Una Tiers Interviews Madame ZeeZee

Interview by Una Tiers, author of LETTUCE READ WILLS, DOROTHY DAISY, NOT SAFE FOR THE BANK(ER), JUDGE vs NUTS, and DIE JUDGE DIE, available at  http://amzn.to/1cOxMz6 

I want to introduce you to my fellow writer, Pat Bertram. She has authored several books and is a particularly generous person when it comes to helping authors. Today I’m interviewing one of her most recent characters, from her book, Madame ZeeZee’s Nightmare.

Welcome, Madame ZeeZee, and thank you for taking time to sit down with us. For those who aren’t familiar with you, you run a successful dance studio where there was a recent murder of one of your students. Since that time, inconsistent stories about you have surfaced. I’m certain you would like to set the record straight.

Inconsistent stories about me? I never heard any. Too busy with my studio, I guess.

We notice that you don’t advertise for new students. How do people find you?

At the beginning, it was word of mouth, but after the murder and all talk on Facebook and Twitter and the local newspaper, I got a lot of new people. Most left after a few classes. People today have no discipline. They think they can come to class and start dancing with the group without even learning the steps.

Madame, rumors are that the dance studio is owned by a reclusive retired movie star who values her privacy. Please give us a hint of who it is.

Retired movie star? No. Retired professional dancer? Yes. You want a hint of who owns the studio? It’s me. And I’m not reclusive. I just like being quiet when I go home after work.

While you’ve always denied being related to Shirley Maclaine, are you sticking to that story?

Of course I’m sticking to that story. It’s the truth. I’ve danced with Shirley, but I’ve danced with a lot of other people, too, like June Allyson and Dick Van Dyke.

You rarely dance with your classes. Do you practice alone or take classes elsewhere?

My dream is to go back to Hollywood and take classes when I retire from my studio, but it’s too long a commute from Peach Valley. I do dance with my classes, especially the more advanced ones. We perform at luaus in the summer and on various other occasions, so if you know anyone who’d like to hire us, let me know.

We understand you’ve been married several times, would you tell us the number or if it is indeed over twelve?

What? You must have me mixed up with another Madame ZeeZee. I’ve only been married twice.

Would you ever relocate for love?

No. I’m happily married. And even if I weren’t, I wouldn’t relocate for love. I’m too independent, I guess. Besides, my house is exactly the way I like it, and I intend to stay there until the end.

How many countries have you lived in as an adult?

As an adult? One. Maybe two depending on how you define “lived in.”

In the book, Pat seemed to blame herself for the deaths of your dancers. Do you blame her, too?

Pat thinks too much. She needs to learn to just let things go. If I blamed her, I’d have to blame myself and all the rest of us who talked about killing Grace, but it wasn’t any of our fault. Well, except for the murderer. She was totally at fault.

If you could choose one author, living or dead, to read about your story, who would it be?

Pat Bertram, of course, but she wouldn’t need to read about my story because she wrote it.

Is there anything you’d like to add?

Yes. Never stop dancing.

Thank you, Madame Zee Zee.

And thank you all for visiting with Madame ZeeZee and Una Tiers. Be sure to check out Interview with Fiona Gavelle, a Character in “Judge vs Nuts” by Una Tiers.

Interview with Ann Hardy, hero of THE NORTHEAST QUARTER by S. M. Harris

Please tell us who you are.

My name is Ann Hardy. Who I am is something I learn as I go along. My story starts when I am ten years old and ends when I am twenty-two. I begin as a child of privilege and I finish up knowing how to take care of myself.

Welcome, Ann. What is your story?

My story is about the difficulty of keeping a promise no matter what. How you cling to that promise – even if the whole world seems to want to block you from keeping it.

Where do you live?

I live at Carson Manor in Winfield, Iowa. The Carson agricultural empire is one of the largest in the state. Founded by Colonel Wallace Carson, my grandpa. When he dies and my grandma remarries, then the empire begins to collapse and I move around abit.

Are you the hero of your own story?

I’m the central character all right. All hell breaks loose when my grandpa dies. I find myself alone – taking on all comers. It’s a me against them situation until the end of the book.

What is your problem in the story?

Just before he dies, my grandpa asks me to promise to safeguard The Northeast Quarter, the most valuable acreage on the estate, when it is my turn to take over. My problem is being able to keep that promise when every crook and conniver in the county converges on the Carson empire, looking to carve out a portion for themselves.

Do you have a problem that wasn’t mentioned in the story?

I can’t think of anything. Everything is pretty up front with me.

Do you embrace conflict?

I try not to. When you stand up for something, sometimes conflict seems to embrace you. I fight when I have to, but basically I try to avoid conflict. I find it’s better to match wits with an opponent until you spot his weak points. Then if you have to fight, you fight to win,

How do you see yourself?

I had to learn how to cope very early in life. I’d say I’m loyal to friends and family, ethical in my dealings with the world and implacable toward my enemies. My enemies were good teachers. They taught me about human character.

How do your friends see you?

