Character Interview: Averine ����
���Writing is���the imaginary friend you drink your tea with in the afternoon.��� ���Ann Patchett
The easiest way to get to know someone is to talk to them, but you can���t really do that with a fictional character. At least, not in the traditional sense. In the imaginary sense, however, you absolutely can ���. A fictional world has no boundaries, after all.
The Beyond Androva series will continue with Averine at the centre of the next story, and I can���t wait to write about her! However, I need to get a sense of who she is before I can do her character justice. With that in mind, I created a new character interview to discover a bit more about her personality and motivation.
If you had the chance to interview a character from one of your favourite books, would you take it? What would you ask them? Thank you very much for visiting my blog today ����.
Interview with Averine, set immediately after Lost in Magic
Me: Thanks for talking to me. I know you have plans with Kellan this evening.
Averine: (smiles politely) It���s fine. Whatever you need. The case against my father��� Wait. How do you know I have plans with Kellan?
Me: Well, I wrote about them. At the end of Kellan���s story.
Averine: Story? (pauses) You mean his witness statement.
Me: Not exactly. I���m not with the Xytovian government.
Averine: Who are you then?
Me: I���m writing a series of books about Xytovia. There are three so far. Your story will be the fourth.
Averine: What? Mystory? (laughs) Are you serious?
Me: Yes. I���m looking forward to it because you���re my first non-magical protagonist.
Averine: Who on Xytovia would read a story about me?
Me: That���s a good question. No one, actually. The books are for a Terran audience approximately two thousand years in your future.
Averine: (shakes head) This is so weird. But I���m not going to tell you my life story. It would take too long, and anyway, I���m not sure I want to remember. I mean, about��� (swallows) about losing my mother and everything.
Me: I���m sorry. I wish it hadn���t happened that way. But you���and Xytovia���wouldn���t be where you are right now without it.
Averine: Maybe not. (frowns) You seem to be very well informed.
Me: Yes and no. I���m up to date with everything so far. But in terms of what happens next���not so much. That���s where you come in.
Averine: And what if I don���t want to be your protagonist?
Me: I���d be disappointed. I think you���d be great. And I also think you deserve an adventure.
Averine: Well��� I amlooking forward to exploring Xytovia. But there���s no guarantee anything exciting would happen.
Me: I disagree. I doubt Vayl is the only territory with a secret. Besides, don���t you want to give readers the chance to find out who you really are? They���ve only seen you from Kellan���s point of view.
Averine: (eyes widen) What did he say about me?
Me: I don���t know if I should tell you. It wouldn���t be fair on Kellan. But���
Averine: Yes?
Me: Maybe you could swap stories when yours is written. That way, neither of you is at a disadvantage.
Averine: Hmmm. Maybe.
(Kellan pushes the door open abruptly, his scowl softening when he sees Averine)
Kellan: Here you are. What���s going on?
Averine: Another interview.
Kellan: Now? I thought we were done. (turns) Can���t this wait until tomorrow? Wait��� I know you. You���re the storyteller. You visited me in the Dimension Cell. (smirks) I said you should give me my own book, and I was right, wasn���t I?
Averine: (rolls eyes)
Kellan: What?
Averine: Of courseyou would be the person who demanded your own book.
Kellan: (grins) Why stop at one book? Can���t there be a Kellan series?
Averine: OK, that���s it. I���ve made up my mind. I���ll be your next protagonist.
Kellan: What do you mean?
Me: It���s the reason I���m interviewing Averine. I want to tell her story.
Kellan: Oh. Well, that���s great. You���ll be great. Obviously.
Averine: Good. It���s decided then.
Me: You know, I���ll need to give readers some background. The majority of Kellan���s story took place after he escaped the cell. So, I was thinking that Averine could tell the part about when the two of you first met.
Kellan: That���s not a good���
Averine: I���d love to.
(silence)
Kellan: You hated me.
Averine: I didn���t hate you.
Kellan: You said if kissing me would cure you of mage-sickness, you���d rather die.
Averine: I suppose I did say that. (smiles sweetly) But I discovered that underneath your arrogant exterior, you���re actually an adorable little xyleander blossom.
Kellan: (groans) Adorable? Xytovia help me, that���s even worse. Storyteller, you have to stop her. I���ve got a reputation to maintain.
Me: I think it���s important that readers see the real you, Kellan. And Averine knows you better than anyone.
Averine: (laughs) I like you, Storyteller.
Kellan: I give up. Will you at least let me read it before anyone else?
Averine: You can read it. As long you don���t expect me to change anything, and as long as I can read your story too.
Kellan: OK. But you should know I said only good things about you.
Averine: Thank you. You���re adorable.
Kellan: (glares)
Me: (hastily) I think this is a good moment to wrap up the interview. Averine and Kellan will return in the fourth Beyond Androva book. Thank you for reading!
