Interview with The Angel of Death

About a month ago I set up a question for my fans as to which character from my award winning series, The Chosen Chronicles, they would like to see interviewed. It didn’t take long to see that the Angel was the one most everyone wanted.

I then opened the floor to my fans so that they could ask the interview questions. Out of those posted on my Facebook Fan Page https://www.facebook.com/KarenDalesAuthor, and here on my blog, 20 questions were picked. Out of those who posted questions, one lucky person will win a Chibi Chosen of the Angel http://karendales.com/chibichosen.html The name of the winner will be revealed at the end of the interview.

So here we go!

For many of you, The Chosen Chronicles, featuring the main character of The Angel, has given you many answers and many questions about the Angel and the story as a whole. Today, I’m interviewing the Angel.

1 - Okay, we were all there when you and Tarian met and fell for each other, and we were around while the Good Father took you away, so I guess I’m curious to know: When, why, and how long were you back in that area? Were there any living relatives or villagers who knew or recognized you, as Gwyn or the Angel, while you fell in love with Tarian’s granddaughter? If so, how did that all go down? – Ressa Empbra Author

The Angel:  I did not realize what my feelings were with Tarian until I was told that Notus and I were leaving. It is hard to let go of the people you care about, but I am grateful for the first lesson. Notus and I never returned to that village. When we returned to that region, the village was no more. We never return to a place while there are those who could remember us still there. Questions about our longevity would be detrimental to our existence.

As to Tarian’s granddaughter, that is a very hard question to answer. We met elsewhere than Geraint’s village, in different circumstances. I don’t think either one of us expected to fall in love with each other as she was promised to another man for political reasons. Needless to say, to the victor goes the spoils and history is that which is written by those who are victorious. It is true with her and our brief time together. One only needs to look in mythology to see who she was and what happened, though my perspective of what occurred is very different to what historians wrote down.

2 - If you were given the choice of being chosen would you have said yes? – Stephanie Buzzell

The Angel:  Yes. Most definitely. Being Chosen opened up my life and illuminated the night so that I could live again.

3 - When you think of yourself, what name do you think of? – Shannon Neprily

The Angel: Jeanie asked me something similar the first night we were truly together. As to what name I think myself to be...I don’t. I am who I am. If people need to apply names to me, then they do. I have been called so many things and so many names, that after all these centuries they are all me and I am all them, good and bad.

4 - If you could go back and change one thing about your past, what would it be? – Danielle Williams

The Angel: There are so many things one can regret over such an extensive lifetime. I’m not immune to such things, but for me, I would have forced Jeanie to stay at Bridget’s while Fernando, Bridget and I confronted Katherine. Had I known what would have befallen her—and I should have known better—I would have tied her up so that she would not have come. Because of that, I am solely to blame as to what happened to Jeanie. It is a regret I will never be free from.

5. - If you had one single wish, what would you wish for? Rebeeyah E. Miguel Iglesias

The Angel: To have tied Jeanie to that bed that night so long ago. Had I done so, my life would have been happier because we would be together.

6 - Do you think you are blessed or cursed and why? Rebeeyah E. Miguel Iglesias

The Angel: I believe that everyone goes through times where they believe they are living a blessed or cursed life. Being Chosen has definitely been a blessing, but how that has changed me to become the Angel of Death is something I consider a curse. I do not enjoy taking the lives of others. I do it because it is sometimes a necessity, and at other times it is a requirement. Relieving your friends of their lives is extraordinarily difficult, but being able to save someone from being harmed balances it out. We all have a role to play in this world, mine is that of the Angel.

7 - Angel of Death, do you try to remain neutral in the fight between good and evil? Lenore Wolfe

The Angel: I’m going to tell you a bit of truth. You may not like it. You may revile me because of it. There is no ‘good’ or ‘evil.’ It is all a matter of perspective. What one person calls evil, another calls good, and visa versa. I am not here to judge. I have been in the employ of what some may call an evil person, while to him and his followers, he was great. It is what history writes of those deeds and persons, and we all know that history is written by the victors.

