February Character Interview
Patricia Parrington ~ February 15, 2024
Hello my lovely readers and fellow book-lovers! For those of you who are new here, I, your tea-loving host, Patricia Parrington, have the pleasure of interviewing characters from books all over the world.
Today we have here with us Jolene Bronwyn from Monster Ridge, book 2 in The Prophecies of Ragnarok series by Marie Sinadjan and Meri Benson. Marie is a Filipino fantasy author, singer-songwriter, and musical theatre actress currently based in the UK. She’s also a book reviewer and host of #MarieReadsThings📚. Meri is an author and crafter from Chicago, USA.
Meet Jolene
[Patricia leans back on an orange suede couch and takes a sip of tea from a crystal blue cup.]
Welcome to Fable Features! I’m glad you were able to join us today. So tell me—what’s your day-to-day life look like?
[The redhead across her takes a sip of her tea from a matching crystal blue cup and sighs approvingly. Then Jolene sets the cup down.]
You make a wonderful cuppa, Patricia. Thank you.
So, yeah, hi. To be honest, life . . . isn’t what it used to be anymore. I travel a lot because of my new job, which is a definite upgrade from being a corporate slave, but I’m knackered all the time now. I . . . can’t really give you the details, sorry. A lot of what we do as the Tree Je—
[She catches herself and amends]
A lot of what we do in the Order of the Tree of Worlds, you see, is classified.
[Patricia nods understandingly.]
Wow, the title of the job itself sounds very important! How’d you get connected to this job? Without divulging classified information of course.
I went on a road trip with my best friend—
[Off-screen, a male voice grumbles, “You invited yourself to the road trip.”]
—made new friends, got arrested several times, saved the worlds.
Yes, worlds. Plural.
The rest is history. And classified.
I’m impressed! No wonder you’re working in a classified information job.
Would you consider yourself decisive or indecisive?
Oh, I am very decisive! It’s my friends who don’t know what they want, but when I tell them what I think, all they ever say is, “Jo, no.”
[She shoots a pointed look off-screen before beaming at Patricia again.]
[Patricia laughs then takes another sip of tea.]
So I’ve heard you’ve traveled a lot. What’s been your favorite place you’ve traveled to so far?
Believe it or not, Niflheim.
[When the name doesn’t seem to register with Patricia, she simplifies]
The underworld. It’s nothing like whatever you might think it’s like. Sure, when you first get there it’s like stepping inside a black and white movie, but it’s far from dull. Trust me, I know. I’m English.
And the people there actually have lives? Which sounds ironic when I put it that way because, well, they’re dead.
Plus we didn’t get arrested there.
I’m glad you didn’t get arrested! Niflheim seems like an interesting place, but I’m not sure I would want to stay there long, what with all the stories I hear about the underworld.
[Patricia sets down her teacup.]
What’s the strangest way you met one of your friends?
He ambushed us and demanded that we help him because he stole something from his dad.
That’s far from the strangest thing about him, though. But we’re cool now. Everything has been smooth hailing. At first he was extremely frostrating, but I couldn’t really blame him, he’s been so ice . . . solated.
[She is trying very, very hard not to laugh.]
[Patricia grins.]
I’m liking the icy puns. I take it there’s an inside joke behind that?
[Jolene leans in conspiratorially.]
You must’ve seen or heard about Frozen, right? The Disney animated film with the queen who throws a fit and freezes her kingdom in the process?
I met Elsa. In real life.
A bloke Elsa, anyway. Actually, his wife looks like Elsa, but he’s the one who can’t let it go.
Ahhh, I’m understanding the puns now.
So you seem well-connected. Who do you usually turn to for help?
My friends usually turn to me for help.
But if I need fashion advice, Ivaldi’s my man.
[Patricia nods, thinking.]
My sister’s like that—always the one giving advice and being sought out for advice.
If you had to name one thing about you that stands out from others, what would that be?
My ma—
[Is that a “Jo, no!” somewhere in the room? She glances off-screen again, huffs, then begrudgingly purses her lips together. It takes her a few seconds to think of what to say instead, and she’s almost bored when she answers.]
I . . . was Whac-A-Mole champion in uni?
[Patricia stares at her for a long moment, intrigued, but seems to decide not to press any further and gives a slight nod.]
What’s your least favorite vegetable?
Brussels sprouts.
[She’s not being tight-lipped on purpose. She just has nothing more to say about brussels sprouts.]
[Patricia makes a face.]
I’m not a fan of brussels sprouts either. Out of curiosity, what’s your favorite vegetable?
Potatoes! I love chips.
I also really like strawberries. I know, you didn’t ask my favorite fruit, but I’m one step ahead of you!
[Patricia laughs.]
I like you! Always thinking ahead.
We’ve got time for one last question, so here it is: What does perfect happiness look like to you?
Is there really such a thing as perfect happiness? I think the best thing we can hope for is a fun, restful afterlife with the people we love.
Wonderfully said!
[Patricia sets down her teacup on a side table and stands.]
Thank you so much for coming out today! It was lovely getting to know you, Jolene.
End of interview.
Want to Read More?
Cover art by @msinadjan_books (Instagram)
Not actually Jolene. Information classified
(graphic by @kgholdingthings on Twitter)
Character art by @RawrsomeRikkii
(Facebook)
See Ya Next Month
Aaaand that's all the time we have today. Thank you, readers, for coming. And thank you, Jolene, for letting us get to know you. See y'all next month, and until then, stay outta trouble and keep writing!
If you would like to submit a character to be interviewed for a future issue of Fable Features, please send an email to linnaekconkel@gmail.com with the subject line: Fable Features.
Please note that erotica and content with excessive vulgar language will not be accepted.
If you have questions you'd like Patricia Parrington to ask in a future interview, please submit them to linnaekconkel@gmail.com with the subject line: Interview Questions.
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