C.N. Faust's Blog, page 3

October Interviews: Meridith

image credit: elephant wendigo (deviantart)

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What was your relationship with Pharun like when you two were still boys?

I did not have any brothers, and Pharun didn’t have any that he liked. Holidays were the best because it meant that our fathers would travel to see each other and Pharun and I could wreak havoc together for a solid month or more. Our relationship did not begin to form until we were both a little older, perhaps seven or eight, because that was when my mother died and Encarz mended his relationship with my father. Even though I am closer to Olympia’s age, Pharun always treated me like his equal. We had a lot of fun and created many good memories.

How do you think time affects friendships?

Time has a habit of wearing down and peeling away the pretty outer layer of most things, that includes friendships. Unless, of course, those who share them care enough to maintain the bond. I don’t think Pharun ever put any thought into our friendship, he just assumed it was effortless and would continue to be so, withstanding time and war. That is not how it works… friendships begin effortlessly and you have to keep them well your entire life or they dissipate.

Can you trust anyone?

Not anymore.

How did you and Ravenel meet?

I was actually visiting Pharun at the time. I had brought with me my young ward, Shiva, with whom I was ridiculously infatuated. Ravenel was a slave that Olympia had acquired for her pleasure. She had treated him badly, I won’t go into the gory details. But Shiva found him hiding underneath the bed in our guest room and had to spend the better part of fifteen minutes coaxing him to come out. Shiva hid him from me for the first few days, only revealing him to me once his wounds had begun to heal. Like a guilty child who wants to keep the stray puppy he found, he pleaded with me to let him keep the boy. I was jealous of their friendship, I admit, but I agreed. Ravenel went home with us when we left, I don’t think Olympia ever missed him.

Describe a favorite moment between you and Ravenel.

My memories of Ravenel are so polluted with the times of turmoil that I can’t pull out a favorite memory, at least not easily. It is hard to talk about. Perhaps I’ll come back to this question in the future.

October Interviews: Felix

What do you remember about your childhood?

Very little. Most of it was spent in prayer. I can recall flashes of my mother… but nothing of substance. I don’t remember her voice, or what she smelled like, or if she ever held me close and told me that she loved me. I remember her mostly being surrounded by men and white powdery drugs, and I don’t think I ever will know what she looked like decently clothed. My memories with High Priest Gwynafor in the temple of Morre are better ones, if not much clearer. But I was happier, then, and I think when you are happy time goes by so quickly that you neglect to collect memories. Or maybe I have reached a point in my age where it is just more difficult to recall events that feel like they happened so long ago that it’s almost like they didn’t happen to you at all.

What’s something no one knows about Pharun?

He can be nice, sometimes. :D But in all seriousness – isn’t it easier to list what most people do know about him? He wraps himself up in so much mystery that sometimes even I begin to doubt whether or not the man I love is the “true” Pharun. If I had to pick one possibly little-known fact, I would say that he can be very gentle. There are times when I can see it in the way he holds me … his arms are strong but in the way that makes them sturdy and safe to lean on. And he will kiss me gently… no teeth or tongue to escalate the mood but sweet, soft kisses from firm lips while he keeps me close. He does some things that are sweet… when he gives me gifts that I was not expecting, always something small and sentimental, the kind of things I treasure the most. If I ever doubt myself for loving him… memories of those moments remind me why I can’t live without him.

What’s your fondest memory from your time as a cleric?

I was very fond of the piece and tranquility that life at the temple offered. Most would consider it a mundane existence, but I enjoyed the routine – fulfilling my daily duties, saying my prayers to Morre, studying scrolls and, on the best days, sharing a meal or a few hours of meditation with my mentor Gwynafor. It was a blissful time without complications, I’m not sure I could single out one perfect memory.

How did you feel learning your father was Death?

I was startled, to be sure. I have never consider myself to be a person of much cosmic importance or worth. Mind you, I do not feel as though I am worthless – no one in this world is completely without worth. I just never saw any reason for me to be singled out by someone more powerful or interesting. I also didn’t think it made much sense… after all, don’t children of the divine always display some sort of special quality or talent? I’ve never really had any of those. Compare me to Pharun… and it’s like pointing to the nuthatch and the heron and claiming they were both spawned from the same egg.

What’s the cutest thing Pharun’s ever done?

You know he pretends to hate children, right? He secretly adores them. He was always so kind and playful with the younger clerics at the temple whenever he came around to visit me. More times than I can count, I would catch him pulling sweets out of his pocket to give to them (they were not permitted to have decadent sweets).

Did you ever run into Encarz? What was that like?

