♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦
Topic #54
Interview a character. Imagine you could step into the world of your novel and interview the characters like they were real people. What would you ask them? What would they say? (Alternative – if your novel were made into a movie, what famous actors would you have play the main roles?)
Welcome back to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop! If you’re new to the series, the authors included are grateful for your reads and appreciate, even more so, when you share our writings with your friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Be prepared to become a regular reader.
Dominic Newlyn, Soul, Former Sun Order Leader, Human
Some months ago, I interviewed Captain Maiel, a character from The Trailokya Trilogy. I thought getting the other side of the story from her husband would be an enlightening exercise. What follows is just that. Be warned that there might be some dark topics and triggering statements. Dominic’s clear humanity is not something that can or will be controlled. Should it be?
Thanks for stopping by the blog hop to check out my interview with Dominic Newlyn, a former Sun Order legionae and father of seven. Dominic now spends his time creating art and running missions into Samsara to help raise his atman’s resonance, in the hopes of joining his wife in the next stage as a duta. There are those in Zion who still frown upon a match between a human soul and duta, but Dominic has enjoyed the support of his wife’s family who have taken him in as one of their own. Proud of his wife, Dominic seeks to be on equal footing with the accomplished captain, and perhaps return to the legions and his order.
Q: Did I characterize your story correctly, Dominic?
A: A sly laugh, as he slouches in the chair, he nods and mumbles an affirmative. He’s a very sexy, well built blond human with alluring green eyes. It’s clear that the Captain has been rewarded for her work, as Dominic has been blessed by her in ketu (what we human’s call marriage).
Q: Let’s get started. As you recall, sometime ago I had the pleasure of speaking with your amazing wife. The interview was intense, to say the least. What is life like at home with the Captain?
A: Dominic adjusts his body in the chair and for a moment there is a recognizable apprehension. He flashes that sideways, boyish grin I’m sure charms the pants off his wife. That’s uh-a loaded question. He laughs. Mai is a fantastic mom and she’s a dedicated guardian. We don’t always have as much time as I’d like, but when we do, it’s quality time. She likes to watch me paint and we cool out at the spring. It’s nice. Quiet. Real homey.
Q: It sounds so at odds with your exciting jobs. Your work has been characterized as promising, but I’m sure, like every artist, that compliment falls a bit short for your ambitions. Thanks for the tour of your studio earlier. You’re very talented. But tell me, where do you see yourself in the next hundred or so years? Will you still be puttering around that attic making pictures or will you be returned to the Sun Order, as you’ve hoped? What are your personal goals outside your family?
A: He becomes pensive, and sadness fringes his eyes. A lack of surety creates a false start. He snickers it off and finally responds. His jade eyes are a bit hard, and I’m sure I’ve stumbled on a contentious topic. I’ll be back with the guys, but I don’t have to give up painting. Unfortunately part of up-cycling is becoming a kid again. That’s gonna be weird, being the same age as my boys for a bit, and wanting to be with my wife. At least, I’ll have parents again and I hope this time they don’t leave me. Growing up at the barracks wasn’t exactly a dream. The guys in the order can be cold despite what—all that sun shit. Yeah, I’m gonna miss my wife, and I think that’s probably the bigger thing.
Q: That’s very sweet, to see you so in love after these millennia together. Humans on Earth can’t manage a couple decades let alone centuries. What is your secret?
A: Dominic gestures as if it’s nothing. Ketu are different than the matches you find in the physical realm. Those relationships are impermanent because they’re fake. What I have with Mai, that is REAL. The first time I kissed her, I saw it all and it is perfect, you know? I don’t even look at other women. I have no need. She fills every need I have.
Q: But, that could get quite boring, couldn’t it? Do you use the incarnations—trips to Samsara—to blow off the boredom of your years together? Sources have told me that your record is layered with quite a different picture from the happy homestead you have here. What do you have to say about that?
A: Dominic visibly looks upset by what I’ve said. I sit firm against his stare, but I notice a light illumine there. It’s not like the glow I’ve seen in the eyes of duta, and rising souls. This is different. I have the distinct impression of blood, but then he blinks and what I thought was there is gone. You’re mischaracterizing the work we’re doing. It’s important to my progress to know exactly what life is like without her, to not treat her as well, so that I move beyond selfish things, to fully understand. Maiel is fully aware of what will take place before she agrees to any of it.
