Adonis Rep Reports

Voice of the Bards

2011-04-28T21:18:00.001-05:00

FP

En route to a Fantasy Press journalist conference I stopped at a quaint little bookery and picked up a tome full of fantasy poems. Voice of the Bards is a colorful anthology full of budding young poets. It passed the time between sessions quite well.
I particularly recommend three poems near the end of the book, by Tim Worsham.

Yours truly,

Adonis Rep

Click on the title of this review to purchase your copy.

Fervor

2011-03-24T14:20:00.039-05:00

FP

Adonis Rep

A high-profile interview on a temperate island; what more could a galaxy-renowned fantasy reporter ask for? In hindsight, I could think of a few things, but when I got the call to interview a young Finder named Sam, the assignment sounded like a dream.
So, what's the catch? That's what I should have asked. Why don't I ever ask that? People ask that all the time--and for good reason, apparently. But not me. Adonis Rep--interview hound, and consumate professional ding-bat.
The catch, I discovered, once it was too late to back out, was that Sam is deaf. Not a problem--I'll just bring a nimble-fingered translater. But wait just one moment. That's not all. Our young Sam doesn't sign, and isn't a very good lip-reader.
So what do I do now?
Well, he has psionic abilities.
And suddenly I was interested again. I've interviewed all sorts of talents all over the multiverse. My most recent interview was a shape-shifting silver seal, but I had never, in my illustrious career, interviewed a psionist.
Suddenly, I was psyched (pardon the pun) to interview the young Finder, and submitted myself to the Fantasy Press staff, for the necessary preparations. What might those be? you ask. Just a simple little surgically implanted device that allowed me to communicate with Sam via the telekenetic web known as the Connection.
Now, I'm not a fan of surgery to begin with, and brain surgery less so, but as I've proven time and time again, I'll do anything for a good interview.
If I'd only known the potential dangers . . .
The stupid implant malfunctioned, and while I'm still able to communicate with Sam, I'm also being subjected to the full volume joys of the Spanish Duffy Cover Channel. If anyone's out there, I'M BEGGING YOU FOR MERCY!

I arrived on Fervor Island and met Sam on the beach during one of his regular Finding trips. The young grey-eyed boy, with light brown hair, looked as though he were only eight years old, but I knew from my research he was older than that. Apparently his psionic connection had its side-effects as well. We sat down on the beach together, and he gazed out over the rolling waves, while I did my best to ignore the nasal latin voices in my head. My only hope was to submerge myself in the work, so I dove right into the interview.

Adonis Rep: Sam, you've been on this island your entire life, and while you look very young, how long has that actually been?

Sam: I'm almost thirteen, I think. We've lost track of time and we haven't aged physically since the Second Exodus, because of the stasis. (There is silence as he makes sure his walls are fairly solid.)
Umm...you won't be sharing this interview with Francis, will you?

AR: Unless he subscribes to the Fantasy Press, you should be okay. As yet, I don't believe we have distribution in these parts.
These psionic powers you have sound truly remarkable. (WELL, WELL, WELL) Go away spanish Duffy!
Excuse me. My implant is giving me a headache. Are there any drawbacks to your Connection?

Sam: It was really bad at first, actually, because it was so chaotic. Most of us didn't understand what was going on. The adults who used to mind and teach us didn't tell us what was going to happen before they left; they only told the Tellers and the Controls. It's horrible having someone in your head and listening to your thoughts when you don't want them there. It's not so fun hearing other people's thoughts when you don't intend to listen either - it feels like you're intruding. It got better once we learned how to build our walls to keep people out of our head and our thoughts in. There were other problems though. You can't lie through the connection. The truth is always there, behind the false thoughts and the person that you're trying to lie to can feel that. You can't even tell a little white lie, when you need to. The closest you can manage is stretching the truth a little, by leaving out important details. There are problems dealing with pthers too. The Tellers use the connection to make you do things you don't necessarily want to do, and you can't talk to the Controls at all through the Connection. They don't like that. And honestly, I think the connection is probably associated with my deafness, but I don't have proof of that yet.

AR: As I understand it: Fervor is made up of Tellers, Finders, Keepers, Watchers, Fixers, and Controls, each with their own set of gifts and limits. You are a Finder. If you had your choice of gifts, would you be a Finder or would you have chosen another role?

Sam: Oh, I can't really imagine myself as anything other than a Finder anymore. I've tried. I don't want to be a Control, because they aren't part of the connection, and they don't really get to do anything special. I wouldn't want to be a Watcher either, because having to run the same circuit day after day would get really boring after a while. Being a Fixer would be handy, but I wouldn't want to have to get all touchy feely with Nathan (he laughs)and if I were a Teller, ordering people around might be kind of fun, but other people don't usually like that much. I guess if I had to pick anything I'd want to be a Keeper. It would be nice to be able to go almost anywhere on the island and remember everything the way that Fiona does.

AR: Fervor Island is also divided up between Bigs and Littles. You and your friend Sarah are Littles. Royce, Nathan, Fiona, and Francis are Bigs. There seems to be some mystery surrounding the origin of you Littles. Do you have any thoughts on that?