I do not try and take sides, but Notus is always there to guide and be a sounding board so that I do not lose my perspective on what I believe to be right and wrong.

When we were in Palestine, with Richard the Lion Heart, I did things that, to many, were horrific, but to my employer, they were grand. Even Notus was drawn into the righteousness of the cause. It was only after I was wounded that perspective returned to him, but was it because of what happened to me, or was it that he regained a new perspective on the war? You would have to ask him.

8 - What do you like about the night? Rebeeyah E. Miguel Iglesias

The Angel: Everything. It is quiet, even in this day and age in comparison to a city’s daytime bustle. It contains beauty that most mortals fail to see and it holds mysteries that hide in shadows. There is life in the dark. More than most could ever imagine.

If you’ve ever been to a jungle, you notice the sounds, but at night, the place truly comes alive.

9 - What is your religious belief? Rebeeyah E. Miguel Iglesias

The Angel: The woman who raised me taught me one way of living in harmony with the earth and things of the spirit. Notus tried to convince me to follow his religion. I have met individuals of every religion on this planet. One thing that I know is that none of them are more correct than the other. Each is a path leading to the same place, if one is true to their path. I am not a religious person, but I understand and respect things of the spirit.

10 - How do you choose your next victim? Linda Rendell-Hayes

The Angel:  I do not kill if it is not required. Those that I feed from are ones who are down on their luck, street people if you will. Prostitutes, mostly, depending on the circumstances and where I am. If I come upon a criminal in the middle of the act, I will feed off of him. In the times of the Black Death, I did not need to feed on such persons. Too many cried out for a painless death. Notus and I gave it to them. I will only kill if it is absolutely necessary.

11 - What is one word that describes you and why? : ] Minahil Jaay

The Angel: Enigma, because to those around me, close and afar, question what I am, even though I have been accepted as Chosen. Also, because I still question who I am, even after all these centuries.

12 - If you could go back and finish living your life alone in your cave after everything you've been through, would you do it? Shannon Neprily

The Angel: No, I would not. I realized that, despite everything I’ve been through, there are good people in the world who do not judge me by my appearance alone, but by my character as an individual. Notus was always one of those, and it is for him and friends like him that keeps me out of that cave, even though there are many times I wish I could still retreat to it.

13 - If you had the power to change/redo one significant moment ... which would it be and why? Moira Hawthorne Copeland

The Angel: I’ve answered a similar question earlier in this interview, but this question is slightly different. For that, I’ll answer this. That one particular moment would be when I was a child in that grove. Instead of staying to watch Eira, her sister and cousins, I would immediately leave. I believe I possibly would be a different person today if I had left. Regardless, I don’t regret what happened that day because I am who I am now because of it and many other experiences.

14 - What would you idea vacation spot be? And why? Stephanie Buzzell

The Angel: I’ve been around the world many times and seen many things. I have my favourites, home being one, but a place to get away from everything would be somewhere north and in the wilderness. In this modern age there is less and less untouched nature, and it is that which I miss and enjoy when I am out in it.

15 - Are you and Fernando Friends? or just someone you get along when needed be? Sarah Kalaitzidis

The Angel: At first it was a relationship of convenience in our mutual effort to find out who was poisoning the Chosen’s food supply and get back what Katherine took from us. I did not go in expecting to be partnered, but Fernando was persuasive. I also knew that it was better to work together than separately. There was never any love lost between us. I knew he had an agenda that went beyond the obvious, but in the end he proved himself honourable.

Are we friends? As much as we can be. I think if it weren’t for Bridget, we wouldn’t be. I know that I can trust Fernando now, and that counts for a lot.

16 - Do you have any bad habits? If yes, what are they? Minahil Jaay

The Angel: You would have to ask Notus about that. I’m sure I do. Everybody does. As to what they are, ask Notus.

17. What constitutes an innocent person, to you? And what is unforgivable? – Shannon Neprily

The Angel: A child is innocent. Innocence is relative and dependent upon one’s sense of right and wrong. But in general terms, most people are innocent about many things.

