Character Interview #9: Shaetha Sohran

Hey again, digressors. So you've probably guessed what's happening today by the title of this post, but I'll tell you anyways. Last week, I opened up the forums (or the comments section, rather) for you to ask Shaetha Sohran questions. Well, the questions are in, and Shaetha is here to answer them.

Thanks for coming out today, Shaetha. So, here's the first question of the day. What lessons did your late father teach you about life through his sacrifice?

Oh... Um... Do I have to answer this?

Yes, you do.

But... Okay. Well... I guess he taught me that love has to be stronger than fear. The fear won't always go away, but if you really care about someone, then helping them needs to be more important than your fear. I think that's the definition of love, actually. It gives when it's hard, even when it hurts. Fear might be strong, but love has to be stronger, or it isn't really love. I suppose that's what I've learned.

What is the most difficult thing about getting over fear?

I guess for me, the hardest part is that a lot of the time, fear is based on something that's actually happened, either to me or someone else. In my case, I... I'm afraid of fire because of what happened to our house and our parents. So it makes it hard to fight my fear in that area because something bad actually happened, and for all I know, it could happen again. Not that it's likely, I guess, but it's possible. And some part of my mind refuses to let go of that reasoning, so it's a constant battle to keep disagreeing when what I fear is, in some way, realistic.

What advice would you give someone else who is trying to get over their fears?

First of all, breathe. Focus on dealing with the things you can influence in the present instead of working yourself up over things that might never happen. And pray, if you believe in God. I do, but I know not everyone does, so... I understand why praying might not come naturally. Remind yourself of what's real and what's not. Distract yourself if you have to, and spend time with people and places that make you feel safe. You can't control what happens, but you can control how you react to it. Of course... the thing is, a lot of what I've had to deal with isn't just fear. It's memories that seem like they're happening again, which then cause fear because I think it's all still happening. I can't really control those just by writing off my usual fears. Which makes it even more important for me to get somewhere safe and be near someone who understands and can remind me where I am. I don't think I'd be anywhere near getting over my fear of fire if I didn't have Lehn to help me.

What's your favorite thing to do?

As a hobby, or in general?

Either way. You choose.

Well... I know some people might think this is strange, but I love hugging. And being hugged. Is... is that too strange?

No, I know plenty of people who love hugging. And what about hobbies?

But you just said I could--

I changed my mind. Your hobbies? What do you like to do for fun? 

...I... I like drawing, but I'm sort of new to it, so I don't really know yet whether I'm any good or whether it's among my favorite things to do. And it might sound odd, but I actually like cooking. I enjoy mixing things together and preparing a meal for people I care about. Also, it makes me feel... powerful, I suppose, when I can use fire to do something good, even though I'm afraid of it.

What do you and your brother have in common? 
A lot of things, I guess, but we're still fairly different. He's more confident. And more fun-loving. And I don't think he really believes in Yahveh anymore, or at least not in the same way I do. But anyways... We do both love people and want to make others feel better as much as we can. Some people might even think Lehn is too friendly, which is kind of similar to how they think I ask too many questions and hover a little. I don't know. But I'd say that -- our love for people -- is the main thing we have in common. 

When you have the chance to listen to music, what kind do you like?

I don't get much of an opportunity to listen to music, but I like love ballads and hymns.

Are you a morning or a night person?

Morning. It feels more alive to me, and I don't like the dark. I prefer to have plenty of light so I can see things and move around.

What's your favorite season, and why?

I like spring. It has a lot of color, and it's more cheery than some of the other seasons.

Fun fact: Sohrem despises spring for a lot of the reasons you just mentioned.
...I'm sorry... But I like those things about it. I don't really prefer summer because it's too hot. Fall and winter are also good in their own ways.

Um, Shaetha, you don't have to compliment all the seasons. We just wanted to know which was your favorite.

I know, but... I don't want to make it sound like I think there's anything wrong with the other ones.

It doesn't. I think you've made absolutely sure of that by now. But anyways... If Lehn was in danger from a fire, would it be hard to save him, or would your protectiveness and love overpower your fear?

I don't really like to think about it...

Indulge us just for a minute, and then we can move on, okay?

All right... I'd like to think that I could save him, because I love him enough that I'd at least want to try. But I don't know what would happen if the memories took over. I might get stuck and be burned with him. Not that I wouldn't try, but I... I might not make it out. The decision to go in after him would be easy. It's what would happen afterwards that worries me, because I would either save him or die trying. I couldn't handle coming out without him.

If you had to use a weapon, what would be your weapon of choice?

No. I don't want a weapon of any kind.

The phrasing of the question implies that you wouldn't have the option to refuse.
I said no.

Come on -- what if an enemy attacked you or someone you loved? Would you just stand by and let them do it?
.........I... I don't know. I guess not. Maybe... maybe if I could have something that wouldn't hurt them too badly, that would just knock them out or take them down long enough for me to tie them up, I'd be all right.

Hey, you've used a sword before, haven't you? Oh, that's right -- you dropped it... So maybe that's not the best option. 
I don't want to talk about it. Are there any more questions? 

Just one. How do you feel about your name?

My... name?

Is there an echo in here?

No, I just... I guess I've never really thought about it, or not recently, anyways. I like my name well enough. People seem to think it fits me, in general. I like that there aren't any harsh noises in it.

I guess that could be considered a plus.
I think it is, anyways. You... you did say that was the last question, didn't you? I kind of have to get back to the others...

Yeah, that's fine. Just be careful, okay? You never know what might happen.
...That's comforting. Just please don't hurt anyone.

Uh-huh. Sure thing.
I'm not that naïve, you know...

Of course not. Goodbye, now.
But--

*escorts Shaetha back to her world and locks the door* Have fun storming the mountainside.

Okay, so I guess it's fairly unlikely that Shaetha will "storm" anything, but you never know. She can get surprisingly aggressive when she's under a great deal of stress and people she cares about are in jeopardy. Which are two things that have been happening a fair amount lately. But anyways. What do you think? What are some tips you would give to someone looking to overcome their fear? What's something that used to scare you (or still does) that you've pushed past to do what's right and/or achieve a goal that was important to you?