Sam: Are you sure Francis isn't going to hear all of this?

AR: Not to worry. Fervor Island is more isolated than you can imagine.

Sam: Um, the only thing I know is that the Bigs were born the way they are, but the Littles were made that way. I'm not sure exactly what that means. Francis does, but he doesn't like it when we ask too many questions.

AR: You've recently made contact with a Technician named Elliot who is not on the island. Have you given much thought to life in the wider world? What do you imagine the benefits might be were you to escape Fervor Island? (WHY WON'T YOU RELEASE ME?) Duffy, no!

Sam: I don't know what the wider world is like. I've never known anything other than Fervor. But I don't want to be a kid forever, and people on the mainland aren't stuck in the stasis. That, and Fiona remembers some things about the mainland . She says we don't live like regular people, and that we were never meant to live this way. I want to know what that's like...I need to know.

AR: I'm sorry, Sam, but I'm going to have to cut this interview short. This implant is driving me loco. See! Look at that. I don't even know spanish.
If you'll indulge me for one more question, we can both get out of here and head back to Warwick Avenue-- er -- I mean, we can go our seperate ways.
On Fervor Island you'll never grow up, and your role is set as a Finder for your group. If stasis is ever lifted and you're finally able to grow up, have you given any thought to what you want to be?

Sam: I used to think I might want to be a teacher, because you have to learn things in order to teach them, and I love learning things. All I've really known other than the children here are teachers and minders, but now I know that there are technicians as well. There are a lot of other jobs I haven't heard of on the mainland, I think, from what Fiona has said. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what is out there, before I make up my mind.

AR: Well, once you get off the island keep your ear to the ground. Something will turn up.
Oh my goodness. I'm sorry. I just realized what I said. It's just an expression.
Duffy, no!
What I meant to say, is that you'll find something that suits you.
Duffy, stop, por favor!
I really have to get out of here, Sam. Thank you so much for the interview. I'm afraid you'll have to wait until you're off Fervor Island to read it. We'll try to keep it out of Francis' hands until then.
Why, Duffy? Why?!

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Chantal Boudreau is an accountant by day and an author/illustrator during evenings and weekends, who lives by the ocean in beautiful Nova Scotia, Canada with her husband and two children. In addition to being a CMA-MBA, she has a BA with a major in English from Dalhousie University. A member of the Horror Writers Association, she writes and illustrates predominantly horror, dark fantasy and fantasy and has had several of her short stories published, including her zombie tales “Palliative” and “Just Another Day” both appearing in horror anthologies, and her novelette “Shear Terror”. Fervor, her debut novel, a dystopian science fantasy tale, was released in March of 2011 by May December Publications. Other releases contracted for this year include her short stories "Waking the Dead" and "Dry Heat", as well as Magic University, the first in her classic fantasy series, Masters & Renegades, to be released in September.

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Adonis Rep interviews are created and written by Tim Worsham. If you are an author or fan of genre fiction and would like to see one of your favorite characters interviewed, contact Tim at tcworm@hotmail.com
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Check out these links to Fervor and other works by Chantal:

Fervor on Amazon -

Fervor on Smashwords-

Amazon author page -

Carahil

2010-11-27T16:07:00.035-06:00

FP

Adonis Rep

Some time ago, I had the privelage of interviewing the good Captain Davage, aboard his straylight starship the Seeker. You can read the May 2nd entry and catch up on my adventures aboard the rented P.U.F.F.Y., but it was through my continued acquaintance with the good Captain, that I was introduced to my latest interview: Carahil.

Carahil began life as a SilverTech familiar of The Lady Poe, but has since distinguished himself to the point of intergalactic fame, and a standing invitation to the revered Celestial Arborium. Even without the recent acclaim, I've long desired to sit the whiskery little trouble maker down to interview. His uniquely positive outlook on life, and our mutual love for general mischief make him an ideal catch for my readers.
In fact, I owe that slippery little rascal for my most recent embarrassment suffered at his hands. (I should say flippers, as Carahil most often masquarades as a silver seal).
A month ago I received an invitation to Blanchefort Castle, the luxurious Kana home of Captain Davage, and his beautiful wife, Lady Sygillis.
To the esteemed Adonis Rep, it said, from an admirer and avid reader. I should have seen through the ruse right then and there.
Please do us the courtesy of joining us at Castle Blanchefort for the bowling match of the season!
I love bowling. This was not to be missed.
The Lady Sygillis is hosting a naked bowling tournament, and you are invited. Shoes are recommended, but not required, but NO CLOTHES ARE ALLOWED. Of course you may want to bring your own balls, as Lord Davage tends to be very particular about who can touch his.
This was it! I was finally an esteemed member of League society. Lady Sygillis' naked bowling tournaments were legend, and to finally be invited. . .
Alas, when I showed up, a certain coniving silver seal had his laugh.
It wasn't a naked bowling match that I showed up to, but a formal ball the Lady Sygillis was throwing in honor of the newly elligeble Lady Poe. I arrived in my brand new bowling shoes and nothing else. Everyone, from the loftiest Vith noble, to the most decorated Fleet Admiral, got to see me in all my glory that night.
The merciful Lady Poe was kind enough to fashion me a robe of Silver Tech for the evening, but Carahil had won the day.
I owe that slippery seal. I owe him big time.
With devious thoughts swirling through my mind, I prepped for the interview, then used my Ring of Portation to travel instantaneously to the Lady Poe's appartments within Castle Blanchefort, where Carahil agreed to meet me.
My gregarious silver host was there waiting for me, and indicated a seat for me to occupy. I gratefully sat, and immediately jumped back up.

