Stuart Aken: Novak Djokovic

Thursday, 29 May 2014

Exploring Character and Place in A Seared Sky #6

Jodisa-Li permits an interview with the Fantasy Editor.

This is the 6^th in a series of pieces on characters and places featured in Joinings: A Seared Sky. This background information, isn’t covered in the book, but should enhance the reading experience. For some of my people, there’ll be a character drawing, supplied by Alice Taylor, maybe a video interview, and accompanying script. I may do short pieces of fiction, deepening knowledge of certain minor characters as well.

For the places, I may use sections of the map, to indicate location, along with a description of the place, as I see it, and, where appropriate, links with characters. Perhaps I’ll indicate the way of life there with a short anecdote or story. I won’t reveal any of the main story, either as already published or as written in the series, merely enhance readers’ enjoyment of the trilogy by providing more information. I hope this will give pleasure to those who’ve bought the book and, perhaps, persuade others to take that step.

Pronunciation hints:

Jodisa-Li – jo-dee-sah-lie

Dagla Kaz - pronounced exactly as written

Tumalind – tum-a-lind

Aklon-Dji – ak-lon-djy (think of the Dj sound in the name of tennis player, Djokovic)

Names are pronounced phonetically. But this is my take on them; how I hear them in my head. You may pronounce them as you wish, of course; reading is, after all, active rather than passive.

Jodisa-Li here countenances an interview with the Fantasy Editor of Fantastic Books Publishing.

Jodisa-Li is 17/18, physically a virtual twin of Tumalind, and heir to the High Priest, Dagla Kaz. She’s confident, aloof, superior and clever.

FE: Thank you, Jodisa-Li for granting me the privilege of an interview.

Jodisa-Li: You’ll make it worth my time and effort.

FE: Jodisa-Li. What’s the ‘Li’ stand for?

Jodisa-Li: I’m the recognised heir to the High Priest. ‘Li’ informs the people of my status. I’m the most important person in the land, after my father.

FE: I see. So, if your father fails in his mission, you’ll become the next High Priest?

Jodisa-Li: Fail? My father? Don’t be impertinent, man. He does the work of our god; how can he fail?

FE: Accidents do happen. Especially on long trips over unknown lands and seas.

Jodisa-Li: If you put it like that, I suppose there’s a possibility he may face a barrier he’s unable to surmount. In that case, yes, I’ll take over the role of leader here.

FE: And how will you feel about that?

Jodisa-Li: It’s what I’ve been raised and trained to do. I’ll be fulfilling my destiny. The people will obey my commands and I’ll see that all behave with proper respect and reverence.

FE: I understand that, as the High Priestess, you’d have no fixed partner. How do you feel about that?

Jodisa-Li: Feelings don’t come into it. It is my duty to spread my delights as widely as possible. But men will flock to join with me; I see the way they look at me in the city and the towns. I am desired. I’ll have my pick of the best specimens and woe betide any who fail to do my bidding.

FE: Power, don’t you think, carries responsibilities?

Jodisa-Li: You can teach me nothing of power. I’ve lived with power all my life. Power is the instrument of the powerful. Used correctly, it serves the user and those who bend to obey it. A good leader is one who ensures that her subjects understand their place and provides a strong example for others to follow.

FE: Suppose one of your partners were to prove so special that you fell in love with him?

Jodisa-Li: Who told you about that? Ah, I see, an imaginary situation. Love is for the common folk. I’m required, by tradition, custom and sacred duty, to spread my delights wide, as I said. Love has no place in my future.

FE: What’s your opinion of your brother, Aklon-Dji?

Jodisa-Li: He may be handsome, clever, strong, and cunning, but he’s a fool at heart. I mean, to reject the means to power and wealth so easily. Only a fool would do that.

FE: Or a man of principle.

Jodisa-Li: Same thing. Nature, you know, depends on the power of the fittest. No leader can allow sentiment to cloud judgment, honesty to overcome expedience. Once the people saw such weakness, they’d simply cease to obey such a coward.

FE: Don’t have a lot of time for your people, do you, Jodisa-Li?

Jodisa-Li: I have as much respect for them as they warrant. Father says the people get the leader they deserve. If they want their leaders to make their decisions for them, to do their thinking, in fact, they have to accept those decisions and that thinking, don’t they? Laziness and complacency, cowardice and fear are the main qualities displayed by the general people. Could you respect that?

FE: As to that, we’ll have to agree to disagree, I think. But I thank you for your time and the insight into your personality, Jodisa-Li.

