Q&A with Tare, Or: “Could You Not Ask Me That?” (Part 1)

So here, as promised, is the interview with Tare! He wasn’t happy about it, but he cooperated (mostly), so I’m pleased.

(Really, Tare, you can’t blame me for the questions. I wasn’t the one who came up with them.

Tare: “You didn’t have to ask them, though.”

Author: “Oh, shush. Questions are for being asked.”)

There ended up being quite a few questions, so I’m going to post half of them today and half in my next post. If you have anything else to ask him, I’ll do those then as well!

Anyways, without further adieu, here is Part One of the interview with Tare, a main character in my Kedran’s Wood series (The Owl of Kedran’s Wood, The Secret of Kedran’s Wood, and a third currently titled The Shadow of Kedran’s Wood.) Enjoy!

1. How old are you?

“19. Ish.” Tare shuts his eyes. “It’s complicated.”

2. How would you describe yourself in one word?

Tare raises one eyebrow. “’Me’.”

3. Where do you live?

“In an abandoned apartment on the abandoned side of town right next to the wood. And no, I’m not giving you my address.”

4. How does your home reflect your character/personality?

“Alone, quiet, dark and unwelcoming.”

5. If you only had three days to live, what would you do?

He glares and narrows his eyes. “I spent such a long time assuming I had less than that to live, every day, that–” He breaks off. “I don’t know. I’d just live. Could you not ask me questions like that?”

6. What’s your favorite food?

“Seriously?” He sighs. “Um. Meat.”

7. Have you ever considered getting a motorcycle? I can just picture you with one. That would totally work. You should get one.

He clears his throat and says carefully, “I . . . have . . . had one.”

8. Three things you could absolutely not live without?

“Food. Water. Air.”

(Author: “That’s too literal!”)

“Fine. Jacket, weapons, brain.”

9. Do you like cats?

“Not really. I don’t know. Does it matter?”

10. Do you like animals in general?

“It depends on the animal. And whether it wants to kill me. Or is annoying. Otherwise, I’m mostly indifferent.”

11. Do you like handwriting or typing better?

“I don’t do either much so I’m not worried about which I prefer. Typing is faster but takes more work because there has to be something to type on. So probably handwriting unless I have a lot to say. Which I usually don’t.”

12. What’s your favorite time period?

“Now is fine with me.”

13. Favorite activity?

“Living.”

14. What’s your biggest pet peeve?

He gives an accusatory look. “Probably, people asking me questions.”

15. What do you think about your author?

Tare looks at his author for a long moment. “What do I think…?” He taps a finger against his chin. “How long have you got?”

(Author: “Okay, I’m realllly not sure I want to hear this, but it’s the last question for today and technically…” *checks clock* “we still have awhile left. So answer away.”

Tare: “And you won’t interrupt or edit my answer?”

Author: “Okay, okay.”

Tare looks skeptical but partially satisfied and begins.)

“Well… for one thing, she has the attention span of a squirrel. Seriously, she’s so easily distractable it would be amusing if it wasn’t so irritating. She’ll work on my story awhile, and then go dashing madly off to work on other stories without any warning, and without coming back for forever. I hear from her other characters that I’m the best of all of them at getting her to come back quickly, and that she’s always neglecting them for me, but I don’t believe a word of it.”

(Author: “It’s true, actually.” *cough*)

Tare continues. “She also procrastinates endlessly about actually writing, instead choosing to dream away about it. Which effectively means that all the stuff that happens to me happens multiple times because she’s always plotting it over and over, instead of just putting it on the paper so it happens once. A lot of things that happen to me aren’t exactly a ride on the merry-go-round, and are bad enough happening once, let alone half a dozen times in subtly different ways. In other words, I’m quite nettled at her about this.”

(Author: “My goodness. I never thought about that!”

Tare: “Well maybe you should START thinking about it.”

Author: “You didn’t tell me!”

Tare: “You should have known without me telling you. And stop interrupting; you promised.”

Author: “But this was important… Okay, never mind. Carry on.”)

Tare sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. “Let’s see. She’s also annoying, impulsive, sentimental, impractical, flighty, and too fascinated with my backstory for her own good. Overall, though . . . she’s harmless.”

(Author: “Except when I threaten.”

Tare: “Except when you threaten. But you don’t always mean it.”

Author: “Ha. Like you can tell when I’m bluffing.”

Tare: “I usually can.”

Author: “What if I said that I’m going to extend this interview even beyond next time’s post?” *laughs maniacally*

Tare: “First of all, your maniacal laugh needs work. Secondly, I know you’re bluffing because for one thing you’re out of questions, and for another it’s Camp NaNo and you can’t waste all day doing random things instead of writing.”

Author: “That’s never stopped me before…”)