Character Interviews - Meet Ruby!

Happy Sunday!

We've had some heady and serious articles here at MB4 lately. And don't get me wrong, I loved them, and I'm certain you all found them useful and thought-provoking. Writing can be a tough and lonely career, and blogging to connect with one another can be not only profound, but can teach us in all aspects of the craft. So keep those great guest posts coming, and remember to send me an email to submit your piece after reading our submission guidelines. ;o)

Have you ever done a character interview? 

It can be quite the lark. I've had interviews with my characters Gus LeGarde, Oscar Stone, and Siegfried Marggrander. Today, however, I thought it would be fun to lighten up, and I'm sharing the recent interview done a few weeks ago on Pat Bertram's blog. Ruby's rather full of herself, but I hope you'll get a chuckle out of her answers, anyway. ;o)

Let me know if you'd like to do a character interview of your own? Let's talk about it in the comments section. Should we do this as a regular feature on Murderby4?

Aaron Lazar

lazarbooks.com

copyright 2012, Aaron Paul Lazar

Interview with Ruby, from Tall Pines Mysteries

1. What is your story? The name of the book with my beautiful picture on it is FOR THE BIRDS, by author Aaron Paul Lazar. It’s about these really nasty guys who were chasing my owners all over the Adirondacks. There were secrets, soooo many secrets. Money. Family. Lies. And more.
2. Who are you? My name is Ruby. I’m a ring-necked parrot. I own two humans named Quinn and Marcella. They listen pretty well, for people.
3. Where do you live? My cage is in the living room of my humans’ house on Honeoye Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Sometimes I get to go outside and imagine soaring over the big lake. Love that!
4. Are you the hero of your own story? Er, of course! That’s why my picture is on the book cover!  Come see it here: http://www.lazarbooks.com.
5. What is your problem in the story? Well, except for my owner’s mother falling into a swimming pool, dragging me after her, and getting electrocuted so that we were both in each others’ minds… not much! Honestly, though, you should have heard the things coming out of my mouth after that. I felt like I was inside Thelma’s head, which was a little creepy.
6. Do you have a problem that wasn’t mentioned in the story? My mother, Sarafina, died last year. I’ve been pretty depressed about it. Hardly playing with my toys at all.
7. What are your achievements? Last summer I helped find Marcella’s mother. She was tied to a tree on Blackbird Island and I found her.
8. Do you have any special strengths? Yes, I can eat more seeds in a minute than any bird I know. Of course, I don’t know any birds, except that cute Blue Boy who was at the bird show. But I beat him out, he only got second place! ;o)
9. What makes you happy? Cookies! Okay I think that is enough talk about food. I’m making myself hungry. Where is Quinn? Come on, Quinn. Pretty boy! You da man! Feed Ruby!
10. What are you afraid of? Big dogs. And hawks. I don't like hawks.
11. What makes you sad? My mom dying.
12. What, if anything, haunts you? I’m not too fond of that guy, Tiramisu, who tormented us last year. All he wanted was money from the big bank heist that nobody solved in 50 years. He was a real creep.
13. Have you ever had an adventure? Last year’s adventure at Tall Pines was enough for a lifetime. Whoa. Almost drowning and trying to help Thelma after she was kidnapped – that’s enough for me.
14. Was there ever a defining moment of your life? When Marcella finally really listened and heard me saying “Blackbird Island!”
15. What is your most closely guarded secret? I hide seeds under my bed.
16. What is your favorite scent? I like the smell of the Essential Oils. Why? Because it means Quinn will be happy and play with me. He loves those oils and it helps his obsession with germs.
17. What is your favorite color? Blue. Why? ‘Cause my heartthrob is blue.
18. What is your favorite food? Cookies! Need you ask?
19. If you had the power to change one thing in the world that didn’t affect you personally, what would it be? All the other birds in the world could have unclipped wings and fly. Me? I’m happy with Quinn and Marcella. I don’t want to get eaten by a big hawk.
20. If you were stranded on a desert island, who would you rather be stranded with, a man or a woman? Quinn’s like my dad. I would want him there to climb trees and get me seeds and nuts.

What happens when a parakeet named Ruby gets an unexpected mind-meld with Marcella Hollister’s quarrelsome mother, Thelma? When Thelma’s kidnapped, Marcella must find her - somewhere in the six-million-acre Adirondack Park. Marcella’s perseverance coupled with Ruby’s new talent offer the only hope for rescue, until the shocking truth is revealed.

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Aaron Paul Lazar writes to soothe his soul. An award-winning, bestselling Kindle author of three addictive mystery series, Aaron enjoys the Genesee Valley countryside in upstate New York, where his characters embrace life, play with their dogs and grandkids, grow sumptuous gardens, and chase bad guys. Visit his website at www.lazarbooks.com and watch for his upcoming Twilight Times Books releases, ESSENTIALLY YOURS (MAR 2012), TERROR COMES KNOCKING (FEB 2011), FOR KEEPS (MAY 2012), DON’T LET THE WIND CATCH YOU (APRIL 2012), and the author’s preferred editions of DOUBLE FORTÉ (FEB 2012) and UPSTAGED (JUNE 2012).