A Resolution Fulfilled... And A Character To Interview! (Ask Shaetha)

Good evening, fellow digressors. Or is it morning? Afternoon, maybe? Well, I guess it depends on when you get around to reading this post. How were your holidays? Did you make any resolutions for the new year? I generally only make one or two, and they tend to be writing-related, but maybe I should get into the habit of making ones relevant to my lifestyle. Or, hey, I could resolve to be more regular about my blog posts. 

Eh. Okay, I should have done that like a year ago. If you have any tips on how to do it, please feel very free to drop them below. 

Speaking of resolutions, though, mine last year was to finish writing 'The Sehret Chronicles: The Rescuer' by the time 2016 rolled around. I didn't make it. However, a week ago today... 

I DID IT. 

That's right -- I have a big, messy, nearly 144,000-words-long monster to grapple with now. But a complete monster. (Perhaps a bit too complete, actually, considering that it's about 40,000 words longer than either of the other two books in the trilogy.) 

I'm not sure when I'll manage to get it on the market, but I would very much like to edit and release it before I turn 22 in May. It might be feasible, depending upon how much editing I end up having to do. I have no official cover yet, but I did create one for fun a while back, and I uploaded it for use on the front of the first draft proof copy which should arrive in the next week or so (and I will show you pictures when it gets here). For now, here is the mock-up cover: 

On that note, if you feel like playing around with a cover of your own (or a poster, or anything along those lines), check out Canva. It has some beautiful pre-made designs and even some free images and special fonts that you can use. Also, it shows you when the design element you're moving is fully centered from left to right. How delightful is that for a perfectionist? 

Oh! You know what else is exciting? 'Heir War', part 1.2 of 'The Kinsman Chronicles' by Jill Williamson is coming out on February 2nd. I'm in the process of reading it, so I can't give you much of a review yet, but so far it's fantastic. I daresay I'm liking it even better than 'Darkness Reigns'. The introductory parts are pretty much over, and so there's more action going on, and it makes me happy. Note: The dark parts are still there, but the light has also begun to creep in to provide contrast, so things are starting to come together, though I have no doubt Jill will take me for a few more twists and turns by the time it's over. Or several more. Who knows? Well, I suppose she does, since she wrote them. Brilliantly, of course, as always. By the way, the official website for the series is here and, as stated there, you can visit Jill's website for more cool things related to the series and the world and characters involved in it. 

Me, a fangirl? Don't be silly. Wherever did you get the impression that I was a fangirl? 

Ahem. You, um, really don't have to answer that question. 

Anyhow. 

Since I finished writing this draft of 'Rescuer', I've been mostly occupied with (1) finding people to read and give feedback, (2) trying not to let myself edit yet, and (3) attempting rather unsuccessfully to get my brain to work on my next scheduled project, 'Distorted Dimensions', a contemporary YA science-fiction novel about a PK who encounters the town "ghost" and has to both figure out what happened to him and help bring his "haunting" to an end. However, I'm having a fair amount of trouble working on that, and have instead been straying to other stories. One is a contemporary YA with no speculative elements, but technically it's not supposed to exist because it's populated by alternate versions of the characters from 'The Sehret Chronicles'. 

My point? Well, as long as I'm procrastinating by writing other things, I might as well work on something that is supposed to exist. So expect another installment in 'The Runaway' fairly soon, provided life doesn't get in the way. But for now, I have just one more announcement for you... 

Another character interview! 

Yes, you read that correctly. Some of you may remember a while back when I did a series of character interviews, wherein I would present a character to you and give you the opportunity to ask them whatever questions you liked. I've decided to do it again, at least for one character, though I might not get into another series just now unless there's interest in such a thing. And the lucky character this time around is... 

Shaetha Sohran

Shaetha wasn't really what you would call a major character in 'The Follower', but in 'The Rescuer' she could almost be considered the protagonist around whom the story revolves (although I think Sohrem is somewhat more central). She's fifteen, nearly sixteen, an ENFJ (Extroverted, iNtuitive, Feeling, Judging), and a Yahveh-Follower who recently came to recognize Jeshua as Yahveh incarnate. Her parents died in a house fire when she was five, and her father's last act was to run back into the house and push her out to safety. Since then, it's been Shaetha and her older brother, Lehn, against the world. She suffers from recurring nightmares and pyrophobia as a result of the event which claimed her parents, but she's getting better about being around fires and handling her bad nights on her own (whereas Lehn would usually come running to console her). She's a positive soul who tries to see the good in everyone, and this can sometimes come back to bite her if she overlooks one potentially dangerous flaw too many in someone she loves. Pressure scares her and pushes her outside of her comfort zone, but when someone really needs her, she'll rise to the occasion, so long as that occasion does not involve wielding a weapon much bigger than her hand. However, if she's been under stress without someone there to help her sort through her feelings about things, you'll find her more bossy and direct than her usual personality would suggest she's capable of being. Overall, she's a goodhearted young woman in the throes of growing up, and one of her greatest challenges is in learning how to function and thrive on her own, apart from anyone else's direction or supervision. 

Since I haven't posted an interview in a while, and it's the middle of the week right now, I'm going to leave it open for you to ask questions through the 27th. So fire away! (But not with real fire, please. Shaetha may be braver than people think, but let's try not to trigger her intentionally just now, shall we?) 

Ask Sern!

Wow, it's late... By the time I post this, it might actually be Sunday. Sorry about that! Today was busy. Well, at least it was busy by my standards. Which basically means, I left the house more than once and actually did stuff. Yay for an active lifestyle. 

Anyways, the character up for interview this week is Sern Jesyn, father of Dertryn Jesyn, and also the former guardian of Sheth Terrem.  

