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CHARACTER INTERVIEWS
Jagger
I have to be honest. I approached this interview with some
hesitation, perhaps even a little trepidation. After all, even though I feel I
know him a bit through Cordelia, I’ve never experienced Jagger directly. As he
sits before me, I can empathize with Cordelia. He is impossibly magnetic, his
aura both powerful and dangerous, the only release, a hint of humor gleaming in
his silver-gray eyes. I met with him in St. Moritz, just before the start of
Faustine’s Integration year.
Are you excited about starting a new year at
the Academy?
I am, though I’m not exactly sure what my role will be this
year. I guess I’ll find out when I get there.
So, you’re not heading back as the Student
Council President?
I wouldn’t think so. That position is usually only awarded
for a year. Plus, my time at the academy is officially over.
Why are you going back, then?
Mainly to keep an eye on my brother, Ryker.
And Cordelia?
Yes, hmm. You said that you had some questions from my
fans...
I do! Here is one from Sean Sweeney. He wants
to know what you got Cordelia for Valentine’s Day.
Myself. However, like any girl, she obviously needed a
“token” as well. I got her a little secret something from Harry Winston.
Nice! The next question is about Cordelia as
well. Al Kunz, the infamous celeb book blogger, aka The Snake, wants to know
what really happened on the slopes. He wants details.
He couldn’t handle the details.
LOL! There you have it, Al! Moving on...
Michelle Cable wants to know what you thought when you first saw Cordelia and
what you thought of that electrifying kiss.
That she’s stunning is apparent to all who are lucky enough
to behold her. I was struck by her beauty as soon as I saw her, when she first
arrived at the academy. It was my policy to stay away from demons, though.
Every kiss with her is electrifying, but I’m guessing you mean our very first
kiss. I was shocked, but immediately realized what had happened.
Too bad that doesn’t happen to humans. Synching
sounds unbelievably intimate...
It is, but the realization that one is bound forever to
this one being frightening, too. That’s unnatural in the supernatural world.
I can see that. Faustine seems to bridge the
gap between the human and the paranormal worlds. My daughter Lauren wants to
know what you think of Faustine, and Vickie Boehnlein wants to know if you’re
scared of Faustine.
I love Faustine. She’s like a little sister to me. I feel
very protective of her, even though I know that she can take care of herself.
And yes, I’m scared of her. I’d be stupid not to be. She’s one of the most
powerful demons I’ve ever come across.
10. Demons seem to like their food, meat in
particular. Lynn O’Dell would like to know if you prefer filet mignon or
T-bones?
I’m not a demon, but I do prefer Filet Mignon.
Octavia
Octavia is the enrichment student at the Academy who
represents Cordelia at the Student Council trial. Like all my characters, she
was born in my imagination, this time inspired by my awesome friend and editor,
Sue Bernstein, who is also a lawyer. During the editing process, something odd
happened. Sue adopted Octavia into her own imagination, and Octavia seemed to
become a manifestation of Sue’s personality. It was a weird, but wonderful
thing, and a total hoot. For the first time, my story had a character who
seemed to have taken over a life of her own outside my own imagination. So it
was only natural to ask Sue my questions for Octavia. I met with her just
before Faustine’s Integration year.
Where did you attend to law school?
From the time I was a kid growing up in the mid-western US,
I always wanted to live in New York. So I applied to only one law school—a
prestigious school in Manhattan that shall remain nameless—and got in! I spent
three blissful years in Manhattan before being turned.
When were you turned into a vampire? How old
were you?
That’s a day I'll never forget—I was turned on graduation
day. What began as the happiest day of my life, graduation from law school,
ended with fangs in my neck and me undead forever. I was… am twenty-six years old.
I am guessing you were turned by someone
eminent, hence you being sent here to the Academy. Are you able to share who?
While I am not at liberty to divulge the name, suffice it
to say that he was one of my law professors, who told me he had very big plans
for me. No kidding big plans! When not teaching evening classes in New York, he
teaches an introduction to paranormal jurisprudence class at Bonfire Academy.
