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Alpennia: The Twitter Interviews
May. 25th, 2014 11:12 amTo commemorate my 1000th tweet on Twitter, I held a promo where fans of Daughter of Mystery could send in interview questions for the characters and be entered for a free copy of the book to gift to another prospective fan. (Some day I’ll have enough publications that I can give away things the fans haven’t read yet!) The characters will, of course, be answering “in character” so beware of unreliable narrators! I’ve re-worded and expanded the questions but have kept the essential content. There are no spoilers in the interview beyond what’s in the book blurb.
* * *
Me: Welcome, I’m so glad you could all come. Now that the tea’s all poured and we’ve had a chance to refresh ourselves, my friends have a few questions they’d like to ask and I’m hoping that you won’t mind answering them. @irinarempt, why don’t you begin?
@irinarempt: Baron Saveze, as I understand it, your last will was drawn up very shortly before you died and I was wondering what you had in mind when you re-wrote it to ensure that Margerit and Barbara would be thrown together. Did you expect them to fall in love?
Marziel Lumbeirt, Baron Saveze: In love? Is that what happened? It’s hard to keep track of these things from beyond the grave. No, that’s something of a surprise although...hmm, no, perhaps not such a surprise after all. Barbara never said much about what she was thinking, but I wouldn’t have picked my goddaughter Margerit for the plan if Barbara hadn’t liked her. She’s quite a shrewd judge of character you know. And there was that summer when she and de Cherdillac...so, no, not a surprise. Though I wouldn’t have guessed Margerit leaned in that direction. In love, you say? Well, let them have their little amusements.
Me: @Lferion, I think you had a question about first impressions. That might follow nicely.
@Lferion: I actually wanted to ask this of Antuniet. What was your first impression of Margerit? We’ve heard about your first few meetings through her eyes, but what did you think of her?
Antuniet Chazillen: I was quite prepared to think as little about her as possible. There was nothing to be done about the inheritance, after all. Why should I take the trouble to dislike her over that? And here she was, the little country bumpkin, come to town to do all the fashionable things and play at being a scholar. She barely had anything to say for herself. And cozying up to Amiz Waldimen? Amiz never opened a book in all the time she went to lectures. That didn’t give me a very good first impression. But later...well, you didn’t ask about later.
@Lferion: What about Barbara? What was your first impression of her?
Antuniet: You are aware that I’ve known Barbara nearly all my life? When was it we first met...I think it must have been that summer we all went down to Saveze when I was seven. Uncle Marziel never invited us very often but he couldn’t escape it entirely given that Estefen was his heir-default. I remember it well because it was the year the French were finally pushed back and there were troops of Austrian soldiers coming through the pass all summer. Estefen loved the uniforms but I hated that we weren’t allowed to go out walking in the hills because of them. And Barbara was there; she must have been about five years old. She was a strange, intense little child. Always keeping quiet in the shadows. I think I tried to play with her--what else was there to do?--but my mother said it was unsuitable and punished me by locking me in a wardrobe for half the day. I didn’t know until years later why she disapproved, and then I thought it was only because of what Barbara was. But I think my mother must have suspected...well, that’s all past now.
@irinarempt: Speaking of meeting people, LeFevre, I was wondering how it was you came to meet Iannipirt. I was trying to calculate out when you began working for the baron but I don’t know how old you are.
René LeFevre: Me? Good heavens, why would you be curious about that? Let me see, Marziel and I were about the same age--and may I say how delightful it is to hear your voice again, old friend? I could almost wish that I were allowed to ask you some questions of my own. So we both would have been around thirty the year of the Battle of Tarnzais when he inherited the title. That would make me fifty-five when he died, God rest his soul. Tarnzais changed so much! I’d been doing the baron’s business accounts on my own for some years then, but when the estate was added in I found myself needing a secretary. Ianni was wounded at Tarnzais--he was with a troop of Hussars. Very dashing! But he had some hard times after: the army was disbanded under the French occupation, no work, no pension. I met him...[LeFevre gets an odd look on his face and shakes his head slightly.] No, you wouldn’t be interested in that. I hired him to do the accounts, write letters, that sort of thing. I don’t know what I’d do without him. He’s been with me for twenty-five years now.
Me: @superyarn you haven’t asked anything yet. What would you like to know?
@superyarn: I’ve been trying to think of a question but my mind’s all tied up with a problem a friend has.
Margerit: Well, perhaps we could offer her some advice? Tell us about it.
@superyarn: You see, she’s very much in love with a young man, and she thinks he’s in love with her, too. But his family is forcing him to marry an heiress to advance his career. What should she do?
LeFevre: I’ll bow out of this one; I have no advice to offer. But if he wants someone to draw up the settlement documents I could likely find time.
Margerit: If he truly loves her, then they should find a way to marry. If you want something strongly enough, there’s always a way.
Barbara: [She makes a rude noise.] If you want something strongly enough and you’re willing to give up everything else to get it. [She reaches over and touches Margerit’s hand briefly.] But best if they don’t go running off willy-nilly. Does she have any family connections that could be brought to bear on his career prospects? Fortune isn’t everything, though it certainly helps.
Jeanne, Vicomtesse de Cherdillac: Oh pooh! she’s going about this all wrong. What is marriage, after all? Tell her to marry a complacent old man--preferably one with a weak heart--and bide her time. She’ll get far more out of the young man as his mistress than she ever would as his wife. And then it’s to her advantage to have him well established in life.
Me: Well, before this devolves into even more outrageous suggestions, I think I will thank all our guests and ring for another plate of almond cakes. Would anyone like more tea?
