Character Interview - Nate from Brightstar

Hello y'all! Friend and fellow author Jared N. Michaud officially published his book Brightstar: Energematrice6 – The Epimyth Begins last week - so, to celebrate, I thought it would be cool to have one of his characters as a special guest on the blog. Fortunately we were able to secure transport from the Aurora Galaxy to my author castle . . . so, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to Nate!

I smile as Nate steps into my office. “Welcome to the blog, Nate! Have a seat.” I gesture to the chair across from me. “Ready to start the interview?”

He nods as he seats himself, and I pick up my notes from the desk. “Great! Let’s start with a fairly easy question. What’s your favorite thing about the new universe you find yourself in?”

Nate frowns thoughtfully, sitting back in his chair and giving the question serious consideration. "I think . . . I'd have to say my favorite thing is not being . . . well . . ." He shrugs helplessly. "Back home, I'm not normal, you know? It's so much easier to get my thoughts out into the world here - to actually talk or do things, instead of having them stuck tumbling around in my head." He looks around quizzically. "We ARE still in the Aurora Galaxy, right? I mean, I'm . . . still 'normal,' so we have to be, right?" He looks disturbed for a moment.

“Um . . . yes!” I hastily assure him. “Well, something like it, anyway.” I hurry on to the next question. “Is there anything you miss from Earth?”

"Ahh, of course." Nate's expression relaxes. "It's never things. It's the people. People are what make the world important. Without the people, the world would just be empty . . . sort of meaningless. I miss Dad . . . and Adrienne too." He looks uncomfortable, but shrugs and nods his head, then sits silent, waiting for the next question. He stares around the room, his eyes tracing the patterns in the large map on the wall. He’s obviously comfortable just waiting, and he doesn't feel a need to fill the silence just to ease discomfort. I’m impressed with how easily he takes command of a situation.

I glance down at my papers. “Would you go back to Earth if you could?”

"I really do like it here, but I have to see Dad again someday, right? . . . even if that means facing . . ." His eyes go dark, and he stutters, "A . . . aa . . . aaanndd." He shakes his head, clearing it with an obvious effort. "And I want to see Mom again too. I still dream about her, even though it's been so long. Do you think it's too late? Is she still . . . alive?" Nate looks troubled, his attention drawing inward, even as he looks at me almost pleadingly. His fragility in that moment is almost breathtaking, and his uncharacteristic innocence in unknowingly showing his vulnerability is somehow precious. The juxtaposition of his natural strength from a moment before and the child sitting before me now is almost startling, and the big sister in me melts.

“It’s quite possible she’s still alive, Nate,” I answer, “even if your author doesn’t currently intend it. I mean, I’ve had several characters decide to show up that weren’t even supposed to be there in the first place.” I laugh a little and move on to the next question. “What was the worst thing about being at the Ochroleucum?”

One corner of Nate's mouth turns up wryly and he shakes his head. "There's something wrong with that place – really wrong. It's like a snow globe." He looks at me quizzically, searching for understanding. When none is forthcoming – I’m not quite sure what he means – he shrugs. "It's like being under a mountain of pressure all the time. There's no way to relax. It's not the people so much, even though they're all so focused on power. It's more like there's something they create without even meaning to. An atmosphere . . ."

Nate shrugs again and shakes his head. "I'm pretty sure it was mostly just me, though. It's like their whole world was pushing down on just ME. Tye didn't feel that way, or not nearly as much." Again, he trails off into silence, satisfied with his answer, though obviously still thinking about what he'd said.

“That . . . does sound really weird. Way different from my college. Did you have a favorite professor there, or were they all about the same?”

Nate makes a face. "Most of them wouldn't even talk to me after the first day. Some were obviously better teachers, or nicer. Professor Argos was OK. He didn't notice me much . . ." Nate grins in memory. "But he didn't notice anybody. At least he said hello sometimes. The others didn't even know what to do with me."

He pauses for a long moment, thinking about the question, then adds, "The Proctor was . . . different."

"How so?" I wait for him to expound.

"Well, she wasn't like the rest of them. She had been around for long enough that it wasn't all about power for her. She actually cared . . . even if she didn't really show it very well."

“Mm, yes. I remember thinking at the time that she sounded decent. Okay, time for a weird question.” I can’t resist a slightly evil smirk. “What’s your opinion of Drake Loriden?”

Nate snorts. "Loriden is like an avatar of the Telestry. He craves power because he thinks that's what will set the Telestry free from the Dominion. Except there's always somebody more powerful. All more power gets you is a bigger enemy, and when it becomes the goal . . . " Nate grimaces. "What's he going to do? Try to dethrone the Lightmaker?" Nate snorts again, in something between derision and amusement.

"If it wasn't Loriden, though, it'd be somebody else. When a society like the Telestry puts you into a position of power, it turns you into an instrument of the community." Nate looks thoughtful once more. "Or maybe you have to make yourself one to get there. Either way, he's the Telestry's avatar now."

I nod. “I can see that. I certainly don’t trust him, and I can’t figure him out. But moving on, do you like having the power of Energematrice6, or would it be easier to do without?"

Nate grins. "It's fun. Can't you do it?"

Ruefully, I shake my head. “No, I wish.”

Nate blinks in surprise. "Oh. You don't know yet. Most people don't, I guess. Everybody can do it. You just have to learn how." His gaze turns inward again, then he looks out to meet my eyes, suddenly serious beyond his years. "There will come a time when everybody will do it, you know. I can't . . ." He shakes his head. "My memory's getting better, but sometimes I still can't see. Or can't put it into words. It will be so different, then."

Nate's grin returns. "It's fun, though. It's like being twice as alive. Who wouldn't like it? There's really nothing all that special about it, you know. It's just a tool, really."

I nod, grinning as well. “Yeah, it sounds like it’s pretty cool to have. Well, you’re now on another ship with some new and old friends – I won’t give names to avoid spoilers. What do you intend to do from here – or will your author let you tell? Authors can be picky about stuff like that . . . I’m one, so I know." I wink.

"Well . . ." Nate hesitates for a moment, then shrugs. "I suppose it won't hurt if I tell you. We have to go through the Vale of Mysteries."

“Ooh, the Vale of Mysteries?” I’m intrigued. "What’s that?"

Nate frowns. "I'm not really sure. It's like . . . a big cloud. But I know there's Hope inside!"

“Hope – as in, hope for the galaxy?”

"No. I mean, Hope One. The ship!"

I’m confused. “Tell me more . . . whose ship is – or was – this?”

Nate grins. "Well, it's how Paul Casisia got to Aurora Galaxy in the first place, and they say there's some pretty powerful stuff on board." He pauses and smiles sadly, his eyes far away. "Besides. Jon and Rachel need to see it. Their dad might have left them something."

I’m nearly out of time – Nate needs to get back to the Aurora Galaxy – so I set my papers aside. “Thank you so much for being a guest on the blog today, Nate. It was great to meet you, and please tell your author that I’m really looking forward to hearing more about you and your friends!”

And that's a wrap! I sure had fun with this 😄 maybe I'll start doing it more often! What do y'all think? (For the record, I think Nate makes an awesome Unlikely Chosen One.)
Have you read Brightstar yet?