What were the circumstances in which you were
turned?
The professor who turned me was my mentor. I trusted him
and worked side-by-side with him for three years. At least he waited for me to
graduate before he turned me but studying for the NY Bar Exam while trying to
control my brand-new powers was a bit hairy!
What will you do once your time at the Academy
is over?
My mentor/professor/attacker still has big plans for me.
What do you think of Jagger?
For a winter, that faery is definitely H-O-T!
How close to you feel to him after letting him
drink your blood? Do you feel he belongs to you in any way?
As trite as this sounds, faeries belong to no one. That
said, however, Jagger and I have a very close bond. Mmm.
Do you like Cordelia?
Like is such an odd word for a vampire to use. Cordelia was
my client, and I respect her. You didn't think you'd pin down a lawyer, did
you?
What do you think is up between her and Jagger?
Oh, goodness! Something for sure. I can sense it in my
blood.
Are you coming back to school next year, during
Faustine’s Integration year?
Yes! But as staff.
Thanks so much, Octavia and Sue!
Rea
I met with Rea at my
hotel in St. Moritz. When I opened the door to my suite after the first knock,
there was no one outside. This went on a few times until I decided to leave the
door ajar. She walked in minutes later, a large freckle on her nose glowing
bright orange. I was taken aback. I had expected an unseemly creature, having
the standard image of a troll imprinted in my head. But of course, she came in
her human form–an impishly charming girl, her blond hair in dreadlocks, her bright
green eyes sparkling mischievously.
Although I asked her to sit, she preferred to stand as we talked,
skipping about the room looking through my closet and desk drawers. I ignored
that until she slipped her hand into my Birkin and pocketed my wallet. She
shrugged when I threw her a look, and hastily returned it. Thankfully, the
remainder of the time, she just tried on some of my shoes and clomped about in
them.
Rea, are you a full troll or hybrid?
My twin and I are
hybrids. We are part troll and part fabulous faery. When it comes
to mischief, we are definitely dominant troll.
Trolls are often changelings, swapped out for a human
child. Did your parents place you with a human family?
Yes, they did, but it
didn't last long! Our human family loved us, but we were a handful!
It seems our human family didn't have all that much of a sense of humor.
Did the human family find out that you were trolls?
They suspected
something was up, but wondered if the sudden change in the personality of their
kids had something to do with those injections human babies seem to need.
What happened to the human twins you were swapped with? Are
they still alive?
Very much alive and we
are good friends now. They still live at our parents’ place. They assume they
are trolls as well, but ones who aren’t able to do what normal trolls can.
Your twin, Noella, is very rarely sighted. Some even
question her existence. Why is that?
I am glad you asked
that. She does exist, believe me! Noella is the youngest and the most spoiled. We
are identical twins except for a small freckle that Noella has on her nose. We
excelled at witchcraft classes, and she learned a chant to make her freckle
disappear when she was caught doing naughty things. Everybody always looked for
that darn naughty freckle, and when it wasn't there, it was believed that *REA*
did it! I did try a chant to make a naughty freckle appear once when I was in
trouble, but when the freckle glowed orange, I was busted!
You seem to be in trouble at the school all the time. Have
you even been forced to have sessions with Dr. Amour?
Yes, I have, and it
didn’t go well! I thought we’d gotten
away with it, but she hauled me up to her office the other day. She is OLD and
can’t understand young, fun-loving, and adorable trolls!
How do you feel about demons?
I love demons! We are
impossible to catch, so even though they scare most paranormals, the trolls
actually torment them! I could do without the oozing puss though. Bleh!
You’ve been particularly active in trying to annoy Pascal.
Is that your way of getting his attention? Are you interested in him?
He is a cute demon, and
that is all I am saying!
With that, Rea
disappeared though the door wearing my YSL Tribs. J
I’d like to thank Allirea Brumley for getting into character
and responding to my questions as her paranormal alter ego, Rea.