Sern Jesyn

Sern is past the point where most people would be comfortable with broadcasting their age, but I'll embarrass him anyways: he's forty-seven. Right? *checks the timeline* Of course right. Anyways, he was born a Serdak, and as a young man, he was a dragon-rider/soldier. As such, he learned to be flexible and get the job done even when he didn't feel comfortable or was certain he had no idea what he was doing. If you need help with something, and ask him to assist you, he probably won't tell you if he has no clue how to get it done. He'll just figure it out, and you'll never know the difference. He married at age seventeen, and he and his wife, Syra, had two boys -- Nolan and Dertryn. 

One night fifteen years ago, raiders attacked Sern's town, killed Syra and Nolan -- then fifteen years old -- and kidnapped Dertryn. Upon hearing that searches of the nearby areas yielded no sign of Dertryn, a broken-hearted Sern disregarded his own physical wounds and left his mountain homestead in search of his son. His search only brought him near death with exhaustion, and did nothing to help him find Dertryn. A man in one of the last cities wherein Sern search forced him to take time for recovery, introduced him to Yahveh-Jeshua, and helped him find a new purpose in life, though Sern never gave up hope of finding his child. When a riot took Sheth Terrem's parents, Sern took charge of him, and became like a father to him, a fact which did not comfort Dertryn when he caught up with Sern and discovered his new situation. Sern and Dertryn have been estranged since, but a recent encounter brought them together again, and Sern hopes to regain what has been lost. Since his dragon-riding days, Sern has had many professions -- builder, repairman, tutor, evangelist, etc., as the situation demanded. Despite the fact that he lives often outside of his comfort zone, he is an introvert with little natural patience for incompetent or cruel people, and might be as likely to punch someone as turn the other cheek. He usually restrains himself, but it's difficult. 

Oh! Also, Sern was one of the few people to see Siran's (Sohrem's) predicament in Lans and make any effort to reach out to him, The response was underwhelming, but I'm sure it was at least remembered. Sern also insists on calling Sohrem by his given name (Siran), despite his protests. But I'm guessing it's more out of habit than from spite. Probably. Though Sern hides his thoughts and feelings so well, we might never know. 

Anyways, Sern will be around and taking questions through Wednesday, as usual. Since I've posted this so late, I'll try to post the results as late in the day as possible. Oh, um, about the punching thing -- he hasn't punched anyone who didn't deserve it in years, if ever. So as long as you don't start picking on people or physically assault him, he should be pretty polite. He's an adult, after all. He can usually handle himself with grace. Usually. *ahem* 

Also, I might take a break from the character interviews soon and start another series of some sort. What would you like to see? Writing tips? More music stuff? Lyme posts? Or would you rather keep going with the character interviews? (I'd probably come back to them at some point; I just might back off of them for a while.) Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear from you. Well, not hear, obviously. Unless you want to send me an audio clip, or make a Youtube video, or something. But then I might just end up spending my entire day on Youtube and not do anything in regards to the blog. That wouldn't be very productive. But it might be fun... 

...But, as is ever the case with me, I digress. 

Character Interview #7: Sheth Terrem

Well, fellow digressors, it's the day before Thanksgiving. Wow. Where has the time gone? I mean, seriously. I can't believe 2015 is so near. There are a great many things I could put on my list of things I'm thankful for, but for now, I'll just share the results of Sheth Terrem's character interview with you all. I'll warn you in advance that Sheth, as a bookworm and an amateur historian, has certain obsessions which may be expressed through his answers. This is good for my lazy brain, which doesn't want to come up with extra questions to fill out the post. Whether it makes for an interesting interview remains to be seen. But anyways, here you are: An interview with the famous (or, er, not so famous) Sheth Terrem. 

Hey, buddy. How are you today? 

Buddy...? Isn't that what you always call Sohrem? 

Can't I have more than one buddy? And anyways, you were my buddy first, and I can call you whatever I want. So, what's your favorite food? 

I've learned over the years not to be a picky eater. My least favorite food would probably be keita bread, not because it tastes bad, necessarily, but just because I've had it so much. As for my favorite food... I like turkey. 

Turkey? Really? Out of all the food you've ever had, that's your favorite? 

I don't know. I'm not good at picking favorites. 

Huh. Turkey. Wow, what a coincidence... 

How's that? 

Nothing. It's an American thing. How do you feel about said fangirls? 

I wasn't aware I had any... 

Huh? Where have you been for the past couple of years? 

In Jaern...? Well, until recently. 

Oh, never mind. Listen, you have fangirls. So how do you feel about them? 

It seems a little strange, since I'm more used to fading into the background, but I guess I don't mind. I only hope people don't expect me to be perfect and always live up to their expectations. That could be a little intimidating. 

As a young kid, were you more interested in reading books and such, or was that something you enjoyed once you were older? 

My mother used to read to me, and I always enjoyed it. She did all my schooling, and taught me to read when I was seven. After that, we'd read to each other in turns, and eventually, she decided that she preferred for me to do all the reading aloud. My father never really got into it. He was more interested in the practical aspects of keeping the wagon together and such. I'm not even sure he knew how to read. He never approved of people sticking their heads into the clouds while there was work to be done. That made it a special thing between my mother and I. Though I do recall a few times where my father told me to keep reading, even when he pretended not to be interested. So maybe he enjoyed it, as well. 

So... Fangirls. What are your thoughts on them in general? 

I guess it depends upon how they handle themselves. I don't think infatuation is healthy, but it's only natural to admire people sometimes. So in that sense, I think fangirls are all right. Just so long as you don't make the person you admire the center of your life, or anything. 

Hm... So here's a question of my own: Have you ever been a fanboy? I mean, you read a lot, or used to, so you must have admired some character or historical figure in there, at least. 

I admire Rhedan, one of the instigators of the Rhenor Civil War. Well, technically, Dahker started it by attempting to overthrow the theocratic system. He organized a series of protests and speeches, and convinced a great number of people that the nation would be better off without Yahveh at the center. I think Dahker felt like the government was pushing faith on its citizens against their will, and he wanted to be free from it. But it got out of hand. 

