Astra's Interview with
the Angel City Bugler
Astra Q Phelps recently did an interview for the Angel City Bugler, during
which she gives readers some wonderful insights into how she got her start as a
kick-butt demon slayer and all around tough Tweener.
* * * * *
R: Hello Astra, thank you for joining us today, we love your
books and were hoping we could get to know you a little bit.
A: Hey! How’s it going? You got anything here that needs to
be blown up or vanquished?
R: Uh, well, no, not really. I have an ex-husband… But no,
forget I said that. I just wanted to chat with you for a few minutes.
A: You don’t want me to save the world?
R: Um, no, not right at this moment.
A: Oh good. Okay.
R: So, Astra, you certainly lead an exciting life.
Vanquishing demons, fighting off devilishly handsome Royal Devil Princes, and
saving the world, how does one get into this line of work?
A: It doesn’t hurt to be born a Tweener, with a powerful
Seraphim for a father and an equally powerful Royal Devil as a mother. It’s not
an easy gig you know.
R: I can imagine. Can you tell us what exactly a Tweener is?
A: Are you kidding me? Do you live in a cave? (shakes head)
Tweeners are half angel and half devil. We’re a warrior race that helps the Big
Guy out in the epic battle between good and evil. (shrugs) I thought everybody
knew that.
R: Impressive. So how long have you been doing this?
Vanquishing demons I mean?
A: Well, I vanquished my first one when I was five I think.
He tried to steal my little red bucket in the sandbox. I loved that bucket. I’d
have done anything to keep it.
R: You, um, (clears throat) you killed a demon for stealing a
bucket?
A: Well yes and no. He tried to eat my sister, Darma too, but
it was the bucket that really set me off.
R: I um, I see. Well, so you figured out you were good at
vanquishing demons when you were five and decided that might be a good way to
make a living?
A: Frunk me, no! I mean, yeah, I was good at it. But saving
the world is so… exhausting. I probably would have just gotten a job throwing
rowdy schmoes out of extra-terra nightclubs if it hadn’t been for that stupid
prophecy.
R: Prophecy?
A: Yeah, the one that has me working with the great
Unifer…that’s Royal Devil Prince Dialle...to save the world.
R: Wow!
A: (Astra nods head) Yeah, wow! Except the world doesn’t stay
saved. I can’t tell you how many meals and how much sleep I’ve missed over the
last several months trying to keep this stupid world saved. It’s become a full
time job.
R: (Reporter leers) Yes, but there are perks aren’t there? I
mean, you get to lock lips with the gorgeous Dialle on a regular basis.
A: Oh yeah. I mean, he’s really yummy, and impossible to
resist let me tell you…but there’s so much to do when saving the world, there
just isn’t all that much time for extra-curricular activities if you know what
I mean.
R: But I understand you manage, somehow.
A: (Astra grins) Yeah, we manage. Somehow.
R: So, what’s it like? Hanging out with the magical crowd?
Are they nice?
A: (Astra snorts) Nice? Lady, what planet are you from? No
really…I’m serious…what planet?
R: (Reporter shrugs) My ancestors came from Venus.
A: That explains a lot. None of these creatures are Nice. Even the angels have an agenda.
They’re good, yes, but rarely nice. Demons are just plain skuzzy, with their
pretty masks that fool humans every time, and you don’t want to get yourself in
a room with a lot of them when the temperatures are very high…
R: Dangerous huh?
A: What? No, they smell like last
week’s steak on the windowsill. And then there are the Royals…well, they’re
beautiful and everything, but they’re just like sexy walking uber-agendas, you
know. And their plans are never good for yours truly or the human race. (Astra
sighs) My social circle just fizzes with conflict, intrigue, and dangerous
agendas.
R: Well, you certainly have a difficult
job.
A: Tell me about it.
R: But what’s this I hear about you
going to the Big House to visit the Big Guy in ‘Tween a Devil and His Hard
Place?
A: Cool place. All light and airy
and stuff. He needed to fill me in on something. I’m still not sure what…speaking
of agendas…something about getting my father back. My father was at the right
hand of God before he fell you know.
R: Your father? Really?
A: Yup. Took over the celestial
army when Michael retired. The Big Guy needs him to help keep the humans safe
against a really big plot to take over control of the dark world and humankind.
The demons are in an uproar and the rumor is that the Angel City witch coven is
pulling the strings behind the uprising. And to make things even worse,
somebody from the Big House is involved and helping the witches. A dark angel
with some power apparently. Some think it’s my father.
R: But you don’t believe it I’m sure.
A: Not for a minute. But the
sticker is I’ve got to prove it. No easy task while saving the world.
R: I heard the next book was even more
exciting. Did you have to save the world again?
A: Of course. In the third book
of the series, the ratio between magic and non-magic is being altered by the
dropping of a veil of twisted magic. Humans can’t survive under the veil and as
it descends they get increasingly crazy and start attacking everything in
sight. I of course have to find the cause and put everything right again.
Meanwhile, I’ve been marked by the Serpent as one of the conduits…
R: Serpent? Conduits?
A: (Astra smiles) I guess you’ll
just have to read the book.
R: Sounds fascinating, I can’t wait.
A: It was. But that’s nothing compared to the next 2
books in the series. As I slide into my Settling…
R: What’s a Settling?
A: The months before a Tweener turns 25 are her
Settling. It’s the time when a Tweener has to decide which side of her nature
she’ll favor for the rest of her life. Once through our Settling, we all lean
either to our dark or our light sides, it’s rare for a Tweener to straddle the
line.
R: Fascinating, so what happens during
your Settling?
A: (Astra grimaces) Every emotion you have is in
overdrive. Anger, horniness, sadness, all ramped up. Especially the horny
thing. Yeesh! I think I’ve just about worn Dialle out. (smiles) Strangely, he
doesn’t seem to mind.
R: (Reporter laughs) I’ll bet! But
seriously, that sounds like it could create quite a roller coaster ride for you.
A: Tell me about it. Unfortunately for me the Big Guy
and the Celestial Army still need my help saving the world. They don’t really
care that I’m struggling just to get through each day and come out on the right
side of my Settling. And since Dialle made me his queen…
R: Wait! I didn’t know that was
official?
A: Yep, happened in Book 4, but that has just
complicated things because the wellbeing of the Royal Court is now tied to our
health and happiness, which gets kind of squiggy when I give Dialle that magic hickey,
(frowns) and especially goes to Hades in Books 5 and 6 when everything I have
and love seems to be lost.
R: Do tell!
A: (Astra shakes finger) Uh, uh, uh. You have to read
the books! (Smiles)
R: Dang it! Don’t worry, I fully intend
to. You have me hopelessly intrigued. I want to thank you for visiting with me
today, Astra. It’s been very…ah…illuminating.
A: Yeah, sure. Hey, you haven’t
seen a really small dragon running around here have you?
R: (Reporter picks up her feet) A
dragon? Why no, did you lose one?
A: (Astra shrugs) Maybe. Oh well,
I’ll just follow the char marks…
Series link: http://www.samcheever.com/
series.html#dancin
Website: www.samcheever.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
pages/Sam-Cheever-Author/
Fun interview.
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Loved the interview. I'm with Astra, why can't the stupid world stay saved? :D It would sure make things easier for her.
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