AN INTERVIEW WITH BRANT

The posts throughout the month of January will be revolving around the characters and events from The Minstrel's Song as part of the cover-reveal and book-release party for SECOND SON. If you want to know how you can participate in this party, please check the end of WEDNESDAY'S POST.Today we have Brant with us here on the blog, to answer a few questions we are all dying to know the answers to (me most of all!) ;)

Jenelle: Welcome, Brant, and thank you for joining us.Brant: Thank you for having me.Jenelle: Let’s just dive right in, shall we? Tell us a little bit about yourself and where you grew up and who you are as a person.Brant: I can’t, that information is part of the mystery surrounding me as a character.Jenelle: We’re among friends here, and most of these people have already read King’s Warrior. Can’t you just give us a little hint?Brant: Ask a different question. Jenelle: Spoilsport. Okay then, what is your worst fear?Brant: There are a lot of truly terrifying things about my world, but the one that disturbs me the most is not being in control of my own destiny. I hate the idea that I am just a puppet following a predetermined path and nothing I can do will change the outcome in any way.Jenelle: Can you expound on that for us a bit?Brant: Hundreds of years before I was born, a prophecy was spoken about a second son in the line of the royal house of Llycaelon. As I was the first second son to be born since the prophecy was made, everyone assumed that I would be the fulfillment of those ancient words. All throughout my life the words of prophecies have chased me and molded me and formed the events surrounding me. All I wished for was to live my life in peace, content in the role I had been born into. But the prophecy would not let me do so.Jenelle: That sounds like a heavy burden to bear. Let’s springboard off of that into a deeper question: are you in control of your own actions of the events around you? What or whom do you believe in?Brant: I believe that I am only accountable for my own actions, much as I might wish otherwise. I believe in the Creator, Cruithaor Elchiyl. When I was younger, I made a choice to serve Him no matter what it meant for my own life and comfort. Following Him makes it easier to accept the prophecies that hound me around each turn.Jenelle: How important are your friends to you? How much would you be willing to sacrifice for their safety?Brant: That is easy. I would sacrifice everything, even my own life, to protect the ones I love and care about. It is my greatest regret that I have not always been able to do so.Jenelle: You have certainly suffered through many tragedies in your life. Of all the things you have lost, what do you miss the most?Brant: My family. I had a decade of peace with my wife and children, and I would give up anything in the world to have just one more moment to hold them in my arms, and hear their laughter ringing across the valley.Jenelle: I'm very sorry about that. Let’s lighten this conversation up a bit, shall we? What are your most prized possessions?Brant: I don’t have many belongings. However, there is a gryphon’s feather sewn inside my vest that is very dear to me. It was given to me by a gryphon as a symbol that my mastery of his language was very nearly perfect. My sword is also among my most prized possessions. It is the first man-sized blade I ever had, and it has served me well. Even though it was given to me by someone I loved who later proved to be an unworthy councillor, I treasure it as a token from my past, a moment in my life where everything seemed so simple and straight-forward.Jenelle: What would you say are some of your greatest strengths?Brant: I am very quick on my feet. In moments where a split-second decision is required, I am capable of very swiftly assessing the situation and figuring out what the best course of action would be. Anything that requires a strategic decision comes fairly easily to me. I am also very skilled in combat, tracking, and evading detection. I am also very loyal to the ones I care about.Jenelle: Speaking of the people you love: what are the character traits you value most in others?Brant: Loyalty, honesty, and integrity. I need to be able to trust the people around me.Jenelle: Of all the places you have been in Tellurae Aquaous, what is the most amazing place you’ve ever been? Or where would you spend more time if you could?Brant: There are a lot of incredible places in this world, but I do have a few favorites. The caves in the cliffs beneath the castle I grew up in are etched fondly in my memory forever. The main port city of Yochathain is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, and I would gladly return there if I could. But the place I think I could happily live out the rest of my days is the island of Emnolae - it is wild, beautiful, serene, isolated, and deadly. It would be a challenge to survive there, but it would also be exciting and filled with adventure.Jenelle: Well, thank you so very much for joining us today, Brant. I hope that our readers feel like they got to know you a little bit better through this interview. And I hope that the things you hinted at have piqued their interest to read about your adventures in SECOND SON!I hope you enjoyed this interview. If you have any questions for Brant that I did not ask here, feel free to comment and ask them, and maybe we can have Brant over for a follow-up interview on another day!