Tag Archives: interviews

Character Interview Ramblings, Too

December 10, 2012 D.A. Adams 6 Comments

As part of the Worlds of Wonder blog hop, today’s post is a second character interview, this time with Molgheon.

Alicia from Texas wants to know – “I am practicing using the long bow myself, haven’t hit the target yet though. Any pointers for beginner archers?”

As a young dwarf, I learned to shoot from my grandmother. We had already been fending off the Great Empire for a few years, and she felt it was important for me to be able to defend myself and my home. At first, I couldn’t even draw back the string, and it was months before I could even get near a target, but she was a steadfast and patient teacher. She took me out every morning before breakfast and every evening after supper to practice. In time, I developed a decent aim, so my best advice is to keep practicing until you know how your bow is going to react. Also, see your arrow striking its target before you let go. See it and know it.

“What would be your most important lessons that you could teach to the world and younger generations?”

Be self-sufficient. Don’t wait for anyone else to do something for you because you are your own champion, and you are your best champion. Whether you are fighting in a war or running a tavern, you are the only one you can truly count on to have your best interests at heart, so don’t wait passively for something to happen. Take action. Be a leader.

“Do you ‘like’ Leinjar?”

If you mean do I respect him, yes. He’s a great leader, much like Red. He’s endured so much pain and suffering but is still at his core a noble dwarf. I would march into battle beside him anywhere at any time because I trust his instincts. He’s good with a blade, too. If you mean do I like him romantically, then I have to say I don’t know. It’s been so many years since I allowed myself to feel those kinds of feelings, I probably wouldn’t even recognize them. Also, my heart will always belong to Carloghone. But I will say this, if peace is ever restored to our lands and Leinjar becomes a family man again, he will make some dwarf very lucky.

“Do you hate all humans (except Red of course)?”

Not all. There are some who have decency in their hearts, but I do hate most, and they have earned that hate through their greed and cruelty. Other than Red, there are few humans I will ever trust.

Carolyn from Georgia asks – “Do you think if you had met Roskin in another time and place perhaps your relationship with him would have been different? And how so?”

He’s lucky he met me old and tired, otherwise I’d have left him somewhere as carrion. That dwarf could drive anyone crazy with his arrogance and foolishness. But he’s learning, I guess. In a way, he reminds me a little of Carloghone. That fool thought he could do anything, too, and usually he could pull it off. One time, before we were married, he learned my unit had stopped in a particular town to rest and resupply for a few days. He snuck away from his platoon, walked three hours to the town to see me for thirty minutes, and then walked three hours back. About the time he got back to camp, his regiment went into battle. Somehow, he lived to tell about it, so of course, I had to marry him.

But you asked about Roskin, and I’ll say about him what I said about Leinjar. One day he’ll make someone lucky, if he grows up a little more and learns to listen better. He has a good heart and is such a handsome dwarf, with that Loorish colored beard and those dark eyes. He’s also the most skilled warrior I’ve ever known, but don’t tell him I said that. His ego is already big enough as it is.

This character interview originally appeared on Bab’s Book Bistro, May 9, 2012.

General Posts

Reader Interview Ramblings

December 9, 2012 D.A. Adams 3 Comments

As part of the Worlds of Wonder blog hop, today’s post is an interview with an avid reader. Lily of Bookluvrs Haven was gracious enough to join the Ramblings and answer a few questions about being a reader:

What is your favorite genre? What about that genre appeals to you the most?

This is such a difficult question because I am a really diverse reader. I enjoy so many genres it is hard to pin point a single favorite. However, after reading ‘The Hunger Games’ series, which I really enjoyed, I began to search for more dystopian novels that are similar to read.

And for some reason, I can’t stop myself from reading anything and everything that has zombies and/or apocalyptic situations. Not sure why, because the idea of either completely freaks me out. Maybe I enjoy reading a good scary story. That would certainly explain my teen obsession with Christopher Pike and R.L. Stine books!

What is your favorite book or series?

So much to choose from, but I will have to hand the title of favorite to ‘The Game of Thrones’ series, by George R. R. Martin. I went through a reading phase of just fantasy novels at one point, I couldn’t get enough.

