Omake – Q&A Part V

Q: Quinn is your editor’s favorite character because she is as sarcastic and zero-effs-given as they’d like to be in real life. Who is your favorite character and why is it also Quinn?

Obviously, I choose Leona because there’s a lot of me in her—there always has been. Updating her dialogue and story beats is just a natural extension of that.

Quinn, on the other hand, was an aspect of Suchan’s personality—a really fun and adorable one, to boot. Too bad I have trouble fully stepping into her shoes. I’m much more like Leona—law-abiding and very much an effs-given kind of dere dere person, whenever I’m not depressed, that is. Yes, dere deres crash hard when they get sad.

Thankfully, I have a great editor who really understands Quinn’s personality and captures her voice perfectly.

Q: Are there any other characters you find easy or hard to write? Do you have your editor or others help you out with the voices of those too?

I’d say I sometimes struggle with nailing the Midnight Avenger’s exact voice. And while I’m confident in Mocha’s character, keeping her as sassy and mouthy as ever might be a challenge. Luckily, I have an editor who really excels at writing those types of characters. ? So I think I’m covered there!

Oh, and I should mention—I got special assistance from Assurbanipal II to enhance his character’s cameo in the upcoming remake of Book 3: An Ill Wind.

Q: They say that villains are more fun/memorable and in Second Flight we were introduced to a bunch of new heroes and villains. Did you find it easier to write about the good guys or the bad guys? Besides our main heroine, which hero or villain have you had the most fun writing so far?

I’d say the heroes have been easier to write, given my natural preference for them. That said, I’ve been working on improving my ability to write compelling villains. The best ones, after all, aren’t just evil for evil’s sake—they’re people with traits that put them at odds with the world. Revenge. Spite. Greed. Ambition. A will to power. Narcissism. Ego. Good intentions gone wrong. Bad intentions disguised as good. Nihilism. Hatred. Curiosity. Amorality. A lack of self-control. A lack of control over their circumstances. These are all normal human traits, and they often make for the most relatable and compelling villains.

Honestly, the real world is full of villains and heroes. The only difference in fiction is the presence of superpowers.

As for the character I’ve had the most fun writing? That would be Redline Racer. The way she speaks—rapid-fire, words strung together without pause—makes me laugh every time. And with the new chapters, she’s one of the earliest heroes to show up, right after Vanguard and Mistral. Speaking of Mistral, there are some lingering mysteries about her that I intend to address in An Ill Wind. How could she have been an active heroine when Leo was five (or even younger) and still be in her early twenties now? We’ll get answers to those questions soon enough.

As for my favorite villain? That would have to be Gothschilde. She’s fascinating, and despite being one of Aurora’s most powerful opponents, she’s not the easiest character for me to step into. Those who read the original up to Saucery will understand. I have some plans for her in Elodie Elegy and beyond.

Technically, Mocha was a villain too, and I have a soft spot for her. For all her seriousness and bluntness, she was cuddly on the inside.