#CharactersTell Background Characters - Interview with Joshua Freeman

Hello people, and welcome back to the #CharactersTell interviews! To finish our February schedule, today we've got a Background Character - someone taken from the nameless, faceless crowds of an author's work and put into the spotlight to explore their point of view as well.

For our first Background Character interview, we have Joshua Freeman, a detective of the Charleston Police Department.

And she has a lovely smile too!

He comes from "Deja Vu", an upcoming romantic suspense novel from author Hollie Hausenfluck (which you should totally follow on Twitter using this link).

She has a blog too, which you should absolutely take a look at, and you can just following this link!

But enough dilly-dallying around, let's get to it shall we? Here's the interview!

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Well hello there! It’s a pleasure to have you here with us tonight! Can you introduce yourself, the book you come from and your author?

My name is Joshua Freeman, rookie homicide detective with the Charleston police department. Apparently Hollie Hausenfluck is writing a novel called Deja Vu, where I will be making my debut appearance as “uncredited rookie cop”. *waves* Hi mom!

Well hello Joshua! It’s a pleasure to meet you! So, a rookie detective, huh? How are you finding your job so far? You must see your fair share of weird stuff…

Oh yeah. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff people do to each other. I've only been a detective for a few months now, and it's a lot of work, but it's awesome. I work with some really amazing people.

I can imagine that… You seem very fond of your coworkers! Is there someone you’re particularly inspired by?

There's this one detective, I think her name's Hayden Howell. Honestly, she's kinda scary, so I've been trying to keep my distance. She seems to know what she's doing though, so I guess it's okay that she's a total you-know-what.

There’s no reason to censor yourself here, we’ll make sure she doesn’t read this interview… Why is she scary? How does she usually behave?

Well if I'm being frank then, she's a total bitch. She just seems to have a short fuse and boy you should see her with detective Detweiler. The way those two bicker back and forth, it's like listening to my younger twin brothers argue over whose turn it is to play the video game, except with a lot more swearing. I heard she even punched him.

Wow, she definitely sounds like she has a very short temper. And despite that you still find inspiration in her? How so?

She's a cold blooded killer catching machine. She brings in so many perps and gets them to confess in a matter of minutes. I'm not sure what she's doing in that interview room, but when she comes out with the guy or gal, they look like they've seen the grim reaper. It's like a gift or something, I don't know man.

Damn, she’s that good? Do you think higher ups might be closing an eye on her behaviour for the result she brings home? And have you ever thought about asking her, or someone that works close to her?

She's damn good. I think everyone's just kind of used to her snide comments and temper and it's just what we've come to expect at work. I'm just speculating here, but deep down, she could be a nice person, she just prefers to be a bitch because it's more fun and she doesn't have to open herself up to anyone. I will say though, ever since her and Detweiler started bumping uglies, she seems to be a little less of a bitch. Maybe she just needed to get some. Who knows?

Mh, I see. At the very least she can be a nice person, and it seems like things are starting to get better with her. Think the upwards curve will continue? Perhaps if it does you can finally find out what she does in the interrogation room!

I damn sure hope so. Things seem to be going okay for now. Maybe the captain will let me work with her once her partner, Ramirez, retires. He's had some health issues recently, so he's gonna be retiring at the end of the summer.

Awh, I’m sorry to hear that. Then again, an opportunity for you to rise the ranks!

So, tell us, how did you decide to enter in this line of work? It’s not really a common choice.

I think it has something to do with the murder of a classmate of mine. In middle school she was walking to school through the woods and someone attacked her and killed her. It took the police almost fifteen years to solve the case. It shouldn't take that long to give someone's family closure. So I decided I wanted to see if I could change that. Plus, I really liked CSI growing up, though it's completely different in real life.

Oh, I’m very sorry about your classmate. And I completely agree, it shouldn’t take that long to bring a criminal to justice. Have you already worked successfully on some cases? One that remained in your mind?

