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The Protagonist Speaks

Interviews with the characters of your favourite books

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December 2017

Happy Saturnalia!

From all of us here at The Protagonist, may you have a happy and book-filled new year!

It’s been quite the ride this past year, with many characters getting to speak out (and occasionally, speak out of turn). May your next year be full of great books, and may their characters forever live in your head!(*)

We’ll leave you with this interview with both Assaph and Felix (seen together to prove they’re not the one person), originally published on Jen Winters‘ blog. It’s a classic Felix…

 

(*) Yes, we know how that sounds. That’s the point ;–)

Dear readers,

My name is Assaph Mehr, and I am the author of Historical Fantasy Mysteries, or – as I like to call them – Stories of Togas, Daggers, and Magic. The stories tell the cases of a hard-boiled detective named Felix, set in a magical world based on ancient Rome. If you like any two of Urban Fantasy, Detective mysteries and Ancient Rome, you’re bound to enjoy them.

With me tonight is Felix, the protagonist of the stories. I met Felix a while ago, in circumstances that we’d both rather keep quiet for now –

Felix: I still don’t understand why…

Assaph: We’ve been over this before. Back to the introduction. I have been writing and publishing Felix’s memoirs these past two years –

Felix: And I’m still to see any royalties from them.

Assaph: Told you, writing and publishing isn’t as lucrative as it used to be. There are costs involved…

Felix: Yeah, yeah, great reviews… [sotto voce] mentula.

Assaph: I heard that! Please keep respectful language. Seeing how you’re so eager to jump in, why don’t you introduce yourself to the readers of this blog? Continue reading “Happy Saturnalia!” →

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Dai and Julia (of Dying to be Roman, by Jane Jago and EM Swift Hook)

Dear readers, tonight with me are two people from the modern-day Roman province of Britannia. They are here to tell us about life as law-enforcement officers in the empire that never collapsed.

An unlikely pair, Dai is a Briton and a hard-working Investigator trying to solve a brutal string of murders and Julia, a Roman Inquisitor, sent to pour oil on troublesome provincial waters when a Roman citizen joins the body count.

They are here to tell us about their adventures.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

Julia: I spent the first five years of my life in the slums that gather around the skirts of Rome. Then my mother died and my grandparents took me in. It still wasn’t a good part of town, but I was loved and I had enough to eat.

Dai: For a Briton, I had it pretty good. My family are well known landowners around Viriconium. No Citizen rights, of course, which meant my education was pretty rustic. But it’s a lovely place when you get out into the hinterland away from the city itself. I did well enough at school to get into the academy in Aqua Sulis – yes, we do have one or two academies in Britannia, even if they are not in the top one hundred recommended.

Did you have any favourite toys as a child? Any cherished memories?

Julia: I suppose my favourite thing was my adoptive brother: he’s twenty years older than me and when he was home he would carry me around on his back. And my grandmother had a little dog called Toto. I would spend hours combing his coat

Dai: I loved running and I still pride myself on my physical fitness. As a boy I was a reader and a dreamer, always trying to hide from chores on the family farm. There was a place I used to love going to – a small valley with standing stones. No one ever went there, so I would run there and sit and read with my back to one of the stones. Continue reading “Dai and Julia (of Dying to be Roman, by Jane Jago and EM Swift Hook)” →

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Ember (of The Exiled Otherkin, by D. Lieber)

Dear readers, tonight with me is a half-fae, exiled from the lands of Faerie when her father died. Surprised by the changes in the human world, she takes a job on an airship.

She’s here to tell us about faeries, pirates, and traveling players as she tries to cope with feelings long forgotten and a past that still pursues her.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

When I was really young, my mother was murdered, so my father took me to live with him in Faerie. As a place, it’s very pleasant. There’s no separation between nature and the inhabitants. For instance, plants and animals are part of your household; they grow and go where they please.

I really loved it there when I first arrived. I got to spend a lot of time with Papa, and Liam and I became great friends. However after Papa married Helena, she destroyed my life bit by bit. The only thing she ever gave me was my little brother, Pika. He is my light in the pit that Faerie is to me now.

