An Author Interview With Kelleen Rynin
(Beth Turnage) I recently took a writer’s workshop, Young Adult Novel Writing with Emily Colin at Authors Publish. One of the exercises was to write an interview with your character. Since I’m working on Master’s License, I chose 14-year-old Kelleen Rynin, the protagonist of the story, which was very brave of me. I’d never attempt such a thing when she’s older, as I would like to keep my head. So here we go.
Kelleen: Hello, Scribe. Why are you here? Don’t you usually bother my father?
Me: This time it’s your turn.
Kelleen: Lucky me.
Me: I have an assignment to finish for my writing class. And since you are the protagonist in Master’s License, these questions are all about you.
Kelleen: Will this take long? I have other things to do.
Me: (scribbles note—just like her father) If you are honest, it won’t. It’s only four questions.
Kelleen: (dismissively) If you must.
1.) What is your primary goal?
Kelleen: On the Golden Bough? To stay alive.
Me: That’s your outward goal. What’s your inner goal?
Kelleen: (huffs) To please my father.
Me: Do you need to? Please him, that is?
Kelleen: I’ve never thought about it. It’s all I’ve ever done.
Me: But why?
Kelleen: (Steely silence)
Me: Kelleen?
Kelleen: Do you have something else to ask? This is boring.
Me: (scribbling another note—interviewee is deflecting the question.) Okay, let’s move on,
2.) What happens if you don’t achieve your goal?
Kelleen: (derisively) I’ll die.
Me: Let’s try for a more honest answer.
Kelleen: (jaw tightening) Fine. If I don’t pass this test, I’ll disappoint my father.
Me: And what happens if you disappoint him?
Kelleen: (defiantly) He won’t love me. There you got it. Happy now?
Me: (shaking my head) No, Kelleen. This doesn’t make me happy. In fact, it makes me feel for you.
Kelleen: I don’t need your sympathy.
Me: I get that. Let’s go to the next question.
3.) What do you actually need that you didn’t know when the story began?
Kelleen: (with an edge of anger) I need to grow up and figure these things out for myself. As my father said, he won’t be around forever, and then where will I be?
Me: That’s a good question. I’m afraid we all spend our lives asking that question.
Kelleen: (sarcastically) Well, that’s encouraging. Let’s get this over with. Next and last question.
4.) How have you changed at the end of the story because you got what you needed. (vs. what you thought you wanted.)?
Kelleen: (crosses arms across her chest) What they say about scribes is true. You only want to torture us.
Me: Let’s talk about the good things first. Some good did come from this.
Kelleen: (sighs) I earned my first real money.
Me: And?
Kelleen: Rangle got to pursue an education. He deserved more than what he got with that crew.
Me: I’m glad to hear it.
Kelleen: (snorts) Please. He deserved it.
Me: Okay. And?
Kelleen: (exasperated breath) You know what happened.
Me: I’m not done writing yet. Anything can happen.
Kelleen: Really? What fresh hell will you subject me to? I tell you, having me hang outside the ship in a spacesuit when a bomb went off was a nice touch.
Me: I think you know what your father would say to that. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
Kelleen: (rolling eyes) I don’t always agree with him.
Me: Which makes you the better person, I think.
Kelleen: (frowning) I think I must agree with you on that. I had thought I was more like him, but after what he pulled— But, at least I know that should I need to put myself between danger and the people who need protection, I can do it without his or anyone’s help. Can I go now?