Character Interview-- Briley Alden

 Hello everyone! We're back with another fun character interview! 

    The smell of fried chicken and onions lingered in the Aliki cabin when I walked in. As well as the smell of cinnamon cookies. Briley scurried from table to counter, wiping down the already spotless surfaces. Nervous cleaning. Maybe I should bring her back home with me. She'd love to tackle our messy house.

    I cleared my throat. "I'm here! Ready for your interview?"

    Briley looked over quickly. "Just in time. I pulled the cookies out a little bit ago, and they should be cool enough now."

    My mouth watered as she pulled a thin towel off a plate full of cookies. I took a seat at the table as she carried them over and sat down. I took one and sniffed it. It smelled just like my own cinnamon cookie recipe. Hehe. 

    "Torrin told me about the interview you had with him." Briley crossed her arms on the table. "I hope this one will go as well as that one?"

    "Oh, I'm sure it will go better. Maybe? I'm not as mean to you as I am to Torrin." Yet. I cleared my throat. "Though, you do have a sad past too that I wanted to talk about."

    A shadow crossed over her face, but she nodded. 

    "What do you remember best about your parents?"

    She was quiet for a moment, staring at the table. Her cat, Patches, jumped into her lap and rubbed against her arm. "I remember my father's laugh. As cliché as it is, that's what I remember. He was always laughing. And my mema, she was the firm one. But she was still so gentle. She'd always tell me stories when I went to bed. And..." She sniffed and wiped at her eye. "I remember, the day the...attack happened. They were both in the kitchen making eggs and biscuits. We were going to go on a picnic later."

    I felt extremely guilty for asking her about that. She rarely talked about her parents. In the years I spent writing the entire series, and then editing, and editing, she mentioned her parents twice. Very briefly. 

    It was a wonder she remembered them at all, considering how young she'd been when they died. 

    "How does living in Zaraya compare to living in the hunting cabin in the Elyndian woods?"

    "It's not as lonely," she admitted. "When I live with my grandparents, it was just us and our animals. Raevyn would come by every once in a while, and when we were little we'd go camping. But... I like living here better. Even if not everyone here likes me, since I'm only half Anatheman. And I do wish my grandparents could live here. But it's nice to have friends here."

    "Yeah, you seem to have a pretty good friendship with a certain healer." I grinned and wagged my eyebrows. 

    She blushed. "Yes. And that's all it is."

    I knew what she was thinking, though. All it is. For now. Hopefully. 

    "Okay, last question. How did you and Raevyn meet?"

    She cleared her throat. "I got lost after I wandered away from my grandfather while we were checking the trap lines. I think I was ten, maybe? I was trying to find my way back to the trap line when I bumped into Raevyn." 

    The corners of her lips quirked upwards, and she shook her head. "She was skinny as a twig and her legs were too long. She kept tripping over everything. She didn't know Elyndian, but I still remembered enough Anatheman to communicate. She helped me find my way back to the trapline, and then we promised to meet up again later."

    I was immensely thankful for my phone as I recorded her. This would make a great bonus story to write one day. 

    "After that, we met up once every week. She was too scared of my grandparents to come to the cabin, so we'd meet late at night in the barn."

    "I can't imagine you being a mischievous kid," I admitted. "You're the cautious mom friend who's too scared of messing up and letting others down."

    Briley chuckled a little self-consciously. "That, that came later. Grandmother was afraid I kept sneaking out because of the Anatheman blood. Was afraid of what I might do. So she started drilling into me the importance of faith." She twisted her braid around her hand. "I do believe faith is vital, and I would never turn from God. But...sometimes I wish Grandmother hadn't put so much pressure on me."

    I nodded sympathetically, reaching over to grab another cookie to munch on. I wanted to assure her that, one day, everything would be better. But, as the author, I can't really tell my characters what's in store for them. Which sucked sometimes.

    "Well, thank you for coming to this interview." I stood and tucked my phone back into my pocket. "And for the cookies."

    She stood as well, holding her cat against her chest. "You're welcome! I hope my answers were helpful?"

    "Oh, they most certainly were." I grinned. "I can't wait until you and everyone else sees what's in store for them in the future."

    "Should I be worried?" Her tone was only half teasing. 

    "I will neither confirm, nor deny, anything." I grinned. "But considering how authors like to be mean to characters...."

    She shot me a flat look. 

    "Hey, it's what the fans want!" I backed up for the door. "Have fun, and I'll see you next time!"

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You can read more about Briley in book one, Fallen King.

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