In addition to being strong and loyal, they see me as mature for my age. They see me as a little mysterious because I keep a lot inside. They see me as very brave. Maybe I am, but whether this is true or not, I don’t let people see when I’m afraid.

How do your enemies see you?

Since my story begins when I am ten, they thought I was harmless at first. Then they began to see me as an adversary. At the end, when I go after them, they see me as an equal.

How does the author see you?

He better see me favorably. I’m modeled on his mother.

Do you think the author portrayed you accurately?

I would say so. Between 1918 and 1929 I had to grow up pretty fast. I had to learn to stand on my own feet. I think he captures that period and all the details.

What do you think of yourself?

The events in the story prevent me from doing much introspection. I’m like a soldier on a battlefield – dealing with whatever is in front of him. Looking back at the skirmishes, I would say I come through it pretty well.

Do you have a hero?

Arabella Mansfield. The first female lawyer in America and a native Iowan. I look up to her. Whenever I run into a legal problem, I always ask myself how Arabella Mansfield would have handled it. She inspires me to become a lawyer myself.

Where can we learn more about you?

All sorts of places:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/smharriswrites
Twitter handle: @smharriswrites

Facebook: S.M. Harris
https://www.facebook.com/S-M-Harris-1076962675676927/

Linked In:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-harris-236b358\

You Tube Channel
http://bit.ly/TheNortheastQuarter

Purchase the Amazon Kindle
http://tinyurl.com/z2mt6nn

Purchase the Amazon Paperbac
http://tinyurl.com/zwogha6

Interview with Belladonna, hero of HELL’S DODO by Tamara Lowery

Hello Pat, I finally convinced Belladonna, one of the major characters in my Waves of Darkness series to agree to an interview. Thanks for this opportunity. ~ Tamara Lowery

Who are you?

(laughs) A more accurate question would be “What are you?”

I am Belladonna, eldest daughter of the great sea dragon Theonikos, which makes me a siren.

Do you embrace conflict?

Life is conflict. yes, I embrace conflict. Occasionally I even incite it; the chemical changes it causes in the bodies of my prey add flavor to the meat.

How do you see yourself?

I am a predator. For the most part, my prey is sentient. There have been times when I’ve had to settle for sharks, but I prefer mermaids or humans.

Do you think the author portrayed you accurately?

Most definitely, although I object to her attempts to humanize me. Any human traits I exhibit are merely learned habits I use to blend in with my prey or to capitalize on their weaknesses. I do like to play with my food.

She does at least recognize the difference between a mermaid and a siren. I know that my shark tail in my true form rather than human guise could cause some confusion on the matter. (extends fingers to 10-inch razor-sharp talons and grins literally ear-to-ear to reveal multiple rows of needle-like teeth) However, mermaids do not eat sirens, nor can they take human form.

Well, I should correct that. True mermaids are blonde and cannot take human form. Sirens have red hair and can take human form. The rare males can also transform into sea dragons capable of swallowing a ship whole. Viktor Brandewyne (pauses in irritation) sired a merman on a mermaid. The new strain in the species has black hair and can take human form. At least the dark-haired ones cannot breed with humans like the purebreds. As it is, they breed like guppies and are quickly becoming the dominant strain in the species. (frowns in disgust)

Do you have a goal?

It used to be to regain my freedom. I once made the mistake of taking a bite out of Viktor. Now, I am magically and telepathically bound to the pirate-turned-vampire. He is powerful enough to master me, something I fought against vehemently for some time. My attitude toward him has changed over the years we’ve sailed together. My primary goal is to help him find the Sisters of Power. After that: we’ll see.

What makes you happy?

A skilled lover and a satisfying meal. In most cases, the former becomes the latter. As I said, I like to play with my food.

What do you regret?

Biting that chunk out of Viktor. I was free for millennia.

What, if anything, haunts you?

Being exiled from my native waters of the Mediterranean and Black seas. Who’d think that old wizard would be so touchy over a few hurricanes?

Have you ever betrayed anyone?

I had my pregnant sister killed in an attempt to protect my territory from her mate. It didn’t work.

Do you have any distinguishing marks?

(smiles wryly) That is an interesting, if abrupt, subject change. Did my answer to the last question disturb you?

Very well: I have blood red hair. My eyes are the color of the ever-changing sea in my human guise but amber-gold in my true form. I have a mouthful of very efficient, needle-like teeth and can open my mouth wide enough to bite a man’s face off, but I can make them appear blunt like a human’s. My jaws are powerful enough to crush a man’s skull. My fingers can extend to 10-inch, razor-sharp talons and house toxin-bearing stinger cells in the fingertips, much like the stinger cells found in jellyfish tentacles. They exude toxins that can cause mild discomfort, chemical burns, anesthesia, or a paralysis that can cause a very painful but swift death. I also have an amazing voice capable of ultrasonic frequencies and volumes that can sonically lobotomize a human. I use song-spells to bend the winds and currents to my will.

What in your past had the most profound effect on you?

The murder of my sister. It led to a war between me and her mate. Eventually, it led to my exile from and the dragon’s restriction to my old territory. He cannot pass beyond Gibraltar, and I would forfeit my freedom to him to reenter those waters.