As to what is unforgiveable, someone who knowingly, and with full intent, does something to someone/something to cause irrevocable harm to that person/thing. Notice I didn’t say hurt, and I wish to point out that harm is a matter of perspective as well.

18. If you were able to, would want to have children? Minahil Jaay

The Angel:  I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it. Having children is an incredible responsibility. I don’t know if I could do it.

19. What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Notus? Rebeeyah E. Miguel Iglesias

The Angel: Notus can appear to be very simple, but he isn’t. He cares—a lot. Because of that, he feels things very deeply. Sometimes too deeply and this causes him grief. He is a very compassionate man who has great difficulty in dealing the hurts that this world puts on him, me or others he cares about.

20. What do you love most about Jeanie? Rebeeyah E. Miguel Iglesias

The Angel: Her spirit. She is passionate and will fight for who she cares for. It is this inner fire that draws me to her. She doesn’t back down, even when she should. If there is something she wants, she will fight to get it. I think if it hadn’t been for this we wouldn’t have been together. She instigated our relationship, and I’m happy she did.




If you enjoyed this interview of the Angel, and would like to read more about his life and adventures, please check out my award winning series, The Chosen Chronicles. They are available in both trade paperback and ebook/kindle.

Kindle and epub versions are now only $.99 each and can be found at:
http://amazon.com/author/karendales and https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KarenDales

I look forward to reading your reviews and comments.

Sarah Kalaitzidis is the winner of the Chibi Chosen of the Angel! Congratulations!

Sirens A-Blazing or Why Some Elderly SHOULDN'T DRIVE RANT!

I'm sorry if my little rant here is going to piss off some folks, but I just have to!

Today the power went off in my area. Why? A little old man lost control of his car a couple of blocks away and somehow affected the power lines. He flipped his car onto its side after ramming into a whole bunch of parked cars on the side of the road. The ensuing traffic mess made it very dangerous for my son to walk home from school as cars were driving hither and thither on my street trying to get around the mess. So why the F was this little old man driving in the first place?!

My neighbourhood is plauged by old drivers who can barely see over their steeringwheels, let alone their FEET! I'm of a firm believer that once you turn 70 you MUST provide a certificate from an ophthalmologist or optomistrist saying your eyes are good to drive every two years. Here in Ontario, one must have an aquity of 40/20 in at least one eye to drive (that's corrected vision, i.e. glasses, etc). I know this because I used to work in ophthalmology (it's why I know how to spell it, too.:)

I also believe that once over 70 years of age, there should be driving tests for seniors, and licences should be taken away if they can't meet minimum standards, which include correct reaction time.

I'm tired of watching these elderly drivers run into things because of whatever reason. (I once watched dumbfounded as an old woman drove her car into a parked car after having noticed that car while she sat with her left turn blinker on to get down that same parking isle!)

It has been almost four hours since the accident, with its incredible amount of sirens, and still sirens are a-blazing. Why? Because impatient people are getting lost in my area as they try to by-pass the closed major intersection, and are ending up in their own accidents.

All I can say is that thank the Universe I can walk to where I need to go, but even still, I have to becareful not to get run over (like I nearly did when crossing the street when bringing my son home...and yes...it was a residential street.)

I hope that little old man doesn't die, but I do hope his licence gets taken away for good.

Cars are more dangerous than guns, in some cases. The sad thing is that cars are put into the hands of those who SHOULDN'T drive.

Rant Off.

PayPal Reverses Proposed Censorship

Received the following from my publisher from Smashwords. We're very very happy!

March 13, 2012

Smashwords author/publisher update: PayPal Reverses Proposed Censorship

Great news. Yesterday afternoon I met with PayPal at their office in San Jose,
where they informed me of their decision to modify their policies to allow legal
fiction.

Effective last night, we rolled back the Smashwords Terms of Service to its
pre-February 24 state.

It's been a tumultuous, nerve-wracking few weeks as we worked to protect the right
of writers to write and publish legal fiction.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Smashwords authors, publishers and
customers. You stood up and made your voice known. Thank you to every Smashwords
author and publisher who wrote me to express opinions, even if we disagreed, and
even if you were angry with me. You inspired me to carry your cause forward.