*whispers* Grab some popcorn, fellow digressors. We might be here for a while. 

Excuse me? 

No, no, keep going. *eats popcorn* 

...I'm sorry. I guess I lecture too much. It's just a fascinating bit of history. 

Pleeeeeaaaaase? 

You must be bored. 

Procrastinating, actually. Go on. 

All right... Well, Dahker started a revolution, with the intent of reforming the government. It worked, but instead of just removing the expectation of belief, the unbelieving population turned on the Yahveh-followers, and tried to either kill them, drive them out, or make them renounce their faith. I only know what I've read in history books, but I get the impression that Dahker completely lost control of the revolution in the weeks after the rebels overthrew the system. 

Rhedan was a childhood friend of Dahker's, but he was also a Yahveh-follower, so he opposed the revolution, and then when things got violent, he helped a lot of other Followers escape into various tunnels and such outside of Rhenor territory, though by then it was called Khanor territory, and religious literature was forbidden. Some of them enocountered Kirat settlers and intermarried with them, which produced the Serdak, also called Dragon-Riders. Some left the mountains entirely and became the Reshen, the people in whose territories I've lived my whole life. And Rhedan and some others took a huge risk by venturing back into Khanor territory to witness to people and bring contraband literature to help those who still lived there and wanted to know more about Yahveh. Rhedan eventually gave his life while helping some believers escape Khanor law enforcement. Years later, Dahker left the Khanor and gave himself over to the Reshen, which makes me think that he didn't intend all the harm that came to be. 

Sooooo... Who do you think was right? 

Honestly? I'm not sure either Rhedan or Dahker were completely right or wrong. I don't believe the government should force anyone to believe in anything, however true it might be, but actually the revolution resulted in an outlawing of Yahveh-followership, essentially forcing people to say that He did not exist and forbidding them to practice their belief in Him if they did have it. If I had lived in their time, I think I would have been caught in the middle. But Rhedan ended up helping a lot of people, and he never gave up, no matter how bad things got. So you could say I'm a "fanboy" of Rhedan's. But of course, he was human just like everyone else, so I'm not blind enough to think he didn't have flaws. And... I just said entirely too much, didn't I? I'm sorry. 

No, actually, you aided my procrastination -- er, filled out the interview quite well. *ahem* What would you have said to your parents before they left if you knew they would (inevitably) die? 

...I think I still would have tried to convince them not to go. I would have told them I loved them, promised my father that I would stay sensible, and assured my mother that I would be all right. Now that I'm a Yahveh-follower, I would tell them about my faith and try to convince them to believe, too, but of course I didn't know about any of that back then. So... I guess that's it. I don't really want to talk about it anymore. 

Okay... Oh! Here's an extra question especially for Thanksgiving: What are you thankful for, Sheth? 

I'm thankful the Reshen still allow Yahveh-followers to practice freely, thankful that Sern stepped up and took me in all those years ago, and thankful that I met Yannah at Jaern. I'm also thankful to my parents for giving me a good upbringing, even if they didn't always get everything right. And since everything good comes from Yahveh, of course I have to be thankful to Him for caring and looking after me even when I make mistakes or question Him. And... I'm also thankful that not everyone gets upset with me for rambling like this. 

Oh, you get it from your mother. AUTHOR. You get it from me. Not your mother. I'm not... You know what I mean. 

...Right. May I go now? 

Sure. Happy Thanksgiving, bud. 

I'm not sure what that is, but all right... 

----------------------------------------------------------- 

Well, there it is, folks. I think Sheth's bookishness showed a little bit there. Just a little. That's okay; apparently, it's part of why people love him. It's also a very big part of why Sohrem doesn't like him, methinks. Oh, well. It's cute when he tells Yannah his stories. Maybe he should be a writer someday. 

Anyways. 

So what are y'all thankful for? I'm thankful for a loving family and friends who don't think I'm crazy even when I'm convinced that I am, for the means to treat this disease I have, and for the freedom to worship God freely and serve and write about Him without fear. I'm thankful for a brain that can still come up with stories, no matter how addled it might be, and for hands that can still hold a pen or use a keyboard so that others can experience those stories. I'm also thankful for my readers, who apparently find enough merit in my ramblings and far-fetched stories to keep reading them. 

How about food? Does your Thanksgiving dinner consist of traditional foods like turkey and pumpkin pie (the best parts of the meal, IMHO), or are you more unconventional? Will you watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? I'm really not sure about that last one, myself. It seems to get less and less interesting for me every year, but I'm a traditionalist, so I'll probably at least watch part of it. I wonder what balloons they'll have this year, or whether we'll mostly just see the reporters' heads blocking the way...? Oh, well. I guess any view is better than none. 

...But, of course, I digress. 

Ask Sheth!

Hey, digressors! Sorry I'm so late with this post; it was a busy day, preceded by busier ones, and there are more of the same fast approaching, so free time has been somewhat restricted. But without further ado, I shall introduce to you this week's character to be interviewed, Sheth Terrem. (Yes, fangirls,  please contain your shrieking, or we'll never get this interview underway.) 

Sheth Terrem

Sheth Terrem was born to Kheleth immigrants, and spent most of his growing-up years in the back of a wagon. His parents were merchants, largely of animals and their byproducts, but also of various other transportable goods. When Sheth was sixteen, the family made a stop in the Reshan-Shamindo bordertown of Lans and, while Sheth guarded the wagon, Shamindo cultists attacked the town and robbed him of both parents. The city council assigned him to live with Sern Jesyn, a Serdak dragon-rider turned evangelist who eventually led him to Yahveh-Jeshua. Seven years after moving in with Sern, Sheth is on his own, and has been called up for service in the Reshan Guard, despite his pacifistic stance. Now traveling with a ragtag combination of Reshen, Khanor, Shamindo, Kiratai, and Serdakai, Sheth struggles to stay strong in his faith without alienating certain others around him. Sheth is an introvert with a dry sense of humor, and loves books and stories. If he could be anywhere in the world, he would likely choose to return to his childhood home-base of Delnam and read a good book with his dog, Tori, beside him. (Poor Tori -- she must miss Sheth quite a bit, as I'm not convinced that the Guard allows recruits to keep pets.) Sheth is currently courting (or whatever you call the process) Yannah Delraen, and is in an uneasy truce with Sohrem Terahl, who assaulted him once for fighting with Yannah and making her cry (long story, Sheth and Yannah have since reconciled, and it wasn't really worth the assault). 