A co-worker of mine was also a big reader, and we started exchanging books, and he lent me the first book of the series, ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’. Once I got through the first chapter, I was a goner. Everyone ceased to exist around me whenever I had one of those novels in my hand. I will never forget when I walked over to a park during my work lunch hour to do some reading. I burst out into tears on a park bench when I read that one of my favorite characters was killed, and having to explain that to a couple of people that were concerned and asked if I was alright.

I was incredibly excited when I heard that a tv series adaptation was being produced, and love every episode so far.

If you could have lunch with one author still alive today, who would you pick and why?

Being a blogger you get to meet and communicate with many independent authors, published authors and publishing house representatives via the Internet. It has been one of the best and interesting aspects of blogging, to actually interact so much with the people that bring you those stories.

I really can’t choose only one. But the first picks that come to mind are Kenya Wright, author of ‘Fire Baptized’, the Habitat Series and Alicia Wright Brewster, author of ‘Echo’ and ‘Don’t Call Me Angel’. Every interaction with them has been filled with laughter and fun, and I would LOVE to have lunch with them one day and just chat.

How do you feel about movie or TV adaptations of your favorite works?

I get ridiculously excited, but then very nervous. For the most part, there have been very few adaptations that I have found worthy of the novels that inspired them. Once important sequences of events are changed, I become an outraged, ranting beast. When I went to watch “Queen of the Damned’ in the theatres, a movie adaptation of the same titled book by Anne Rice, I almost got up and walked out, because so much had been changed from the book. And I was not happy about it at all.

On the other hand, if you ask me how I like ‘The Game of Thrones’ series, I won’t shut up about how awesome they are. Because so far, they remain true to the books, and to me that is important.

If you as a reader could give advice to young authors, what would you tell them?

Please edit, edit, edit. Don’t be too anxious to publish or cocky with your draft that you don’t put it through the editing cycles. For me, poor editing is distracting and it becomes challenging to connect with the story when you are distracted by editing issues. For others, it is an outright pet peeve that can earn you a really negative reaction. Take the time to edit. You deserve to publish, and we deserve to read your very best final draft.

How often do you write reviews for the books you read? If often, are you more likely to review books you love or hate?

Since starting Bookluvrs Haven with my friend, Erin, in April 2012, I review 99% of the books I read. Whether I liked the book, or hated it, I will review it. I always try to be gracious and sometimes comedic with my thoughts. Writing reviews for books that I ended up not liking is always tough, because you want to be respectful but at the same time express your feelings on the book.

Reading to me is my mental break and brings me enjoyment. Therefore, I ALWAYS choose to read a book that I think will entertain me and that I will really enjoy. Most of the time, I choose well. Sometimes, not so much.

General Posts

Character Interview Ramblings

December 8, 2012 D.A. Adams 3 Comments

I’m playing a little catch up today. As part of The Worlds of Wonder blog hop, here is a character interview with Roskin from The Brotherhood of Dwarves series:

Dianne from Washington – Roskin, tell us about your home and what made you leave?

My kingdom is a wonderful place, full of talented, intelligent dwarves. We have some of the finest poets, musicians, artists, jewelers, and masons you could hope to meet, but for me, I always felt there was more out there, above ground, and I needed to see for myself what the bigger world was like. Maybe it was the elf in me calling me to the forest. Maybe it was youthful curiosity, but the drive to experience the upper world was incessant, so I had to follow it.

I hear you’ve had a difficult time along the way. Did you ever lose sight of your goal?

It’s not so much that I lost sight of the goal as the goal changed. At first, I wanted to find the statue. Then, after I was taken into bondage, I simply wanted to escape. Once Crushaw and the other liberated the plantation, my goal became to return home and make things right in my kingdom. I learned that my original goal was selfish and superficial, so that goal became insignificant to me as I realized that my kingdom, the Kiredurk people, and my friends were far more important.

What was the biggest hardship you faced and why?

Being beaten by the overseer for trying to escape. I was helpless to do anything, and the pain was indescribable. These scars on my back are a reminder each day of the orcs’ cruelty and of the reality of slavery. It was also the first time in my adult life I “met” my mother, so in a way, something good did come out of it.

Tell us about the most interesting person you met, and why he/she was valuable to you.

I can’t narrow it down to one, so I’ll give you the top four in no particular order. Molgheon because she taught me what real courage and loyalty mean. Crushaw because he taught me about leadership. Kwarck because he taught me to embrace my elven gifts. And Rewokog because he taught me a better system of government and economics for my kingdom.

