I am an ex-pat who is currently living on the island of Grand Cayman enjoying what most would call paradise. I had a rough start after arriving here having to deal with my husband’s shady business dealings.  There were those who believed I didn’t deserve to get the most generous settlement I did following the divorce. The locals still talk behind my back, but I’ve learned to ignore the remnants of his past. After the divorce, I was able to gain Caymanian status and become the proud owner of The Tides resort here on the west end of the island. It was truly my little paradise, but that was short-lived when Hurricane Ivan came along in 2004 and completely destroyed my little paradise along with most of the island. I was lucky to survive and even luckier to get government and other private funds to help me rebuild a new inn which I called Paradise Palms. I’d hoped to get a fresh start but soon met up with strange occurrences here at the inn. Seems a few guests had claimed an evil spirit lurked about and had even attacked them in their suites. Many had fallen ill and blamed it on the dark entity they’d claimed had violated them while staying at the Palms.
It didn’t take long for a few guests to post these occurrences on social media, which hurt the inn’s reputation along with the rumors that had spread throughout the island by the locals.
Yes, there are a lot of island legends here, most of them had not affected me until I became a victim myself and had to make a decision that would alter my fate and that of my little piece of paradise.
 I will answer a few of your questions here and then have to take care of an urgent matter in suite 12.

What is your strongest attribute?
I’d say my strongest attribute is my strong-willed personality. I was raised by a strong Puerto Rican woman and believe that had set the tone for the rest of my life. I tend to be direct and will go to great lengths to achieve a goal, whether it may hurt someone or not.

What is your role here in the story?
I am the proud owner of Paradise Palms, a small island resort on Grand Cayman. My job is to keep my staff in line as well as making sure my guests are happy and safe even if it means covering up past dirt on myself or some of the odd occurrences at the inn.

What is your weakness?
I’d have to say my weakness is my vanity. I’ve got this fear of aging that has taken over since my divorce. I’m always comparing myself to younger women. I’ve had some minimally invasive cosmetic procedures done and swim every morning to keep myself in shape. If I overeat or miss a workout, the guilt weighs heavily on me.
​
What are your plans for the future?
Future plans include pushing forward with a few new additions to the Palms, and, hopefully, getting my hunky security guard, Jackson to commit to a serious relationship with me. We’ve had a few dates and a few nights of the best sex of my life—ones that brought out the animal in me. I won’t get into too much detail here, for the book explains it all.

Do you have any enemies?
I have to say I don’t have any enemies here in this physical realm, but I’ve got one nasty demonic spirit who insists she rules my inn and the waters out to the reef. She’s attacked a few of my male guests and now has her sights on Jackson. She’s hell-bent on ruining my inn but I’ve got a few surprises for her.

Do you feel the author portrayed you fairly?
I think the author has done a fairly good job of portraying myself and my triple-A personality, but I do have one complaint—that being not able to believe the few guests that had claimed to encounter an evil spirit from the jump. I think she could have given me more of an open mind rather than dismissing all the strange events as merely the usual effects of the sun and the endless cocktails in abundance here on the island.

Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to leave us with?
Well, that would be to plan a trip to Grand Cayman if you’ve never been there.  This island truly holds a real enchantment. I’d recommend you not pay too much attention to some of those reviews you read on travel sites. But be advised to enjoy your water activities during the daylight hours, for the night belongs to those who are forced to enjoy their activities after dark.

​From Stillwaters Runs Deep, book three: The Awakening
Some protagonists are rather smart and savvy in the ways of the world. Mine, Charlie Stillwaters isn’t. Well at least in the ways of our world and technology. However being a shaman he’s extremely savvy to the ways of the natural world. Does that make him appear a little insane by our standards, oh yeah.

““Okay I’ll start this one up. Ah, ever use one?”” the older man said as he stared at Charlie like he’d just escaped a derelict building.

““Nope. I was told to try Oogling the information. Does that mean I stare really hard and the answer magically appears?”” He opened his eyes wide.

The older man stared blankly at him, before smirking and readjusting his thick glasses. ““Okay. It’s called Google. Everything you ever need to know can be searched and found via Google.””

Charlie sat down opened his eyes wide and banged his cane on the side of the screen. ““Nope, blank. Didn’t seem to understand what I was asking it.””

The clerk scratched his head. ““You need to type it into the keyboard. You do know how to type don’t you?””

Charlie raised his ball cap a moment. ““Do these look like typing fingers?””

He held them up, all crooked.

He laughed. ““No, I suppose not. You’ll just have to use two-fingered typing. Now move over and let me get you started. As I said, the main search engine these days is Google. It’s taken over from Bing and Yahoo as your main internet search engine.””

““Internet? Is this some kind of new fishing gear? I didn’t think Mr. Crosby was very good at ‘puters, thought that was a might before his time in the fifties. So if Google is a little like oogling things then must you holler Yahoo when you find the thing you’re after and scream out Bing-o? I reckon Google took over because it was a lot quieter to use in libraries.””

The librarian closed his eyes and shook his head. ““It’s not named after Bing Crosby. Okay Charlie, now I’ve pulled up Google. Type in what you’re searching for.”” Charlie did, slowly hitting singular key after singular key. After a couple of minutes they both stared at the screen. ““Doesn’t look very intelligent to me.””