Adonis Rep: Oh my! What? Was that a kitten?

I'd sat on something soft and warm, that promptly took a nip at my backside.

Carahil: Nah, that wasn't a kitten. I think it was my lunch. Go ahead and keep it warm for me, I'll finish it up later.

Well, lunch or no lunch, whatever it was wandered off, so I carefully checked my seat for further strays and settled in.

AR: Great to see you again, Carahil. It's been . . . what? months? I can't recall the circumstances at the moment. Some sort of gala at Castle Blanchefort, no doubt.

C: Oh, I love galas. The noise, the excitement. So many faces just crying out for pie. I love pie too ... You like pie? Sure you do.

AR: I'm afraid to answer that question. Mentioning pies in your company seems to draw unwanted attention. I do recall being the center of attention for that evening, however. You seem to be at the center of things lately, though. Rumor has you up to your neck in Black Hats at the moment. Care to comment?

C: Oh, I love Black Hats, too. Look what you get. You get: a beautiful lady who'll love you `til the day she drops dead. It's just that awkward 'first date' you have to worry about.

AR: Awkward, indeed. Several 'first dates' have proved fatal of late. Speaking of fatal . . . is it true you spent some time near The Hazards of the Old Ones? I thought those things were sealed off? No pun intended.

C: Ya, like I've not heard that one before. I did, visit the Hazards recently and it was horrible. Not a bathroom in sight and just try finding a good bistro serving Bazz food out there. You can't. You'll be eating stuff out of a brown bag if you go out there. Trust me, you good people out there don't want to go to the Hazards. Lots of animal poop, too.

AR: Any insight on the recent desertion of the highly decorated Lt. Kilos? I understand she went to the Hazards with you?

C: I . . . have no recollection of that. Lt. Kilos accomplished the coveted 'roommate swap' recently, going from the Stellar Marines, to the Fleet without missing a beat. Good Lady.

AR: Fancy that. A seal playing coy. Some might see your involvement in recent events as manipulative. Tell me about the Frustration of the gods, and how that effects your decisions and motives.

C: Oh, it's frustrating being a god. Imagine--I could kick some major tail if I wanted, and I want to sometimes but, I'm not allowed to do so. Go figure! Heck, take now, for example. I could turn you into a fly and pull your wings out, and then fix you right up again. Don't worry--I'm not going to turn you into a fly. I thought about it, but I'm not going to do it.

AR: Well, I suppose that's a relief. Transmutation is not really something I'm fond of.

At this point in the conversation Carahil produces a small box.

C: By the way, smell this. Go on--smell it.

AR: This feels like a set up. I should warn you, Carahil, all pranks will be answered in full. But, I'm feeling brave today. Whatever is in that box, it can't possibly be less appetizing than your lunch that I sat on. Pass it here. I'll give it a sniff.

C: Famous last words.

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Check out The League of Elder: The Hazards of the Old Ones, and other books by Ren Garcia at www.theleagueofelder.com
You can also purchase his books on Amazon

And on Barnes and Noble dot com

Keep an eye out for his soon to be released new trilogy: The Temple of the Exploding Head. The first book: The Dead Held Hands, should be out in March, 2011
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Adonis Rep interviews are created and written by Tim Worsham. If you are an author or fan of genre fiction and would like to see one of your favorite characters interviewed, contact Tim at tcworm@hotmail.com

Girl Born of Smoke

2010-07-10T19:01:00.022-05:00

FP

Adonis Rep

I would give anything, right now, for a three day weekend on a middle gravity world. I badly need to relax and recenter. The gravity stabilizer on my home disc is on the fritz again. I've spent the last week and a half bent over a bucket, losing my guts, as I yo-yoed between twenty and twenty two thousand feet above the surface of Aubrus. Sadly, a vacation was out of the question. In order to get my grav-stab fixed I need to make money, not spend it, so I hit up my editor for another assignment.
He sent me to Ralinos, a city buzzing with the tense energy of newly won, but tentatively held, peace. The remnants of two armies still camped in and around the city, and the stronghold was alive like a shaken nest of hornets.
My interview was with Tarana, the young girl whose magic and sacrifice inspired this new found truce. If Ralinos had any hope of sustainable peace between the Wizard's Army and the Citizen's Army, than Tarana represented that hope. It was an exciting assignment, but not easy. Tarana's past was shrouded in mystery--or more literally, smoke. Who was this young girl, born from the ashes of Delobo?
I caught up with Tarana in an upper room of the stronghold. She was smaller than I'd imagined, her short blonde hair hung loose and wind blown around her head, and she was floating. My stomach lurched and threatend to give. I left my floating home for this interview for the sole purpose of rooting my feet in firm ground, and here this girl was, bouncing on thin air, bringing back memories of recently launched lunches. Ah, well. . . the hazzards of inter-world journalism.

