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The Protagonist Speaks

Interviews with the characters of your favourite books

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Assaph Mehr

Felix the Fox is a failed magician (not his fault he couldn't pay tuition and got thrown out), a discharged legionary (honourably discharged - even if the dice were loaded), and a full time investigator of crap no one else wants to touch. Assaph is just the guy putting words on paper for Felix.

Valya Svetlova (of Soul of the Unborn by Natalia Brothers)

soul-of-the-unborn-natalia-brothersDear readers, tonight with me is Valya Svetlova, a young Russian student with a side job of a folklore tour guide. But not any tour. Valya’s flier asks: “Vishenky’s Legends and Supernatural Phenomena: Are you brave enough to experience them?” – a premise we know our readers would love to explore!

She is here to tell us about all the wonderful culture and attractions that Russia has to offer tourists, including her guided tours based around legends of supernatural phenomena.

 

 

 

Nice to meet you, Valya. Is everything okay? You look a little…pale.

A long and stressful day after a sleepless night. My guests have no idea what it will take for me to keep them alive.

I thought you were a folklore tour guide. What makes your excursions so dangerous?

“Tour guide” is my cover story. In real life, I’m a postgraduate student. I had to invite a group of Americans to stay in my summer home. I promised them a folklore tour in a quaint village not far from Moscow. But Vishenky is a perilous place.

In what sense?

Supernatural occurrences. I knew my plan was dangerous. What I couldn’t foresee was how quickly everything would whirl out of control, or how much effort it would take to ensure my visitors’ safety.

Then why don’t you send your guests to Moscow?

This is my only chance to prove I’m not a soulless monster destined to perish in another dimension. Continue reading “Valya Svetlova (of Soul of the Unborn by Natalia Brothers)” →

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Nicola Crandall (of Too Wyrd by Sarah Buhrman)

too-wyrd-sarah-buhrmanDear readers, tonight with me is a simple woman, living a quiet life – a single mother, a herbalist, and a heathen witch. When she discovered her step-sister disappeared after joining a cult, she went after her – and was not quite prepared for what she found out.

She is here to tell us of her adventures, and all the things she found out becoming an accidental hero.

 

 

 

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

I grew up in English, a small town south of Indianapolis, near Jasper. It was a quiet place in the Hoosier National Forest, with few people and fewer things to do. We moved there because my father worked in manufacturing and was supervisor for a Toyota plant. Mom worked as an office manager (read: secretary) for various offices in the area. She bounced around from job to job. In retrospect, it may have been because she didn’t want people to know too much about her and the fact that she was more black than the Hispanic she passed for. It was a pretty racist area, so I never did get the full genealogy of her side of the family. She became even more withdrawn after the divorce, but we ended up stuck there. I got used to the racial crap and the evasion game that came with dark features, and I ended up moving back that way after more than a decade in Indianapolis.

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

I don’t remember having any favourite toys – a second-hand easy bake oven that popped out muffins still raw in the middle, a Glo-Worm doll with a dirty-green body from my carrying it (and leaving it) everywhere, a Game Boy with Tetris that I played until the screen broke, a modest collection of My Little Ponies and Pound Puppies, a View Master with only two cards (Mickey Mouse and the Jetsons)… Mostly, I explored the wooded area behind our house. I would run around for hours with a backpack full of dehydrated soup mix (I would chew on the crunchy veggies), a military surplus canteen of water, and a 4 foot stick sharpened to a rough point to use as a walking stick and a spear, if I ran into any bears. Fortunately, I didn’t see any wildlife more dangerous than a whitetail doe. Continue reading “Nicola Crandall (of Too Wyrd by Sarah Buhrman)” →

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Cerys (of The Forgotten Princess of Mona by Guy Donovan)

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Dear readers, tonight with us is an eleven year-old girl who was born a princess, but was then forced to grow up in the wilds of 5th century Britannia, fighting not only the barbarous Picts, but also a malevolent spirit bent on taking away everything she had left. She is here to tell us about her adventures, including the most remarkable friend a child could ever want!

 

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

I was born in the Kingdom of Môna, which is made up of two islands. I really don’t remember it well, because I was born…well, Domie always said “simpleminded,” but most people said I was either “stupid,” a “moron,” or even worse.

Oh, I’m sorry. Who is “Domie?”

His real name is Domelch, but I always called him Domie…once I could call him anything, I mean.

You couldn’t talk?

Not very well. It was all part of being stupid, I guess. Domie raised me and took care of me after my father…went away. Everyone always says it that way to me, but they really mean he died.

What about your mother?

She died too—when I was born.

Sooo…you were a princess, but you’re not anymore?

My mother and father were the King and Queen of Môna, but with them gone, my stepmother, the new queen, just wanted me out of the way so my half-brother, Elian, could grow up to be the king. Continue reading “Cerys (of The Forgotten Princess of Mona by Guy Donovan)” →

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Lia (of The Veiled Soul by Abbie Chandler)

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Dear readers, tonight with me is a woman doomed to pay for crimes she doesn’t remember committing. As a grim reaper, the split of time between life and death is the only chance she gets to feel anything real.