Dr. Amour
I first spotted Dr. Amour on the Amazon forums when she was serializing
one of her romance novels. I have been trying to get an interview ever since.
However, she is loath to talk about her books, sometimes even pretending to be
dead to avoid it. She has finally relented to an interview as long as I don’t
mention the book. I met her for coffee in St Moritz. She arrived looking
slightly stressed, but opened up after chugging down on five Espressos.
How long have you been at Bonfire Academy?
I’ve been at the Academy for going on three years
now. It has been the most frustrating, challenging, and rewarding three years
of my life.
Were you trained here at Bonfire Academy or somewhere else?
I was brought in to the Bonfire Academy at the age
of ten and was schooled and trained here. This is the only place I know as
home.
What are the most frustrating aspects of your job?
Administration. Professor Kunz can be especially
difficult to work with. He doesn’t always play well with others.
Are you a full faery or a hybrid?
I am a hybrid. I am three-quarters faery, but my
grandfather was a Wanderer. I attribute my constant search for truth within
each of us to him.
Which kind of paranormal seek your advice most often?
I seem to attract the largest Troll audience. It
may be because of their appearance or their general grumpiness; most of the
other therapists tend to avoid them.
There has been a lot of talk about Rea and Noella this year. Have they
been in to see you?
No, they haven’t, but they should. Thank you for
reminding me. I must make a note to have them come in. Rea has gained the
reputation as a troublemaker. Noella seems more levelheaded, so hopefully I can
reason with her.
Being a faery, do you find it difficult to council other types of
paranormals?
Not usually. I believe being a hybrid has
something to do with it. We all have our strengths and weaknesses in being who
we are. The trick is to find a common ground and work through it from there.
Do demons ever seek your advice? How do you protect yourself from their
temper?
Demons don’t come in very often to see me. They
are already convinced that they know everything and find counseling to be a
waste of time.
Do you think love has a place in the paranormal world or is it all
about lust?
I think love has a place in every world.
Professor Kunz was a bit disparaging when he described you as the
paranormal “Dr. Phil.” What do you have to say about that?
What do you expect from a warlock? For someone who
cries himself to sleep every night, he lacks compassion.
Is there a natural animosity between warlocks and faeries?
I don’t believe so. There are bad seeds in every
group, but I see real hope that one day, hopefully in my lifetime, we can all
live in peace and harmony.
What are your plans for the future?
Hopefully, the Academy continues to see my work
here as helpful. I couldn’t imagine being any other place.
I’d like to thank Anne-Marie
Monlezun for getting into character and responding to my questions as her
paranormal alter ego, Dr. Amour.
Professor
Kunz
Professor
Kunz, the head of the Integration program, agreed to let me interview him while
he was in New York to attend a conference. I spotted him as soon as I walked
into the lobby of the Times Square Hilton in Manhattan. It wasn’t hard; he’d
sent me several of his books, all of them displaying his picture on the back
cover. He looked even more impressive in real life—a distinguished, but slightly
otherworldly, professor. After I introduced myself, we found a quiet corner in
the Pinnacle Bar for our interview.
How long have you been
at Bonfire Academy?
This
is my tenth year on the staff here at the academy.
Where did you train?
It
isn’t something many people here know, but I attended Bonfire Academy years
ago. Many staff members were originally students. Most people are aware of the
recent Academy graduates who come back as staff members or act as mentors
during their enrichment year, but some of us old timers got our education here,
too. Frau Schmelder and I were actually part of the same graduating class.
Are you a full warlock
or a hybrid?
You
realize it’s considered bad form here to ask these kinds of questions. I hope
this is just between us. Everyone knows I’m a warlock, but I’ve kept it quiet
that I’m a hybrid of warlock and Sigma-Wanderer
I do know, but I
thought I’d ask anyway. I hope you will be okay with me sharing with your fans.
Sigma-Wanderers are at Spencer’s beck and call. Are you called away often to
carry out duties outside the Academy?