Adonis Rep: Tarana, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I. . . would you mind if we sat for this interview?

Tarana: Oh, right. Sorry about that. I forget that people are still a bit. . .er. . . jumpy about magic. Thanks for coming. It's nice to meet you!

AR: I don't mind magic in the least. It's sort of a way of life for me. It's all of the ups and downs of anti-grav that are making me regret my lunch. On the topic of magic though-- How are you adjusting to your new magical abilities?

T: Well, nobody has tried to kill me yet, so that's a plus. Most people are still pretty uneasy about the situation, but I guess that's what I have my friends for. Even if they're freaked out by me, they'll still do their best to protect me. I still feel a little weird to be using magic openly. But it's good. It's good to finally be able to stay in one place and not hide who I am or what I can do.

AR: Is there any power that you have an affinity for? Any you find particularly useful?

T: You've already seen my favorite! You have no idea how exciting it is to counteract the forces of gravity and just get up and fly. I mean, I don't really do it in public. At least, not yet, but sometimes I leave my physical body behind and fly across the land, trying to see how everyone is doing and what cities need our help. I don't suppose you would like to try it out? I could probably haul you along with me and go for a little flight...?

AR: Bleh! As appealing as that sounds. . . Perhaps I'll take a rain check. Actually, no. No more flying. I need to sit down. Forgive me.
Okay, that's better. Back to the interview.
How are your friends, like Djerr, Kirian, and Roxanne adjusting to your knew talents and identity?

T: Er, some better than others. . . Djerr has never really had a problem with anything I've done. Well, regarding magic anyway. We're still a little rocky because of what I- well, that's not the question. Anyway, Djerr's fine with the magic. Still a little mad about other things, but magic isn't the problem. Roxanne is mainly just excited. She's busy recruiting a group to protect me from all the people like Kirian - he's absolutely terrified of my talents, but fortunately he trusts me enough not to try to hurt me or run off. It's hard, you know. There's such a history behind the magic and so many horrible stories that people have grown up hearing. It's hard to overcome that right away. Some people will always hate me for what I can do. I have hope for Kirian, though. I think he's open-minded enough to deal with it.

AR: I understand that it's a painful subject, but I need to ask. What stays with you from Delobo?

T: Guilt. I have so much guilt for what happened in Delobo. I feel absolutely terrible for what happened to my family, and then for what happened to everyone else that lived there. Yeah, I wasn't directly responsible for the second part, but I wish I had caught on sooner as to what was going on. Maybe I would have been able to stop him. . .

AR: One final question. Farseeing may not be within your impressive magical range, but considering all of the major changes on a personal and political level, what lies ahead for Ralinos? And what does the future hold for Tarana?

T: Haha, I wish I could see into the future, but that's definitely not something I can do. At least not that I've figured out so far! As for Ralinos, something drastic has to be done here. The people have lived in such fear of the army for so long and they are so poor. The first thing I want to do is destroy the stronghold. I know, I know, my whole message has been about rebuilding, but this building has been such a symbol of oppression and contention. I want to start new. That'll be my first step. As for myself, I don't really know. There are a lot of places I need to go and a lot of people that need my help. I also don't know what will happen between Djerr and I - if he'll ever really forgive me for everything. It's kind of nice though, not knowing what's going to happen. All I can do is try to help rebuild everything that was destroyed in my name. And that's enough for me right now.

AR: Wow. Even with your magic, it sounds like you've got your work cut out for you. Thank you so much for the interview. I wish you the best. As for me, I believe I'll literally lie low for a while. Seriously. Before you tear that stronghold down, is there a moldy basement I can hang out in for a while. Somewhere dark with a lot of gravity is what i need.
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Check out The Girl Born of Smoke, by Jessica Billings
Jessica Billings is currently going to school in Michigan, butwill always consider herself an Oregonian. She likes photographingbugs and majored in biology and education at Oregon State. She is nowpursuing a master's degree in environmental engineering. She learned to scuba dive when she was 14, but refuses to dive into the frigidwaters of Michigan.
Website: http://jessicabillings.weebly.com/
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003F779P4/
_______________________________________________________________________________
Adonis Rep interviews are created and written by Tim Worsham. If you are an author or fan of genre fiction and would like to see one of your favorite characters interviewed, contact Tim at tcworm@hotmail.com

The Good Captain Davage

2010-05-02T09:55:00.038-05:00

FP

Adonis Rep

I'm a man of many worlds, you might say. Using my Ring of Portation, I've tracked interviews to multiple worlds far removed from my own home of Aubrus. This is the first interview, however, that has taken me into the space between worlds. This is my first interview outside of the comforts of atmosphere.

My editor rented me a Personal, Unrestricted Fusion-Flight, Yacht to make the trip. I boarded the P.U.F.F.Y. and set a course for the star, Mirendra, in Xaphan space, where Captain Davage was rumored to be hunting down Black Hats -- an elite sect of powerful Xaphan outlaws. The good Captain's life long conflict with Xaphan society is well documented, but recent endevours and associations of an unusual nature have stirred up a fair amount of controversy. I was hoping to catch up with Captain Davage aboard his starship, Seeker, before the Vith hit the proverbial fan.