Q: You and your wife are both quite sure of yourselves. Maiel replied to one of my questions, and I quote: My contributions are on record, and I have been ordered a penance for my disobedience to rank by General Mikhael himself. One must also consider that I was able to return a fallen member of my order, something that was not accomplished in the two-thousand years he roamed Earth. I’d have expected a contingent to be deployed to Samsara sooner. My life is getting back on track and any doubts I once harbored in my commanders or the king are all resolved. When I pressed her, she simply nodded that everything is great again. Does it bother you that she went through this, and do you trust her efforts anymore on your behalf?
A: Absolutely I trust her! She is one of the best Captains the Legions have. I can’t imagine anyone better to help me. The only reason that happened is one of the alders on her case was burning down. He set her up.
Q: Yet, you’ve not risen in over three-thousand years. Why would you say that is? Are you being set up? Wasn’t that alder your main council?
A: Dominic looks uncomfortable once more, then scoffs away my question. The hell–it takes time. Sure I’d like to have snapped my fingers the moment I thought I needed to do this to be respected again, to do the right thing.
Q: You’re not respected?
A: My wife—my family—they respect me, but there’s pressure. And, yes, my councilor was setting us both up.
Q: Dominic is agitated, but I’m torn between retrieving control of the interview and getting a big scoop. Pressure?
A: Dominic stares again. I’m either losing this interview or making a breakthrough. The silence is tense. His fist flexes, arm propped up on the arm of his chair. He looks threatening, instead of like the Midwestern hunk for which he’s been the mold. From the top. They want the results they want and anything short isn’t going to pass.
Q: So you think they’re purposely holding you back? Why do you think they would do that? Are there more alders under shadow influences?
A: No. No, it’s not the alders are burning. Look. Very few humans have become duta. They do everything to stop it from happening. That’s just how it is. He pauses, smiling like a devil now, remember the war?
Q: The conflict?
A: He nods. There’s a lesson in that. They all feel the same way Lucifer did, the one’s who didn’t get burned hide it better.
Q: But why bother guarding anyone then? Let them all burn down. What about your guardian? Wasn’t he—what’s his name?
A: Luthias.
Q: Thank you. What about Luthias? He was human and was raised within the same lifetime as you.
A: He’s one in a real short list.
Q: But there’s the prince and others, though I can’t name them, it’s not really a short list. Don’t you think that’s it’s more likely you’re not ready for some reason that you’re not getting? I mean, your wife has gone to hell and back for you, twice, and you’re playing orgy with other humans on Earth calling it training. I’m sorry, I’m not pulling any punches here. I just want to get the clear answers for my readers.
A: What do you know of it? Have you done anything other than gossip about others? How is that helping anyone? Are you moving up? I doubt it.
Q: My progress isn’t being questioned and I have no ambitions outside gaining the truth, not gossip, Mr. Newlyn. Maybe it’s time to face that your failure to rise up is that you’re not addressing the remaining issues. You’ve just been cycling through the same series of actions thinking that will somehow build your level up, like a game. If you continue to fail, you realize you could burn? This isn’t a game at all. It’s not the same as choosing stagnation. I’ve spoken to those who are very concerned about the affect you’re having on your wife and children. Dare I mention all the lives you’ve impacted outside your close knit family. As much as you isolate yourself in your Eden home, you’re not truly isolated.
A: My wife and our friends are just fine. It’s me who’s getting the short end here. I mean, yeah, she’s fighting a loosing battle, but she’s built for this stuff and she’s one of them. This is about my test not hers. They’re going to have to give in at some point, because she’s not going to give up on helping me get this. 
Q: Don’t you think that’s a little self-centered?
A: It’s the truth. She’s going to help me get my wings, and they can’t stop it because it will happen, it’s what’s due. I’ve paid the price over and over. Time to cash in.
Q: That’s a very self-assured outlook. If everything you say is true—I hope that it happens for you. I truly do.
We pause a moment in anxious silence. I am not sure that I’ve revealed anything to either my readers or Dominic about his choices and his marriage. By the look upon his face, it’s clear continuing is only going to net me trouble. He’s taken my last words as sarcasm, or, at the very least, lacking sincerity.
Q: Thank you for your time.
A: With much dry sarcasm. Thank you for having me.
“Learning the truth about our world—our worlds—nothing will ever be the same.”
Let’s hop on over to see what other authors have from their characters…
I think the gentleman does protest too much … and lie a lot.
I love how some people pick up on him, and others completely miss it. He was hard to write! Let me tell you that. I think I chose well for the hop, because I like to keep challenging myself like that.
Seven children, and he still looks cool! Thanks for sharing.
Interesting character. Their marriage seems strong and yet, they still have much to go through. I hope the bonds remain strong with them.
Marriages are an enormous amount of work and they can get very strained when one partner is taking too much, and not giving enough back. Often, they don’t even see it that way.