Andi from Georgia – What was the one moment that you would say has changed you the most?

Being captured by Torkdohn and sold into slavery. Up to that point, I was spoiled and pampered. Then, everything was stripped from me, and I was reduced to scrounging for rotten scraps on bare earth. While I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, it was the best experience that could have happened to me because it forced me to appreciate the blessings of my life. I needed humility to see clearly and learn the lessons Kwarck and Crushaw were trying to teach me.

If you could go back to the beginning, before anything had happened, would you still have made the same choices?

Yes, because all of my choices, even the worst ones, have led me to who I am now, and the person I am today is much better than who I was then. I’ve learned valuable lessons along the way and am smarter, wiser, and stronger for them.

Scott from Tennessee – Who do you consider to be the most dangerous threat to your existence?

Without a doubt, Torkdohn. He is a traitor to all dwarves and doesn’t deserve to be called one. Some day, he will pay for all his treachery.

Carolyn from Georgia – When you become King, what is the one thing you would change or do?

I hope to encourage a system of commerce like the Marshwoggs employ, one where each Kiredurk is more than just a subject to the king, but an active, free member of society with tangible ownership of his or her trade and skills. That is my goal for the kingdom.

Alicia from Texas – Being a poet, You would probably have your own opinions, observations, philosophies of life and the world around you, what are some of those?

Life is either pain and sorrow or triumph and joy, and the only difference is attitude. Everyone gets knocked down. Everyone suffers. Some choose to wallow in misery, but others choose to rise and overcome. I hope at the end of my time for others to see me as a beacon of light and hope, as one who has learned and grown from mistakes, as one who overcomes turmoil, as one who leads by example.

You were once looking for a legendary statue that represented the brotherhood of the dwarves. Do you think it would help stop Master Sondious and return your father to the throne?

I can only say Master Sondious is bound by his oaths. By Kiredurk law, if he violates his promises, his claim to the throne is gone, so if my father awakens, he reclaims the throne. If Master Sondious denies him treatment or causes him harm, the throne reverts to me. The statue is a symbol of kinship and camaraderie among all dwarves, but a symbol is not as powerful to a Kiredurk as the rule of law. To us, laws are what separate us from cave trolls and rock wolves, beasts that live off base instincts. Laws are higher reasoning, tried and tested through ages to be fair and impartial. The rule of just law will restore my kingdom to its proper balance, not a material object.

Kristie from Tennessee – So I get to page fifty, barely into chapter three and I’m thinking to myself, “Holy crap, what is this guy thinking?” I know you seriously considered turning back early in your adventure. Did you ever take a moment sitting in that cave and asked yourself, “What have I done?”

I have since suffered self-doubt and questioned my own decisions. But at that point, no, I was too blinded by my own ambitions to second guess myself. It took the humility I mentioned before for me to accept my foolishness and learn from my mistakes. Sitting in that cave, I would’ve sacrificed all of my friends’ lives to fulfill my quest because I was fixated on external possessions and personal glory. I had to learn the value of what’s inside and accept the fact that the good of others is greater than the good of self before I could see beyond my own desires.

I’m curious about something. I mean no offense, but seeing as your father is Kiredurk and your mother Loorish, did knowing this exacerbate your fear of sitting on the council and eventually the throne? It seemed interesting to me that you have this taste for adventure, but was hesitant about leaving the kingdom? Or, was it the simple thought of filling the boots of the great leaders before you? I can see how the Kiredurk part of you would want to stay and be duty bound, but I can also see how the Loorish part of you colored your perspective of responsibility.

I’m a living paradox of duality. The dwarf in me yearns for the stone and darkness of underground, but the elf craves sunlight and greenery. I’m bound by a sense of duty to law yet enticed by freedom. It’s an exhausting tug between two poles that I struggle with daily. I’m not sure what the future holds or if I’ll ever find balance between these two halves of myself, but I promise that I will strive to make sure the choices I make are always what’s best for the people who depend on me. In that manner, I search for wisdom first and hope for the clarity of thought to see beyond my own desires into the larger scope of what will benefit both my kingdom and my elven kin. There are many hardships left to overcome, but I will face them all with the courage and dignity of my ancestors.

This character interview first appeared on Bunny’s Reviews, May 5, 2012.