Killraven by Arline Chase

Book: KILLRAVEN
Author: Arline Chase

What's his name?

DeCoursey Rogers.

Why did you pick that name?

Roger is my husband's name and DeCoursey Bridge (near my home) is reputed to be the hang-out of our local headless ghost, Big Liz.

Give us a brief description of how he looks.

Coursey is tall, lean, dark, and could pass for handsome in poor light. His skin is tan and weathered from seven years at sea aboard a whaler, and there are lines around his eyes, from squinting in the sun.His laughter is a joyful sound and rings out often in good times, but never with cruelty.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

Not really.

Who does he love? Why?

He loves his grandmother, who raised ihm. Loves her enough to come home and care for her when he learns she is ill, even though the secrets in the past that drove him away have not changed. He is mighty attracted to Hope Voeschell, who was raised in a kind of pacifist cult that took all the fun out of fundamentalism. They shunned her for wanting to be a teacher.

Does this person love him?

Gran loves Coursey and doesn't want to be a "burden" to him. Hope, jobless, homeless, and living on the charity of her best friend, is too worried about how to earn a living to admit how she feels about Coursey.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Coursey's parents ran a mill in Ohio. They were murdered there by raiders following the Civil War. He was sent back to the island to live with his grandmother.

Where is he from?

Killraven Island, a small Chesapeake Bay Island peopled by farmers and commercial fishermen.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Always.

What does he want out of life?

A family to love and care for, safety for the people of the island, a peaceful way of life. But because of incidents in the past Coursey has given up on that dream.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Can't share it here.

Did you write more than one story about him?

Well KILLRAVEN started as a story in a collection of short stories based in family history. That book was called THE DROWNED LAND, and was an Eppie finalist in 1998/ Then several of those stories entwined themselves and grew into the novel KILLRAVEN.

How would he describe you?

As his great-great-great-grand neice.

For more information, visit - www.ebooksonthe.net/authorsonthenet/chase

Round Table Magician by Ann Tracy Marr

What's his name?

Richard, Lord Brinston, son and heir of the Duke of Haverhorn. His nickname (used only by those close to him, at his invitation) is Brin. He is a Round Table Magician.

Why did you pick that name?

Brinston - when I first wrote his name, it sounded good. Solid English salt and pepper of the earth. Unlike other characters in my writing, once he was named, he never let me change it. It fits.

Give us a brief description of how he looks.

Brinston is the archetype of the romance hero: tall, dark and handsome, at least in Lady Martha's eyes. When she first met him, he looked like an angel, but once she realized what a pain he can be, he looked devilish. His eyes are pewter gray, turning to mist when he is sweet. Brinston can give the impression of being one very dangerous man, but he tends to keep that side of him tamped down.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

I can't say there is anything in his looks that would strike a passerby as distinctive other than his assurance. His unusual qualities are on the inside. Very few people meet the real Brinston.

Who does he love? Why?

Brinston loves his mother, father, sister and brother because they are supportive of him and fill his life with the love all people need. He does not love Lady Martha. No way is he going to love Martha.

Does this person love him?

His family? Of course they love Brin, austere warts and all. They can see beyond the forbidding mask he ties on for safety to the man inside who is capable of great tenderness. Martha? Poor girl, she can't help but love Brinston, even when he makes her as mad as a dowager not given deference.

Where is he from?

Brinston doesn't come from a town, like those upstart Americans with their notions of equality. He hails from a proud line of men, one of whom gave allegiance to William the Conqueror. He is a blooded aristocrat of Regency era England . He was born at Brinston Castle , one of the great estates of Britain .

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Since home is family, not a place, it permeates every inch of Brinston. The sterling difference between him and his father is Brinston has decided that he cannot share his life with a lover. His father was lucky; there isn't another lady in the world like the duchess. He will marry -- eventually -- but his wife will be a shallow society lady, one who does not need or want to share his inner life. He will NOT marry Lady Martha.

What does he want out of life?

Do you mean before or after Lady Martha batters him into shape?

What's his biggest secret?

He has a few secrets. First, when Brinston is undercover chasing spies and other bad guys for the government, even his name is unknown. But Brinston's biggest secret is he is a magician. Handling magic is dangerous; look how many witches, wizards and magicians have been burned at the stake throughout history and you will understand why it can't be known. He means never to reveal himself. To anyone. No way can Brinston kneel before a woman and proclaim, "I am a magician." It would give her too much power over him.

Did you write more than one story about him?