Sheth is the protagonist of 'The Follower', and also (arguably) of 'The Merchant's Son'. He's been bumped from that role for 'The Rescuer', but he's still in there, and he still has fangirls. Hm. I wonder if Yannah ever gets jealous...? 

Anyways, here he is, peopleses. Have fun asking questions. I shall do my best to post the answers a bit earlier in the day on Wednesday. 

Character Interview #6: Kyra Daehr

Hello again, peopleses. Er, fellow digressors, I mean. Wow, it's late in the day to be posting, isn't it? *says the person who usually posts things after midnight* 

Anyways, on Thursday, I opened up my character, Kyra Daehr, for an interview, and some of you asked some great questions. As anticipated, she was a little rude in answering them, so you'll have to forgive her. I promise she's not heartless. She's just, er... a little hostile. *ahem* Anyways, here she is. 

Well, here goes nothing, I guess. Kyra, are you a troublemaker? 

No. If someone else makes trouble, I'll deal with them, but I don't cause trouble intentionally. That would be idiotic. 

Have you ever been one? 

In the sense that I haven't always conformed to the given rules, sure. I got into trouble for continuing my attack on a fellow trainee once when I had him on the ground. Apparently, that was considered bad form. I still say that if you don't learn to fight on the ground in training, you'll be dead in an actual fight. So any trouble I've caused was trouble that had to be made. 

Riiiiight. Why don't you get along with Sohrem? 

Because he's a spineless, secretive brat who doesn't know how to keep his nose out of everyone else's business. He's trouble personified. Ask anyone. Except for Shaetha, since she thinks everyone is some misunderstood innocent who just needs a hug or two. 

Hey, I like Shaetha. And her personality makes it a lot easier for her to talk with Sohrem without getting into trouble. Being nice does wonders. You should try it sometime. Maybe Lehn could give you lessons, since he apparently raised Shaetha so well. ANYWAYS. What is the most ridiculous thing you've ever done? 

That depends on who you ask. 

Well, I'm asking you. 

I think the most ridiculous thing I've ever done was let Jorthen take charge after Ender disappeared. The man is a traitor in the worst sense, and doesn't know when to step down. Others would say that the most ridiculous thing I've done was running back into the Lair when I realized we'd left Ender behind. I guess that was fairly stupid, too. 

Do you think that your friendship with Lehn could go further, and do you want it to? 

...Further than what? 

Further than normal friendship. Come on, girlie -- it's not like you haven't been ribbed enough about this. Don't play dumb. 

I'm not playing dumb. I just think it's ridiculous that so many people have shown so much interest in our relationship. As if I have time to think about relationships while I'm busy trying to get everyone home alive. 

Okay, Catnip. Whatever you say. 

What did you just call me? 

Nothing. 

Look, my friendship with Lehn is no-one's business. 

Wow, Catnip -- you're looking a little red there. Is it hot in here? 

Don't make me hurt you. And stop calling me that. No-one ever calls anyone else 'Catnip'. 

...*ahem* Do you feel threatened by others because of your race, and if so, what kind of treatment do you get that prompts that response? 

It depends on the situation. People tend to be more afraid of me than anything else. The Kiratai have always been known for being nomadic and aggressive. We've had to be. The clans tend to required a certain amount of distance between each other, and of course we have to travel between them for any trade or other relations. It's a dangerous area. We also believe that the stronger man always prevails. If you can't be physically strong, or strong enough in will to make up for it, you're seen as being no good to anyone else. Honestly, I've been removed from the culture for a decade and a half, which is most of my life, so I don't remember much firsthand. But suffice to say, people with a Kirat heritage are assumed to be aggressive and to show no mercy right from the get-go. So people either do their best to stay out of our way or take it upon themselves to show us our place. We usually pummel them if they try often enough. It's really none of their business. 

Personally, I've gotten a fair amount of verbal abuse, if you can even call it that. Basically, people try to tell me that I'm a savage or that I'm not as strong as I think I am, in cruder terms. I don't care. In most cases, they go up against me in a sparring match an hour later and regret every word. So it doesn't matter. 

What's unique about your Kirat heritage as opposed to others? 

Well, for one thing, I think it gives me a stronger will and greater stamina than most people. I was raised to follow through and stay strong, so that's what I do. It makes me an effective soldier. It might not make me a very nice person to talk to, but I'm not much for talking, so who really cares? We're generally very easy to pick out in a crowd, because we have darker skin than everyone else. We don't all have the same shade, of course. Ender and I have bronze skin, while Kohr, a friend of ours, has dark brown skin. It varies depending upon which clans are in your bloodlines. I think there's also something in all of us that makes it hard to settle in one place for long. If we have to stay rooted in one place, then we have to be actively involved and progressing in something to avoid losing our minds. 

Oh -- and I think most Kiratai believe in some sort of elemental spirits or gods, but again, I was young when I started living with the Khanor, and I don't think our family was typical. I specifically heard my father mention Yahveh a few times, and in my experience, most Yahveh-followers don't tend to believe in other gods. 

Which clan are you from? I'm curious now. 

I don't remember. It wasn't vital information for a five-year-old to know. But I do remember that we lived at the base of a mountain. You could probably find the ruins of the village and see if there's any evidence of which clan built it. 

Fine. What do you like the most about your heritage? 

Like I said, it gives me a backbone. It enables me to get things done when no-one else will. 

And then Lehn teaches you how to be a good person. 