The librarian leaned over and punched enter. ““This is like telling it to seek and find, which some days I wished I was doing. Finding a better job.”” About half a second later a list appeared.

““Ten thousand results in less than a second. Ho, that was quick, this is a smart bugger.”” He stared at the little cord coming out of the screen. ““All that through that little cord?””

““Yup, modern technology. Although we haven’t gone wireless yet, which is even better.””

““Some new kind of Ouija board that is. Now what?””

““Now take that mouse.””

Charlie glanced down at the floor. ““What mouse? Don’t you guys clean around here? Attracts rodents you know.””

The man laughed again. ““Okay I can see a quick crash course in computer use is needed. So I’ll give you my ten minute crash course.””

““Does this require a helmet?””

““I think the ball cap will suffice. Although I can see a baseball bat could be useful right about now as well.”” His ten minutes turned into two nerve-wracking hours as he showed Charlie how to search, browse and in general look for information on the computer.

Charlie stood up and armed himself with several pages of print outs. ““Thanks.”” He said as he left. ““I’ve done a favor and rewarded your computer with its favourite cheese. Should make it very happy, but I don’t think didn’t it did the keyboard any good. The mouse looked rather happier.””
​
The librarian put his head in his hands. ““And I gave up drinking and smoking for this job.””

​The protagonist works toward the central story goals and tends to be involved in or affected by most of the choices or conflicts that arise in the narrative. The protagonist of a story is the main character, who has the sympathy and support of the readers.

​My name is Lord Archos Terrian Stormrager, Archmage, Lord of the Arcane Realm, Lord of Tremellic. I am the last Skychild who walks this Realm.

Tell us about your role in the adventure. We seek Lor Ar’thinis – the Shining Citadel; once the great Elven City of Light, now lost in magic and mystery. Whether we will find it, or what remains of it – I do not know. The elves have nothing – no rights, no wealth, a past mostly shrouded in legend and sorrow, and currently they have little future but slavery and then, probably, extinction. To find such a city may bring answers about the wars and the coming of the Plague, it may bring wealth to be used to better their lot. Who knows?
Magic is dangerous – it demands a price for its usage, but despite the machinations of the Order it persists and those who know how to tame it can use it for good, or, indeed for evil. I am, amongst other things, a collector of relics, and artefacts. Such things of history should be preserved and enjoyed. There are those that take them and hide them, break them or simply keep them so the elves can’t have them. One of the tools the Order use to ensure compliance to their tyranny is the removal of history – those with no past, or a past of shame, death and disease are viewed with distrust, with fear and the humans do not understand the true history. The history that binds all races, and the good and bad that unites. The Order rules with fear and lies, and both are successful, for when a lie is told often enough it becomes a truth. Truth in Erana is relative.

Do you think you are a good man? By whose laws? By whose morals? If we are talking about what passes for law in this land then no, I am a mage – that alone is enough to condemn me.
I have killed – monsters and men – sometimes they are one and the same. My hands are not clean of blood. I have lived long and travelled much and in all those years, I have killed to save myself, save others and for vengeance; I have stolen to eat, to feed others and because I can. I have sent men mad and boiled the blood within them.
I have freed people, and imprisoned them. I have brought life to the world, and removed it. There is little justice in Erana, for the law is a mockery. I make the law within my own lands, and ignore it beyond them, but with caution.
My household sends regular consignments to the Elven Enclaves, my privateer patrols the Bay of Blades and preys on other ships. We give to those who need it, and take from those who do not deserve to have it.
Am I good man? No, I am a traitor to those who rule this land, a murderer, an outlaw, a thief, an anathema to the Order of Witch-Hunters. Yet I will stand for those who cannot stand for themselves and speak for those who are not heard. To my friends, I am generous, loyal and will fight to my last drop of blood. To my enemies, I am the Oncoming Storm and there is no mercy from the storm.

Do you have a family? I have Dii’Athella – my love. We are bound in magic and I would do anything for her. I have Olek, my faithful Olek. He is my right hand, my confidante, my servant and the one who knows me better than anyone yet living.
I have a daughter – although that knowledge is recent. She is the heiress of the Troll Shaman of our allies among the trolls of the Helmerri Plateau. She is her mother’s daughter, as it should be with the Trollkind. I hope to get to know her better.

Do I have regrets? Many, some I have buried in the ground, steeped in blood. Those I have lost or could not save. I regret this world is as it is, and we must hide in shadow to be who we are. Do I regret the blood on my hands? No, not for a moment. Would I kill again, to save those I love, and even strangers who cannot defend themselves? Without hesitation.

What will you do when you meet your enemy? I will kill that bastard. I have fought with Witch-Hunters – they are merely men and men die. He seeks to take from me what I prize most and take from the elves that which is not his to take. I have fought with creatures worse than him – but not many. My demon, Kh’lak will enjoy that one… oh yes.

What do you think he will do when he meets you? He will seek to kill me, and my companions. He does not hold all the cards, although we are but eight, if I summon Kh’lak and I will not fall easily.