Smashwords authors, publishers and customers mobilized. You made telephone calls,
wrote emails and letters, started and signed petitions, blogged, tweeted, Facebooked
and drove the conversation. You made the difference. Without you, no one would have
paid attention. I would also like to thank the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF),
The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) and the National
Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC). These three advocacy groups were the first to
stand up for our authors, publishers and customers. Their contribution cannot be
overstated. We collaborated with them to build a coalition of like-minded
organizations to support our mutual cause. Special kudos to Rainey Reitman of EFF
for her energy, enthusiasm and leadership.

I would also like to thank all the bloggers and journalists out there who helped
carry our story forward by lending their platforms to get the story out. Special
thanks to TechCrunch, Slashdot, TechDirt, The Independent (UK), Reuters, Publishers
Weekly, Dow Jones, The Digital Reader, CNET, Forbes, GalleyCat & EbookNewser and
dozens of others too numerous to mention.

I would like to thank our friends at PayPal. They worked with us in good faith as
they promised, engaged us in dialogue, made the effort to understand Smashwords and
our mission, went to bat for our authors with the credit card companies and banks,
and showed the courage to revise their policies.

This is a big, bold move by PayPal. It represents a watershed decision that
protects the rights of writers to write, publish and distribute legal fiction. It
also protects the rights of readers to purchase and enjoy all fiction in the privacy
of their own imagination. It clarifies and rationalizes the role of financial
services providers and pulls them out of the business of censoring legal fiction.

Following implementation of their new policies, PayPal will have the most liberal,
pro-First-Amendment policies of the major payment processors. Will Google Checkout
and Checkout by Amazon be next now that the credit card companies have clarified
their positions, and have essentially given payment providers the permission to
adopt more enlightened policies? Finally, thanks to Selena Kitt of Excessica and
Remittance Girl for helping me to understand and respect all fiction more than I
ever have before.

This is a bright day for indie publishing. In the old world, traditional publishers
were the arbiters of literary merit. Today, thanks to the rise of indie ebooks, the
world is moving toward a broader, more inclusive definition of literary merit.
Smashwords gives writers the power and freedom to publish. Merit is decided by your
readers. Just as it should be.


Thanks,

Mark Coker
Founder
Smashwords

Karma In Action

I have to share this story with you. I really do.

A few weeks ago I was contacted to see if I wanted to go to a seminar to learn about Mastermind groups. It sounded interesting even though there was no description of the seminar. In fact, looking back on it, my gut said I should go. Unfortunately, I couldn't because the start time was prohibitive to me. I emailed them, indicating my interest and my inability to attend on that day and time.

A few days before the seminar was to proceed I recieved another email, this one informing me that the date and time of the Mastermind seminar had been rescheduled. Wonderfully enough it landed on a day and time that I could go. I signed up, still following my intuition. Still having NO clue as to what Mastermind was.

The day of the Mastermind seminar came. It was a blustery day that begged me to stay home. Again I felt the urge to show up.

I entered the room and felt a familiarization with the presenter of the seminar. I didn't know why or where this feeling came from. I shrugged it off.

As the presenter started the seminar with each one of us introducing ourselves, he promptly turned to me and said, "I was thinking of you yesterday. I owe you money."

WHAT?????? I was stunned. Now I was trying to figure out who the heck this person was. Yes, he seemed familiar, but I still couldn't place him. It was at the break, when he gave me money that it all came together. He used to be my Shiatsu client!

About 10 years ago, when I was still working full time as a Shiatsu Therapist out of my home, he used to come to me on a regular basis. He was also having a lot of hard times then, as well. Because of that, he bounced a cheque with me. I had tried to reach him, but never saw hide nor hair of him again. I shrugged the whole incident off.

In a weird confluence, our paths had crossed again at this seminar. He was leading it (a new career for him) and he was surprised to have had the thought of me the day before and how he owed me for the bounced cheque. This was ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO!

It was wild. At the break he gave me the money and said that he felt a great relief, as though his Karmic debt to me was now fulfilled.