Who is your true love?

I am loathe to admit love at all. It is too human an emotion, and I am NOT human. However, given how rarely I have observed what you call “true love” really demonstrated by humans, I will say that I love Viktor. I would and have put his needs above my own, something normally alien to my nature. Anything less than that is merely lust or infatuation, two things all too often called “love.” Oh, I understand and enjoy lust quite well. It is a very useful tool to me. Infatuation, however, is something I never have and never will suffer from.

What is your favorite food? Why?

Mermaid, purebred anyway. To eat any of the strain Viktor introduced would only bind me that much closer to his will and possibly incur his anger. He is very protective of anything he considers his.

I prefer mermaid over human because their diet is far healthier, and they present more of a challenge as prey than humans. They are wily and wary of predators. Humans, the males especially, but quite often the females, too, all too often allow their lust to override their sense of self-preservation or forethought to the consequences of their actions. I’ve had men swim to my deadly embrace willingly; simply because they were more focused on what was below my shoulders rather than what was above them.

If you were stranded on a desert island, who would you rather be stranded with, a man or a woman?

(laughs again) First, I can’t be stranded on an island, with the exception of Hell’s Breath Island. She only lets you leave when she wants you to.

However, for the sake of argument, if I was stranded on an island, I wouldn’t care whether I was with a man or a woman. Food is food.

You can read my profile page at http://talowery.wordpress.com/waves-of-darkness-character-profiles/belladonna-image-nsfw As the URL indicates, my profile picture is not safe for work. I find clothing a nuisance.

Thank you for being a gracious hostess. Is there anyone around here you wouldn’t miss? All this talk of food has my appetite up.

Thank you for letting me interview you. I think.

Interview with Mrs. Xavier Stayton, hero of MURDER MOST CONVENIENT by Robert Colton

How do you do, Pat? My name is Mrs. Xavier Stayton. Do please pardon me, I am new to all this. My first book was only just recently published. I am quite thrilled to give an interview, and will do my best to answer your questions.

Welcome, Mrs. Stayton. Tell us, do you have a hero?

Oh, yes, Charles Lindbergh. As you know, just last year he flew from America nonstop to Paris. My husband, rest his soul, would have been so thrilled with this amazing accomplishment.

What is your favorite beverage, and why?

Tea, growing up in the United States, tea was always just a drink, however, now that I live in London it is rather symbolic of my new way of life. There is a ritual to the serving of tea, and the time it takes gives one a moment to reflect.

Please name five things in your handbag.

Well, of course there is my little silver snuff box; my cigarette case; my lipstick; a bit of pocket money, both pounds and dollars; oh and yes, my pearl handled pistol.

Do you have any hobbies?

Well, I have given up on several hobbies. I had lessons on the piano and painting, to name a few. People are always concerned about how a young widow spends her time, and suggest hobbies. I seem to have very little free time between writing, testifying in murder cases and travel.

Did you get along with your parents?

Well, of course. My father keeps to himself, he’s a busy man at The Men’s Hospital back in Saint Louis. My mother is hopeful that one day I will move back, she does not understand my love of England. But we get on all the same.

Have you ever failed at anything?

-sigh- I am not proud of my flying record. Airplanes give me the willies. I think Xavier would have been disappointed in me.

What is your favorite color?

Blue, it is the color of the sky, the color of water and the color of my dear Xavier’s beautiful eyes.

Have you ever had an adventure?

Several, there was the murder at Pierce Manor, the incident on-board the RMS Olivia and then the missing mummy in Egypt, just to start with!

How do you envision your future?

Hmm…well, that is a mystery that I have not yet solved.

Interview with Bailey Devlin from the Bailey Devlin series by Rebecca Forster

Thanks for the opportunity Pat. Instead of my thrillers, I chose The Bailey Devlin Series, books-without-bodies, sweet romance written as a gift for my mom’s 91st birthday.

What is your story?

My story is pretty basic. I’m looking for love but with the right person. If the right person doesn’t come along, then I’m looking to make it on my own. I don’t mean make it big time, I mean make it in a good, honest way. I just don’t want to ever wonder how I’ll pay the rent like my mom did. It’s tough being a single mother or the only child of a single mother. I worried a lot as a kid so that’s why I want to pull my own weight – but only if I don’t find a good man to help me pull it.

Where do you live?

San Francisco. Well, not the city but close enough that I can see that beautiful golden bridge in the distance. I’ll get to the city one day. That’s how hard I’ll work.

Do you have money troubles?

Oh, big time! Student loans – I’m in law school you know – so I’ve got a bunch of bills. I work at the courthouse sandwich shop, but the wages aren’t anything to write home about. Still, Mr. Balmati, the owner, and his daughter are like family so I’m happy there. And, if it weren’t for working there I would never have met Jeffery. And if I didn’t have to live in a run down old apartment building, I never would have met Ethan. So, maybe money problems are a good thing. What do you think?

Who is your true love?

Boy, I sure wish I knew. I’ll have to get to book 3 to find out who I picked. Ethan and Jeffery are both good men just different as night and day. It’s hard to choose between good men.