If you say one more word about Lehn, I will cut you. 

No need. *shoves Kyra into the character closet, then quickly locks and bolsters a heavy chair against the door* 

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Well, there you have it, folks. Like I said, I swear she has a heart. She can actually be very protective when she sets her mind to it, and she wouldn't really kill anyone unless it really had to be done. But hey, now you've heard her side of the story, at least as much as she's willing to tell. I can rat her out further, if you wish. For now, I must be off to eat dinner. Dinner is important. Feel free to ask any further questions in the comments below. Maaaaaybe I can even drag Kyra back in here to answer them. Maybe. Otherwise, I'll answer them for her (i.e., I can answer them out of character; I'm not quite so insane as to actually believe she's a real person, or at least not yet). 

Ask Kyra!

Hello again, fellow digressors. I apologize if I sound a bit scatterbrained today. That's mostly because I am quite scatterbrained at the moment. Ever have all your thoughts decide to play an impromptu game of 'Tag' and tearing off in different directions, scampering up trees and hiding behind bushes, climbing the drainpipes, occasionally chasing after each other, and ignoring all of your pleas to come back inside and help with the chores? Well, that's where I've been for the past few days, and I swear my thoughts have invented a hundred different varieties of tag in the meantime. 

Today Kyra Daehr is here for an interview. This one should be quite interesting. Kyra can be nice when she really wants to be, but she's generally very strongwilled and likes to put on a tough-girl front, so she might not appreciate my asking her questions. But she's one of the more popular characters from 'The Follower', so she really doesn't have much choice in the matter. 

Kyra Daehr

At age nineteen, Kyra Daehr is one of the best fighters in the Khanor Legion, but is better known for the set of claw-like scars that run down the left side of her face. After overcoming numerous hurdles put in place because of her race and gender, she has risen to a position of low command. She was in charge of the patrol that got trapped with another sent by the Reshan Guard, and routinely clashes with Jorthen Lavahr, the leader of the Guard patrol, now that they've been forced to work together. Kyra is the second-born child in her family, of which she and her elder brother Ender are the only survivors after Saethen (demon-dragons) and their servants laid waste to the village where the family lived. Kyra has few friends, but she is close with Lehn Sohran, and tolerates his younger sister, Shaetha. Kyra has a special passion for knives and for hand-to-hand combat, and excels at nearly everything she tries. Her Kirat heritage contributes to her fiery temperament, but (and she would never admit this) the proper trigger disables her by pulling her into memories of her encounters with the Saethen. Overall, she's not someone to be crosses, but she's not nearly as heartless as she'd like others to believe. Usually, Lehn is the only person she trusts enough to show her vulnerable side, and like Dertryn Jesyn (previously interviewed), is reluctant to discuss her family or childhood. It should be noted that Kyra was taken captive by the Saethen shortly after Dertryn was, and escaped around the same time or slightly later. Dertryn says someone helped him escape. It is possible that the same someone was involved in Kyra's escape. It is unlikely that she made it out on her own. 

Aaaaand that's all my scattered brain is giving me. Feel free to ask any questions below. Kyra has gotten a little more open recently, so she might not be quite as difficult as she would normally be. Maybe. We'll see. 

OH. Kyra and Sohrem do not get along at all. Ironic, considering that both of their ethnic backgrounds make other people less prone to trust them. One would think they would band together a little more, or at least not make it their mutual life goal to get each other hung from the gallows. But nope. 

Character Interview #5: Dertryn Jesyn

Hello, fellow digressors. I apologize for my lack of activity on the blog lately -- my addled (read: demented) brain has not been cooperating. I did, however, get some work done on a prequel novella focusing on Talsyn Lethar, Siran Lethar, and Rystar Teln. It's fun. And also painful. They're all so cute... *sniffs* Oh, also, I've been on book withdrawal, because I just finished Jill Williamson's 'Blood of Kings' trilogy, and it was pretty much the best thing ever. I've had a hard time moving on. I mean, how do you move on from something so awesome? Anybody have any ideas? 

ANYWAYS. 

This week, Dertryn Jesyn showed up for an interview, and you all were kind enough to submit questions so that his poor author wouldn't have to come up with them on her own. (No really, you have no idea how much I appreciate y'all's participation. *initiates group hug* Now I just need to step up my game a bit. Character interviews are fun, but I do want to offer other things along with them.) 

(Thanks to the lovely Elizabeth Liberty Lewis for adding the scars!)

What exactly happened while you were captured to leave you scarred? 

My author failed to mention that I don't talk about that time of my life. 

*holds up Dertryn's only remaining relative threateningly* 

Fine. It was more or less a branding. I have other, less visible scars, but the ones on my face were deliberate, left there to remind me that I belonged to the Saethen. I believe Kyra Daehr could elaborate on the process. It involved demon-dragons dragging their claws down my face and leaving some burning substance in the wounds that kept them from fading. It was all very twisted, really. I prefer to think of them as battle scars. 

You do that. What were the captors like? 

Madmen and cowards, most of them. The dragons did little with me directly. It was mostly left up to the men in their employ to break me. I think the idea was to either kill me or wear me down so much that I would gladly join them. A few men protested to the idea of torturing a child, but it didn't end well for them. After that, most of the guards gladly did their part. There was one who broke the mold, but I doubt he's still alive. He helped me escape, and I'll be eternally grateful, but if he's still breathing, he's probably had that last shred of decency beaten out of him by now. 

Mhm. I'm sure. Do you have any lady friends? 

...Could you clarify? 

Lady friends. You know, anyone you're romantically interested in or who is similarly interested in you. 

I don't see how that's anyone's business but my own. I'm not attached to anyone, if that's what you're wondering. I've had a few relationships, but they were all short-lived. Apparently. I'm too hardened for most women's tastes, and the women who are attracted to that aspect of my personality aren't exactly the women I'd keep company with, if you see what I mean. 

What was your best memory from when you were a kid? 

Probably the time Paeren took us to the dragon pens. 

Paeren...? 