I recently solved a case of jealous girlfriend versus cheating boyfriend. It was pretty straightforward. She caught him cheating, pushed him out the window, and then tried to run for it. She didn't get far before we caught up to her and she confessed after a few hours in the interrogation room. She cried like a baby through the whole thing.

Some people cry over spilt milk, she cried over a spilt boyfriend, I guess. And how are you finding the city? Do you see yourself staying here or do you aim to go work somewhere else?

I was born and raised in Charleston, SC. K don't think that's going to change anytime soon. It's actually a really nice place go live once you get over the traffic and constant tourists. Most people are pretty friendly, you know that whole southern hospitality thing.

And speaking of friendliness… It is February, so you know what sort of question I’m contractually obligated to ask. Any particularly friendly person in your life, if you know what I mean?

Meh. Who has time for that kind of stuff? I had a casual friends with benefits thing going on with a girl in my building, but she started to get too clingy.

Sticking to the lone detective thing for now, huh? Well, you never know what the future means… Now, you did say you loved CSI.. Give us your best one-liner after catching the perp. I know you want to. I can even give you the sunglasses if you need them.

Umm… You're totally putting me on the spot here, but I guess since I'm a huge David Caruso fan, I'll say, “Bet you didn't think you would be going to jail so soon.”

Feels weird to be on the other side of the questioning fence, doesn’t it? Anyway, our time is almost up! Do you have something you want to say to our readers?

I guess I would say thanks for listening to me ramble and I hope you all enjoy Deja Vu. Look for me in the background of the bullpen, I'll be the one sitting at his desk, pretending to look busy.

I’m sure we will enjoy it a lot! Thank you for your time and your disponibility! I’ll definitely keep an eye out to see how your career is going!

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And this concludes another lovely interview with another interesting character! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

Starting with the first of March, we'll have another Main Character on the spot, and it can very well be YOUR Main Character from YOUR book!

To apply for the spot, just send me a Direct Message on Twitter! You can find the button to do just that on the right-hand sidebar!

See you all soon!

#CharactersTell Secondary Characters - Interview with Nathaniel Adler

Welcome back #CharactersTell crowd! Our interview last week saw us speak with quite the charming and well-mannered antagonist, and today is no different!

And who wouldn't spend time with her with such a cute name!

Our guest tonight is Nathaniel Adler, from the novel 'Trigram' written by Avrin Kelly, and you can find her novels and anthologies on her Amazon store page here!

She's also present on Twitter (and you should absolutely follow her) and aside from being the main forces responsible for me getting into blogging. She has her own blog, Wicked Shorts, which is an amazing place to go to if you're a fan of the fantastic and the creepy!

But that's enough of us blabbering about, let's get to our honored guest!

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Good evening to you too, and welcome to our interview for the side character week! Can you introduce yourself, the book you’re from and your author?

“Yes, it would be my pleasure. My name, is Nathaniel Adler. I’m twenty four years old, and my brother is a Warlock. I’m from the novel “Trigram” (so I’m told) by Avrin Kelly. I’ve never met the author, but I’m told it’s a woman…with a man’s name evidently.”

Ah yes, reminds me of some ‘Andrea’s’ here in Italy. But let’s talk about you. So you’re the brother of a Warlock? Is he more on the ‘Main Character’ side or is he more on the ‘Antagonist’ side?

“Considering what I know about my brother, Thierry, he’s a bit of both. He tends to do whatever he wants in life, then, he turns around and preaches to me about right and wrong.”

*scoffs*

“He tries, you know, to be good I suppose. But I am the dutiful one in the family. As a Scholar, I’m immune to most magics (not Warlock magics), but, Thierry would never hurt me. I don't think.”

That sounds like quite the interesting family history you’ve got there. What’s a Scholar, and how did you find out you’re one?

“A Scholar is a man immune to magic. I believe Scholars were put on Earth to police the world of Witchcraft (as we are its polar opposite). No spell can touch us. Our name has been earned over the centuries. Scholars being the only entities on this planet strong enough to raid a coven of Witches and confiscate their most dangerous spells. If it weren’t for us, the world we live in now would be very different. Imagine if Witches could do whatever they wanted without consequence? They fear us. We, as Scholars can null their entire genetic line--- if our Council sees fit to do so.”