She is here to tell us about the ephemeral transition between life and death, and of what binds her to the mortal world.

 

 

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

I have absolutely no idea where I grew up. As a grim reaper, my memories of my life (and the crime that got me here) have been wiped clean, and I’m stripped of my soul. The only life I’ve ever known is the reaper realm. It occupies the same space as the physical world. Same buildings, same things, but there are no people. There is no color. I leave ghostly footprints. I could be crashing is your guest bedroom or stealing your coffee. I can’t stick around in the same place very long, so I bounce around from houses to hotel rooms. The only thing I’m meant to do is reap souls, but residual urges drive me. I eat. I sleep. I run. I have sex. It’s muted and emotionless, but I guess it’s the only way I can connect to what I used to be.

How did you get here?

As a reaper, I’m unable to connect any living being. They’re not supposed to be able to see me. Just before I was ripped out of the reaper realm and thrust back into the physical world, I was supposed to reap the soul of a murdered young girl. The only problem is that the killer was there, and he could SEE me, and he seemed to know me. Then, instead of killing the girl, he tried to kill me. It’s not even possible to kill a reaper, but in that moment, my whole world shifted, and I was in the middle of a parking lot, bleeding to death. So now I’m trying to piece together how I got out, why a human could see a reaper, and what I did in the past to be a reaper to begin with. To make matters worse, I feel a constant pull to kill. I have no soul. I feel a bit like a monster.

But it’s nothing like him. They call him the Phoenix. Before he tried to murder me, I felt his soul. It was solid. Pure evil. Continue reading “Lia (of The Veiled Soul by Abbie Chandler)” →

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Ayn (of Shiva XIV by Lyra Shanti)

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Dear readers, tonight with us is Ayn, otherwise known as The Bodanya, Shiva the Fourteenth. Predestined to become the great messiah of his people, Ayn must save his galaxy from disease and war. But when an unknown enemy threatens everyone he loves, the destiny he thought was his spins out of control.

He is here to tell about the conflicts of his true identity, and the choices he made in life. 

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

I grew up secluded in the Holy Temple on the planet Deius. I was mostly raised by the high priest, Meddhi-Lan, who was like a father to me. I didn’t know my mother very well, unfortunately, for it was against the Dei priests’ laws. I’m not sure why… but they didn’t let me see her much. Unfortunately, the priests believed me to be their “Bodanya,” which means savior. It was very difficult for me to accept as a child. I just wanted to be a normal boy. If I’m honest, I had a strange, gilded childhood. However, I was given a lot of love and attention from Meddhi-Lan, and from my secondary teacher, Pei, who was like an older brother. I had a wonderful dog-like pet named Duna too. I have fond memories of my childhood, despite its abnormality.

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

I was mostly forced to study, especially meditation, since I was expected to understand the “paradox” of the universe. But I did receive a wonderful birthday gift when I was seven. It was a blue-colored toy boat, and I loved it so very much. I believed it could fly, and I would one day fly in it to the heavens where I would meet all the Gods in the old myths. Continue reading “Ayn (of Shiva XIV by Lyra Shanti)” →

Eden Maas (of Aeon Infinitum by E. Rachael Hardcastle)

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Dear readers, for those who are blissfully unaware, the Harmony Grid has just been activated. As you know, ever since the large meteor NORA hit Earth and threw it into six months of darkness, the remainder of humanity has been living out on Titan, that purpose-built underground ark. But now that the Harmony Grid is activated people are panicking…

With us is a young lady, who will tell us about her fight for survival as she and her friends crossed a post-apocalyptic world in search of a newer, better sanctuary.

 

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

I grew up in Titan, a dank underground ark built by our ancestors. It sits beneath Ad Infinitum, which is our governor Czar’s name for what was once the Earth. Titan was intended to be a sanctuary to protect future generations from the aftermath of a meteor named NORA. Although Titan is my home, I’ve been in and out of prison my entire life for petty crime, probably spending more time either working or locked up than in my dorm.

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

My earliest memory is at five years old – that’s fourteen years ago. At least I think I was five. I can’t be sure; I’ve been hit in the head a lot during my imprisonment, you know? The memory is of my mother handing me a small brown teddy bear whose name I forget. For a while that bear was the only friend I had, but we were inseparable.

What do you do now?

Before my imprisonment I worked in Serenity, the back office faction of Titan. I worked alongside a man named Ginny Bede who ran Rehab. We were in partnership with the prison warden to assign orphans and offenders new factions. I helped to rehabilitate and merge them with Titan’s community. Now I’m behind bars and serving a death sentence shortly, I’m out of work. Continue reading “Eden Maas (of Aeon Infinitum by E. Rachael Hardcastle)” →

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Azaeli (Azi) Hammerfel (of Keepers of the Wellsprings Series by Missy Sheldrake)

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Dear readers, tonight with me is a young girl who trained in swordplay to become a Squire. When she finally earned the honor, her name was mysteriously left off of the list for the King’s Quest. She is here to tell us what happened next to her knight parents and the king’s court, and of the new magical friends she made on the way.