* * *
And now for the winner! Having assigned each of my entrants two faces of a six sided die (@irinarempt gets 1, 6; @superyarn gets 2, 5; @Lferion gets 3, 4) I roll and ... it’s a 3! Congratulations @Lferion I’ll be contacting you for format and recipient.
* * *
Me: Welcome, I’m so glad you could all come. Now that the tea’s all poured and we’ve had a chance to refresh ourselves, my friends have a few questions they’d like to ask and I’m hoping that you won’t mind answering them. @irinarempt, why don’t you begin?
@irinarempt: Baron Saveze, as I understand it, your last will was drawn up very shortly before you died and I was wondering what you had in mind when you re-wrote it to ensure that Margerit and Barbara would be thrown together. Did you expect them to fall in love?
Marziel Lumbeirt, Baron Saveze: In love? Is that what happened? It’s hard to keep track of these things from beyond the grave. No, that’s something of a surprise although...hmm, no, perhaps not such a surprise after all. Barbara never said much about what she was thinking, but I wouldn’t have picked my goddaughter Margerit for the plan if Barbara hadn’t liked her. She’s quite a shrewd judge of character you know. And there was that summer when she and de Cherdillac...so, no, not a surprise. Though I wouldn’t have guessed Margerit leaned in that direction. In love, you say? Well, let them have their little amusements.
Me: @Lferion, I think you had a question about first impressions. That might follow nicely.
@Lferion: I actually wanted to ask this of Antuniet. What was your first impression of Margerit? We’ve heard about your first few meetings through her eyes, but what did you think of her?
Antuniet Chazillen: I was quite prepared to think as little about her as possible. There was nothing to be done about the inheritance, after all. Why should I take the trouble to dislike her over that? And here she was, the little country bumpkin, come to town to do all the fashionable things and play at being a scholar. She barely had anything to say for herself. And cozying up to Amiz Waldimen? Amiz never opened a book in all the time she went to lectures. That didn’t give me a very good first impression. But later...well, you didn’t ask about later.
@Lferion: What about Barbara? What was your first impression of her?
Antuniet: You are aware that I’ve known Barbara nearly all my life? When was it we first met...I think it must have been that summer we all went down to Saveze when I was seven. Uncle Marziel never invited us very often but he couldn’t escape it entirely given that Estefen was his heir-default. I remember it well because it was the year the French were finally pushed back and there were troops of Austrian soldiers coming through the pass all summer. Estefen loved the uniforms but I hated that we weren’t allowed to go out walking in the hills because of them. And Barbara was there; she must have been about five years old. She was a strange, intense little child. Always keeping quiet in the shadows. I think I tried to play with her--what else was there to do?--but my mother said it was unsuitable and punished me by locking me in a wardrobe for half the day. I didn’t know until years later why she disapproved, and then I thought it was only because of what Barbara was. But I think my mother must have suspected...well, that’s all past now.
@irinarempt: Speaking of meeting people, LeFevre, I was wondering how it was you came to meet Iannipirt. I was trying to calculate out when you began working for the baron but I don’t know how old you are.
René LeFevre: Me? Good heavens, why would you be curious about that? Let me see, Marziel and I were about the same age--and may I say how delightful it is to hear your voice again, old friend? I could almost wish that I were allowed to ask you some questions of my own. So we both would have been around thirty the year of the Battle of Tarnzais when he inherited the title. That would make me fifty-five when he died, God rest his soul. Tarnzais changed so much! I’d been doing the baron’s business accounts on my own for some years then, but when the estate was added in I found myself needing a secretary. Ianni was wounded at Tarnzais--he was with a troop of Hussars. Very dashing! But he had some hard times after: the army was disbanded under the French occupation, no work, no pension. I met him...[LeFevre gets an odd look on his face and shakes his head slightly.] No, you wouldn’t be interested in that. I hired him to do the accounts, write letters, that sort of thing. I don’t know what I’d do without him. He’s been with me for twenty-five years now.
Me: @superyarn you haven’t asked anything yet. What would you like to know?
@superyarn: I’ve been trying to think of a question but my mind’s all tied up with a problem a friend has.
Margerit: Well, perhaps we could offer her some advice? Tell us about it.
@superyarn: You see, she’s very much in love with a young man, and she thinks he’s in love with her, too. But his family is forcing him to marry an heiress to advance his career. What should she do?
LeFevre: I’ll bow out of this one; I have no advice to offer. But if he wants someone to draw up the settlement documents I could likely find time.
Margerit: If he truly loves her, then they should find a way to marry. If you want something strongly enough, there’s always a way.
Barbara: [She makes a rude noise.] If you want something strongly enough and you’re willing to give up everything else to get it. [She reaches over and touches Margerit’s hand briefly.] But best if they don’t go running off willy-nilly. Does she have any family connections that could be brought to bear on his career prospects? Fortune isn’t everything, though it certainly helps.
Jeanne, Vicomtesse de Cherdillac: Oh pooh! she’s going about this all wrong. What is marriage, after all? Tell her to marry a complacent old man--preferably one with a weak heart--and bide her time. She’ll get far more out of the young man as his mistress than she ever would as his wife. And then it’s to her advantage to have him well established in life.
Me: Well, before this devolves into even more outrageous suggestions, I think I will thank all our guests and ring for another plate of almond cakes. Would anyone like more tea?
* * *
And now for the winner! Having assigned each of my entrants two faces of a six sided die (@irinarempt gets 1, 6; @superyarn gets 2, 5; @Lferion gets 3, 4) I roll and ... it’s a 3! Congratulations @Lferion I’ll be contacting you for format and recipient.