Brinston's story is Round Table Magician -- you can get the paperback at amazon.com and the e-book at www.awe-struck.net. He does make appearances in Thwarting Magic, which is looking for publication now. I anticipate he will show up in other books as yet unwritten. I like Brin too much to lose track of him. Even if he is unwilling to peek in, Lady Martha will make him be sociable.

How would he describe you?

First, he would be snooty and proper, saying, "Yes, I met Ann Tracy Marr at Camelot." Privately, I can see him telling his friends, "Ann Tracy Marr, she is one of the dowagers to avoid at Almack's. She's got two marriageable daughters." What he won't tell a soul is that I am almost as irritating as Lady Martha. I nudge him to open up -- I urge him to admit he doesn't need or want to spend his life as an island -- I kick him in the butt and tell him he isn't going to get away with staying aloof from life. Come to think of it, Brinston probably thinks I am as irritating as Lady Martha, even if I don't throw my daughters at his head.

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us. By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share?

Pictures are paintings; the photograph was unknown even magically in 1814 England . All of Brinston's paintings are hanging at the Castle. If I tried to take one to give you, the duke would probably throw me in a dungeon. Lady Martha has a miniature, but sorry to say, she won't share it. It is in a locket that she wears all the time.

D. K. Gaston Hero From XIII

What's his name?

Avery Hudson

Why did you pick that name?

Avery comes from actor Avery Brooks (Deep Space 9) and Hudson comes from the Bruce Willis movie Hudson Hawk Give us a brief description of how he looks. Hudson is a bounty hunter pursuing a man who sold his soul to the devil for 13 years of youth, fame and fortune.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

Nothing unusual. He's 6 feet, muscular build, bronze skin and wears a short cropped hairdo like a soldier.

Who does he love? Why?

He's falling in love with small town sheriff Mary Jamison. There was an instant chemistry between them.

Does this person love him?

No, her heart belongs to the memory of her late husband. She has no room for another.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

His mother died when he was young. His father, a soldier, was hard on him. They have a strained relationship. Avery never speaks of him.

Where is he from?

Avery is a military brat. He doesn't know his actual birthplace.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

The military was an important part of him. He even drives a Hummer to transport his prisoners. What does he want out of life? To make enough money to retire before 40 and to move to some tropical island surrounded by beautiful island girls.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Not able to bear seeing his mother suffering anymore in the hospital, Avery turned off her life-support machine. He blanked the entire incident from his memory.

Did you write more than one story about him?

I've begun the sequel, Chasing the Dark, and have an premise for the third novel.

How would he describe you?

Nerdy.

KeithD K Gaston http://www.dkgaston.com/

The Hero of Windwalker by Donna Sundblad

What's his name?

Manelin

Why did you pick that name?

I tend to choose names based on what they mean. Manelin means Prince of Princes. It sounded like an unlikely hero name, and Manelin is a reluctant hero when first thrust into the thick of running from all he has ever known to learn that he is to fulfill his destiny as Arich—Savior of his people. Pieces of ancient prophecies come into play, but it's up to him to make choices. Right or wrong, they carry him deeper into situations that teach him to trust, act and even to love.

Give us a brief description of how he looks.

For Manelin it depends on when in the story we see him. Ethnically, his people are dark-haired and brown-eyed. However, his parents leave him with a man they trust among the Jonnick, a fair race, where he is forced to wash his hair with a purple concoction that lightens his hair and disguises his origins while living among the enemy.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

He is the only person within his village with brown eyes. As a child other children tease him calling him dung eyes. He's a loner, but not by choice.

Who does he love? Why?

He loves, Philander, the man he thinks is his grandfather.Does this person love him?Philander loves Manelin as his own. While raising the two-year-old to adulthood, Philader struggles to find the right time to tell the boy of his origins and his place in history.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Manelin's biological family gave him over to be raised by Philander because they believed the prophecies. It is predicted that his people will be trapped within the cage of ice and the only one to save them is the Arich. Because they believe their son fulfills this position they leave their two-year-old son behind with great distress knowing he will live among a people that hate them but with faith that he will rise to help them in the future.

Where is he from?

Manelin is born on a moonless night within the Stygian kiva. His people don't believe that the Land belongs to the people, but people belong to the Land. So he doesn't have a country—he is of the Land. This concept is one of the divisions between two cultures occupying the Land.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Manelin's people's belief that the people do not own the Land is in direct contrast to the Jonnick belief as their villages not only take over the land, but their laws put restrictions on the Stygians to the point of extinction.

What does he want out of life?