Jodisa-Li: Insight? I doubt that. You have the information I wish you to have, no more than that. I bid you farewell.

FE: Farewell, young lady.

Thursday, 24 April 2014

Exploring Character and Place: #1

I’m doing a series of pieces on the characters and places featured in my latest release. This will be background information, not covered in the book, but intended to enhance the reading experience.

For some of my people, there’ll be a character drawing, supplied by Alice Taylor, maybe a video interview, and accompanying scripts. I may include a short piece of fiction, deepening the knowledge of certain minor characters as well.

For the places, I’ll incorporate sections of the map, to indicate location, along with a description of the place, as I see it, and, where appropriate, linking it with characters. I’m not intending to reveal any of the story, either as already published or as written into the series, merely to enhance the reader’s enjoyment of the trilogy by providing more information.

I hope this will give pleasure to those who’ve bought the book and, perhaps, persuade others to take that step (the digital version is only the price of a large cappuccino, and the print version costs less than a reasonable restaurant meal for one, but it’ll give you hours more enjoyment and won’t expand your waistline.)

Some pronunciation hints:

Aklon-Dji: think of the ‘Dj’ sound in the name of tennis champion, Novak Djokovic.

Shoarhn: show-arhn.

Aglydron: aglih-dron.

Ytraa: it-rah.

Mind you, these are just my take on the names, how I hear them in my head. You may pronounce them any way you wish; reading is, after all, an active rather than a passive occupation.

Dji is a title, which means ‘the son of’ and refers only to high-ranking members of the priesthood. It is reserved for those offspring acknowledged by the priest/priestess as his or her own child. Aklon-Dji is a major protagonist in the trilogy and is introduced here by Shoarhn, one of the many women who loves him.

SA: So, Shoarhn, how would you describe Aklon-Dji?

Shoarhn: Beautiful! He’s younger than me, but not by much. His eyes; they’re amazing. Deep blue and flecked with tiny specks of gold. He’s well built, which suits me as his lover.

SA: Aren’t you a married to another man, though?

Shoarhn: Aglydron cares more about ceremony and rite than he does about me. I don’t know why he didn’t just take a temple slave and join with her for Ytraa. He certainly doesn’t care whether I’m pleased when we join. Not like Aklon; he cares deeply for women.

SA: Not jealous of his philandering?

Shoarhn: Why would I be? Ytraa commands us to join when we can, in worship of Ytraa. But I admit I’d love to have Aklon all to myself.

SA: Tell me more about this man.

Shoarhn: Aklon’s about 30 years old, very tall, with long dark auburn hair. He’s broad-shouldered and strong. His father, the High Priest, Dagla Kaz, disinherited him because Aklon insists on telling the truth. When he learned the buried secrets of the Followers, he was so enraged that he rejected his past. He was made Renegade by his father. There’s a price on his head and he lives precariously, befriending converts to his way of thinking. A growing group of these faithful supporters, called the Few, made up mostly of women, and some of their men, ensure he’s always fed and sheltered.

He has a short full beard, and his olive skin bears many small scars from numerous fights and brave exploits. He’s almost as fanatical about his alternative to the religion, which he calls the Cause, as his father is about the Followers.

Unusually for a man of his age, he’s single, but that’s because the role of the High Priest, which he’d have inherited on the death of his father, is an uninhibited one with no single woman taken as a life-partner.

Aklon loves women, sexually and as companions he can talk to about the things that matter most to him. He cares about justice, equality and truth. Even though he’s trained as a soldier, he hates unnecessary violence.

SA: Sounds like a great guy. He must have his faults, though, surely?

Shoarhn: He’s a man. Of course he has faults. Like the way he insists on speaking very precisely. Can be a bit annoying, to be honest. And he wears the best quality clothes he can, in spite of being on the run. People say he’s vain, but really he’s just trying to keep himself civilised whilst he’s hunted. He enjoys too many women for my liking, but, like I say, that’s what we’re supposed to do. Mind you, he says he doesn’t believe in the ways of the Followers now, so maybe he should be changing his habits. Look, I love him. You can’t expect me to give an unbiased view, can you?

SA: I suppose not, Shoarhn. But thank you for this insight. How did you meet him, by the way, if he’s a wanted man?

Shoarhn: He came to me with information about Aglydron and Okkyntalah, my daughter’s betrothed, when they went missing after the Choosing. He cares about us, you see.

Video interview with Shoarhn: