{Character Interviews } Amanda Wikoff's Zenon

 

| suggested music track of the day: "Vows" by Jeff Johnson & Brian Dunning |

 

Well folks, I know I skipped last week's WriterlyWednesday post, which you'll have to forgive me for; but during this time of year I'm sure y'all will be able to empathize with me when I say these three words. MY, TIME FLIES!

Also, the schedule keeps getting crazier and crazier. I think this is just natural for December.

 

Anyhoo! Time for another character interview. Today we have one from Amanda Wikoff.

 

Handing it over to Amanda now, so give her and her charrie a warm welcome!

 

__

 

I’m interviewing Zenon, my MMC from my NaNoNovel. He really has no idea what’s going on as he’s not the detail oriented one. Lyssia listened to the instructions; Zenon not so much. ;)

 

What’s one cool thing about the world you come from?

Well, I’ve not really had anything to compare it to. It’s not special to anyone here anymore but I’m not really sure what it’s like where you’re from so I’ll just say it. Some people have powers; some would call it magic, though that term is frowned upon. Our people fear these powers and our history shows a good reason to; though I’m positive it could be used for good were it not outlawed. It seems as if only Lyssia still has the ability to do magic but we have been told there is another.

 

What does your bedroom look like?

My ceiling is the stars and my walls the air around me. I could have a home with brick walls and a stifling ceiling but I prefer to sleep under the canopy of the sky. It’s much more romantic that way, don’t you think?

 

Describe your personality.

My personality? I guess the best way to say it is that I like to be independent, though it gets me in trouble more often than not.

 

Describe your physical appearance.

Blonde hair, blue eyes. Not too different from the little Avanreili boys I’ve met. Most of the time our hair turns dark when we come of age but mine’s still the same old blonde it’s always been. I’ve got a pointy nose and my hair is unruly in the kindest of terms.

 

Are you an introvert or extrovert?

I’ve never heard those words before but I’ve just been informed of their meanings. I’d suppose that I’m an ext—no! It’s the other one. Definitely the other one, though I can’t remember what the word is. Where do you get those words anyway?

 

Do you approve of how your author treats you?

I suppose it’s alright though I do wish she wouldn’t harm my loved ones so much. I’d rather have all her wrath focused on me. That’d be far less painful than seeing everyone else hurt.

 

Do you have any physical or mental abnormalities/illnesses?  

I’m sure Eliza wouldn’t hesitate to tell you that I do but nothing has been medically proven or anything.

 

What do you think about right before falling asleep at night?

That’s a good question and the honest answer is I don’t remember. You know when you get an idea before falling asleep and when you wake up you can’t remember what it was? It’s quite like that I suppose. Though if I had to guess I would probably say I think about what the next day will hold.

 

You’re bored, and all you have is a blank piece of paper and pencil. What happens?

I’d sketch some inanimate object. It’d be the very first thing I saw and absolutely no thought would go into it. It would come out entirely better than anything I’ve ever put effort into and I would be left wondering how that happens.

 

Most prized possession?

My friends? I’d give anything to keep them safe, so I suppose they’re what I value above all else.

 

Hobbies?

Hunting is the hobby that’s been forced upon me. I don’t ever want to do it but when I get out there it’s actually quite relaxing.

 

One little known fact about yourself?

Let’s see… Something not many people know, correct? Oh! How about the fact that I belong to a race of people who despise me? I’m not actually Avanreili, though that’s where my father is from. My mother is Penthmessain, a race we didn’t know existed till not too long ago, and we just happen to be at war with them. But that’s a long story that we shouldn’t get into.

 

What’s something you really like about yourself?

That’s an odd question. I don’t generally think about my virtues. I guess my favorite thing about myself is that I can be independent, though it’s also one of my largest faults.

 

Do you have any special skills, talents or abilities?

Actually I’m quite inadequate. So inadequate in fact that I’m not sure how I’ve survived on my own this long. It must be the good Lord’s doing ‘cause it certainly isn’t my own.”

 

Would you go skydiving if you could? 

I assume you mean cliff jumping. That’s like diving into the sky. I think I would, if I could work up the courage. Lyssia went once and she said it was terrifying but I think it’d be exhilarating.

 

--

 

Check out Zenon's author's blog, here!

 

And...if you have a character you'd like interviewed, shoot me a note in the comments! Have a blessed Wednesday, y'all!

 

{Character Interviews} Hannah Stewart's Lucian

 

Hey y'all! Guess what we have starting today? Interviews with awesome fictional characters!

A number of my writing friends will be contributing weekly (every Wednesday) with answers to some questions which were asked of their characters!

Eventually, I might even do an interview of...*overly dramatic drum roll* my own characters. If they let me, which is highly doubtful.

 

But anyway! Today, I'm pleased to introduce to you Lucian, a character from Hannah Stewart's book "Outspoken." He's one of my personal favorites from this volume!

 

Soooo let's give him a warm welcome, and move on with the interview!

 

What’s one cool thing about the world you come from?