Manelin grows up without friends other than his grandfather and uncle and enjoys spending time with his goats as a goatherd. Because of the way people of the Village of Chock treat him due to his brown eyes; he prefers to spend time away from people and with his goats. As a young adult his one desire is to have a real friend.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

His biggest secret, which he doesn't know until he reaches manhood is that he is not Jonnick, but is of Stygian blood.

Did you write more than one story about him?

No, this is the only one, although I've had requests for a sequel.

How would he describe you?

That's an interesting question. It made me think of him looking at me through the monitor. He'd say that I'm a motherly character that wants the best for him and a world where people learn to accept each other for who they are and to see that every person has worth.It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us.

By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share?

Not a physical picture. But he's a handsome young man. Dark hair and olive skin. Straight white teeth and a lean muscular build. He's gorgeous, but his low self-esteem doesn't allow him to think so.

For more information, visit Donna's website - http://www.theinkslinger.net/

Arline Chase Introduces the Hero From Ghost Dancer

I'm very pleased to introduce you to Arline Chase, author and publisher. She is sharing information with us about the hero from her novel Ghost Dancer.

What's his name?

Rowan Cameron, or in the Blackfoot Nation he is the warrior Walks Alone

Why did you pick that name?
His father was a Scot who was transported after the battle of Culloden. His mother was a blue-eyed Cherokee, who named all her children after trees --Rowan, Larch and Loblolly. She named him, I didn't.Give us a brief description of how he looks.His picture is on the cover. He is young, only 23, but has been a man from the day of his naming ceremony when he was 15.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

Six feet, well muscled, long loose black hair, bright blue eyes, excellent teeth. Of course there are scars on his side from his Sun Dance, and the Ghost Dance shirt and the war paint are a bit un-fashionable in the moveable town of End-ofTrack.

Who does he love? Why?

He loves Christina Lawrence, a debutante who left a broken engagement behind her and traveled west for her health. Rowan has no idea why he loves her. She is everything he dislikes in a woman, argumentative, disrespectful of a warrior, a shameless and inventive liar, and--worst of all--skinny. He thinks very little of her people, because it is obvioius they have neglected the woman and they must be very poor hunters to provide her so little food.

Does this person love him?

Christy does love Rowan, but she doesn't WANT to love him. She wants to help him find his way in the white man's world--a world he has all but forgotten -- to help him with the twins and to teach him now to behave in a civilized way, now that she has saved him from the savages.

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Rowan was lost from the wagon train when his parents headed west. His parents settled in Oregon, but died in a smallpox epidemic only the year before, leaving his 12-year-old twin siblings, Larch and Lolly alone. Where is he from? He was born in Virginia, lost from the Wagon Train in the high plains and lives with the Blackfoot people on the reservation.

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

Rowan has almost no memory of anything that happened before the Blackfoot found him.

What does he want out of life?
Christy. To be respected as the shaman and healer that he is. And more than anything to recover one small blue-eyed --well to say more would indeed be a spoiler.

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

The sadness that fills him.

Did you write more than one story about him?

No, but I have another in mind. He and Christy may travel to Paris in 1906. Rasputin was there, then, with the Russian royal family. What do you think? Would the Russian magician Rasputin be a worthy opponent for Rowan?

How would he describe you?

Rowan doesn't know that I exist. He lives his life and cares for his family. I follow him around and write down what he says and does, but he has no idea I am here.

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us. By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share? Again, he is on the book cover, war paint and all.

Ghost Dancer is available at: ebooksonthe.net and www.cambridgebooks.us , on amazon.com, on www.fictionwise.com and www.mobipocket.com and Arline's website at www.arlinechase.com.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Okay -- its time to tell us about that hunky hero in your book.

What's his name?

Why did you pick that name?

Give us a brief description of how he looks.

Is there anything unusual about his appearance?

Who does he love? Why?

Does this person love him?

Tell us about his family. Are they important to him?

Where is he from?

Does his hometown affect his behavior, thoughts and attitude?

What does he want out of life?

What's his biggest secret? (Only share if it isn't a spoiler in the story.)

Did you write more than one story about him?

How would he describe you?

Is there anything else about your hero that we need to know? Feel free to share.

Please provide your website link.

What is the link to buy your book?

It was wonderful to meet him. Thank you for bringing him to meet us. By the way, do you have a picture of him that you'd like to share?

Feel free to email your answers to nikki_leigh22939@yahoo.com and I'll add your information. They will be posted, but not all at once. That will give everyone an opportunity to get plenty of exposure.

Nikki Leigh
http://www.nikkileigh.com/