I had followed my gut to go to this seminar. The Universe conspired to make sure I would be there. Never before had I experienced such a tangible effect of Karma on my life. If I ever had doubt before, I don't anymore.

Cheers!

Karen Dales
Award Winning Author

"The Chosen Chronicles" are now $.99 for each eBook.
(also available in Trade Paperback)
Amazon/Kindle http://www.amazon.com/Karen-Dales/e/B004TG6U1Y/
Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/karen-dales
Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KarenDales.

Order of The Chosen Chronicles:
Changeling: Prelude to The Chosen Chronicles
Angel of Death: Book One of The Chosen Chronicles
Shadow of Death: Book Two of The Chosen Chronicles
(Soon To Be Released - Thanatos: Book Three of The Chosen Chronicles)

Keep up to date with me and my writing on:
Website – http://karendales.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KarenDalesAuthor
Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/karendales
Paranormal & Dark Fantasy Writers - https://www.facebook.com/groups/275723322475302/
Amazon - http://amazon.com/author/karendales

Kelley Armstrong, #1 New York Times Best Selling Author says of Shadow of Death, "... dark...compelling ...that will keep readers turning the pages well past bedtime."

Smashwords Call to Action against PayPal in support of Erotica Authors/Publishers

My publisher received the following from Smashwords! Read it! It's important! I'm sickened by the idea that PayPal is demanding Smashwords to remove legal content from its authors and indy publishers. I don't care who is forcing PayPal into doing this, but it's not right. I don't write erotica, but I can see Smashwords' fear that this is going to become a slippery slope to censorship to many other genres.

Please read the following letter from Smashwords!


PAYPAL CENSORSHIP UPDATE ________________________________________
In case you haven't heard, about two weeks ago, PayPal contacted Smashwords and gave us a surprise ultimatum: Remove all titles containing bestiality, rape or incest, otherwise they threatened to deactivate our PayPal account. We engaged them in discussions and on Monday they gave us a temporary reprieve as we continue to work in good faith to find a suitable solution.

PayPal tells us that their crackdown is necessary so that they can remain in compliance with the requirements of the banks and credit card associations (likely Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, though they didn't mention them by name).

Last Friday, I sent the following email to our erotica authors and publishers: https://www.smashwords.com/press/release/27

Then on Monday, I issued an update, and announced we would delay enforcement of PayPal's guidelines so we and PayPal could continue our discussions: https://www.smashwords.com/press/release/28

THE PROBLEM: PayPal is asking us to censor legal fiction. Regardless of how one views topics of rape, bestiality and incest, these topics are pervasive in mainstream fiction. We believe this crackdown is really targeting erotica writers. This is unfair, and it marks a slippery slope. We don't want credit card companies or financial institutions telling our authors what they can write and what readers can read. Fiction is fantasy. It's not real. It's legal.

THE SOLUTION: There's no easy solution. Legally, PayPal and the credit card companies probably have the right to decide how their services are used. Unfortunately, since they're the moneyrunners, they control the oxygen that feeds digital commerce. Many Smashwords authors have suggested we find a different payment processor. That's not a good long term solution, because if credit card companies are behind this, they'll eventually force crackdowns elsewhere. PayPal works well for us. In addition to running all credit card processing at the Smashwords.com store, PayPal is how we pay all our authors outside the U.S.

My conversations with PayPal are ongoing and have been productive, yet I have no illusion that the road ahead will be simple, or that the outcome will be favorable.

BUILDING A COALITION OF SUPPORT: Independent advocacy groups are considering taking on the PayPal censorship case. I'm supporting the development of this loose-knit coalition of like-minded groups who believe that censorship of legal fiction should not be allowed. We will grow the coalition. Each group will have its own voice and tactics I'm working with them because we share a common cause to protect books from censorship. Earlier today I had conversations with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC). I briefed them on the Smashwords/PayPal situation, explained the adverse affect this crackdown will have on some of our authors and customers, and shared my intention to continue working with PayPal in a positive manner to move the discussion forward.

