Settling down after finishing another story, Wendy looks around her in-laws place, finally relaxed and happy. She had been driving herself kinda hard, writing a new story, then finishing a one shot, then finishing You’re.
Now she has found another one shot to be finished today, and this interview. Then she will be off to finish Aos Si, nervous as hell about the process of getting get it published after everyone gets done with it, no idea where to even start.
After that, she will be giving in to MamaKitty’s request to write down a story that she told her to keep her from being bored when she was stuck in one place after her surgery. That’s a lot of stuff. Plus her new year resolution is to finish stories before moving on to another one, so she is planning to finish some of the older stories.
Somehow during all of this she needs to find time to edit. Even with all this, she is happy. She has started already in working on her new year resolutions, to be healthier for herself and Connor.
She starts when there is a knock on the door, and she is soon opening the door to Eric. She grins even bigger looking at him. “Hi! Please come on in, Eric!”
He comes in and gives her a hug, grinning down at her, “You look much better, seems the country agrees with you.”
She grins and signifying the views all around them, “Can you blame me? There is nothing like watching mountains. I grew up in Tucson and was used to them being around me all the time. They are kinda soothing; you know you are pretty safe with them all around. And the views? Change minute by minute.”
Eric chuckles. “True! I hear you also got to watch it snow?” He loves the laugh, twinkle in her eye something he had seen little of after the last couple of years. It had slowly died last year, too many losses in much too short of a time, and then again, around the same time this year she was buffered with shocks and pain all over as she helped her mother battle cancer, her finding out how much more at risk she is, and then her dad dying, as well as one of her beloved writers. They all watched her slowly shut down, and he was glad Marty had taken her away from it all, bringing one of the good things, Connor, with them as they drove out here. The look on her face and how she is showed the difference, as well as allowing her to be much clearer in mind and writing so much.
Wendy’s eyes glow as she excitedly tells him, “It did!!! It was amazing, I got to watch it snow on the mountains, and then again when we did Christmas shopping. Too bad it hasn’t done it again, but I have hope that it may do it in Houston. They have had colder weather all day than we have, we warm up to the high 60’s, low 70’s from the low 30’s in the morning. Desert weather, you just gotta love it.”
He watches her with a grin. “I am happy that you have cheered up so much. I know you have more to do, and I don’t want to take up too much time. If I remember it correctly from what you have told me, you have a series of questions that you ask all of us, then up to five questions from your fans?”
She nods, as she heads over to the table she has set up. On it is her iPad with the gift from her in laws, a blue tooth built in keyboard to her case. She is thrilled since she will be able to use her iPad as a writing tool when she is unable to take her laptop because of the size.
Eric just laughs as she settles down, knowing she is thrilled to have so much going for her.
As she settles, she opens everything up and opening the tab that has the questions, she tells Eric, “Yep. I am trying to memorize these questions, and I am getting pretty good when I see them, but hopefully I won’t have to keep referring to them.”
He chuckles as he settles, and when Connor comes up to him, he dodges the very well known blow to the private areas, and soon is sitting there chuckling at the too-large lap dog, but Connor adores him, and he is one of the few who are as tall as Marty and will play with him much the same way.
She pours herself a cup of tea, and offers him a cup, which he denies with a laugh. Settled down she lifts an eyebrow, “Ready?”
His grin grows larger, “I’ve been ready, waiting on you, milady!”
“Ok, smart ass, what is your full name?”
Amused by her, he tells her, “Eric the Northman. That is the name I use now, I was born Erik Johan Hjalmar. My last name, well, it is lost to time, and there is no reason to allow anyone to know about it. I have an enemy who has searched out my line to kill, and I have no intention on allowing him that chance.”
Wendy nods, “I don’t blame you. Ok the next two, I will ask at the same time. Do you have any nicknames, and what is your Job?”
He grins, “The Northman, Viking. There are others, but I am too polite to mention them. As for my job, I am the vampire sheriff of Area 5 in Northern Louisiana, and I am named Godric’s second.”
Taking a sip of her tea as she types in the answers, she then asks, “Date of Birth, Height, Hair and Eye Color and lastly, Build.”
Lifting an eyebrow, “Robin?”
She nods, “And Karen. It’s for your bio page. And why I just give them in a huge spurt.”
Shaking his head, he pets Connor who is still in his lap, “I am not sure of my date of birth, I know it is in 900 approximately, Godric and I both spent some time trying to track down our origins when we were bored once. As for the height, in American I am 6’4”. I have blue eyes and blond hair, as most Vikings. As for my build, I would say perfect?” At her laugh, he tells her, “Seriously, I guess a warriors’ build? I have been a warrior since I was twelve years old, which in my time was considered an adult.”