Orbitz had assured me that the P.U.F.F.Y. was equipped with Stellar Mach capabilities. The trip should have only taken three minutes. Ha! Rentals! There must have been something wrong with the coils. The P.U.F.F.Y. would jump ahead with nauseating force for about three seconds, and then shudder to a bone jarring stop. I'd have to power down, wait for about an hour, and repeat the whole start sequence. What should have taken me the length of a boiled egg, ended up taking me the length of a baked turkey. And yes, I failed to pack a lunch.

The worst part of the P.U.F.F.Y. was its Automated Sanitation Station. I'll spare my readers from the horrifying details, but about half way through my nightmare trip I felt the need to relieve myself. I pried myself from the captain's seat and moved to the A.S.S. of the P.U.F.F.Y. I'm shaking still as I write this. The only thing I'll say, is, if you ever have the occasion to use the A.S.S. of a rented P.U.F.F.Y., be sure you know which way to face. Those things should be more clearly labled.

A change of clothes, a few shots of Morninglow to calm the nerves, and about thirty stuttering mini-Mach convulsions later, I was finally able to track the good Captain, aboard his straylight vessel, The Seeker. His twenty two deck starship dwarfed my P.U.F.F.Y., but as a wise recluse of Dagobah once said, "size matters not." I docked my adequate rental at the tail end of the swan-like starship and was promptly led to the Captain's state room.

My misfortune in the A.S.S. of the P.U.F.F.Y. had left me a little under dressed for the interview, but the tall handsomely dressed Captain removed his dark blue fleet uniform coat and triangle hat to put me at ease.

Adonis Rep: Captain Davage, thank you very much for granting this interview. Your hunt for the renegade Black Hats in the area is very taxing, I'm sure. So, I'll be as brief as possible.

Captain Davage: Well met, sir. I am pleased your journey to ‘The Kills’ area of space was generally uneventful. Your P.U.F.F.Y is truly a remarkable vessel. I am pleased you wish to pose me a series of questions, though I am normally loathe to discuss myself in any great depth. Surely, much more interesting personages are available in the League.

AR: You underestimate yourself - and overestimate my rented P.U.F.F.Y. The people of Aubrus find you very intriguing. Your recent activities have served to reinforce your reputation as the League of Elder's most controversial figure. I'll be direct. Are you, sir, fraternizing with the enemy?

CD: A bold question, sir, and well-asked. ‘Fraternizing with the enemy’ would assume that I am providing aid and comfort; that I am engaged in various civilities, businesses and intrigues with the Xaphans, and, in particular with the House of Xandarr. I do not feel that is the case.

You, of course, are aware of my previous dealings with Princess Marilith of Xandarr. I have met Princess Marilith in battle, both as a helmsman and as a full-bonded captain, over thirty times in space. I have sunk Princess Marilith with many prisoners rescued and her Bloodsimple taken a-prize many times. She is a capable ship’s captain and I duly respect her warcraft. And, as she was once my fiancé and Zen-La, I do feel a bit of fond nostalgia for her. However, I have not seen her in person in over eighty years, since I left her standing before the cleric with the wedding baton clattering on the floor. Can you imagine … However, I do my duty and sink Princess Marilith wherever she may be found. She holds nothing back in our space-borne encounters and nor do I.

AR: Ah, how silly of me. I'd forgotten all about the rumors of a continued liaisons between yourself and the notorious Princess Marilith. You are a busy man. I was actually refering to more recent events. Reports indicate that you entered the brig with a notorious and powerful Black Hat prisoner in an ill advised attempt to rehabilitate her. Two questions: What possessed you, against the protests of your first officer, and the Sisters of Light, to tangle with Sygillis? And why has no one attempted this sort of thing before?

CD: The Black Hats are a fearsome sect. The Black Hats may kill from millions of stellar miles away. They may slay with a thought, with a point of their finger, or with their vile Shadow tech traps. The Sisters of Light teach us that only they may face them in battle with a reasonable chance of surviving, and perhaps they are correct. Only a fool would dare sit in their presence. Dying a fool’s death is not fashionable in League society, so the Black Hats are generally unchallenged and left to the Sisters. Still, a Black Hat, Sygillis of Metatron, was a prisoner aboard my vessel, and therefore is entitled to enjoy all the privileges afforded any Xaphan prisoner. One of those privileges is to have an audience with the captain, and I have had to endure my fair share of Xaphan reprobates and ill-smelling sailors in my day, so why not a Black Hat? Additionally, I felt she was owed and I was curious. I wanted to see for myself if she is as nefarious as we have all been told. I wanted to look her in the eye.

AR: Very noble of you. Of course, as a Vith Lord, nobility is to be expected. Speaking of which, as a Vith Lord, you have some considerable innate abilities. How have these come into play in your dealings with Sygillis? Which do you find most beneficial?