Oh, my. Encarz was a man to be admired… that is for certain. I do not think I ever came into contact with him, directly, but I experienced many of Pharun’s memories of him. He did not seem cruel, but he wasn’t kind either, and he had a frigid nature about him that made him come across as absolutely unapproachable. I would not have liked to know him, and if I had I don’t think we would have gotten on very well.

Who besides your husband do you like most in the Mahtrador family?

Oh, I am quite fond of Shrukian. Again, I don’t have many real memories of him (not many that didn’t end in bodily harm, anyway) – but from Pharun’s memories, I have gleaned that there is just … something about him that is undeniably appealing. He is very charming, yes, but very kind and very gentle, also. He can be firm when the situation calls for it but he also loves to laugh and enjoy himself, and in a world as dark as ours those are qualities worth appreciating.

October Interviews: Benito

image credit: fimbul_vinter (deviantart)

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Do you ever feel guilty about stealing another man’s wife?

WAIT! Who says I stole her? o.o And no… Adriel did not want to marry her in the first place, and I knew he would have ended up divorcing her. She was in danger and I was helping her run at the time, I wasn’t really thinking…

What was life like when you and Olympia fled?

As a few details of that story have yet to be released… I can’t say much. I will say that I enjoy her company and her boys, I would honestly do anything for any of them. I know she could never love me like I want her to, but that doesn’t stop me from loving her.

What is the fondest memory you have raising her children?

The day they stopped crying when I held them…

October Interviews: Austric

What was is your relationship with Domenico like when the two of you are alone?

*snorts* What would I like it to be, or what is it in actuality? Domenico is as infuriating in private as he is in public. The only difference is that in private he sees no reason to be polite. He’s a rogue, and that is what I love about him, but it is also what drives me crazy behind closed doors. Believe it or not, he is quiet for the most part. Unless you get him talking about one of two things he cares about (politics or poetry) and then he will go on and on without stopping for hours. I don’t think he actually needs me to be present for him to continue a conversation, he answers himself often enough. I’ve napped before in his presence and he’s never noticed.

What was it like growing up as an Ercole?

I have never really felt like “an Ercole” growing up. As he likes to mention often enough, Adriel became everything that father and aunt Nerissa wanted. Most days I was alone. I actually became very fond of reading, and I enjoyed fairy tales. When I was little I would act them out until one of my nurses stopped me for my ‘frivolous and ridiculous’ behavior.

Give us some dirt on your brothers.

You mean my cousins? I remember how Adriel used to disappear for hours and none of the attendants could ever find him. I stumbled across him, one day, on all fours romping around with the hounds and kissing them. I was too busy laughing to confront him at the time, but I will forever cling to the hope that he has some deep-seated “special love” for dogs.

Benito has a weak bladder. He had to wear napkins until he was almost seven. To this day he cannot go a full hour without having to relieve himself. I used to tease him about it, but there was one day when he held me face-down in a rain barrel and wouldn’t let me up until I swore to never mention it again.

What was the most difficult thing you experienced growing up?

I would say the distinct absence of love and affection, but how can you miss something you have never before experienced? Perhaps the most difficult thing I experienced was finding ways to catch up to my cousins. Talk about an insurmountable hill.

October Interviews: Nerissa

Is it hard to be a mother and a ruler?

It is not difficult when you know how to maintain balance in your household. I was a mother long before I had to step up and take over the barony for Cyrano. Most of my children are grown, and even Cappi, who is young, knows how to conduct himself like a man. My children are not burdens, they are assets, and we know what to expect from each other. A successful family dynamic is key to alleviating the pressure that other responsibilities present. So, no, it is not difficult, but it is not necessarily easy.

What were your aspirations as a young girl?

I grew up being very well educated about my family history.  I wanted to the first and the best – I was always competing with Cyrano academically and in every game was played. Of course, of the three of us I was the middle child – my younger sister, Belinda, was not very useful and did not have the same aspirations as my brother and I. According to tradition, I had to marry before she could receive and suitors – so my father ended up arranging a marriage between me and a weak, but wealth lord because she was the far more ‘desirable’ daughter. It was never my goal to be a mother so young. I wanted to be baroness first.

Did you always want to be head of your family?

Of course I did. I was the only one who had any common sense. Cyrano is… was… a brilliant man, but he has no head for the finer politics. He doesn’t understand the nuances quite as well, but he is successful because he knows when to listen to someone who has better strategy. Because of how he and I worked together, I have always felt like the head of the family despite what the census said.

What do you admire in a man?