What was it like growing up with Thierry Adler?

“Growing up with Thierry was mostly fun. He was my best friend until he went off to boarding school in the States. He left me with our father, Samson Adler. Samson is the Luminary of the Scholarly Council, and as his son, I’m like a prince… in a way.”

A life predisposed for greatness from an important bloodline, then. How did you take the news of Thierry being a Warlock, instead of a Scholar like you and your Father?

*Laughs bitterly*

“The news? No one told me anything. Everything I’ve learned about my brother I found out via my computer. Thierry abandoned our family when he discovered what he was. He didn’t say goodbye. He didn’t trust me with his secret. He just left us. Me. It took me months to find him, but when I did... well, that was as shocked as I’d ever seen him. Serves him right for being a coward.”

It must not have been easy to find out your brother went missing like that. Do you still feel resentful for what he did, or did you two manage to rekindle your friendship without a hitch?

“I’m still angry as fuck.”

*face gets red, but then, he collects himself*

“His absence taught me that---- no one can be trusted. You can only depend on yourself. Also, with his unique ability to Travel between worlds, I figure he can be useful. You see, I’m looking for a ring that has the same ability to Travel that my brother has. Thierry is the only one equipped to go out and find it. Now that his friend Io has gone missing, I’m sure he’ll be much more interested in finding the ring that ripped her out of this world. And when he does, I’ll be there to take it off his hands.”

Wow, yeah, still quite the sentiment. Have you ever envied him for his place in the world? You seem to speak about his abilities as something quite rare and unique. Do you think he’s the right person to wield them?

“That’s a hard one… Mmmm. I don’t envy him his powers. Most people think he’s a freak. Warlocks are made when a Witch and a Scholar have a male child together, and even then, it doesn’t always take. It’s damn near impossible. So when one is born, people credit it as being the will of the gods. That, if he’s here, then he’s meant to be.

“Should he have his powers? I don’t know, but if I had them, I’d be much more creative about using them. That's the problem with Thierry. No imagination. Just pure bull-headed willpower. I keep telling him to take the time to stop and think. But-----”
*taps his head a finger*
"He never does."

You could always manipulate him and try to give him ‘ideas’...

“Yeah. Have you met Thierry Adler? He's about as influential as a brick. And stubborn as a mule.”

Heh. Point taken. So your mother was a witch then? You didn’t mention her earlier.

*Takes a deep breath*

“My mother was a human woman. Thierry is only my half brother. My father drove her to commit suicide when I was still in diapers. That's the kind of man Samson Adler is. Thierry's mother was a Witch. But she's dead.”

Are you afraid you’re gonna become like him? Or...perhaps he is more like a role model? There’s something to be said about ruthlessness in such a position of power, after all.

“Thierry says I’ve turned into our father. That I’m becoming a monster, but he doesn’t know the truth. He’s not the only one on a mission. I have my own life's work: to free Witches and other supernatural creatures from the tyranny of the Scholarly Council. We should be a democracy. We should vote on the rules, not have them forced upon us by group of men immune to magic. Men like me.”

That’s quite the important and noble mission you’ve taken upon yourself. I hope the best for that...and speaking of which, let’s get to a lighter subject. You know what month it is in our world, right? And what was celebrated yesterday?

“Oh yes, Valentines Day. To be perfectly honest, I’ve got bigger fish to fry. But I do like someone. Quite a bit.”

Oh do you now~ And does this someone know it?

“No. I don’t plan on telling her either. She’s in love with someone else. I’ll give you two guesses as to who, and the first one doesn’t count.”

I’ve made mine, but we’ll let our readers play along. It’ll make it much more fun to find out in Avrin’s works after all. You seem quite driven though - do you see any romantic pursuits for yourself if/ when you manage to accomplish your goals?