 

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

I grew up in Cerion City, in the guild hall of His Majesty’s Elite, where my parents are both knights. Cerion is a beautiful kingdom just in the center of the Known Lands which prides itself on its acceptance of people of all races and creeds. Our kingdom has known peace for many decades now under the rule of the Plethores. His Majesty King Tirnon Plethore is a fair and loving king, and one my family is proud to serve.

Cerion is a cliffside city, and the most remarkable thing about it is its port. Ships dock beside the sheer cliff face, and their wares are brought up to the market using an enormous lift. Sometimes the lift is operated by Mages, especially in the harsh winter months when ice can be a problem. Other times, the lifts are operated by cranks pushed by men. People sometimes use the lifts as well, but most tend to prefer climbing the stairs carved into the cliff wall.

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

My favorite toys…hmm. Of course, the wooden practice sword my parents gave me when I was very young. I played with that often. Rian and I—he’s my neighbor and my most cherished friend, his mum is our guild’s leader—we used to play at sword fighting in the guild practice pitch often. That’s until he decided to take up magic under Uncle’s sharp eye. Mages don’t use swords, so that play was eventually set aside in favor of books and study for him. I have so many fond memories of my childhood. The guild was always kind to me. They would play at swords with me often. And of course my memories of playing with Princess Sarabel in the palace gardens and later her little sister Margary will always be dear to my heart. Continue reading “Azaeli (Azi) Hammerfel (of Keepers of the Wellsprings Series by Missy Sheldrake)” →

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Wenn Twyner (of Escape from Neverland by Nils Visser)

wyrde-woods-1-escape-from-neverlandDear readers, remember all the times your mother told you not to stray into the woods? Well, tonight with me is a young girl who didn’t quite listen, and went strolling into the Wyrde Woods. Only a few miles away from the dilapidated council estate where she lives, but worlds apart.

She is here to tell us about what she saw, and how her perceptions were challenged. 

 

 

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

I’ve been mangled in the care system for most of my life. Care homes, institutions, clinics and, erm, sometimes juvenile detention. It wasn’t….it wasn’t safe, that’s all I have to say about it. Some places were worse than others, but none offered any sense of security.

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

My cup of tea was reading. I’ve always been a voracious reader. So I suppose my favourite ‘toy’ was Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series, especially Greenwitch. I literally devoured those books. Reading was an escape from whatever dump I’d been placed in. As for memories…..sometimes I have very vague memories of my mum and dad, a few images, but they’re like blurry photographs, the focus always just out of reach. Then again, I might just be projecting, my imagination playing tricks on me.

What can you tell us about your latest adventure?

I ended up at the OJCH in Odesby. At first things were alright, in a forlorn hope kind of way, but then…..things took a turn for the worse there. I went for a walk to vent off steam. A long walk which took me to the large woods north of town; the Wyrde Woods. Except they seem like more than just a woods. It’s difficult to explain but just about everything that happens there seems like an adventure to me. Continue reading “Wenn Twyner (of Escape from Neverland by Nils Visser)” →

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Nikola Tesla (of Tesla’s Signal by Laura Woodswalker)

TESLA'S SIGNAL - Laura WoodswalkerDear readers, tonight with me is a special person, one who has turned into a cultural icon of our generation. The Protagonist is honoured to welcome Nikola Tesla to the interview couch!

Tonight he will tell us about his amazing discoveries, and his almost unnatural connection to electrical currents.

 

 

Can you describe to us your affinity to electricity? How does it feel / look?

As a child I could feel the lightning building up to strike, and I ran to touch it. Miraculously, instead of being killed, I felt as if my body and soul had come alive. The sensation was like you might feel the wind in your face, or a spray of water. I did not realize that others didn’t feel this and that I was something of a freak.

Because of my extreme sensitivity to currents and light, I developed what others might call Phobias. I did not like to look at women’s jewellery because of how it bent the light. I started trying to control this sensitivity through calculations. Numbers, especially the number 3, were like an invisible structure that I wove around the world. I always had to do everything by 3’s. After I nearly died of cholera, I became terrified of germs and reluctant to shake hands. I obsessively washed my eating utensils. People thought I was quite an eccentric! Some even thought I was mad…a ‘mad scientist’ if you will.

How did this affinity affect your scientific work?

My brain was like a finely tuned receiver. I could visualize the inside of devices…and when I built them, they worked perfectly! I could travel to imaginary places and speak with the people I met. My sensitivity became so painfully intense that I thought I would surely die…and that was when I received a communication from a race of energy beings who spoke to me in currents. This was not a hallucination: the Aon were from the dimension of ‘subtle matter’. They spent their lives studying the universe, and now they wished to study and exchange knowledge with me.

This meeting stimulated my brain to make new connections, and I was struck by a most  transcendent vision of the rotating magnetic field, which would become the 3-phase alternating current motor. This was the breakthrough which led to the gift of electrical power for all of the world. Continue reading “Nikola Tesla (of Tesla’s Signal by Laura Woodswalker)” →

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