The EFF blogged about the issue a few days ago: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/02/legal-censorship-paypal-makes-habit-deciding-what-users-can-read

Today, ABFFE and NCAC issued a press release: http://www.scribd.com/doc/83549049/NCAC-ABFFE-Letter-To-PayPal-eBay-re-Ebook-Refusal-2012

I will not be on the streets with torch in hand calling for PayPal's head, but I will encourage interested parties to get involved and speak their piece. This is where you come in...

HOW YOU CAN HELP: Although erotica authors are being targeted, this is an issue that should concern all indie authors. It affects indies disproportionately because indies are the ones pushing the boundaries of fiction. Indies are the ones out there publishing without the (fading) protective patina of a "traditional publisher" to lend them legitimacy. We indies only have each other.

Several Smashwords authors have contacted me to stress that this censorship affects women disproportionately. Women write a lot of the erotica, and they're also the primary consumers of erotica. They're also the primary consumers of mainstream romance, which could also come under threat if PayPal and the credit card companies were to overly enforce their too-broad and too-nebulous obsenity clauses (I think this is unlikely, but at the same time, why would dubious consent be okay in mainstream romance but not okay in erotica? If your write paranormal, can your were-creatures not get it on with one another, or is that bestiality?

The insanity needs to stop here. These are not questions an author, publisher or distributor of legal fiction should have to answer.). All writers and their readers should stand up and voice their opposition to financial services companies censoring books. Authors should have the freedom to publish legal fiction, and readers should have the freedom to read what they want.

These corporations need to hear from you. Pick up the phone and call them. Email them. Start petitions. Sign petitions. Blog your opposition to censorship.

Encourage your readers to do the same. Pass the word among your social networks.

Contact your favorite bloggers and encourage them to follow this story. Contact your local newspaper and offer to let them interview you so they can hear a local author's perspective on this story of international significance. If you have connections to mainstream media, encourage them to pick up on the story. Encourage them to call the credit card companies and pose this simple question, "PayPal says they're trying to enforce the policies of credit card companies. Why are you censoring legal fiction?" Below are links to the companies waiting to hear from you. Click the link and you'll find their phone numbers, executive names and postal mailing addresses.

Be polite, respectful and professional, and encourage your friends and followers to do the same. Let them know you want them out of the business of censoring legal fiction.

Tell the credit card companies you want them to give PayPal permission to sell your ebooks without censorship or discrimination. Let them know that PayPal's policies are out of step with the major online ebook retailers who already accept your books as they are. Address your calls, emails (if you can find the email) and paper letters (yes paper!) to the executives. Post open letters to them on your blog, then tweet and Facebook hyperlinks to your letters. Force the credit card companies to join the discussion about censorship. And yes, express your feelings and opinions to PayPal as well. Don't scream at them. Ask them to work on your behalf to protect you and your readers from censorship. Tell them how their proposed censorship will harm you and your fellow writers.

Visa: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=V+Profile

American Express: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=AXP+Profile

MasterCard: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=MA+Profile

Discover: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=DFS+Profile

Ebay (owns PayPal): http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=ebay+Profile

_________ Starting Sunday, if our email systems can handle it, we will send out an email to several hundred thousand registered Smashwords members who are opted in to receive occasional Smashwords service updates. The email will combine Read an Ebook Week with the censorship call to action. Let's start a little fire, shall we? Thank you for your continuing support of Smashwords. With your help, we can move mountains.

Best wishes,

Mark
Mark Coker Founder
Smashwords http://smashwords.com
blog: http://blog.smashwords.com
twitter: http://twitter.com/markcoker

Questioning the Angel of Death

A while ago I posted a question to see who of my characters in The Chosen Chronicles you would like to see interviewed on my blog. There was a VERY clear winner - The Angel of Death.

So, this now means I need questions for the Angel, and this is where I need help from you fine folks. If you have a question to ask the Angel from my series The Chosen Chronicles, please post it, but only one.

Out of all the entries, 20 questions will be picked and from that, one person will win a Chibi Chosen of the Angel (http://karendales.com/chibichosen.html) when the interview goes live on my blog. Good luck!