“Maybe. I mean, I hope so. I’ve always wanted a family of my own. It's almost like, if I had a place to be and people I belonged to, a wife and a few rugrats, I wouldn’t feel so angry at Thierry anymore. Abandonment issues are a bitch.”

I hope you will manage to get through them and find someone to belong to, sincerely. But for now, our time is almost up - anything you want to say to our readers?

“Yes. As a matter of fact I do.

Those of you out there know who you are. You can’t hide. The revolution is still growing stronger by the day. We will rise. You shall fall. Zedd will see to that.

“Thank you for having me, Manuel, it’s been nice talking to you. Maybe once I take down the council, I can interview you… If I live.”

The pleasure has been mine! And I’m counting on that interview, so I surely hope you’re gonna live through this. Thanks for coming!

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What can I say, two out of three guests that haven't told me to go screw myself...Zoe still holds the record on that one.

It's been an absolute pleasure to have Nathaniel with us, and do remember, you can have your character featured in this blog too! This upcoming week is gonna be Background Characters week, which are amazing to get to know the worlds and settings you guys write about! And after that, we're back at Main Characters!

To partecipate, simply send me a Direct Message on Twitter!

See you soon!

#Characterstell Antagonists: Interview with Trem Descal

Ain't he a charmer?

Dear #CharactersTell crowd, here we are again with the first interview with a character from another author!

This week, since we're talking about antagonists, I invited Trem Descal, a very civilized and well spoken gentleman. Definitely more classy than our last week's guest...

Now I know where Trem got his charm.

He's the antagonist of the decalogy from the talented Nicole Dragonbeck (who you should totally follow on Twitter), and you can find her site here on Wordpress.

The series of books is "The Guardians of the Path", which is available on Amazon! There are already four out, with more to come! They're a great read, so go check them out!

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Well, hello there! Can you introduce yourself to us? Who you are, where are you from, what book you’re from and who is writing it?

My name is Trem Descal, my homeland is Demona, and I am in the book series The Guardians of the Path by Nicole DragonBeck.

Demona is definitely a place we’re not familiar with. Can you tell us something about your world?

Demona is a world of the Path, which is to say, a land of magyc, much like any other. It is a beautiful land, and deserves much more than its current lot. It is peopled by a variety of races, some of which come from other lands, and this causes the problems it so often does –strife, discord, and misery. A tragedy really, as the problems could be so easily fixed.

It sounds like a very interesting place. And you seem to care very much about it. How would you fix these problems?

By eradicating the source of the problems – namely magyc and those who practice it. Not all agree with me, such as the Guardians and their friends, but they are blinded by their adherence to an old way of life,  a way that needs to make way for a better, cleaner way.

So this is what puts you in conflict with the Guardians? What are your thoughts about them? Do you hate them, do you respect them, or do you find them inconsequential to your plans?

Yes, this is the crux of my disagreement with the Guardians. Magyc is weak. Sorcery holds so much more potential. I have no feelings for the Guardians one way or the other. You might say I have some respect for Cedar Jal. He has a remarkable tenacity and dedication to his ideals, which, were we aligned in goal and purpose, would make him a great ally. As to their impact on my plans, they may well hold the most powerful piece of the game – the girl from the Other World called Ria or Aethsiths – but in the end, forces have been put in motion which they cannot overcome or resist forever. As I told Mister Jal, they will see the reason of this new way or they will perish. I am not suggesting it will be by my hand either.

You seem pretty confident in your resources. How did you come to this path? What event made you decide that you needed to take action instead of just looking passively at events unfolding?

In truth, it is not so much my resources as the natural course of things. To answer your question, I was a boy  when my father fell ill, an illness of cursed blood. Magyc was unable to save him, and this opened my eyes to limits and weakness of magyc. It did not take long for me to discover sorcery was a superior alternative, and then to discover sorcery and magyc are not compatible. One had to go, and the choice was easy.

It’s more than understandable as a motivation. Let’s talk about your personal life, shall we? With everything you’re working with, what are some things you enjoy? How do you relax on a day to day basis?

