Heroine Interview from A Most Unusual Match by Sara Mitchell

[Love Inspired]

How exciting to have Theodora Langston, the heroine from A MOST UNUSUAL MATCH, a January 2011 release from Love Inspired Historical with us today.

1. Tell me the most interesting thing about you.
Because my parents abandoned me when I was a baby, I suffered from occasional attacks of vertigo, which I hid from everyone, including my grandfather. Unfortunately they surfaced again when I embarked upon my revenge scheme against Edgar Fane.

2. What do you do for fun? We-ll…for this past year I haven’t thought too much about fun things because of what happened to my grandfather. But I love nature, and when I was growing up used to swim in some of the ponds on Staten Island. I also love to engage in spirited debates, though sometimes my tongue gets me in all sorts of trouble.

3. What do you put off doing because you dread it? Oh, dear. That’s difficult to answer. You see…I’ve been so angry this past year, and so afraid of the course I knew in my heart was the only solution, that even admitting it here is painful. But the delay hasn’t helped, so I’ve decided to charge ahead. I’m going to live a lie in order to find the proof I need to bring Edgar Fane to justice. There. I answered the question even though I know decent people probably won’t understand.

4. What are you afraid of most in life? I’m afraid I’m unlovable, even to God, not only because of who I am but because of what I’m doing.

5. What do you want out of life? I want Edgar Fane in jail where he belongs, I want to vindicate my grandfather so he’ll be happy again, and I want to prove that the Secret Service is a bunch of inept bunglers who don’t recognize innocence even when it’s right in front of their faces.

6. What is the most important thing to you? To be successful in my role as Theodora Pickford (Pickford was my mother’s maiden name, but I don’t want to talk about her). Then I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror without shame when my mission is accomplished.

7. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book? Oh, that makes me want to smile, then weep. You see, my grandfather owned a small but very prestigious printing company, and ever since I was fifteen years old I’d been training there to take over when he retired. Then Edgar Fane ruined everything—excuse me. I didn’t mean to digress. The whole experience is still so painful, and I’m afraid I become so angry. Anyway, I love books…and there are always intellectuals and authors coming to speak here on Staten Island. As for favorite types of books, I’m very eclectic. I enjoyed the Poems by Emily Dickinson as well as Mr. Verne’s exciting stories like Around the World in Eighty Days. And though his writing is sometimes dark and painful, I very much admire Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov. I’m not much a devotee of Jane Austen or Emily Bronte, however. Love stories are not for me. I’ve never understood what people see in romance.

8. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would have been born to parents who loved me.

9. Do you have a pet? If so, what is it and why that pet? No, Grandfather and I never had much time for pets, though I do love animals. We were always very busy with Porphyry Press. I suppose if I had to choose, I’d say…horses. They’re such elegant creatures, as well as powerful. I’ve never been around them much—we don’t own one, I just enjoy watching them when I’m riding my safety bicycle, or walking around the island at home. I’m sure they’ll be in abundance in Saratoga Springs. That’s where I’ll be going soon, you know. When I become Thea Pickford, rich lady engaged to a titled English earl? Does that sound too over the top? I couldn’t think of another way to make Edgar Fane notice me. Perhaps some day, when that’s all over, I’ll adopt a cat. They have dignity and elegance, like horses, only they can sit on your lap!

10. If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why? Goodness, what a difficult question! Let me think about that a moment. Hmm…I’d have to say, thousands and thousands of years ago, before people covered the earth. I’d like to see America as God created it, before we cut down all the grand forests and choked the air like it is in New York City many days. I know you’d think I’m a silly featherhead if I confessed to a secret desire to know what the Garden of Eden was like with all the animals getting along (I know many people believe Eden is metaphorical. I haven’t quite decided, myself.). But it would be lovely to wander pristine woodland paths with a deer and a spotted leopard, wouldn’t it?

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