...Father. You can't tell me you didn't know that. 

For all you readers at home who can't observe Dertryn's physical reactions to my questions, the look he's currently giving me says something akin to, "You are an idiot." 

You fool around too much. Anyhow, when I was young, Paeren took us to the dragon pens. They weren't literal pens, you understand, but they served the same purpose. Think a horse ranch, except with dragons. Paeren even let me ride with him for a few minutes before he had to leave. Nolan wouldn't even go near the things -- said they looked hungry. He was more interested in whatever book he'd brought along that day. This all happened before the Saethan-servants invaded, of course, so I wasn't afraid of the dragons. They excited me. I could talk of nothing else the whole way home. A week before, I would have jabbered on about a trip outdoors in the same way. I was easily excited. 

You were adorable. And hyperactive. I seem to recall that Nolan hardly got a moment of peace. Have you found yourself confronted with any fangirls? Or have the fangirls all avoided you so far? 

Fangirls, no. Interested persons, occasionally. I think my author only wrote me into about three or four scenes in her book, so it's likely that most people have forgotten I exist by now. Which is fine by me. 

You do know that you're a semi-major character in the next book, right? 

...I was trying to forget that, actually. 

Oh, okay. Well, I'll just keep reminding you, then. What is your dragon Tyri like? Does he feel like a friend to you? 

First off, he is a she. And she isn't especially fond of battle. She'll go into it if I urge her enough, but she's more like a big, scaly, winged dog than anything else. She's black, with silver eyes, and doesn't like people in general. I know people have all these ideas about dragon-riders having a mental connection with their dragons, but that's a myth. We form bonds, but it's the same as any bond a man might form with a favorite dog or a horse he often rides into battle. In that sense, Tyri is bonded to me and no-one else. We were sort of assigned to each other years ago. When I got back to Serdakai territory-- 

Serdakai? Wait, is that the possessive form of 'Serdak'? All these vocabulary words... 

You invented these words and these phonetics. Stop pretending you don't know them. 

Fine, Mister Grumpy-Gills. Continue. 

Gills...? *sighs* Anyhow, when I got home, I was terrified of dragons. That was a slight problem, since our entire culture revolves around the breeding, raising, and training of dragons. It's rather hard to navigate one's way through the mountain without them. Too many pits and drop-offs that would be impossible to cross. So my fear of them was unacceptable. But they couldn't get me to go anywhere near the creatures, so they gave up. Then Tyri came along, and they tried preliminary training with her, but she was too skittish. They didn't know what to do with either of us, so an old friend of Paeren's suggested pairing us. She was small and non-threatening enough that she didn't scare me, and I didn't try to force her to do anything until we were used to each other, so I guess I became her person. Eventually I trained her, and over time I was able to work around other dragons, as well. So it worked out. She's still lazy. And very protective. It's like having a jealous girlfriend with claws and sharp teeth. 

I certainly hope she hasn't eaten any real potential girlfriends. That would be unfortunate. Do you have a favorite food? 

I don't have much preference. We have limited resources inside the mountain, and prolonged trips outside are risky, so anything that originates on the surface is a luxury. I suppose I like apples. I had one once a few years ago, and it was good. Otherwise, I'll eat what I'm given. 
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Well, there it is. Mister Grumpy-Gills made an appearance and actually answered the questions given, for the most part. Or should he be Mister Grumpy-Scales, since he's a dragon-rider...? What do you think? Do you have any more questions now that you know a little bit about the character? This whole interview thing is helpful in keeping him away from Kyra and Sohrem. None of them get along particularly well with each other. 

Anyways, I must be off now. Although I have done some work in that novella I mentioned (which currently has no title), I have done nothing in 'The Rescuer' in a couple of days. I need to go do that. *is distracted by her shiny signed copy of 'Captives' by her favorite author*

No. No distractions. I must be productive. I must cease my continual ramblings and focus my attentions on something worthwhile, something that will make the world a better place. I must cease my digressing once and for all!

...Ha.

Ask Dertryn!

Hello, fellow digressors! Well, as seems to be the case quite often these days, I am a little behind schedule. I have not yet written a NaNo post, and this is quite late in the day to be sharing an intro to a character interview. But that's okay -- Dertryn, at least, is used to waiting. And to disappointed, he'd probably say. (He's nice enough, but he's had a rough life. Of course he has -- he's one of my characters, isn't he?) 

Dertryn Jesyn

Dertryn Jesyn is twenty-three, and the second-born child of Sern and Syra Jesyn. His elder brother, Nolan, died at age fifteen, and Syra perished the same night. Despite Sern's efforts to prevent it, the assailants took Dertryn -- then eight years old -- and turned him over to the Saethen in a nearby Lair. Miraculously, he made it out alive, but (contrary to what this extremely hard to find picture might indicate) came out scarred, both mentally and physically, and none of his family remained in the area to help him. (Sern went looking for him, but he went in entirely the wrong direction.) Due to his experiences with the Saethen (demon-dragons), Dertryn had a hard time returning to the dragon-centric culture of the Serdak. But he managed to bond with a more docile dragon named Tyri, and has managed to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a dragon-rider (like Sern). He went looking for his father at age sixteen, but upon their reunion, discovered that Sern had adopted another boy about Dertryn's age. Hurt and outraged, he returned to the mountains with no intention of speaking with either his father or his adoptive brother, Sheth, again. Fate denied his wishes again, however, and he is now tasked with helping Sern, Sheth, and a group of other travelers return home, and has a hard time setting aside old grudges to reconcile and help them. As a child, he was very energetic and friendly. Time has made him more somber, but he still enjoys the occasional joke, so long as he gets to nix anything that he doesn't think is funny. He enjoys archery, solitary rides with Tyri, and the occasional book. While he cannot deny the existence of the supernatural, he is reluctant to acknowledge it, as such acknowledgement brings back unpleasant memories. Many would say he takes after his father, though he would deny it. (Personally, I don't think those protests will hold up for long. He is a lot like Sern.) 