Wendy quickly types it up, and when done, she looks up and asks, “Significant other?”
He sighs and looks out the window, “For this interview, knowing as I do what is going on, I will say no. But there is a great hope to have what my sister and Maker both have.”
She smiles at him, and tells him, “I am writing!!! Give me some time; there are a lot of readers waiting for stories. I will have the next one done as soon as I am done writing the one for my mom. I planned on getting to it sooner, but things are coming up, and I don’t want to lose the story.”
He laughs, “I have no trouble allowing you to do what you need to. I think it is better for you and your readers to allow you the time to write. They get a lot of bonuses, as they will not have a pause in the publishing, and if something happens, Freyja’s blessings on you, there is at least the unedited version.”
She sighs, “Yep. I just feel bad for not finishing them all at once.”
He laughs, “Then you need all those clones you and your betas talk about all the time.”
She nods as she chuckles with him. “Continuing. Parents and Children?”
Eric’s eyes grow misty, “Parents were Ulfrik and Astrid. No children.” The last is said with a flat tone of voice, letting her know there will be nothing more said.
She takes a deep breathe, seeing as she often does why her characters can be badasses. “Best friend?
This cheers Eric up as he promptly answers, “Godric and Bella. As well as Andrew, and the Whitlock coven. This past year has gained me many friends, but Godric and Bella will remain my closest.”
She makes a note, smiling, knowing more than he does, and since she hasn’t written it, he will remain in the dark as well as the rest of them. “Enemies?”
He growls. “Edward Cullen is one I will love to get my hands on.” Then a grin comes across his face, “Unless Bella’s blood kills him first, that would be fitting. But I really want to take a piece out of him and the rest of that coven. Also the man who killed my human family. I need to find him before he can hurt my sister.”
She looks up and staring in his eyes, sees the complete sincerity in them. “It will all work out, Eric. When do I not fix it all?”
He laughs. “Next?”
She looks at the lists and sighs, “Tattoos or scars?”
He shakes his head at the questions, “No tattoos, and only the scar from when I made the oath with Bella as her brother.”
She smiles at him, then asks, “Favorite Pastime?”
He settles as Connor jumps down to get a toy, bored. “I take it we are getting into the fan questions?”
She grins, “Yep.”
He thinks on it, “Spending time with my Maker and sister. The time alone with them is indescribable. Being able to sink into the bond we all share, it seems to center us and we just work on whatever, or in Godric’s case a lot of the time, just being there.”
She nods, making the notes on the iPad, then asks, “Favorite Mode of Transportation?”
He laughs, “I love flying, but its driving my Corvette that I truly love. I spend a lot of my time flying to Dallas and back cause of how much quicker it is, but I love to be able to take the Vette out just to drive.”
“Weapon of Choice?”
He lifts an eyebrow, but then answers, “It used to be my sword, and if we are in a general melee it still would be, but since I am able to use my fangs so much better now, I love using it against the Cullens. Time will tell, it’s kinda like a kid with a new toy, I am enjoying being able to destroy people without using a weapon.”
“Interesting..” she mutters as she puts in the information. Thinking she needs to make herself a form for next time, it will make the interview process easier.
“Do you have any pets?”
He laughs as he is playing tug of war with Connor, “Does he count?”
Laughing, “Nope, he is considered mine and the site’s mascot.”
His eyes bright as he answers her as he throws the toy he just won from Connor, “Then no.”
She looks at the next ones and tells him, “Okay, Best Childhood, Teen and Adult memory?”
He snorts. “Best Childhood, when I was younger, I loved to play by the Northern Sea. Oft times it would be too cold to swim in, but I loved the sound and smell of it. The Best Teen memory is when I was made an adult and allowed to go aviking. And the Best Adult? So far when Bella and I became siblings. It is not often you are blessed by your patron goddess.”
She laughs when he mentions the last in a proud voice. “We have six left, before the five from the group. What is your favorite scent?”
He smiles, “The North Sea is my favorite memory, the smell of my sister, knowing she will always be there. But for now, there is really nothing that stands out as a favorite.”
“Here is the one that has stumped previous interviewees. What is your favorite movie?”
He grins. “That is one I didn’t anticipate. Hmm. That is a harder one. I like ones that you have to figure it out, and I love action films. I have more favorite moments. But I would have to say, I do like the reboot of the Star Trek films. I was around for the first shows, and they had taken everyone by surprise by the genius behind them. I was enthralled. Then when the movies came out, I watched them all. So this reboot is a way to revisit some old friends, while not knowing all that is going to happen.”
She notes it, surprised as always by the answer. None of the people answering this one ever answers what she expects. “If you could vacation anywhere in the world where would you go?”