Last book you read:

Constitutional Law – or I read part of it but I keep falling asleep. It’s no fun sleeping with a book.

How do you envision your future?

Secure. Sweet. A fairy tale. But don’t tell anyone that because wishes don’t come true if you say them out loud.I’m a little superstitious.

What do you need?

Family. I kind of have that. Just not the one I thought I’d have. I was really weird about that. It took me a long, long time to realize that families don’t come in one size. I’m happy I was smart enough to finally get it.

Did the author portray you accurately?

Yep, It’s almost like we’re twins separated at birth. I’ve been meaning to ask her about that. I feel like I’m channeling her, but if her life was anything like mine she’s really a little bit of a dork.

How do you see yourself?

Competent. Hard working. Serious. Gawky. Well meaning. Suffering from foot-in-mouth disease. I’m so well meaning that I screw up the one thing I mean to do well by.

Are you lucky?

You wouldn’t know it from reading my books, but yes. I’m lucky. It’s just that Lady luck doesn’t hand me anything. As much as I believe in her, she makes me work for it. Maybe that’s so I appreciate whatever she sends my way.

Interview with Tamara Carrington of “Alawahea: The Azellian Affairs, Book One” by Sara L Daigle

Who are you?

I am Tamara Carrington, college student, young woman, daughter, girlfriend

Where do you live?

Denver, Colorado, Earth

Are you the hero of your own story?

Others may see it differently, but I don’t see myself as a hero, just someone who is doing the best she can

What is your problem in the story?

I meet these aliens and am getting to know them. It’s turning my life upside down, especially when I fall in love…and learn a bunch of stuff about my family and myself that I probably should have guessed, but never realized.

Do you embrace conflict?

I don’t like conflict and tend to avoid it, but if I have to, I will face it.

How do you see yourself?

A little shy, avoiding the lime-light, but deep down I do know I am strong enough to face anything that comes into my life.

How does the author see you?

The author sees me as much more than I see myself. I have navigated some very intense, life changing experiences and come out stronger in the end. I forget that sometimes.

Do you think the author portrayed you accurately?

She did a wonderful job of portraying me. I was surprised at some of the strengths she showed.

Do you have a hero?

Mother Teresa

Did you get along with your parents?

I did get along with my parents; I love them both dearly. I sometimes wondered what they were hiding, because it was obvious there was more going on than I knew, but I didn’t let it bother me. Mostly.

What in your past had the most profound effect on you?

The hidden stuff that I didn’t discover until the Azellians came into my life.

What in your past would you like to forget?

A certain incident that happened in my late teens. I didn’t get past that incident until I met Greg, a wonderful Azellian healer.

What in your past would you like others to forget?

That same incident. I had to leave the high school I was at because what had happened was so disturbing.

Who was your first love?

My dog, Brindle. I fell in love with her when I was six and she was my constant companion until I was eighteen, when we had to put her down. I still miss her.

What is the most important thing that ever happened to you? Why?

Meeting the Azellians (the aliens). My whole life changed the day that they walked into the Registrar’s office. They introduced so much into my life: love, joy, fear, change, the airing of family secrets that had been poisoning our family. While it also ushered in adulthood (I’m not sure I was ready for that), I could greet what came with a clearer sense of myself and my abilities.

Was there a major turning point in your life?

The day I agreed to start spending time with the Azellians. They tell me that what ended up happening would have happened anyway, but sometimes I wonder if they were telling me the truth. Then I remember all the wonderful friends I have made and the intense connections and realize that I really am grateful that they came into my life.

What is your favorite scent? Why?

Lilacs. They remind me of spring.

What is your favorite color? Why?

Blue. It relaxes me, makes me realize there is more to the world than just what is happening in my life.

“Alawahea: The Azellian Affairs, Book One”
Author: Sara L Daigle (http://www.saraldaigle.com)
Amazon: :http://amzn.to/1PZMDrR
GoodReads: http://bit.ly/1JR5cKW

 

Interview With Lacy Dawn, the protagonist of “Rarity from the Hollow” by Robert Robert Eggleton

Lacy Dawn is the protagonist of Rarity from the Hollow, a literary science fiction novel written by Robert Eggleton. She’s the last person that you would expect to save the universe – a skinny, eleven year old girl with stringy brown hair, from a hollow between the hills in West Virginia. She is also a prototypical humanoid whose savior attributes have evolved for hundreds of thousands years, the product of a genetic implant installed by Universal Management. This Lacy Dawn Adventure picks up with a threat to the economic structure of the universe. It is in imminent danger, potentially devastating billions of citizens living on hundreds of planets if Lacy Dawn cannot find a solution to prevent its collapse. An android has been sent to Earth for Lacy Dawn’s final training. He installs a port in her upper spine so that content from the Universal Database can be directly downloaded into her brain. During tutoring sessions, they fall so deeply in love with each other that the android begins to aspire to achieve human-like emotions and Lacy Dawn finds a boyfriend for when she is old enough to have one.

Hi, Lucy, what is your story?

