New Release “Hidden In Sealskin” Character Interview by fantasy author Thea van Diepen
Today we travel to Edmonton, Alberta Canada to welcome fantasy author Thea van Diepen to Writer’s Gambit and congratulate her on her New Release Hidden In Sealskin.
Meet Adren: outlaw, misanthrope, hellbent on obtaining a cure for an insane unicorn.
Adren hates humans, and with good reason. Protecting the unicorn from them even as she searches for a cure means running headlong into the worst of human need — and greed. With years of this under her belt, it’s bound to leave scars. Now, trying to steal a sealskin in exchange for a possible cure when money isn’t enough, she runs into the awkward and at-least-mostly human Nadin, who insists on helping her.
When the truth of the sealskin — and the cure — is revealed and Adren begins to fall apart, she might be able to rely on Nadin as an ally. Or she might lose all that’s dear to her. Either way, she’s going to have to go head-to-head with the mysteries shaking themselves loose in her own mind and the nightmarish event that unlocked the first of them from its cage.
Here’s to hoping no-one gets in the way.
INTERVIEW WITH ADREN AND NADIN BY THEA VAN DIEPEN
I’m already in the little cafe, sipping my tea when Adren and Nadin arrive.
They’re an interesting study in contrast. She’s pale, even by Western standards, with white-blonde hair and icy blue eyes that look at you as though she already knows all she cares to know about you and she doesn’t approve of any of it. A good eight inches taller than her is the friendly, expressive Nadin, who, if not for his clothing, could pass through the streets of Mumbai and not look out of place.
As Nadin takes another table, Adren sits across from me. She leans back, arms crossed. I open up the interview.
Been up to anything interesting lately?
Adren: Besides robbery, breaking and entering, [spoiler redacted], and [spoiler redacted]?
Uh. Sure.
Adren: Trying to figure out why I agreed to this interview.
You don’t like talking about yourself?
Adren: No.
You’re the first person I’ve met who didn’t.
Adren: Lucky me.
We’ll just have to grin and bear it, then, won’t we? *smiles*
Adren: *glowers*
*gulps* Tell us a little about the unicorn, then.
Adren: It’s a unicorn. Four legs, one horn, could kill you as easy as heal you.
But isn’t there something unusual about this unicorn? Something that explains your recent activities?
Adren: That depends.
On what?
Adren: Whether you want to live past this interview.
Nadin: *mouths “Be nice”*
Adren: *scowls*
Nadin did explain to you that this interview won’t get to the people who want to hurt you, right?
Adren: *raises eyebrow at Nadin*
Nadin: I guess I forgot that part. Sorry. The whole idea of an interview was too exciting.
Adren: Then why aren’t you here being interviewed?
Nadin: I’m not the main character! It wouldn’t make sense.
I could always interview both of you.
Nadin: No, no, it’s fine. *looks mildly terrified* I’ll… let you continue. I don’t need that much attention, really.
All right. About the unicorn-
Adren: No, really, Nadin. Why am I here and not you? You actually like humans.
Nadin: You said you were interested…
Adren: Only so you’d stop talking about it.
How about we…
Adren: (to me) Wait. (to Nadin) If I have to sit through this, you are, too. Get over here. Now.
Nadin: *hustles over to our table, eyes wide*
All right, let’s contin-
Adren: (to Nadin) What’s so great about interviews, anyways?
Nadin: It’s fun to talk about yourself. Plus, it’s a thing that famous people do.
Adren: We are hardly famous.
Nadin: Well, I might not be, but you have that whole “White Changeling” thing going on.
Adren: I didn’t start it!
Nadin: You don’t get famous just because you start something. Other people have to get involved, too.
Adren: (flustered) And what’s this about talking about ourselves? You’re not exactly forthcoming with the personal details, yourself.
Nadin: I told you that my mother’s sick, right? That’s pretty personal.
Guys…
Adren: Oh, sure, but this one here *jerks thumb at me* wants to know all about the unicorn. What’s that about?
I could always ask about something else…
Nadin: *stands* Then maybe I shouldn’t have said anything!
Adren: *also stands* Fine with me!
Guys! *stands up between them, arms out to keep them apart* This isn’t how we do an interview.
Adren: (grumbling) It’s how I do an interview.
*both sit*
So, Nadin, tell me a little about yourself.
Nadin: Well, I’ve been a mechanic for a while.
…
Nadin: …
Adren: That’s it?
Nadin: I blanked.
Adren: About your own life?
Nadin I’m really nervous, okay?
Adren: Great. This is almost as bad as when you [spoiler redacted] while we were looking for that stupid sealskin, so then I had to [spoiler redacted] which ended up being pointless because you conveniently neglected to mention that [spoiler redacted]! That’s it. I’m done. *leaves*
*checks phone* Wow, ten whole minutes. I honestly didn’t think she’d make it past five.
Nadin: Well, she did mention that she doesn’t like humans.
True, but she didn’t rant about it.
Nadin: True. I guess I win?
Yep. *hands over the money*
As Nadin heads off after Adren, I slump into my chair and swallow a Tylenol.
I really can’t take those two anywhere.
Thea van Diepen
Thea van Diepen hails from the snowy land of Canada and that fairest of cities, Edmonton, Alberta. She is, of course, entirely unbiased, due to her Bachelor’s in psychology (wait, that’s not how that works…) and is also obsessed with Orphan Black, Madeleine L’Engle’s books, and nerdy language things.
Her website is Expected Aberrations, home of all things that lie on the edge of the bell curve, and she can be contacted via email or Twitter, in English or French. If you do contact her in French, though, please don’t ask her to count in it as she tends to skip numbers ending in six entirely by accident.
Other Books by Thea van Diepen
What a gorgeous, gorgeous cover!! Congratulations on this lovely book!!
Ha! Love this! Fab book cover too 🙂