As the Justice of D’Ohera, most of my day is taken up with official business. I do not have much time for myself, especially of late with the return of the Guardians and the appearance of Ria. However, when time permits, I do enjoy reading, particularly the classics, and I find nothing more relaxing than sitting down with a book and a glass of wine, preferably out of  doors. Riding is also enjoyable, and it helps clear my mind.

Justice of D’Ohera? What are your duties as such?

Each city in Demona has a Justice, and I hold that position in D’Ohera. The Justice oversees the Prisons, and presides over all criminal trials with the Magister of Law and a body of seven citizens that make up a jury.

That is quite the important position. Hopefully, it didn’t harden you too much to eschew your thoughts about love...How’s your life in that regard? This month our world celebrates it on the 14th. Is there anything similar there?

Love is dear to most here, though not well understood, and one can find many celebrations of it among the peoples of Demona. The elves are perhaps the most enamored with the concept, and hold a feast on the nights of  the full moon in honor of love. In the  north, they hold a celebration on the first day of Spring, and in the warmer south, a similar celebration is held on the winter solstice. For me, I recognize love as the  unique type of magyc that it is, but like all magyc, it has inherent weaknesses, and so I take care to remove it from my life.

A solitary path… Do you see yourself approaching back to love once the shift is done? Do you feel the need for companionship?

The future is an ever-moving thing, and view of it is not granted to any in this realm. I cannot say what will happen after, however I do not foresee a change of heart. Companionship is only necessary when ones life is lacking, and

I believe that power can fill any hole better than love, for power does not fade with time, nor is it dependant on another for its existence.

Well, our time here is almost up. It’s been a pleasure to get to know you, Trem. Is there anything you’d like to say to our readers? Whatever you wish.

The only thing I would wish to impress upon you  is though different people may look at the world through different eyes, that does not change in fact that the world is a certain way. I hope, should you ever read the story of the Guardians of  the Path, that you will take care to read between the lines, and realize that not everything is as it seems, or as someone says it is. I thank you  for your hospitality, and should you ever find yourself in D’Ohera, please don’t hesitate to call upon me so that I may repay in kind.You can find me in the Justice – the name of the building where my work is done as well as the title I hold.

That’s a very inspiring message to convey. Thank you for your time, Trem, it’s been a pleasure having you with us as well! And we’ll make sure to check out Guardians of the Path to get to know more! I’ll make sure to visit if I ever pass by!

Have a nice day!

And to you.

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So, an applause for Trem! He's been very nice and polite, and I really can't wait to see the other side of the story as well!

And remember, if you like these interviews and want to have your characters as guests on these screens, please send me a Direct Message on Twitter! You can find the button to do so on the right sidebar!

Next week, we'll have a side character, so be ready for our next guest!

On writing when you just can't be arsed

 Let's be honest.

 We've all been there.

 Every writer in existence had at the very least one day where they felt like just the thought of staring at a page full of words was too much. Where even thinking about it makes your brain hurt in ways you don't like.

 There might be all sorts of reasons for that. It can be a bad period, the inspiration just isn't there, you had an awful day and the thought of sitting down and thinking words is making your brain hurt.
 Or you're just a lazy fuck. I know I am.

I mean, if even Robert can be one, we all have an excuse, right?

 Then again, you don't always have the luxury to just lazy around. Deadlines are a thing, and to some of you commissions are another thing - while you might know what you like to write, not always you will like what you have to write. I know. I've been into that position a number of times.

What's the worst that can happen? It can't be that bad, right?

 Actually, it really can be. And I'm talking by personal experience, here.

 If you stop writing one day - and I'm talking about the whole thing, not even thinking about writing, or characters, and so on - you risk to go into a loop and keep avoiding that. The whole 'yesterday I didn't, so today I don't really feel it either' can get to you, and you end up like a floppy little blob on the couch trying to motivate yourself to do something.

This is gonna be you. No, it's not as fun as it looks. Trust me.