Did you have any favourite toys as a child? Any cherished memories?

Most of my cherished memories as a young child where from spending time with my parents and Liam. My parents loved each other so deeply, and I always wanted that for myself one day. I had hope for a while, but it turned sour when Liam betrayed me. After Papa married Helena, I couldn’t afford to cherish anything. If she found out, she’d destroy it.

What do you do now?

I recently got a job as rigger on a merchant airship in the human realm. It’s my job to climb around the envelope of the airship and check it for leaks. Continue reading “Ember (of The Exiled Otherkin, by D. Lieber)” →

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Maisie Jaser (of the Glass Vault duology, by Candace Robinson)

Dear readers, tonight with me is a girl gone missing inside of a mysterious museum. The old building appeared overnight in their small town, and people started to disappear. What could be inside? Possibly something glass, since it’s known as Quinsey Wolfe’s Glass Vault.

Why don’t you slip on an eye-patch as this girl does, and enjoy what lies ahead while she tells us about her adventures into the unknown.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

Well, I grew up in Deer Park, TX. Me and my cousin Perrie don’t understand how a town could be called Deer Park if there are zero deer here. Maybe I should go into the wooded area and search? I mean, there has to be a reason it’s called this, right? I did make a deer craft out of old mulch one time, maybe I could sit one of those out, and it will call to the deer? We could pretend it’s Bambi, and a mama deer might think it’s one of her babies. I’d snap a pictures, and say aha, so Deer Park does have deer!

Did you have any favourite toys as a child? Any cherished memories?

Hansel and Gretel! That was mine and Perrie’s pretty much main daily activity when we were smaller. I was all about the witch, because come on, it’s a witch! So, we would play this make-believe game and role play it. I always did have fun ideas. Not did—DO!

What do you do now?

I’m all about eye patches. My life goal right now is to liven up the eye of those who have to mourn their eye loss. There’s no need to hide that beautiful hollow space—embrace it. So, I make eye patches to show the support—I wear one pretty much all the time myself. I’ve got a whole chest of them at home, right now I have one that resembles a sheep. You know why? Because it’s Leap year, and when I try to fall asleep, I count sheep as they hop over my pretend cloud. Do sheep even hop? I’m going to say, heck yes they do! Also, I do sleep in my eye-patch! Continue reading “Maisie Jaser (of the Glass Vault duology, by Candace Robinson)” →

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Malcolm Xavier Downing (of Dark of the Moon, New Beginnings by Philipp Kessler)

Dear readers, tonight with me is the heir to a family of old money. A family fortune built on industries, business, and magicks.

He is here to tell us about the fortunes of love and money, of dark pasts and bright futures, and of the gods that rule our lives and power the true magick.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

I was born and raised in Lincoln, NE. Lincoln’s a quiet place, always has been. Sure, we have excitement from time to time, but that is usually during tornado season. Being smack dab in the middle of the U.S., everything is kind of “middle ground”.

I’m the heir apparent to the Downing family fortune. Father and Uncle are arguing over what will become of me after I had the audacity to fall in love with a woman whose family doesn’t have money or power.

Did you have any favourite toys as a child? Any cherished memories?

The kinds of toys I had as a kid were not what you would expect. I spent my days playing with alchemical sets – much different than chemistry sets – and learning the ABC’s of Enochian and Latin.

In the rare family moments, I remember my mother – may she rest in peace. She was always looking out for me and making sure I had a good and fun childhood. She gave me a teddy bear for my fifth birthday. I remember that. Uncle said I was too old for such things. I still have that bear, hidden away.

What do you do now?

Uncle and Father are training me to take over Downing Industries. My family is one of the richest in America, certainly the richest in Nebraska. Even more so than Warren Buffet, though he’d argue that. Learning the ropes of the company is one thing. Learning how to control the powers behind what we do is something entirely different. The magicks… Well, let’s just say that I am glad Uncle insisted on such heavy study into the arts while I was growing up. Continue reading “Malcolm Xavier Downing (of Dark of the Moon, New Beginnings by Philipp Kessler)” →

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