Meet the Proximity Series Cast of Characters
With the third book in the series, Vitality, we have accumulated quite a cast of characters…and I’d love to give you a sneak peek into their lives outside the book. I decided that a fun way to accomplish this might be a little impromptu meet-and-greet with the cast. I’ll be mingling amongst the group with microphone in hand, asking random questions we might never otherwise know the answers to…Enjoy!
Me: “Palta, let’s start with you. We hear most of this story from your perspective, and you seem to have a colorful take on things…but you don’t seem to like the spotlight. We know you don’t much care for your hair or characteristically pointed Onontian ears. But tell me, what’s your favorite trait about yourself?”
Palta: “Um…Jumping right to the egotistical side of me then, are we?”
Me: “I can always sing your praises for you—“
Palta: “Not necessary…How about I say that I can laugh at just about anything? Including myself.”
Me: “That’ll work. And what about your least favorite trait about yourself?”
Palta: “My self-consciousness. And thanks for bringing it to everyone’s attention, by the way.” *Taps on mike with a wink*
Me: “Always happy to help…I’ll quit torturing you Palta, and we’ll move on to the patiently-waiting gentleman at your side, your husband Aeron. Or should I be saying Mintar Omuran? Oh wait, most people here on Earth aren’t going to know what that means…maybe King Omuran would be more appropriate?”
Aeron (with a handshake and a smile that makes me go all goofy in the knees): “Just Aeron will do nicely, thanks. What would you like to know about me?”
Me: “Well, we already know you have a superpowered brain—able to learn entire languages and complicated scientific stuff in the blink of an eye—but do you have any weird talent that few people would know about you?”
Aeron: “Hmm…I can speak backwards.”
Me: “Backwards, like putting sentences in reverse order—or actually pronouncing the words in reverse?”
Aeron (Wrinkling his forehead with a sheepish smile): “Both…And did I mention how completely useless that skill is?”
Me: “Useless, yes…but kind of cool, though. Just one more question for you…What is your favorite thing about the love of your life?”
Aeron (Eyeing Palta with a dreamy green-eyed look): “Her ability to crack a joke, even when it feels like the entire world is going down in flames.”
Me (Getting all gushy just watching the two of them): ”Thanks for the window into your lives…I think I’ll move on along to Sabela and Dominick now. Hi there, Sabela…As Palta’s sister, you probably know much more about her than we do. But right now, we’re looking to hear more about you. Tell me…What’s it like being married to a human?”
Sabela (Sweetly, as always): “Well, I’ve actually never really thought too much about it. Dominick is my perfect match…It doesn’t seem to matter that we’re from different species.”
Me: “I can see that you two are perfect together. Palta seems to give you both a hard time for being science geeks…Especially you, Dominick. Has the relocation to the Onontian solar system been an exciting journey for you?”
Dominick: “Absolutely…It’s been amazing.”
Me: “So, what would you say is your favorite thing about the planet OnontÃ?”
Dominick: “It has a substantially longer rotation period, such that a mean solar day is quite a bit longer than on Earth.”
Me: “Um…”
Palta (Patting Dominick on the back): “You realize that just flew right over most of our heads, right?”
Sabela: “He means the days on Onontà are a lot longer than on Earth.”
Me (Nodding as the light bulb comes on): “Ahh…Good answer. Thank you, Sabela and Dominick. And next, we have Ewenami and Imai. Such a pleasure to see you both.”
Ewenami (Flashing a flawlessly gracious smile): “Likewise…And yes, I love visiting Earth again. Such a beautiful planet.”
Me: “Um…Thank you. I’m sorry, did I actually ask you that question?”
Imai (Chiming in with a dimpled grin, as he wraps a strapping arm around Ewenami’s waist): “A little unsettling when she plucks the question right out of your brain, isn’t it?”
Me: “You say that as though you can’t pretty much do exactly the same thing, Imai…And now the two of you are having some secret conversation inside your heads, aren’t you?”
Palta (Whispering into my ear with a smirk): “You’ll get used to it…Everyone around here is insanely good-looking and freakishly gifted. They can’t help it.”
Me (Raising a critical brow): “Says the 118-year-old woman who barely looks thirty, heals with the touch of a hand, and has the power to control minds?”
Palta (Shrugging it off with a little flush of color to her cheeks): “Okay, so I’m a freak too…but nobody holds a candle to that old man when it comes to freakish powers.” *Nods her head toward NangÃ*
Me (Stammering a little nervously): “Yes, NangÃ…I believe you’re the last person I have a question for today. Um, Palta seems to get a kick out of ruffling your feathers. I imagine—being over a millennium in age yourself—that the rest of us can seem a bit annoying at times. So would you like to tell us what your greatest pet peeve is…Something that really gets under your skin?”
Nangà (Folding his arms with a flat-faced drone): “People.”
Me (With a timid grimace): “Anything specific about people?”
Nangà (Ever-so-slightly shaking his head): “Just people.”
Palta: “Don’t worry, he won’t zap you with a bolt of lightning or anything. He knows I’d never let him hear the end of it…and he’d pretty much jab a stake through his eyes before voluntarily subjecting himself to my ranting.”
Me: “Good to know…Um, thank you for answering my question, NangÃ. Wait a second…Where did he go?”
Palta: “No telling…He’ll turn up eventually. I’m famished…Where are the chips and dip?”
Me: “You’re not kidding when you say you’re easily distracted…but come to think of it, I’m starving too. Sorry everyone, but I guess this concludes our little interview. That guacamole is calling my name…”