I don’t really have a story. I’m just a kid who loves her mom and dad, even if dad is messed up – it’s not his fault, he used to be a good man, it was that damn war in Iraq, he came back and just wasn’t the same, not by a long shot. I still love him though, and I’m doing everything that I can to fix him. I’m studying really, really hard – working on it. I’m just a regular kid. There are lots of kids like me, my school is full of us. Each of us has our own story to tell, but nobody really wants to listen. They just say they do, but it’s part of their jobs. If is wasn’t for kids like me with a few problems here and there, just growing up stuff, you know, some adults wouldn’t even have jobs. They get paid for helping us, but I don’t need them because I’ve got a real best friend who is really, really powerful, for real. I’d let you meet him, but he’s not supposed to do stuff like that. Well, that’s it. That’s my story. Pretty boring, huh?

Who are you?

My name is Lacy Dawn Hickman and I’m going to be in the sixth grade next year when school starts. I always make straight A’s because that’s what makes my mommy most proud. She brags about it ‘cause we ain’t got much else to brag about. I’ve got a dog. His name is Brownie. I live down the holler just before the last school bus stop, but if the roads are slick, like in the winter, I have to walk up to the top of the hill. I’ve never missed a day of school and I sure don’t want to start now – no matter what! There ain’t nothing more important than an education. I’m going to be a veterinarian when I grow up, but my friend says that I have some other job to do first. I can float a few inches above the floor and move places without walking. Do you want to see? No, I ain’t supposed to show anybody. Sorry.

Where do you live?

Have you ever heard this? Mountaineers are always free! I’m from West Virginia, and proud of it, but I’m not sure why. My daddy always watches WVU football on TV, when it comes in cause we ain’t got no cable. I wish he wouldn’t get so drunk, but it’s funny sometimes, like when he gets excited and yells at the screen and stuff. I live in an okay house. I’ve got my own bedroom, that’s more than some girls my age. I wish that our bathroom had a door on it though. Sometimes, you know, it’s gross, never mind. This summer I get to plant my very own garden. Mommy promised. I’m still deciding on what to grow. Do you like veggies? I like meat okay as long as I don’t think about where it comes from. Cows have beautiful eyes. It makes me sad to think about it. We go into town every now and then and one day I’ll get to see a Harry Potter movie, like on my birthday. Everybody knows where I live. Do you want to visit? Tell me first because we’ll have to clean up or mommy would be embarrassed. We always leave one beer can to use as an ashtray. Do you smoke? It’s gross. Mommy don’t and I ain’t ever.

Are you the hero of your own story?

I ain’t no hero. That’s something else. Everybody keeps telling me how cool I am, smart and stuff. I am getting’ smarter, every day. I can feel it. I get extra help learning stuff. My best friend, oh forget I said that, I’m not supposed to talk about it. Anyway, sometimes I don’t know where the answers come from. It’s like magic or something. I just know stuff, a lot of stuff, stuff that I don’t know why I even want to know about, some of it is grow up stuff. It’s gross. I know how to help out people when they are having problems. I’m a lot better at it than the preacher. But that don’t make me no hero, not matter what other people say.

What is your problem in the story?

I ain’t got no problems. Well, nothing that I can’t handle. My friend keeps telling me that I have a real important job to do, something about saving the universe. I know about the universe. I know hundreds of different languages. Do you want to learn how to say “hello” in Simbean? It’s a planet close to, oh never mind, it’s too complicated. Maybe I should be a French teacher instead of a vet. Parlez-vous francais? I don’t know why my friend keeps talking about problems someplace else. I lied before. Sorry. I just wanted to sound brave. My problem is that I’ve got to fix my parents before my daddy kills my mommy and, maybe, me too. My mom cries all the time when I ain’t looking. She tries not to let me see, but I know that she does. Her eyes are red and sometimes I can hear her. It’s really, really sad. My dad got some pills from the VA but they ain’t helping. It’s up to me to fix things. It’s a kids job to fix her parents and any kid who don’t ain’t much of a kid and maybe don’t even deserve to live. Don’t you think that’s true?

Do you run from conflict?

I ain’t never run from nothing. It’s stupid. If you run from a bear, that bear will just chase you down. Think about copperheads, move real slow. That’s my advice. There ain’t much more dangerous than a copperhead in this universe. Running away never helps nothing.

How do you see yourself?

Sometimes I see myself as a kid alone in the woods, metaphorically speaking. See, I told you that I was smart. Other times, I see myself as the lead singer in a rock band, like James Hetfield of Metallica. That’s daddy’s favorite band. I’ve been looking at Goodwill every time we go for a CD that daddy doesn’t have, but no luck yet. I am kind. I am smart. I am important. Just kidding, did you see that movie? They showed it at school for social studies class every day for a week this year. There’s only one black kid in my whole school. I think we all need a lot more diversity training, a lot more. That’s my favorite movie of all time, but I do want to see one with Harry Potter. Other girls have shown me his picture and he is sooooooooooo cute!

How do your friends see you?

