Zelera
So, I managed to get Zelera to agree to this interview, but
if it’s okay, I thought I’d stick around, just in case I have to remind her to
be polite. And, to not zap you with a
thread of Darkness, or send any freak storms your way, or steal your dragon’s
egg (if you have any of those laying around), or any number of other horrible
ideas she’s sure to concoct. I’ll try to
sit off to the side and keep quiet, with any luck you won’t even know I’m
here. So fire away with your questions.
Tell us a little bit
about yourself. What motivates you?
Who are you to ask
me anything about myself? I am Zelera,
Empress of Aigerach, eldest daughter of King Alric and the rightful ruler. You are nothing but a common… (Millie gasps
and clasps a hand over Zelera’s mouth) mmmm Folks, could you just give us a
moment, I guess I still need to clarify a few things with Zelera. (Cue elevator music…….) Ahem, I’ve
promised to play nice and answer your petty little questions. You want to know what motivates me? Anger motivates me. Revenge motivates me. Hatred motivates me. These things have given me the ability to
become so much more than I ever was, more than anyone else could even dream to
be. My darling little sister can keep
the power of the Light, I find the Darkness so much more appealing and ever so potent!
Who are your
heroes?
Myself of course. I hold the power over life and death in any one
of my little fingers. I can change the
world, warp it any way I see fit. You
should see some of my gruesome creations, they’re diabolical! If you’d like, I can send a little thread of
Darkness, wrap it tight about you, and we’ll see what kind of monster you’d
make. (Millie shakes her head No--vigorously).
Oh, I see, that troublesome author said it’s a No-Go. Something about liabilities and
lawsuits…she’d better watch her back or one day…
What is your favorite
food?
Ugh, I eat because the Darkness steals
so much energy from my body and it must be replenished, but nothing tastes good
to me anymore. I’ve killed so many cooks
for their substandard fare...only to realize that manipulating the Darkness
fouled my sense of taste. Oh well, no
use crying over spilled blood.
How old are you?
I think that’s a rather nosy question and I refuse to
answer it. Why, how old do you think I
look?
What is your greatest
strength?
My patience. I had to wait years to put my plan into
action, to take over the throne. I had
to learn how to use the Darkness without a soul finding out. It is against the law to practice the Dark
Arts, punishable by death. All those
years I had to sit and watch my sister and her charming husband rule my land,
and pretend to be content and happy. Oh,
just thinking about her pretty little face and her darling little family…it
makes me want to retch. Like a spider I
spun my web, then sat and waited for the little fly to get stuck so I could
devour her. If I’d rushed my plan, she’d
still be sitting on the throne and I’d be dead.
Do you have a weakness?
Oh, you’d love for me to tell you my weakness, wouldn’t
you? You rush off and tell that little
brat Ravyn so she can be a hero and save the day? Well, it doesn’t matter, because I have
none. The Darkness is my ally, and
through it I will own the world.
Everyone will bow before me, Zelera, the Empress of Aigerach. In fact, I can see you aren’t
bowing…shouldn’t you be kissing the dirt at my feet? Grovel before me, or I’ll…Zelera, do you
need to go back to Aigerach now? This is
the kind of thing I warned you about (Millie’s finger hovers over the delete
key on her laptop). (Zelera sneers at
Millie) Right, so no bowing…today. But soon, the Darkness will sweep across your
land as well, and you Mrs. Burns and the rest of you fine folks will find
yourselves kissing my hems and begging for mercy.
Star Wars or Star Trek?
I have no time for treks, be they in the stars or
anywhere else for that matter. But
War…ah yes, there’s always time for war!
Nothing fuels the Darkness so well as the agony and fear, the hate and
anger, those powerful base emotions.
Now, is that all? I have a war of
my own to prepare for. That little brat
of Lareina’s thinks she can take the crown from me. I have a few little surprises in store for
Ravyn.
You think that's crazy? You haven't seen diabolical until you've read all about her!
Also, read my review on Return of the Crown HERE
Ravyn’s parents are trapped in a magic mirror; her evil Aunt Zelera seized the crown, unleashing the Darkness to ravage the land of Aigerach. Now…the witch wants her dead.
What’s a girl green in the ways of magic going to do?
She’ll bring the Light back to Aigerach and return the crown to its rightful place on her father’s brow or she’ll die trying.
Anxious and alone, sixteen year-old Princess Ravyn sets out on a quest fraught with danger. Armed with nothing but her newfound ability to manipulate the Light, a travel pack of supplies, a snippet of courage and the clothes on her back she sets out to eradicate the Darkness.
A beacon of hope in a dreary world, she draws others to her like a moth to a flame. Connor, a Master of the Light, aims to steer Ravyn clear of the pitfalls of magic. Blade, her best friend from childhood helps her escape Zelera’s clutches. But has he stolen her heart? Ravyn meets many colorful characters along the way – dragons, and harpies, and unicorns. Oh my! Be they friend or foe?
Empress Zelera harries Ravyn’s every step, laying deadly obstacles and traps at every turn. Ravyn can stumble, she may even fall, but if she doesn’t get back up her world will never be the same again.
In this classic heroes journey magic is not always the cure for what ails you. Ravyn may be naïve, but this spirited girl never claimed to be perfect, besides she’s Aigerach’s only hope.
About the Author
Millie
Burns lives in Orangevale, CA with her husband and three lovely
daughters. Along with a severe infatuation of the written word, Millie
enjoys a multitude of other activities. You might find her out climbing a
rock, hiking the backwoods, or clinging to the end of a rope being
dragged behind a boat.
You can find her at www.returnofthecrown.com