 And this is without counting the fact that you might have to deal with deadlines and so on. And that's some stress you don't really need. We're writers, we have enough of that already.

That sounds awful! Whatever shall I do!

 First, tell me to stop writing like an infomercial. I find it unnerving and I wrote it. Brrr.

 Second of all, don't fret - there are a number of ways I've found helped me get through these sort of slumps.

 1. Dedicate some time to at least think about your writing - you don't necessarily need to get words on paper, but develop it in your head. Character progression, scene ideas, etc. Even just scour the internet and use it as research. It's gonna help. It won't create a gap between the days you actually write something or not.

 2. Write shorts tied to your WIP - Maybe you're just tired of writing that character. You got a bit of a burnout. Why not explore the other characters? Hell, why not explore the world you've put them in? What's MC's best friend doing? And best friend's best friend? What is the baker of the auntie of your character's best friend's best friend doing? Allow yourself to think outside the main plot. Look at your world from other sides, and it might just help you get in the mood to get back to the main plot. They won't need to be published, or even seen by any other living being, but they kept you in motion.

 3. Text-based roleplay - I already talked about the benefits of the various kinds of roleplaying in my series dedicated to it, but especially in a slump it might need reiterating - text based roleplay is easy to find, easy to get into, and it's a good way to keep your technical writing in check. It can be a one off, just not to lose the habit of writing something creative, and then back to the WIP. BEWARE: Use with caution, since it can lead to burnout as well.

 4. Just take it easy and relax - Don't let this post make you panic about skipping a writing day or two. Burnout is a reality and can happen, and sometimes we just need to take a break. It's actually more healthy than forcing yourself to work. But it's good to keep in mind the possible drawbacks of it, just to make sure you don't fall into that loop. Remember: knowing the risks helps avoiding them. So just kick back, relax, do something else, ride the writing block out, but remember to get back to it.

But I have a deadline!

 Then that becomes a bit trickier. But there are ways around that as well. Especially if you're trying to write something that you don't fancy or feel, and if you do commissions that can happen - it's not your fault, or the customer's fault, it's a matter of not always knowing what we get into. On concept the idea they want you to write might be amazing, but in reality you might look at the blank page and don't know what to do.

 Here are some ideas:

 1. Try to weave in things you like - As writers, we know that a story is not just a scene: there are little details, little things that all compose a singular work of literature. Yes, you might have a specific guideline for that piece, but the rest is up to you: even something simple as having a side character, or a color, or a piece of something to describe that suits your fancy can help you get through it.

 2. Get technical - The work you're doing is not about the work you're doing. Make it about you. No, I'm not saying to completely ignore the guidelines, but to steel yourself and put yourself in a mindset that says 'I'm good. I'm capable of doing this. I might not like it, but fuck it, I can make even things I don't like writing work. Because I'm a fucking good writer.' Don't take the piece as a chore, take it as a possibility to showcase that yes, even what you don't fancy in your hands turn into bloody gold.

And trust me - you CAN do it.

 3. Focus on the end goal - These sorts of slumps, and this works on both sides, can make you lose track of what you're writing for. They can make you question yourself. Don't fall for that. If you're having a day like this, and you have a deadline and can't take a day off to avoid burnout, keep your mind steeled on the end goal. And this can be showcasing your talent, or some days - and yes, I know it might be heresy to say it outright because it's that part of the business we don't like talking about, I always feel icky about that part myself - the thought of being known, selling and getting paid for your work is a good incentive too. Don't feel ashamed of that. Don't sell yourself out, don't get sloppy just for a paycheck (look above - get technical, you're here to do GOOD work) but the trick is exactly that: work. If you want to make writing your work, that is an aspect too, and not something to be ashamed of. I mean, we all need to eat.

 Mind you, on that last part...it's not easy, quite the contrary. But keeping it as one of your goals can help. And when you've got the clock ticking and no saints to turn to, you can use all the help you can get.  

 So come on. We're writers. Let's keep doing what it says on the can, shall we?