CD: Yes, I … fortunately am blessed with a number of Vith Gifts. It’s normally considered rather rude and out-of-turn to discuss them in an empirical sort of way. It’s not in proper taste. However, as you are an esteemed visitor here, I shall try to accommodate your question while not boring you with the particulars. The Waft was clearly an ace-in-the-hole that was available to me. As a Black Hat, Sygillis of Metatron may be considered a Master at most Vith Gifts, as well as all the various illegal Gifts they practice, however, Black Hats are clearly not known for their speed. The speed of my Waft is something that I pride myself on, and I assumed that I could Waft fast enough to evade her particular gifts, most notably: The Point, The Mass, and her Sten. Additionally, my Gift of Sight allows me certain … precognitive … faculties where I could prepare myself in advance for any treachery. As the Sight is unknown in Xaphan Space, she was quite keen on it, and subsequently ‘charmed’ by its light.

AR: Hmm. . . "charmed." Is there any truth to the rumor of a budding romance between the two of you? What sort of future, if any, do you imagine?

CD: Romance? Sir I … am not certain where you gather your information. Clearly it would be improper for a ship’s captain to engage in such things with a prisoner in his charge. I have a duty to maintain her captivity and well-being, and to compromise the situation would not be wise. I’m sorry, I’m not really answering your question, am I? Truth be told, I find Sygillis of Metatron charming. I do. I find her perspective and point-of-view refreshing and unencumbered by League politics and Blue nonsense. She is an eager debater and has a sharp mind. And, yes, she is a beautiful woman as well. So, to concisely answer your question: romance? How can there be such a thing? As to the future, that is up to her, and the Sisters. I can assure you one thing, there shall be no wedding bells ringing any time soon.

AR: In any case, it is certainly unusual for the Sisters of Light to give even a Captain of your renoun such leeway with a deadly Black Hat prisoner. Can you shed some light on their unusual permisiveness in this instance, and your relationship with the Sisters in general?

CD: The Sisters have been very accommodating. My actions have been, at times, very troubling to them, and against their expressed wishes, but they’ve given me their trust. I’ve long suspected that my father enjoyed a very close relationship with the Sisters and the Grand Abbess of Pithnar in particular. Rumors suggest certain intimate–forbidden lines may have been crossed. But he never spoke directly of such things, and I never asked. It seems clear to me they were more than mere friends. I'm truly grateful for her continued kindness.
As for my relationship with the Sisters, I choose to believe that they appreciate a clear head and a sound point-of-view. I hold the Programmable status of Magni, and therefore have their approval.

AR: You're currently looking to press the conflict between the League and the Black Hats. Bringing the fight to their doorstep, as it were. What sort of response do you anticipate? And in an ideal world, what will success look like?

CD: I fight where my duty calls. That does not include ‘pressing" the fight to the Xaphans. Should they invade League Space, should they proceed in some genocidal pursuit as they have done in the past, then I shall be there to counter them. I do not anticipate my role changing one bit. In an ideal world, there would be no League and no Xaphans—we would all be one people again. However, I am certain some other enemy would come to the front. As the Vith heroes of old were fond of saying, ‘The empty lair of one slain monster provides suitable shelter for yet another’.

AR: Your committment and resolve are inspiring. And, at least in the case of the reformed Lady Sygillis, seem to be paying off. Please, keep our readers posted of any future. . . um. . . developments along those lines.

I do want to thank you again for your time, sir. I did have one further concern, however. I was wondering if you might be so kind as to have one of your people take a look at my P.U.F.F.Y. I think I may have twisted my coil.
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Check out The League of Elder: Sygillis of Metatron, and other books by Ren Garcia at: www.theleagueofelder.com
You can also purchase his books at:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/League-Elder-Sygillis-Metatron/dp/144012129X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273790944&sr=8-3
Barnes & Noble:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-League-Of-Elder/Ren-Garcia/e/9781440121296/?itm=1&USRI=the+league+of+elder
Keep an eye out for his soon to be released, Hazards of the Old Ones.
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Adonis Rep interviews are created and written by Tim Worsham. If you are an author or fan of genre fiction and would like to see one of your favorite characters interviewed, contact Tim at tcworm@hotmail.com

Undine

2009-08-31T21:26:00.023-05:00

09-07-09

FP

Adonis Rep

I was rudely awakened this morning by my editor's shrill voice coming through the magic pool. I knew there was a reason I kept that thing covered most nights. . . I tried to roll over and feign deep sleep, but persistence is a common attribute of employees of the Fantasy Press, so I reluctantly presented my worm trailed and baggy eyed face.

His news proved just the pick-me-up I needed. An interview! And with a knight, no less!

I enacted a spell of mist over my vanity disc and allowed my new bubbling fountain to further wake and refresh me. The rest of the morning was a hurried wyvern egg breakfast and final preparations for the world leap I'm about to make. I was, however, careful enough to pack goblin repelant, as my editor kindly warned me that my destination was crawling with the little buggers.

At last I was prepared, or so I thought. I straightened my robes one last time, then turned the sparkling green Ring of Portation to open the gateway between my home world of Aubrus and the wooded land where my interview was to take place.

Splash!