I admire creativity. I enjoy men who are inspired, even the young insipid poets who run around clinging to their maidens. I need a man to be able to create his own ideas, or at least steal the ideas of others in a tasteful way. If he isn’t creative, he isn’t truly intelligent.

What do you wish more women would do?

I wish more women would realize that being in control is more than just stepping on the heads and hearts of every man in their path. Many want power but they don’t realize the responsibility that comes with it, or they don’t want to work for it. Women in this day and age are not born to privilege, so they need to go in not expecting anything. If I had to advise any woman who had aspirations towards title or power… I would tell her to capture a man’s inspiration before you conquer his bed. Don’t sleep your way to power… and don’t come across as a threat. Don’t be afraid to be seen as a pawn in the early stages, don’t ever take a small victory for granted, and don’t ever run out of patience.

I HAVE BEEN SICK.

Yes, I have been sick. Yes, I know how to pre-load posts. Does that mean I do it? OF COURSE NOT.

Sighs. I’m sorry guys. Allow me to make up to you by now updating on my “October Interviews” and pre-loading a crap ton of posts. xD

One Lovely Blog Award

Hello my loves!

Taking a small break from the interviews for a second. I was nominated (like, FOREVER ago) for the One Lovely Blog Award by the very awesome Deby Fredericks! So THANK YOU, again, I am so flattered that you thought of me! I’ve been sitting on top of this email for weeks and then my work email went down inexplicably for a while. And of course, I’m so organized. Nevertheless, blog awards are great and so much fun! I enjoy participating and keeping the love spreading. :)

Award rules are to thank the nominator (double check!), disclose seven facts about yourself, and nominate others. Is it any amount of others or is there a number? I’m just going to nominate however many I want, how about that.

So here we go! First, let me get my seven facts out of the way.

1. I am a trans male, married to a trans feminine non-binary.

2. I really love makeup. I love makeup so much that my ‘makeup box’ is actually a legitimate toolbox.

3. I love theatre, I was a huge theatre nerd in high school.

4. I used to write a lot of plays. (That kind of builds off #3, is that cheating?)

5. I actually wrote, directed, and performed in a play that had actual attendants who paid to be there. The results are still on Youtube somewhere.

6. Almost half of the characters in my books are based off people I know in real life.

7. When I look back, I honestly can’t remember a time when I was not writing. I had the first early draft of The Dragon’s Disciples finished by the time I was 15 or 16.

Cool! Now the nominees.

Legends of Windemere ( http://legendsofwindemere.com )

Aleksis Faust  ( http://aleksisfaust.wordpress.com )

A Small Press Life ( http://onetrackmuse.com )

Vampires, Crime and Angels… Eclectic Me ( http://ellelainey.wordpress.com )

If you’ve done this award recently I declare you exempt from doing it again.

Have fun!

October Interviews – Cyrano!

Image credit: kir_tat, deviantart

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What was Austric like growing up?

An absolutely worthless child. He cried over everything, he was always pleading for attention, and he had no ambition to grow into anything useful. I had too many duties to give him a generous amount of my time. Then again, if he had earned it I might have made more of an effort.

Which of your sons are you most proud of?

Austric is my only son. Adriel is my nephew, and I must say that he is the one who has proved himself most worthy of my praise. He is good to his mother, he is good for the family, and he is a model for his brothers. He is a ruthless assassin and yet he has not allowed his line of work to turn him into a recluse. He would make an excellent baron.

What was it like being married to Nerissa?

To be clear, I never married Nerissa. She was my sister, and while our relationship would be considered an intimate one, we were never wed. I married a woman named Vincentia and she married a man named Ettore. After their deaths we simply never remarried, focusing instead on the family we had. It was better at that point to not branch out.  My sister is strong in ways that most women could not comprehend, or would fear trying to achieve. She is a joy and a thrill to engage with.

Are you whipped?

Pardon?

Me: Does Nerissa control your every movement.

I should certainly say not. Make no mistake, Nerissa is a strong and admirable woman – but she and I operate as a team. One or the other may gain leverage now and then, but for the most part we live and work on equal plains. At least as far as our relationship is concerned. Society, obviously, tries to force us to turn in different circles.

October Interviews – Adriel!

Catching up – don’t mind me!

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What is something people might find surprising about living in the Ercole family?

Many people don’t understand that we operate as a single unit. We are not the kind of family to fight each other to achieve petty goals (*side eye to the Mahtradors*). Rather, we back each other up. The Family comes first no matter what. Our goals are one, to maintain its dignity expand its reach. That being said, there will always be one who refuses to cooperate (Austric).

How do you get along with your siblings?