My best friend is named, Faith. I don’t know where her parents came up with that name. Nobody in her family has been inside of a church, not once. They need it too, except for Faith, she’s cool. Faith thinks that I have magic. I told her that I just have another best friend who teaches me stuff, but I don’t think that she believes me. I’m not allowed to introduce her to him. It’s against the rules. Faith thinks I’m too slow at fixing stuff. I told her that I’m doing the best I can, that I’m growing up too. Faith thinks that I’m kind, I’m good – just kidding again. Seriously, though, that’s what she really thinks. Honest. Ask her.

I don’t get to play with the other kids after school. They live too far away and daddy doesn’t want to drive me. When mommy learns how to drive, maybe she will. I think that those kids think that I’m too smart for my own britches. Most of the time I try not to look so smart. I want to fit in with the crowd, you know, fit. They like me okay, I guess, but they only talk to me when they want me to help them, like when they are feeling angry, or sad, or scared. I like helping them, but every once in a while it would be nice if somebody else besides Faith asked me to do something fun, or tell me a joke or something.

There is this one girl at school who is real jealous of me. Her name is Brittany. If I wasn’t there, Brittany would definitely be the smartest kid in school. I miss spelling words every time there’s a bee on purpose so she can win. Does she thank me? Heck no. And she knows that I’m missing those words on purpose. She has to. Last year, Faith beamed her in the back of the head with a dodge ball. I fussed at Faith for doing it, and didn’t laugh then, not even a smile. But after I got home I LMFAO. Do you know what that means? I’m not allow to say the “F” word, so I can’t tell you if you don’t. I ain’t got no computer at the house, but my friend lets me mess around on one of the ones that he’s got in his spaceship, oops, anyway, you wouldn’t believe what people say on the internet.

My other best friend, you know, the guy, but he ain’t got know private parts, not even a little bump, so it’s okay, he thinks that I’m like a God or something. I think he’s crazy ‘cause I ain’t that smart yet. It’s weird, but I kind of like him thinking that I’m something special when I’m not. Pretty soon, I’ll have him wrapped around my little finger and I’ll make him fix my parents. I didn’t learn how to do that to a man from the computer. My mommy has already taught me how to make men do what you want them to do, and, no, it ain’t got nothing to do with s, e, x. That’s where some girls mess up. They think that s, e, x is how you get a man to do whatever you want him to, like take out the trash or fix the roof. Since you are a girl too, you probably know all this stuff. A man’s attention span is too short for s, e, x to work for very long. Ain’t it? My mommy’s smart. Maybe she didn’t graduate from high school, but she knows a lot of stuff, not book smart, but SMART.

How does the author see you?

Who?

Do you think the author portrayed you accurately?

Oh, I get it now. You think that I’m a made up character in a fictional story. Here, sing along with this, “I am he as you are he as you are me, And we are all together.” Does that answer your question? Did you ever play that Beatle’s record backward? Paul ain’t dead.

I’m as alive as any other part of Robert Eggleton’s personality, perhaps more so. There’s no way to portray any of us, the ones who live in his mind, any way other than accurately because we are what we are. That was a weird question. Anyway, I’ve got homework to do. It ain’t good enough just to know answers. A person has to actually do something with the answers before they count. And, what I’ve got to do before school tomorrow is a three page essay and a take home pre-algebra test. If I don’t write down the answers and turn in the papers, I score zero points. I doesn’t matter that I already know the answers inside my head. That counts for zip. See ya later, alligator.

Purchase links:

http://www.amazon.com/Rarity-Hollow-Robert-Eggleton-ebook/dp/B007JDI508
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rarity-Hollow-Robert-Eggleton-ebook/dp/B007JDI508
http://www.doghornpublishing.com/wordpress/books/rarity-from-the-hollow

About the author:

Robert Eggleton has served as a children’s advocate for over forty years. He is best known for his investigative reports about children’s programs, most of which were published by the West Virginia Supreme Court where he worked from 1982 through 1997. Today, he is a recently retired psychotherapist from the mental health center in Charleston, West Virginia. Rarity from the Hollow is his debut novel and its release followed publication of three short Lacy Dawn Adventures in magazines: Wingspan Quarterly, Beyond Centauri, and Atomjack Science Fiction. Author proceeds have been donated to a child abuse prevention program operated by Children’s Home Society of West Virginia. http://www.childhswv.org/

Author Contacts:

http://www.lacydawnadventures.com
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13603677-rarity-from-the-hollow
https://www.facebook.com/robert.eggleton2
https://twitter.com/roberteggleton2

Interview with Jezebel, Antagonist from book 2 Seed of Hope (Covenant of Grace Series) by Fiona Tarr.

Are you the hero of your own story?

That depends on your perspective. I believe I am a hero yet I am sure many of your readers might not understand my motivations.

How do your friends see you?

Friends…(laughs). I have no need of friends. Servants on the other hand I can use. I do not care how others see me, their thoughts are of no concern to me.

How do your enemies see you?

They fear me, or if they do not yet, they will. I wield powerful magic and it is getting stronger. My enemies will have some sense of my power, soon!

How does the author see you?

She pities me! She keeps harping on about how dark my soul is but how damaged I am. She is mistaken.