He smiles, “Dallas. You have no idea how much I love being around my sister. I spent a very long time missing my baby sister and regretting her loss of life. I cannot explain it, but it feels as though Bella is that potential. And I love seeing how she handles it all. She has blossomed since we found her in that sleepy town.”
She smirks, asking him, “How do you spend your Days? Nights?”
He laughs. “The days are spent with Peter and Charlotte, either working or goofing off. Not having to hide the fact I am a daywalker is a blessing, since I can do whatever I want. I tend to rest in the day if it is needed, since my vassals are still nightwalkers. I tend to work more then also. Nights are used visiting areas, I am making my way around to all the parishes and townships to make sure the supernatural are ready for the reveal.”
She sighs, “Last one of these. Life’s Aspiration?”
He immediately answers, “To take care of what is Mine. To defend them, and to never let them doubt that I love them. I have found out that to answer the pull is everything, and I regret not listening to my Maker when he tried to explain it. So I am set on making sure that I protect those who may have been harmed by me not listening.” And then he levels a look at Wendy, and she nods at him.
She then sighs, flipping through the tabs to find the post on the questions. “You ready for these? We will start from the top choice and work our way down. I had to make a choice on the last one…” She trails off.
He nods and leans forward to listen to what the fans wanted to know from him. He is eager to find out what they are curious on.
“The most popular question is from Karen Meridian: How do you feel about your Maker suddenly finding his Mate after so long, and does it give you hope toward finding your own Mate?”
He grins, “It makes me very happy since he is Mated to my sister, and I now he will treat her the best he can. And it does give me hope that I can find my own Mate. Until then, they allow me to share in the feeling of being whole when I am around them, so I can wait a lot more patiently.” He is clasping his hands around each other, enthused by the line of questioning.
She looks at the next, and just asks it, “Sharon Whom asks, Can you please wish my wifey a Happy Birthday for the 19th?”
Eric looks taken back, “This is one of the five questions they wanted to know?”
She nods, waiting.
He sighs, and leans back. “I guess I can wish her wifey Happy Birthday. But I would also wish the rest of your ladies a Happy Birthday too. Since this will be up for them to read later, correct?” At her nod, he smiles.
She looks down, and tells him, “The next two are from Karen Meridian. The first is, how do you see yourself spending your free time now that things have calmed down between your Maker and your sister?”
He smiles, happy to answer another question about the two beings he loves. “As much as possible with them. She is going to need a lot of blood, for one. And Godric just won’t be able to keep up with her demand alone. So I will be there to help him. I also look forward to teaching her as much as I can on our traditions, bringing them up in her head. Seems since the change, she can reach the information more readily, but not if someone doesn’t remind her. So I am going to spend a lot of time reminding her of our past, the past that she is now part of thanks to Freyja.” Then he grins, “The second question?”
She grins back at him, “You don’t seem to have paid all that much attention to Pam since all this excitement began. How do you think she’s handling being third in your life after your Maker and your now sister?”
He sits back, unhappy. “Good question, but how to explain it? There are hints in the story that there are other things happening that would answer that question, but I cannot give away too many hints. Lets’s just say there is a reason why, and that I finally learned my lesson. And I don’t think she is liking being pushed to being the third important being in my life. And I expect I will be having her act out on me on it.” He growls out at the thought.
Wendy just lifts an eyebrow at him and makes note of his answer. “Final question, and you can get yourself back to cold Dallas. The lady who does a great job with our food blog, Megan Amster, asks the final question: what was it like to finally be able to walk around during the day for the first time in a thousand years?”
He smiles, eyes closing remembering that first moment, “Amazing. Nothing like it. The feel of sun on my face then body for the first time in a thousand years was unbelievable. I make it a part of my day to watch each and every sunrise and sunset. When you haven’t seen it with your naked eyes in such a long time, it is something you too would make sure to watch. I often stop and close my eyes when I am out and about in the day, thanking my sister and the Goddess for the gift. One of my best memories so far was the day we goofed off and just skateboarded and enjoyed the sun. I look forward to many more memories of such type.”
She sighs as she types the last of it. “All done!”
He laughs, then rising to his feet, and giving her a hand up, he tells her seriously, “Take care. Keep up the exercise, it will hopefully not allow the stress to get hold of you so badly again. Also, tell your mother that I wish her good health.”
Wendy smiles up at him and nods. “I look forward to running again. And Connor? Oh man will it be nice. Yesterday was so calm with him tired out. Have a safe trip back, Eric.”
She opens the door, letting him out. He grins at her, telling her, “I do look forward to the next story.”
Laughing, she watches him take off. When he is over the mountains, she turns back and sighs at Connor who is looking forlorn. “Daddy is off golfing and will be back soon. You just have to wait.” Then she head in to write this up and send it off to the ladies to do their magic.