I could have sworn I stepped through the portal to a patch of green turf beside a babbling brook, but there I was smack dab in the middle of the dang thing. And more. . . what I had taken for a lazy woodland stream turned out to be a swolen, white, swirling, current rife river. I was struggling to keep my head above water.

At one point in my fight against the undertow I thought I saw a tall white bearded man, standing above me and nodding. I reached out for his aid, but I must have imagined him, because all I could see around me was more white foamy water, and a good distance away, the green shore.

You don't get to be a reporter of my caliber without a dazzling array of skills (yes I do say so myself). Some quick thinking on my part, and a hastily munched packet of buoyancy pellets, and I was finally able to drift my way to dry land. Even with the magic pills it was hard work.

There was no sign of the mysterious white bearded stranger, so I found a sunny rock on which to dry myself before my interview showed up.

Too late. . . Out of the woods came a beautifully armored knight astride a muscular white war horse. The knight's purple, gold embroidered doublet was accented with a scarlet mantle. His red and violet plume bobbed atop his gold colored helmet, in time with his horses cantering stride. Huldbrand von Ringstetten appeared the proverbial knight in shining armor--albeit a few moments too late to rescue yours truly.

H: You're all wet.

AR: So my readers tell me.

H: Shall we postpone our engagement?

AR: No. A little water never hurt anyone. I'll be fine.

H: Well, good sir, water can be quite mischevious in these woods. I am at a loss, however, to imagine how you got so thoroughly soaked in this meager streamlet.

AR: Streamlet!? Ha!

Note: At first I thought the good knight was joking, but when I turned to look at the mighty river which had nearly drowned me, I flinched in surprise. It was hardly more than a limping brook. I mumbled something to the effect of "must've hit a deep spot." But as far as I could see there wasn't a drop off to be found. I doubt I could have fully submerged myself if I tried.

AR: I'll dry out eventually. But in the mean time, Sir Huldbrand, I'd like to interview you on the subject of your recent marriage, and the unusual circumstances leading to it; not to mention your rather remarkable wife.

H: Ah. Undine, my wife, is remarkable indeed. But to begin with, it was water trouble, perhaps similar to yours, which lead me to the fisherman's cottage, and my beautiful bride.

AR: Do tell.

H: I had just left the Free Imperial City, sent on a quest by a fair lady named Bertalda. Through this wild wooded land I ventured, but at every turn I was harried by goblins and a tall white bearded man dressed in white robes.

AR: The man with the white beard!? I saw him myself!

H: I'm sure you did. His name, I recently discovered, is Kuhleborn, and he is the uncle of my dear Undine, and quite intimately related to the water in these woods. I really wouldn't doubt if it was he who is responsible for your soaking.

AR: Hmm. Well, we'll talk more about Kuhleborn in a moment, but back to the events that led you to Undine.

H: Escaping the mischeif of Kuhleborn and the goblins, I found myself in the company of a simple fisherman, who turned out to be the adopted father of Undine. The connection between we two was nearly instantaneous, and by another happy chance, a priest was soon along to marry us.

AR: Ah, but this is where it gets interesting. Your beloved Undine had a secret to reveal; did she not?

H: Oh, indeed! Ha ha! Her name, Undine, actually means mermaid, and she is one. She doesn' t have fins or anything like that. She's closer to what you or I would call a Naiad, a water nymph. She was separated from her elemental family and adopted by the good fisherman and his wife.

AR: Did you feel cheated when you found out she wasn't human? Did you reconsider your love for her?

H: Not for a minute. I felt a little bad that she'd kept a secret from me, but after all we'd known eachother such a short time. . . But no. Undine is my one and only.

AR: Recently, another strange twist has been added to your lives. Tell us about Bertalda.

H: Ahh, the lovely Bertalda--the very same maiden who sent me on my recent quest. It turns out that Bertalda is none other than the long lost daughter of Undine's adopted parents. Undine thought that Bertalda would be glad to know her true heritage, but it's taking longer than anticipated for her to warm to them. In the meantime, though, Undine and Bertalda are getting along famously. The three of us are almost always together. It's been wonderful.

AR: Yes, well. . . I'll be in touch to find out how that all plays out. I'm sure it will be great. Nothing bad ever happens when one man and two women are involved.

Well, that's about all the time we have for today. Is there anything at all you'd like to say to your fans back on Aubrus.

H: What fans? What's an aubrus?

AR: Never mind.

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Check out Undine, by Friedrich de la Motte Fouque

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=undine&x-14&y=20

Adonis Rep interviews are created and written by Tim Worsham

If you are an author or a fan of genre fiction and would like to see one of your favorite characters get interviewed, contact Tim at tcworm@hotmail.com

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Sojourner

2009-08-05T21:45:00.010-05:00

08-06-09

FP

Adonis Rep

I'm up at the crack of early, practically vibrating out of my bed with nervous energy, as I make the final preparations for my big reporting debut. My home is a collection of hovering discs and dancing arches suspended about a mile and a half above the surface of Aubrus, my home world. As I slather stubble removing elixir on my ruggedly handsome face, I peer over the edge of my sleeping disc at the wide world below, and this is what I see: Nothing. Typical.