He
doesn’t call on me to travel much anymore. There are several younger Sigmas he
uses, but he’ll call me out for situations that he’s worried they can’t handle,
and we talk often. I probably wander over for dinner at least once every week
or two at the Darleys’ home.
Very few Wanderers
attend the Academy. Why do you think it was felt necessary to place you here?
We
have plenty of demons and witches on staff, and more trolls than we know what to
do with. Although there have been very few Wanderers who have attended the
academy previously, we’re expecting several Wanderers and Wanderer hybrids in
the next several years. Spencer felt having someone who truly understood what
it was to be a Wanderer on staff was a necessity. He discussed it with Frau Schmelder, I wanted
to return to “my roots,” and everything worked out.
How do your powers
compare to Dr. Bern’s powers?
Based
on the powers we’re allowed to demonstrate at school, Dr. Bern is more powerful.
I’m forbidden from using my Wanderer powers in such a way that they’ll be
discovered by anyone here, and my warlock powers are slightly diluted by virtue
of being a hybrid. Were that not the case, our powers would be close to equal,
as we’re cousins. That’s something that very few at the academy know. In fact,
both of us were born in Switzerland, in a little town called Diemtigen, around
150 kilometers west of here, near Berne, the capital of Switzerland. Her last
name uses the German spelling of the city. Bern-with-an-e is the French
spelling, also used by most English-speaking nations. I believe her paternal
ancestors took their surname from the city name.
You approach
Integration without taking emotions and natural instincts into consideration.
In fact, you seemed slightly disparaging when suggesting that anyone in need of
Dr. Phil-type support seek out Dr. Amour. Why is that?
Dr.
Amour and I have a history that, to be completely honest, has made me prone to
showing my frustration with her when maybe I shouldn’t. I’ve never been
entirely sure of the reason, but she attended the Academy for several years; I
think four “enrichment” years, and multiple years of Initiation and
Integration. She joined the staff immediately after she finally graduated. I’ve
heard rumors that her paranormal powers are hard to control. What the truth is,
I’m not sure. It was during her final enrichment year that we became involved.
In my defense, she was much older than the typical student. I probably
shouldn’t go into any details other than to say that Dr Amour’s “emotions and
natural instincts” can be great—I sure thought so for a while—but they can get
out of control. She sometimes encourages students under her care to do just the
opposite of what we’re trying to overcome in their training.
Rumor has it that you
may harbor special “feelings” for her. Is that true?
Have
you ever been attracted to someone you knew was bad for you? You try to resist,
but the attraction is too much. I’ve done well recently, but I’m not sure how
much longer I can last.
Integration was
particularly challenging for two of your students—Faustine and Mason—this year.
How do you think they will fare outside the Academy?
I
think Faustine is headed for big things. She’s still learning because she’s so
young, but some day, I expect her to be an important leader in the paranormal
community. In many ways, she’s mature well beyond her age. Mason is another
story. Although a leader among the paranormals, his father has always been a
bit of a loose cannon. Mason is a “chip off the old block.” I’m concerned he’s
going to require some intervention or reining in, in the future.
What are your plans for
the future?
I
hope to stay here at the Academy and settle down.
I’d like to thank Al
Kunz for getting into character and responding to my questions as his
paranormal alter ego, Professor Kunz.
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Imogen
Rose is the author of the bestselling series, Portal Chronicles, which has
attained cult status within indie literature and become a favorite among teens
and adults alike. An immunologist by profession, Dr. Rose published her first
work of fiction in 2010. She now writes full time and is currently working on
her second teen series, Bonfire Chronicles. Imogen was born in Sweden and has lived
in several places, counting London among her favorites. She moved to New Jersey
in 2001. A self-confessed Hermès addict, Imogen freely admits to being obsessed
with Kurt Cobain. She enjoys shopping, traveling, watching movies, and hanging
out with her family, friends, and Chihuahua.
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Find Imogen and her books
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Integration
Bonfire Academy #2
Second haiku warning:
A boyfriend missing
A lover must pay in blood
A princess must die
Welcome back to Bonfire Academy.
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