Anyways, Dertryn will be taking your questions from now through Wednesday, and then I will coerce him into answering them and post the results for you to enjoy. I promise, he won't kill anyone. He might want to (since he does take after his father, and Sern fantasizes about punching irritating people more than he'd care to admit), but he won't act on it. He can be friendly when he sets his mind to it. 

Character Interview #4: Yannah Delraen

Hello again, fellow digressors! This past Saturday, I opened up my character, Yannah Delraen, for an interview. For those who might not be aware, this is Sheth's girl, the one on whom Sohrem had a crush strongly enough to make him try to kill Sheth. Yeah, it was interesting. But anyways, here are the answers to your most pressing questions. 

What is being in the Guard like? 

It's not quite what I expected. I mean, I knew that except near the borders, the Guard was fairly inactive. We don't get that many conflicts with other nations these days. But life at the base is actually a little boring outside of training sessions. But that could just be because I was among the younger recruits, so we had to take classes and such. Things get a lot more exciting on patrols. Or at least on the only one I've joined so far. But at the base, since I'm grouped with the newer recruits, it gets extremely tiresome. You'd think people joining the military would at least know how to act their age. They don't. Believe me. The officers are fine, and the people who have some experience under their belt are generally manageable. But I wouldn't be surprised if all recruits under the age of nineteen were discharged for disorderly conduct within the next six months. 

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised, either. But if they're not discharged, at least you can have the satisfaction of knowing that you'll probably advance more quickly than they will. Maybe. What was the hardest part about having to take care of your younger brothers? Or was it all extremely challenging? 

The hardest part was convincing them that they weren't going to lose me, too. Mother died, Aviram ran away, and Father acted like we didn't exist. But in the end, they lost me anyways. And I always knew deep down that it would happen, so it felt like I was lying to them. But I had to, or they would have lost whatever hope they had left, and where would we have been then? So I guess that was the hardest part. 

If you were suddenly reunited with your younger brothers and the government allowed you to take care of them again, would you leave the Reshan Guard without a moment's hesitation? Even if it meant not being able to say goodbye to the people you met there and leaving them all behind? 

I promised I would come back for them. So I guess I wouldn't have much of a choice. 

What about Sheth? 

He would understand. Or... he would recover. But either way, I have to look after my family, no matter what else I lose in the process.  

Which one of your brothers were you closest with? 

Aviram and I were close for a long time. I was his little sister, and we were both "big siblings" to the younger boys. I mean, the age gap between me and Rens is -- 

Whoa, hold up. Let's just clarify here: How old are your younger brothers, and what are their names? 

...Rensan is fourteen, Shan is eleven, and Joram is eight. 

Got it. Continue. 

I was just going to say that the age gap between me and Aviram is only a little wider than the gap between me and Rens, but I'm... older, I guess, in personality. So it sort of felt sometimes like Aviram and I were parents and our brothers were our children. After Mother died, he got... distant... but we were close once. 

Were you closest to your father or your mother? 

My mother, definitely. My father was... He wasn't cruel or anything. I did love him. Whether he loved me back is debatable. But Mother and I were more alike in personality and beliefs, and the two of them fought so much that I just found it hard to be close to him while I was still close to Mother. 

What are some of your fondest memories about your mother? 

...I... Carissa, I don't want to answer this question. 

Well, you have to. 

Well, I don't want to. 

I wasn't giving you a choice. 

I'm not. Answering. This. 

Come on, kiddo -- it's just a simple question. 

About my mother. 

Yes! 

My dead mother. 

Yeeeeesssss. 

I don't talk about my mother. 

You just did two seconds ago. 

No. 

I'll hurt Sheth. 

You do that fairly frequently. 

I'll hurt him again, and it will be your fault. 

You already did that. 

JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION, WOMAN. 

...No. I don't think I could choose one memory, anyways. They're all painful now. 

All this time, and you still don't have one memory you can look back on and be happy? 

I'm happy for about two seconds before I remember that she's dead. 

Well, what's a memory that makes you happy for two seconds? 

...I guess the time we stayed up late sewing a new tunic for Aviram's birthday. I was anything but a seamstress, so we kept having to yank out stitches. But she always had this way of making me laugh when I was upset. And I swear she intentionally made mistakes just to make me feel better. You could never tell with her. Then Joram came in and wanted to help, so she let him. That was one of the sloppiest tunics I've ever seen, but Aviram actually wore it a lot after that. I'm not sure whether it amused him, or whether Mother asked him to do it. But... actually, that was Aviram's last birthday before... See, this is why I didn't want to answer this question. 

Okay, okay. You can go now if you want. 

But now your readers will think I'm some stubborn, spoiled little brat like Dehlara. 

Ha. I think that's the first time you've called her that out loud. 

...I-i have to go. 

--------------------------------------------------- 

Well, there she goes, folks. I remembered about two-thirds of the way through this interview that Sohrem was attracted to her temper. That might have been a useful thing to take into account while I asked the questions. However, it did not occur to me until too late. She's generally kind and likes to help, but once she's decided to be stubborn about something... Jinkies. 

Okay, well, thanks for reading! Did you enjoy this interview? I'd love to hear your thoughts! (And I'm sorry about that spell where I didn't reply to any comments; I shall make an effort to be better about that now. Y'all are cool people.) Feel free to ask any questions that might take your fancy (serious or no) in the comments.

I shall also try to come up with a non-interview-related post in the next couple of days. Maybe something about NaNo, eh? A lot of people I know have written blog posts and such about NaNoWriMo already (some before the event began), and I haven't yet. That might be a good topic. And I have this terrible habit of jumping onto bandwagons as they're rolling off into the sunset. You guys have any ideas as to what I should choose as a topic? You're the readers, after all. I'm just a rambling, crazy writer sitting in a room with a laptop and a ton of books. How am I supposed to know what the public wants? Well, I guess I have a general idea, but... 

But, um... but whatever I was saying, I'm sure I digress.