Interview With The Author
Interviewer: We are here today with Beth Turnage, the author of Forced Labor and the sequel No Free Lunch, and the protagonist of those stories Arekan Mor’a’stan. Welcome, both of you, though, I must say it is unusual to have a fictional character sit in on an interview.
Arekan: What the hells are we doing here?
Beth: Behave.
Interviewer scratches head. So Beth, tell me. You are writing a series of books of what you call the Mor’a’stani Universe. How did you decide to develop these stories?
Arekan: She got bored in geometry class.
Beth: Arekan!
Arekan: Well, it’s true. You started writing that first piece of trash in that geometry class and then when you finished that you started on Kelleen’s, that’s my daughter’s, story. Forty years and she’s still not done.
Beth: You were never meant to be a main character.
Arekan: So you keep saying.
Interviewer: Ah, Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
Arekan: Are you kidding? (Points to Beth) In-tro-vert. Look it up on your communication net. One of her selfies is the illustration.
Beth: (with a pained voice) I get out. And it’s called the internet. And my picture does not illustrate the word “introvert.”
Arekan: It did the last time I looked. And the food market DOES NOT count. And you might want to rethink the number of trips you make to it. And your carb count.
Beth: You’re worse than your daughter.
Arekan: While you are at it, hit that fancy gym you pay for each month a couple times a week. I can’t have you having a heart attack before you finish writing my stories.
Beth: Nice to know you have my best interests at heart.
Interviewer: (takes a deep breath) Okay then. What do you think most characterizes your writing?
Arekan: Her strong narrative voice as dictated by me.
Beth: (stares hard at Arekan) My quirky characters.
Arekan (sneers.)
Interviewer: Well, then. I see we have time for one more question. Seeing that you two seem to have a contentious relationship how do you work together?
Arekan: Easy. I have a sword.
Beth: I have a pen. And you know what they say is mightier.
Arekan: The sword of course.
Beth: Arekan, you need to catch up on nineteenth century authors. The pen.
Arekan: Your nineteenth century? I don’t think so. I don’t read Kyn fiction led alone Earth fiction. Sword. Every time.
Beth: Pen.
Arekan: Sword.
Beth: Pen.
Arekan: Scribe, do not try my patience. Sword.
Beth: What patience? With you it’s swing first and ask questions later. Pen!
Interviewer: Thank you for tuning into “Interviews with Authors.” Next week a pleasant chat with a nice fantasy author about faeries. No swords involved.
Image published under a Creative Commons license issue by Flickr User Kristina D.C. Hoeppner