There hasn't been a newsworthy event on Aubrus since the days of the Great Goblin Uprising in the year of Osiris, and even that was more of a civil dispute than an actual war. There is absolutely no excitement on this world anymore. That's why most of my fellow Aubrusians sit at home all day observing other worlds through magic pools and the like. But not me. I'm off to where the news is taking place.

Watching isn't enough anymore. I want to be there--experiencing things first hand--thrilling in the moment, and shaking hands with the interesting people who keep my fellow citizens mesmerized pool-side. From now on Adonis Rep goes where the action is.

And today the action is in a small off-world town called Hauser's Landing--population: 5,321. I meet up with my interview at a cemetery, of all places.

It's a nice enough morning--a little brisk--but I've got a little spell up my sleeve to take the edge off the cold. I try to adopt the customary dress on whatever world I find myself, but these blue jean things are very constricting. I'll be glad to slip back into my robes when this is over.

Lev Walker agrees to the interview and we stroll out together to the center of a small footbridge overlooking an ice-choked river.

I'm not very big--maybe 5' 6", a buck forty--so Lev towers over me. He's about 6' 4" and fairly muscular. He's got rich blue eyes and an understated smile which I'm sure played a part in his recently kindled romance. And his hair (now, I've been blessed with a fine head of hair), but Lev's blonde locks are borderline luminescent. Actually, after spending a few minutes with him, I'm pretty sure that he does have an actual glow about him. Oh, and one more notable physical attribute: Wings. Yep--huge, white, powerful looking wings. And these things seem to be throwing off some serious heat. I take a moment to adjust the effects of my own heat spell, so I don't get the sweats during the interview.

Lev leans out over what he assures me is a brand new hand rail and gives me the nod to start the interview. I keep my distance. The rail looks sturdy enough, but he's got wings as insurance and I'm just not chancing a fall.

Adonis Rep: Hi Lev. Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions. First things first--those wings are pretty impressive; what kind of air speed do you get with those things?

Lev Walker: I don't know. Is that important?

AR: I guess it's not so interesting to you anymore, but for those of us without. . .

Well, anyway, speed isn't everything, I suppose, even for an angel. I'm assuming music is a big part of the angelic life though right? Any musicians/bands that you can't get enough of?

LW: The classics--Mozart, Vivaldi, Linkin Park.

AR: I think I puked in my mouth a little on that last one, but you're the music expert.

Note: Thankfully Lev is easy going and not too annoyed by my jibes. He is, after all, a Sojourner, which is basically an angel of death, so it's a little nerve wracking cracking jokes on the guy's playlist. In any case, I've had my fun, and now it's time for a more serious tack.

AR: Let's talk a little bit about Elizabeth Moon. Now, I'm not one to judge, but have you ever thought that maybe seven hundred years was a bit of a stretch in terms of age gap? Talk about robbing the cradle! What can you two possibly have in common?

LW: It's my Father's fault, really. He knew I didn't like humans. So, he kept putting Elizabeth's life in my hands. For all of those years I watched her live and grow, and saw events take their natural course. When eventually her life was threatened, I had the option to interfere and save her, or I could let her die and then carry her soul to another body and start the process all over. Six times I watched her die, and each time it became harder to look her in the eye knowing how the story would end. Somewhere along the line I fell in love with her. Now, this is the seventh time and I won't let her be murdered again.

AR: That's an incredible history. But even in her current incarnation it's been a tough stretch for Elizabeth. She's got a potentially violent racist stalker, and the body of her estranged father was just discovered last night. How is she holding up?

LW: She's a survivor.

AR: Any thoughts on who her stalker might be? And is there any connection at all to the death of her father?

LW: Oh, there's definitely a connection. I'm not sure what it is yet, but I'm narrowing down the possibilities. She's got the mayor's kid watching her like a hawk. She almost died because of him and his friends. You want to talk wing speed, I probably clocked zero to eighty in two seconds to save her from that fiasco. And then there's the janitor who hates teenagers, a principal who doesn't seem all that worried about Elizabeth's well-being, and a teacher who focuses way too much on Elizabeth's race. Any of them are potential threats.

AR: Wow! Well, I wish you the best. Just a couple more questions. I'm sure you want to get back to Elizabeth, so I won't keep you much longer.

LW: Go ahead.

AR: Okay, not to knock Hauser's Landing or anything--I mean there's been plenty of action here lately at least--but really, how does a guy like you end up in a place like this?

LW: Well, let's see. It's taken me a few centuries to even like humans, let alone love one. Perhaps this is my Father's way of making me deal with them. In a small town everybody knows everybody, so it's hard to remain completely unattached.

AR: One final question for you, Lev. So, Angel of Death has got to rank right up there among the worst summer jobs of all time. Any thoughts on a career change? Maybe join the choir or something?

LW: I might, but do you have any idea about the paper work involved with a change like that?

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Check out the Sojourner series and other books by Maria Rachel Hooley at
http://www.mariarachelhooley.com/

Adonis Rep interviews are created and written by Tim Worsham
If you are an author or fan of genre fiction and would like to see one of your favorite characters interviewed, contact Tim at tcworm@hotmail.com
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