Exiled: Autumn's Peril Character Interview

Again, many thanks to Ginger for hosting this Blog fest. What a wonderful collection of stories, bios and chapters. My "to be Read" list doubled and trebled. It is expanding exponentially.

Tonight the main character from Exiled: Autumn’s Peril, Rosalie Skinner’s forthcoming Fantasy from Enspiren Press was supposed to join us for an interview.

Apparently, he is still unavailable for a chat. Never the less, in his place we have Gwilt who has been involved in the story since the early days.

Interviewer: So Gwilt, welcome. It’s great to be in contact with you. Seems as though our main man is not available?

Gwilt: It’s good to be able to talk this way. Caleath is not here at present.

Interviewer: Never mind. We appreciate your time. Now you realize that this week we are interviewing for a Romance writer's blog?

Gwilt: 'Romance' 'blog'? Romance I can understand. Blog? Does it matter if your terms sound alien to me? I have nothing against aliens, mind, and have never let not understanding terms stand in the way of a good story.

Interviewer: Well, perhaps if we can keep our focus on Romance. Even though Exiled: Autumn's Peril is classed as a Fantasy, there are elements of Romance in the story aren't there? Even though Caleath’s story doesn't fit the Romance genre.

Gwilt: (laughs) We can still appreciate when two people are drawn together. I don’t think that changes, no matter what else is going on around them.

Interviewer: There is that. I believe Caleath is a Fantasy hero, not a romantic one at all.

Gwilt: You haven’t met him then, have you? I think most of the ladies who cross his path would not turn him away, if he found time to spend in their company. At least that’s the impression I have. Mind, there are days when it would be wise not to cross his path.

Interviewer: Tell me more.

Gwilt: Ahh, I’d rather not. Perhaps discretion is advised. Talking about Caleath or his romantic side is not in my best interests.

Interviewer: You are not afraid of him?

Gwilt: (clears throat) No. Not at all. I don’t want him to think his private life is under public scrutiny. He’s already dealing with that. Some days he deals, some days he doesn’t. Just lately, he’s been a little tetchy. I’d rather not have him find out later that we’ve been talking about him, especially if we were to mention Nasith.

Interviewer: He is not comfortable talking about her? Why is that? They seem to get along well enough after their initial animosity.

Gwilt: Isn’t it obvious? Caleath is besotted by the woman.

Interviewer: Besotted, an odd term to use. Refers to drunken behavior rather than infatuation.

Gwilt: Where Nasith is concerned Caleath might be better off drunk. I believe he would risk all to keep her safe. Despite knowing she cannot think of ever continuing a relationship with him, whenever her name is mentioned he becomes defensive. I do my best to make him see reason and he’s not an easy man to talk around.

Interviewer: Do you see him as a romantic hero?

Gwilt: He would never admit to such a thing, not aloud. I have seen him watching Nasith and I know better. If you talk to him, Nasith is not a subject I would broach.

Interviewer: That’s not giving me a lot to go on then.

Gwilt: Well, if you want to talk Romance. Why not talk to me?

Interviewer: Forgive me, but I don’t see you as a lead romance in the story.

Gwilt: Ahh, but the real romance wasn’t actually set down on parchment. Probably because the term you use ‘falling in love’ doesn’t actually exist in our terminology. Caleath told me about the idea of romantic love. He said it was peculiar to old Earth. Most of the population of the planet strived to find their perfect partner in a fairytale type relationship. Well, if that’s the romance you refer to… I can tell you, there was another meeting of like souls during Caleath’s adventure.

Interviewer: And you have the details? Please enlighten us.

Gwilt: How long do you have? It would be my pleasure to tell you how I met Larissa. I am afraid the author of Caleath’s quest failed to realize people’s interest in true romance. Imagine neglecting to pen our story, in favor of his. Such an oversight. Still there is yet time.

Interviewer: I would be interested to hear your story. Was it love at first sight?

Gwilt: Love at first sight? I am not sure about ‘love’, but my heart quickened. Where my glib tongue usually delivered words flawlessly, suddenly I could not speak coherently. My senses beheld Larissa as a vision of unspeakable beauty. Her voice, lilting music, her scent as sweet as spring blossoms, uninvited my body trembled and blood thudded through my veins. From that first moment, I found every thought twisted toward arranging another meeting. Sadly, we parted within hours, but at no time since that day, have I thought of Larissa without the same quickening of my pulse and tight longing in my chest.

Interviewer: Sounds like love to me.

Gwilt: There you go. I could be your romantic hero.

Interviewer: So you could, if we had more time. Sadly our connection is breaking up. Perhaps another time. Thank you Gwilt. It has been a pleasure.

(transmission ends)

Rosalie Skinner

Author of Exiled: Autumn's Peril

Read the first chapter at Bebo.

