It's Thursday today and I've decided to unearth a type of post I used last autumn but then sort of forgot about. In honour of my October Blogathon, Thrilling Thursdays are back! Well, they thrill me, at least - I hope you like them, too.
Let me explain the concept - one of my favourite methods of characterisation and plot-development is through character interviews. I pretend I'm sitting down right there with one of my characters, and we strike up a conversation. Sometimes it worked out stranger than others (here's a short one and here's another), but no matter what, I've always had fun doing character interviews.
Tessa Conte sits in a comfy armchair before a happily dancing hearth-fire in a room full of books and leather. She has a yellow legal pad on her lap, and is busily chewing the end of her pencil.
There's a knock at the door.
TC: Come in, please.
A man enters the room, dressed in a desertman's garb, all loosely flowing robes and leather belts holding it all together. He's armed with at least two blades - a sword on his back and a knife in his belt - that Tessa can see, but there's bound to be more. He comes to a stop before Tessa's chair.
TC (waits a bit, tapping her pencil against the legal pad): Well? Are you going to sit down? (He sits and pulls off the black turban and veil) Thank you. So, what are we talking about today? How about we start with you introducing yourself to the audience?
R: I'm Rashid.
TC: That's it? Just Rashid?
R (he's studying the room, the fire, the books, anything but looking straight at Tessa): Yes. I'm the Peacemaker's guard.
TC (frowns): Care to elaborate on that? And why aren't you looking at me?
R (deliberately turns his head to look straight at a spot behind Tessa's right shoulder): I'm just a guard, I shouldn't be looking at you.
TC (watches him for a bit): Are you looking for threats, Rashid? (he just nods) So you'd protect me, too, then?
R (apparently startled, he meets Tessa's gaze and she sees that his eyes are a strangely mezmerizing honey shade): Yes, my lady. Of course I would! That's my purpose, is it not?
TC: To protect?
R (frowns, then nods as if he needs to reassure himself of this): Yes. I protect, that's what I'm here for. There's nothing else for me, is there?
TC: You don't sound very certain of that.
R (looks into the fire; his hand is resting on the hilt of his dagger, clenching and unclenching): I don't know what to think. I have no memory older than the day I was given into the Peacemaker's service, you know that, don't you? How am I to know what or who I was before then? It should not matter. I know I can't be that anymore, that I'm not allowed to, but...
TC (leans forward): But?
R: But there's something there, shadows, echoes of something...
TC (sits back in her chair): We'll figure it out, don't worry.
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