I was raised to support my siblings and be a role model for them. Benito and I are close in age. We were able to play and learn together when we were younger, and being such a tightly knit family, it was easy for us to bond. Our brother, Cappi, is significantly younger than us and it is harder to share the same bond with him, but we still have his back one hundred percent.

Who was your first love?

Mmph. Love? I’ve hardly had time for love. Work and family are my priorities. The closest I have come to romantic love so far is in my admiration for the king Encarz. That was, of course, a foolish fantasy considering the end he met.

What was your first kill like?

Like taking my first steps, I hardly remember it. I was very young and though I had been trained, I was inexperienced. My uncle went with me on the first job and though he kept the operation running smoothly, he did not interfere with my kill. I do remember it being harder than I thought it would be. I ended up stabbing the target several times before they finally died. It took them almost half an hour to stop breathing. If my uncle had not been there, I probably would have panicked.

October Interviews – Graeme!

Once again, I am several people behind and have to do a blitzkrieg of updates. I swear it is because I have been writing / reformatting and not because I’m just really bad at posting. *cough*

Quick side note – I would love, love some fresh Amazon reviews for my books. If you’re interested, comment down below or email me. You can choose from any of my works. Currently available I have The Age of Waking Death series (books 1, 2, and 3), Mr. Fingers, and Baron of Blood. For a more details on the individual books type C.N. Faust into Amazon.com and check out my author page!

All right now ONTO THE INTERVIEWS. Here we hand the mic to Graeme, in case you didn’t read the title…

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Did you and Encarz ever get along?

We might have, if we had ever crossed paths. Very seldom did we ever run into each other in the great halls of our castle. That is what happens when two brothers lead completely separate lives. Encarz was the heir, the favorite, the soldier. Everything he did was excellent and he was a gleaming figure in the public eye. I preferred my books. After some time I devoted myself entirely to learning magic, since I was no cleric or godsborn and never possessed the natural ability. There was a time when I tried to share my findings or interests with Encarz, but he never seemed to care much at the time. He always retained the information for later when he needed something from me. I remember, growing up, that I always wanted to be just like my older brother. I wanted little more than his approval and companionship for a long time.

What was it like growing up with your brother?

As I mentioned, we didn’t really cross paths. I didn’t grow up with him so much as grow up in his shadow. It was always easy to hear about his exploits, his slaughters, his achievements… but I did not know much about the man. He never seemed interested in getting close to me. And of course… mother showered all of her attention on him. I was touch-starved and hungry for any grain of affection I could receive. If my father ever hit me, it was a blessing. At least someone knew I was there and felt something stronger than indifference.

How did your relationship with your mother evolve as you grew up?

She lost Encarz, eventually. She fell to me at first to get revenge, then to cradle her bruised ego. She knew I was always there for her, that I would never have abandoned her no matter how much I resented her for ignoring me all those years. I was her loyal lapdog. My magic became of some use to her when she wanted an untraceable poison that would make my father suffer as much as possible before his death. I admit, I was reluctant to aid in Prokopios’ death. But by the time she approached me, his mind was already deteriorating, and he barely knew me.

What made you get started in magic? What do you like most about practicing?

Loneliness was the main reason. I needed something to fill my time as an extra son. I thought briefly about becoming a cleric but that life did not appeal to me, and over the years I became increasingly cynical and less religious. Malhii eventually excommunicated me, and that was fine. He always hated me anyway. What I enjoy most about practicing is the satisfaction in mastering a spell. There are a few fleeting moments of feeling like the most powerful person in the world. When that feeling is gone, you want it back. Magic is as much an addiction as any drug.

Have you ever fallen with someone other than your mother?

I would like to make it clear that I do not consider myself to be in love with my mother. I do love her, but in the way a desperate orphan will cling to the skirts of the matron who beats him just to feel some kind of affection. That being said, I was in love once. I was deeply in love with Anastasia Nicos. Some know her better as Encarz’s first wife and the mother of Pharun. When Anastasia married Encarz, I was consumed by such hurt that I had an affair with her younger sister, Fatima. We were not careful, and she conceived my child. That was a year or two after Pharun’s birth. By then her family was already in disgrace that they could not handle another disappointing daughter. They disowned her, and she came to me. I tried to use my knowledge to get rid of the baby… but by then it was too far along. Instead of the baby dying, Fatima ended up giving birth early, and the baby survived. She, however, did not. I kept the baby in secret for as long as I could, passing him between nursemaids and sympathetic servants. As he grew older, he was just seen as another servant’s boy. I used a spell to change his eye color for his protection. The spell will fade, eventually, and then he and everyone else will know. I pray he will still be protected by then. My one regret is that I was never able to tell him of his lineage.