What do you think of yourself?

What sort of question is that? Who on earth asks such a question? (pause). I care for myself. I think I am beautiful, very beautiful at least men find me so, and woman of course. This fact speaks for itself, does it not!

Do you have a hero?

(Scoffs) I have no need for heroes. My father was once my hero, but he betrayed me. I admire no one; seek strength from no one except the god of mysteries Amun.

Do you have a goal?

Revenge is my only goal. Those who persecuted me will suffer. The General, the Priestess and the King, all of them will pay for what they did.

What makes you happy?

Power makes me happy, well not so much happy, what is happy anyway? Power arouses me and that feeling makes me joyous.

What are you afraid of?

I fear nothing, not even death.

What is your biggest disappointment?

I do not remember my mother. Not really. She died when I was young and I barely remember her face….

Are you honorable?

Honourable (laughs). What a unique notion. I guess General Martinez might be considered honourable; he is foolish at times. I feel no such compulsion to honour anyone. As I said, my own father betrayed me, and my Pharaoh disowned me and threw me out on the streets. Honour, what a joke!

What was your childhood like?

Let us say that my childhood was unconventional. I gave my body to a slave boy first. My father encouraged me to seduce him. Yes, unconventional is the right word.

Who is your true love?

Love is a foolish notion. I love power and power alone. Loving simply ends in disaster. Desire, now desire is quite another story. I desire a great many men, even women.

Have you ever had an adventure?

My life is full of adventure. I cannot share too much without spoiling the story for everyone, but I will let you in on a little secret (Jezebel leans over). I have a very adventurous life and readers will share in all the intimate details.

Was there a major turning point in your life?

I spent a night with someone, in Seed of Hope. It changed everything for me. It took me time to realise it, but something inside of me broke that night.

Where can we find out more about you?

Fiona Tarr’s blog site is atime2write.com.au

You will find my book page here: http://atime2write.com.au/books/seed-of-hope/

Interview with the Characters In FROM THE SKY by J.E. Nicassio

Lucien, Did you get along with your parents?

I never met my parents. Had they lived things would have been a lot different. I would have hoped we would have gotten along.

Lucien, Do you have any hobbies?

I taught myself to play the guitar. And I enjoy calculating the distance between nebula’s within this galaxy and others. A hobby of mine that I find humorous is going down the cereal aisle at Walmart and with my mind I throw the boxes off the shelve at shoppers… something my uncle frowns upon.

Lucien, Was there a major turning point in your life?

When my uncle told my siblings and myself we were not human.

Lucien, What is your most prized possession? Why?

My prized possession is my crystal I wear around my neck. It belonged to my parents.

Samantha, How do you envision your future?

How do I envision my future? I’m not sure what the futures hold but I hope somewhere in it is Lucien.

Samantha, Will you tell us five items in your purse?

Oh geez…What’s in my purse? It would have to be a pop tart, a rubber band, lip gloss, a half-eaten protein bar, and a pack of gum.

Samantha, What in your past would you like to forget?

The accident…I wish I would have never answered Emma’s text. Things would have been a lot different. But then again I might have never met Lucien. I don’t know.

Cassiel, Did anything newsworthy happen on the day you were born?

I wouldn’t actually call it born. “News Worthy?” Conspiracy theorists would agree it was the Roswell Crash…Ha ha.

Eden, What is your most prized possession? Why?

Ask any girl at school and she would agree it’s my hair. It’s perfect!

Michael, What are you afraid of?

Don’t tell this to my brother Lucien or Samantha, but I am afraid that someday soon our secret will be discovered and there’ll be nothing Lucien, I or my uncle or Division Six will be able to do…It will be out of our hands. I’m afraid Samantha could be in danger or worse killed.

Gabriel, Do you have any skills?

Hell yeah! I’m a shape Shifter and I’m not talking werewolf! I soar like an eagle.

Daniel, Have you ever failed at anything?

When Lucien was taken by the government. I should have seen it coming. That’s my biggest failure. I let him down.

Where can people learn more about you?

Readers can learn more about us from Second Wind Publishing and http://www.secondwindpublishing.com/#!product/prd15/3378588341/from-the-sky by visiting J.E. Nicassio’s websites and blog. http://www.authorjenicassio.com http://jen3963.wix.com/author-jenicassio https://authorjenicassio.wordpress.com/ https://fromjenniewithlove.wordpress.com/

Interview With Katie Burgess McClaren, Hero of “Ghosts and Physics” by April Arnold

What is your story?

Oh geez, my story…teachers back in high school always gave us writing assignments like this, and I didn’t know what to say even then. A person’s story is just too intricate…and generally boring to 99% of the world’s non-family population. But since you asked so politely, I’ll give it a shot. My name is Katie Burgess McClaren, and I’m a confirmed English fanatic. I’m also passionately in love with all things sci-fi with an adoration of the fantastical too. I don’t really know what I want to be when I grow up, even though Mick–he’s my boyfriend-turned-husband…you’ll have to read the book–is always reminding me that I’m already supposed to have achieved adulthood. I don’t like that notion because it means there’s a sizeable amount of catching up to do. Anyway, I also have a penchant for ghost-hunting shows, unorthodox clothing choices, and wine of all shapes and sizes. I’m a really nice person in possession of what I think is an awesome sense of humor. I also second-guess myself a lot…most of the time, in fact. And I randomly change the subject. But all in all, most days I manage to hold myself and life together in a successful manner. It’s just a good thing that life is supposed to be about the journey and not the destination because I’ve been reaching some pretty freakish destinations lately!