Become a fan and meet the author.

Character interview from Exiled: Autumn's Peril

Many thanks to Ginger for hosting this blog. With all the terrific blog entries already posted, I wondered if an interview with Caleath, the hero of the forthcoming Fantasy ‘Exiled: Autumn’s Peril' by Rosalie Skinner might interest our readers.

(The novel is set on the planet of where Caleath has been surviving in exile. This is a planet where nano-technology is considered magic, while magic is considered commonplace and doesn’t involve microchips or gene enhancement.)

Unfortunately, Caleath is unavailable at this time. He is nothing if not reclusive. Perhaps later he will reconsider and talk to us. In the meantime, we have managed to make contact with Nasith, the female lead character from the novel.

Interviewer: Nasith, thank you for taking time to talk with us.

Nasith: Hello. Are you a disembodied spirit or another of Caleath’s alien artifacts? He’s no longer with us. South. He rode south. Alone.

Interviewer: Easiest answer would be ‘an artifact’. Nasith, you sound disappointed that Caleath left, yet he took you as a hostage. Would you tell us a little about your experience?

Nasith: I have time on my hands. For once, we are warm and reasonably safe. What would you like to know?

Interviewer: First impressions are always interesting. What did you make of being abducted on your way to Sharyac’s Tor?

Nasith: (sighs) Seems like a lifetime ago. So much has changed since then.

Interviewer: The same peril still threatens the south.

Nasith: I guess I mean the way I feel about Caleath. That night I tried to kill him. He’s not easy to kill but I wonder now if my heart was in it. One of the men I traveled with was trying to kill him. I was not.

Interviewer: You tried to kill him? That’s not surprising given the circumstances.

Nasith: Before he grabbed me and threw me across the shoulder of his horse I had no dealings with Caleath, but I knew of his plight. If asked at the time I would have said I felt pity for the man. The men who hunted him were driven by dark magic. I had no reason to want to see him hurt, until he used me as a human shield. He bruised my ego, rumpled my pride, nothing else. Now I realize I overreacted, but then it was a dark and desperate night. I felt justified in my actions. Later I came to regret them.

I am rambling. Being clean and able to relax, it’s such a pleasure. What was the question?

Interviewer: We are interested in your first impressions of Caleath. Wanting to hurt him seems natural, since he abducted you.

Nasith: The assassin hunting Caleath gave him little scope for niceties. He took a hostage, me, rather than having to kill the man. I didn’t know that at the time. Then I was afraid. He seemed so angry, frighteningly confident despite being hurt, and somehow vulnerable at the same time. He’s still confusing, but he doesn’t frighten me anymore.

Interviewer: When did your impression begin to change?

Nasith: It was only later, when I managed to get him to talk that I discovered more about him. He actually took good care of me. Despite the hurt I caused. When we faced danger he would protect me, leaving himself vulnerable rather than risk my safety. I was his hostage for only a short time. When he discovered who I was, I believe he saw my presence as a burden but he accepted responsibility even though he says he doesn’t belong on this world.

Interviewer: You knew from the start that he was from another world?

Nasith: The assassin spoke freely about his origins. Only Caleath seemed to find his past a painful topic. Revenge drove him, and the need to escape from this planet. The things he has done, to survive, to escape. I find myself wondering if I know him at all. He confuses me, even now. I miss him and long for his touch one moment and want him out of my life the next. How odd is that!

Interviewer: What does the future hold?

Nasith: Our immediate future is blighted by the looming threat from the south. Here in Sharyac’s Tor we hope to arrange an alliance to combat this unnatural menace. Or do you mean a future that involves Caleath?

Interviewer: I was thinking more along the lines of a relationship between you and Caleath.

Nasith: Some moments I dream of nothing else. As I said, in his arms I feel safe. Looking into his eyes, they are as changeable as the ocean, I am afraid of drowning. I have spent too many hours watching him wondering what makes him do the things he does. The way he moves, it’s almost poetry. A lethal sort of poetry, it’s like watching a predatory cat and it is as compelling. And yet, he has the ability to make me feel extraordinarily special and more sensual than I believed possible. He is considerate, strong, has a depth of compassion I have never seen before. His touch is electric. (sighs) Then I find myself despising him and the lengths he has gone to, the long-term threat of invasion he has created, and I tell myself I am glad he is a dead man walking.

Interviewer: Dead man walking? That’s an odd term for someone who is hard to kill?

Nasith: He took me hostage. My people will see that there is retribution. It does not matter that he took care of me, or that I chose to accompany him in the end. My abduction is unforgivable. He will pay with his life. I cannot let myself become involved. Do you think me heartless?

Interviewer: It is not for me to judge.

Nasith: There, now you sound like him. I think we have spoken long enough. Good night.

(transmission ends)