Well, I was going to say the mountainous districts, but my author
kindly informed me of the different connotations of the word "cool" in
your culture. The world I come from really isn't all that different
from yours, if a few thousand years behind. Medieval, I believe you
would call it. Perhaps you would call the Woods of Escaine a "cool"
feature of my world... the forest itself is a couple thousand years
old, with trees so large that the rogue knight Escaine and his band of
robbers were able to set up their camp inside them - they burnt out
what we call "holes" from the cores of the trunks, and turned them
into little houses. No one ever found them... at least, not until Finn
discovered the secret decades after the campsite had been abandoned.

 

What does your bedroom look like?

Usually, a dry patch of dirt or bed of grass with the stars overhead
will suffice. I've never had my own. My family was too poor when I was
little, not that I could remember it well enough to describe it now.
After that, it was whatever corner I could sequester away. Now Finn
has offered me one of the holes to myself, but I've been too busy
helping him to take him up on it.

Describe your personality.

That's a... difficult question. If I were in a joking mood, I'd have
to call myself the quiet type. I guess what I can say about myself is
that I care about my family and my friends. I'm a nobody... no one
important, no one special. I'm just a carpet to be walked over,
treated however the passing fads deem appropriate. But my family - by
blood or by loyalty - they mean everything to me. And anyone that
hurts them will have me to deal with.

 

Describe your physical appearance.
Appearance? Like I said, I'm nothing special. Average height, average
weight, average build. I have my father's red hair and beard with my
mother's curl. My cheekbones, I've been told, are my most striking
aspect. My eyes can't decide who's they are, sometimes they're blue
like my mother's, sometimes green, like my father's. Nothing
outstanding to reference, nothing at all.

Are you an introvert or extrovert?

Years ago, I may have considered myself an extrovert, the head of the
pack. But every thing's changed since then. My circumstances make it
hard to be anything but an introvert, really, and I've accepted that.
Grown to like it. The horses are my companions now, and along with my
few friends, I have all I need.
Do you approve of how your author treats you?

I won't pretend not to be bitter about certain things, but who
wouldn't be? I can't really blame her though. Like she says, the story
has to come first, and I know it pains her to hurt us. I just have to
trust that whatever point she intends to make will be worth the
heartache.

 

What would you do if you needed to make dinner but the kitchen was inaccessible?

That's a... strange question. I'd do what I suppose any reasonable man
would do: build a fire and cook dinner in the open air. It most
definitely wouldn't be the first time.

Do you have any physical or mental abnormalities/illnesses?

As you may have picked up on from my author having to transcribe for
me, I have no voice of my own. My tongue was cut out when I was first
enslaved by Lord Sadach - I was ten, and mouthed off to him. He
thought I'd make a great servant, if I wasn't so spirited, and there's
more than one way to break a man. Since then, my nasty tendency of
becoming a heroic fool when the innocent are in trouble has left me
with more scars than flesh on my back.

What do you think about right before falling asleep at night?

Any number of things really. The things I regret, the people I've lost
- they tend to make appearances. A lot of appearances... But, these
days, I've been so busy. Now, it tends to be whatever I'm most anxious
about, be it a battle to come or bad news to deliver.

 



You’re bored, and all you have is a blank piece of paper and pencil.
What happens?

Most likely, I remain bored. I only recently learned how to write, and
it's still difficult. But, being away so often now, it wouldn't be
surprising if I wrote a letter for Caillte and Pip, or a report for
Finn.

Most prized possession?

I don't exactly have a lot of possessions, and though most people
would consider him one, I can't call what I would esteem my most
prized and object. Elisha, my horse. He's carried me through
atrocities no man should ever see, and remained by my side as a
friend, companion, and brother in arms.
Hobbies?

I don't have time for hobbies. But, when time does present itself, I
usually spend it in the stables or striking up a tune on my mandolin.

One little known fact about yourself?

Little known fact? Oh, I don't know... I guess not many people know
that, when I was young, before Muintir burned to the ground and I was
taken captive, I was an fairly accomplished dancer. My parents, as I
came to find out later, had both held positions in the royal palace
years before. They were favorites of the previous royal family. They
knew how to dance like the upper class, and thought it wise to teach
me. Mother said it would help me overcome my social position later in
life, and I suppose it has in ways.
What’s something you really like about yourself?

There's not much to like, but if forced to chose something, I guess it
would be my loyalty to those I love. It gets me in trouble, but I
deserve trouble. They don't.

Do you have any special skills, talents or abilities?

I train horses. My father taught me how, and I was good enough to
please Lord Sadach. I'm also very strong with the sword, and I can
play the mandolin, as I said before.
Would you go skydiving if you could?

My author informs me that skydiving is a modern sport in your world...
I don't see the appeal in leaping out of a giant hunk of metal hurling
through the sky, but I wouldn't be opposed to trying it if beckoned.
Stranger things have happened. 

 -

{Visit Lucian's author Hannah here.}

 

Join me next week for another interview with a fascinating book character you're sure to love!