Ask The Author – September 2022

 It’s Ask the Author time again! This month’s questions both come from Sarah Awa, that you for asking! I shall now attempt some answering, though can’t guarantee they’ll be much help!

If you were a character in your books, what type of character do you think you would be, or want to be?

I’m 99.9% sure I would be nothing more exciting that Background Villager Number 3! ;) In terms of looks, I am so fundamentally Ordinary looking I would certainly never make it to any of the more glamourous levels! In terms of want to be – I feel like swashbuckling adventure ought to appeal and probably would have done more in my younger days but in reality, knowing myself as I do, I’d probably find the performance anxiety of that kind of forefront role much too stressful! I suspect I’d be best suited to some minor position, rather like Dullard, so I could be left mostly to my own devices! I am good at organising things but less good at pushing people around so I’d probably make a decent Priest – low level organisation without the stress of being in charge. I think it’s fair to say I’m not one of life’s front and centre people! Gosh, that was terribly honest, wasn’t it, not what I was supposed to say at all! Just pretend I waxed lyrical about being a Princess or a Hero warrior and going on glorious adventures or some such…;p

 If your main characters were animals, what animals would they be?

You know, I have the weirdest feeling someone has asked me this before but I can’t remember when or what I said – I suspect I may have dodged it because I’m honestly not sure! Ummm…

Fodder… maybe a dog? His pack matters a great deal to him and he’s very loyal and friendly and looks harmless right up until… he isn’t…;)

Shoulders – my inner comedian says I should say ostrich or headless chicken. ;p Oddly enough, for all Pleasance calls him a weasel, I actually think he’s more squirrely, or at least like the squirrels that live in the woods behind my home – bit scrappy when pushed, cross with all other squirrels and screeching at the universe for no discernible reason on a regular basis!

Flirt… dunno. Best I can think is a lioness – after all, she does all the work, keeps the men in line and the pride ticking over and you don’t want to mess with her.

Pleasance – now the trouble here is, most of the preening animals that spring to mind are male. Loud and pushy and pretty while knowing one is pretty and with a cry that strips the nerves from your skin brings to mind a peacock, which is of course, as the name implies, a male and peahens aren’t the same! Hmmm… possibly a cat? Preens a lot and has no respect for anyone not doing what she wants, can be nice but only on her own terms! And hates squirrels! That could work. Actually, a poodle would work for that too!

Dullard. Goodness, I can’t think of any animal nice enough! Shoulders calls him a rabbit but that doesn’t really fit either. I honestly don’t know, I can’t think of a decent fit for him – so if any readers have any suggestions?

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