a vampiric rage after she turned him back in 1832. I hunted my father for a hundred and seventy years, which is what led to my current situation in life. I’m an only child, but have a cousin in London.

How would you describe your relationship with your parents?

See above! But my mother was a lovely woman, a noble in London in her day who taught me that vampires don’t have to be killers. Everything I am I owe to her. Daddy dearest can burn in Hell.

How would you describe your childhood?

Normal, for a half vampire. I was tutored by a governess, had friends, enjoyed art and playing outdoors at night.

What ‘s your greatest fear?

Failure, which could result in humans becoming an endangered species.

Then I wish you luck! As I’m not a fan of being apart of an endangered species. So, what do you hate most about yourself?

My self-deprecating nature.

What is your greatest strength?

I have a few. I am skilled in multiple kinds of combat, I am a trained strategist, I am equally trained in weaponry, and have six college degrees, all of which help me in my daily life.

Do you have a weakness?

Sunlight, garlic, holy water, and Danny Mancini.

Danny Mancini… okay. So, have you traveled? If so, what’s your favorite place?

I have been all over the world, but the place I love most is my home of Chicago, where I ended up in 1881, where I founded my company (The Paranormal Investigative Division, now a part of the FBI). The people, the architecture, the food, and the sports are all top notch.

Chicago isn’t my cup of tea but to each their own. Is there something the haunts you, keeps you awake at night?

Letting my father escape, and also assuming that the Dark witch Fiona Guilfoyle would heed my warning and stay away from my city. Both bite me in the ass.

What’s your biggest secret?

I keep a lot to my chest, and my biggest secret I cannot reveal here, lest I break my own laws and that will result in my execution by the man I love.

Okay… let’s end on a lighter note, what’s your favorite animal?

Bats, for a very obvious reason.

Bats are pretty awesome, I’ve had the pleasure of bottle feeding one when I was younger and I’m still quiet fond of them. Well, thank you for coming. Check out Angelica Cross’s author at  http://lilyluchesibooks.wix.com/lilyluchesi

Thanks for reading! 

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