CHARACTER INTERVIEW: Smith from the Times

Meghan: What is one word you would use to define yourself?

Smith: Insightful!

Meghan: Do you see yourself as the “good guy” or the “bad guy”?

Smith: A good guy? No way! I’m clearly a great guy. Seriously, though, as an intrepid and insightful reporter I am clearly the good guy in my stories.

And also a great guy.

Meghan: What does the plot require you to be? How does this requirement limit you?

Smith: The plot requires me to be constantly on the lookout for the news stories that my readers deserve to read about.

Because I’m always on the job and not afraid to report things as I see them, people are often nervous around me – as you can tell from my stories. It’s just the price I have to pay for being such a dedicated reporter.

Meghan: What is your quest?

Smith: Finding that One Big Story. You know the one, right? Yeah, that’s right. The one that everybody is talking about… or will be talking about once I find it.

Meghan: What do you hope to accomplish, find, or become during the course of your stories?

Smith: I’d really like to find the perfect fedora with a Press tag sticking out of the band. Class reporter style.

Meghan: What do you like about the other main characters? What do you least like about the other main characters?

Smith: I like that they are such good sports about the fact that my piercing insight reveals all of the little secrets they try to hide from me. There’s no pulling the wool over the eyes of Smith from the Times!

Well, Dr D’s full name, Durron-uu-obezai, contains an excessive amount of hyphens and u’s for somebody who is just an average Joe.

Meghan: When was the last time you lied? What made you do it?

Smith: A reporter should never lie. A reporter without integrity might as well just be, and probably is, writing fiction.

Meghan: Who have you betrayed lately? What happened?

Smith: A person would have to be a pretty terrible reporter to betray a trust! It goes back to integrity.

Meghan: Would you say that you are an optimist or a pessimist?

Smith: From my stories, I believe that it is pretty clear that I am a realist.

Meghan: What is your superpower?

Smith: My superpower would have to be piercing insight and ability to get to the truth.

Meghan: What is your biggest secret?

Smith: My recipe for spicy jalapeno chicken roll-ups.

Meghan: Do you live in the right world? How necessary are you to your world?

Smith: I definitely live in the right world. I’m very necessary to my world – if it weren’t for me, people would have to get all their insightful news from Tan from the Sun. That would be terrible.

Meghan: What is your role in this setting? Are you okay with this role or would you like it to change?

Smith: I’m the daring and insightful reporter whose readers depend on him for new stories about the things they care about the most. I am totally okay with this role.

Meghan: Did you turn out the way you expected?

Smith: Even better!

Meghan: What, if anything, would you change about your life?

Smith: A more generous expense account would be great.

Meghan: How do you feel about your author?

Smith: He’s a great guy as well as a clever and entertaining writer.

Meghan: If the two of you got together for coffee, what would you want to say to him?

Smith: I’d want to know what his plans were for taking over the world. Clearly, he must have them.

Boo-graphy: Dan Zeidler is a writer of science fiction and fantasy and the author of the upcoming fantasy adventure duology, Sarbotel Rising, the sci-fi adventure, Ghosts of a Fallen Empire, and a number of anthology short stories. Dan began expressing his love of writing at an early age with the parentally acclaimed poem Trains are Great which along with other early examples of his work earned a place on the prestigious Refrigerator Magnet Gallery. While nothing can be done for his poetry skills, which haven’t improved a whit since that train poem, a steady diet of great stories ranging from ancient mythological tales to Arthurian legends to classic sci-fi and fantasy and on up to Star Trek and Star Wars have improved his storytelling abilities considerably. To further refine and enhance his writing and storytelling skills, Dan lived a life of adventure first by getting a degree in geoscience, then by serving in the US Air Force, then by embarking on a career as a data analyst… hmmm… okay, let’s go back a bit to the part about how a lifetime of reading as many great stories (and many not so great stories) as he could have inspired Dan to write his own stories; stories that above all strive to be fun and entertaining reads. Dan currently resides with his family among the rugged, forested hills of his home state of Connecticut.

Ghosts of a Fallen Empire
In the distant future an isolated human world has survived the Nomad Wars and the Fall of Imperium. Together with their non-human allies, the Dussakairay and the Bregus, they repopulated and rebuilt their devastated region of the galaxy to form a 40 system Commonwealth. For over five centuries the people of the Commonwealth have known only peace and prosperity, but an ancient enemy has been watching from the ruins of the old Imperium, slowly rebuilding their forces, and waiting for their opportunity to reduce the Commonwealth to ashes. The founders of the Commonwealth may have given up their Imperium, but they did not give up all of the Imperium’s secrets. Now the only hope for the people of the Commonwealth lies with the Ghosts of a Fallen Empire.

The Haunted Library Anthology Volume 2
This anthology is a benefit anthology for the Tom Burnett Memorial Library in Iowa Park, Texas.

Is your library haunted? Are you sure? Many readers wander the shelves, returning over and over to the place their spirit calls home. Some of them are still in circulation, even after their bodies have checked out. Others are part of the deep archives from before the books moved in…

Join 11 authors as they explore haunts from the past, the future, and the dead.

Ghosts of Malta
Malta. Alchemists, Saints and Heroes have all made their way to this place, defended its walls, and added to its ranks of ghosts and lore.

Besieged, battered, and bombed, this archipelago has seen every tide of war, turmoil, and more than a few bits of piracy. It’s also been the land of courage, resilience, and grace under fire.

Ten authors have set out to bring you tales of the ghosts of Malta past, present, and future. Open the pages and meet the ancient guardians, ghost cats and inter dimensional spies that will be your guide…