Do you have a problem that wasn’t mentioned in the story?

Yes, I have a problem not mentioned in the story: roosters! No wait, that was mentioned in the story. The PRIMARY problem at present has been getting stubborn Mick to help me prove my theory on ghosts vs. time-warping people. Well, that was part 1 of the problem anyway. He finally did invent this totally groovy machine which proved my theory irrefutably…but it also got us stranded in 1922. The nice couple we met there were subsequently transported to the present, and we spent the rest of the book’s chapters trying to figure out how to swap ourselves back. Well, and some government agency was trying to steal Mick’s machine. That didn’t exactly help with the problem either.

How do you see yourself?

I’m always honorable but only sometimes healthy. Honor comes easily for me because anytime I’ve attempted dishonorableness, it’s royally backfired! Like if I tell a lie? You can absolutely bet that a) my face will immediately give me away and/or b) I’ll be lying to somebody smarter than I am who already knows the answer to the question they’re asking and are only asking said question to test my honorableness. Being healthy…well, I drink lots of diet soda and sometimes exercise during a sudden onset of Physical Fitness commitment. Okay, so I’m not at ALL honorable when it comes my commitment to Physical Fitness. I cheat on Physical Fitness all the time.

What makes you angry?

Willing, habitual, on-purpose ignorance makes me angry. And orange sports cars. I mean, what the hell??

Do you like remembering your childhood?

I had a pretty great childhood, actually, except for all the forced child labor my parents inflicted. Okay, so that’s a bit dramatic, but working in the cotton fields in the middle of a Texas summer-furnace is not a happy memory. That sweaty experience aside, my parents were rather awesome in that they took excellent and loving care of my brother and me (the cotton fields aside). We lived in a small community outside of Austin where my Dad farmed and did the cow-raising thing. There was a gorgeous creek a mile or so behind our house where I often wasted a lot of time that could’ve been spent studying or cleaning the toilet or getting a real job…stuff like that.

Anyway, when I got old enough, I escaped the country life and moved to Austin proper where I made just enough money to pay rent and support the wine and Papa John’s industries. My brother and I weren’t pushed to “be” anything as kids. That can be a really great thing since I feel like too much pressure is put on children today to know exactly what they want to do/be as adults and know it by age 5 so an educational plan/plot may be established on the first day of kindergarten. Human beings have a bad habit of categorizing their offspring to the point that said offspring feel trapped in one skill, one path, one destiny. Destiny is undefinable and ever-changing. But that’s too much philosophy! What I’m trying to say is that I kind of wish my parents HAD pushed us to be more ambitious. I feel like I’d have accomplished much more far sooner than I have.

What is your most prized possession?

My most prized possession is that killer all-leather outfit that Mick has confiscated and will never let me wear.

Have you ever had an adventure?

Have I ever had an adventure? My entire effing life has officially become an adventure! I wish the adventure would stop! I’m OD-ing on adventure! What I wouldn’t give to be bored and just STATIONARY for five minutes…

What about your past would you like to forget?

What about my past would I like to forget…hmm…well, since my past has become my future and vice versa, it’s kind of difficult to answer such things. I guess anything related to chicken coops or gopher death would be pleasant to forget, and if we suddenly get sucked into the past again, there will probably be something new that’s worth forgetting except that “something” is still in my future in the past…good gravy, where did I put that bottle of Tylenol…

If you were at a store now, what ten items would be in your shopping cart?

Ooo, I like that easy and philosophy-less question…imaginary shopping! What ten items would be in my shopping cart, let’s see…Diet Dr. Pepper, a bottle of Thai lemongrass dressing, a bottle of wine, make-up/foundation, mascara, cleaner for my contacts, sushi, chicken tenderloin, salsa, and cilantro.

How do you envision your future?

How do I envision my future…wow, which one? It could literally shift with a single push of the button on Mick’s electromagnetic field-increasing, time-shifting machine. Our future will forever be decided by circumstances that we and this mechanical marvel have created. Uncontrollable events have been set in motion. Unavoidable outcomes have been initiated. I envision my future as one not of my own choosing. I didn’t mean to get all depressing on you, but yeah…that answer is a truthful one…because I’m honorable.

***

About April Arnold:

http://secondwindpublishing.com is your initial go-to source for my books. They will also be available on Amazon.com in both print and electronic formats. Updates and information on the State of my Writing Union will be posted on my WordPress blog entitled Diabloggical Me. I’ll also be posting information on my Ghosts and Physics Facebook page which is coming soon!

Click here for an Interview with April Arnold, Author of “Ghosts and Physics”