Author/Character Interview: Rebekah Ganiere and Co.

I apologize for being a little discombobulated lately. See my previous post about my cat. But, I'm happy today to welcome the lovely Rebekah Ganiere and get to know some of her characters. I also appreciate Rebekah being a guinea pig for this format and her fun and imaginative answers.

1. If your character were to go to a psychologist, er, wise woman or healer who handles people problems in your world – willingly or unwillingly – what would bring them in? Yes, a court/Village Council order is a valid answer.

Adrian- I'd never have a need to seek one out.

Redlynn - (rolls her eyes) Never?

Adrian(Cocks an eyebrow) Never.

Redlynn - What about the time you thought I was injured?

Adrian- Well that's different. I'd do anything to save you.

Redlynn - (Shakes her head) Stubborn wolf.

2. Is the presenting problem one of the main internal or external conflicts in your book? If so, how does it present itself?

Redlynn - Our problems are two fold. You have the external problem of girls going missing in Wolvenglen Forest but you also have the internal conflict, like Adrian's conflict.

Adrian - I don't have conflict.

Redlynn- Oh really? No conflict? None? You just were so happy to find me knocked out in the woods?

Adrian - Okay so it took me a while to get used to the fact that we were supposed to be together, what do you want from me? You know what I've been through. And what about you? Are ready to tell me you were okay with everything about me when you first found out?

Redlynn - Well...

Adrian - Exactly.

3. It's always interesting to see how people act when they first enter my office. Do they immediately go for my chair, hesitate before sitting anywhere, flop on the couch, etc.? What would your character do?

Redlynn - I would never flop anywhere. I would find the chair with the best view of the entire room and scope out the easiest exit route and sit there.

Adrian - I'd sit on the couch. If I have to do this, I might as well be comfortable.

4. Does your character talk to the therapist? How open/revealing will your character be?

Redlynn - I don't know you, so I'd be polite, but you're not going to hear me moaning about my problems. Those are personal and things I only share with Adrian

Adrian - Likewise. Any problems I have I share with Redlynn, together we can work out anything.

5. Your character walks into the village pub or castle cellar after his/her first therapy session. What does he/she drink? Do they interact with anyone?

Adrian - I might have a cup of ale or mead if offered, but I wouldn't have too much. I wouldn't want my tongue to get too loose and spill things that I shouldn't.

Redlynn - If I were forced into in therapy session, I wouldn't want anything impairing my judgment. I'd have anything I needed before arriving and sit without speaking till I got the layout of the land. And even then I wouldn't speak unless absolutely necessary.

6. When you're building characters, do you have any tricks you use to really get into their psyches, like a character interview or personality system (e.g., Myers-Briggs types)?

Rebekah - As an author I let the characters build themselves in the first draft. What they say, do and think is all them. After that first draft I do a large character profile to help define them a bit more and get more of their GMC into play. Then I go back and see if the two match. If they don't I fix places where it doesn't.

Redlynn - We as characters don't care for that sometimes, but other times it works well. For instance in my story, Rebekah couldn't even finish the book before she went back to the beginning and changed a few things about me. I just wouldn't let her. I pulled the brakes in the second to last chapter and let her know that I would never do any of the stuff she'd written in the last five chapters.

That is very true. She wouldn't. Redlynn is stubborn that way. Most of my characters aren't but I have had a few!

Thanks so much for stopping by, Rebekah, Adrian, and Redlynn! My review of Red the Were Hunter will be forthcoming next month, but the book itself is available now.

You can find Rebekah, the book trailer, and cover at her website.

Saying Goodbye to Assistant One...

Well, while my week was off to a good start, it had an awful finish. I want to thank and apologize to Samantha of Chick Lit Plus blog tours for not participating as much as I could/should in this week's stops because of, well...

Obituary for Bailey:  Septemberish 1998-May 24, 2014

Bailey, commonly known as "The Tuxedo Cat" and occasionally as "Writing Assistant One" passed away this morning at 11:22 a.m. The cat who couldn't stand to be on the other side of the door from his humans, especially his mom, crossed over peacefully in his home surrounded by his loved ones. He was helped on his way after a two-year battle with taking medications for lymphoma by representatives from the Sweet Dreams pet euthanasia service. During his life, he was given much love and good care by the veterinarians and staff of The Cat Doctor and Buckhead Pet Pals pet-sitting service.

"Yes, I am the most interesting cat in the world."

As befits a cat who entered and exited life wearing a tuxedo, he maintained his air of "cat of mystery" from the beginning. He found his primary person in a pet store in Cahaba Heights, an area of Birmingham, Alabama, in spring of 1999. She had long red curls, he liked to chew on hair – it was a perfect match. She never found out about his mysterious past, as when he joined her family at the age of seven or eight months, he was already neutered, and boy was he glad he didn't have to go through that again!

Bailey also had a phobia of car rides, which always occurred with much piteous meowing, so it was a mercy he was able to depart life at home. It was always suspected he had been dumped. His previous owners missed out on a long life of affection – who says cats are aloof creatures? He was always ready for a purr or snuggle, which will be sorely missed.

During his long life, partially as a graduate student kitty in psychology and then as an author's cat, Bailey developed a connoisseur's taste in reading material. He was disappointed when the APA Monitor changed its format from soft, comfortable newsprint to a glossy magazine. As for electronic reading devices, meh. 

"I really don't get the appeal of these e-reader things. Kinda lumpy, if you ask me."

He also didn't appreciate the transformation of warm monitors with plenty of room for kitties atop them to flat-screens. At that point, he developed a preference for sitting on the back of his mom's office chair or competing with the iThing and laptop for her lap so he could offer his opinion on her writing, and he took full credit for her success with the Lycanthropy Files series.

"Wouldn't you rather be petting the kitty?"

It was never clear whether Bailey realized he was sick aside from having to be bribed with cheese – havarti was a particular favorite – or kitty treats to not immediately expectorate his medications. Otherwise, until a week before his departure, he maintained his positive and elegant attitude toward life. He was known by many terms of affection such as "Mister Kitty," "Sweetheart," and "Handsome Kitty," but he always took pride in being named after the coffee-flavored Irish liqueur. In addition to cheese, he appreciated the rare people food he was permitted to try such as crab, fish, and chicken, and he was also known for his unusual tastes for a cat, specifically in leeks and the green tops of carrots. It was also never a good idea to leave bread unattended when he was on the prowl through the kitchen.

Bailey goes to join his adopted sister La Principessa at the Rainbow Bridge, where, we're sure, he will resume his duties as cat bed for the stripey wonder.

"Oof."

He is survived by two heartbroken kitty-parents, equally sorrowful grandkitty-parents and aunt and uncle, and the grey thing, who never much liked him anyway.

He is already sorely missed. :-(

On Tour with Long Shadows

Greetings, all!

Just a quick note to let y'all know I'm on tour with Chick Lit Plus for Long Shadows. There's a giveaway for a Mountain's Shadow t-shirt, and anyone who comments on the main tour page gets entered for a chance to win.

I hope everyone's week is off to a great start!