Meet my character, Yuda Vasilyevich
This is a new, character-focussed blog hop. I pick up the baton from Stacy Claflin. Stacy wrote about her character, Macy Mercer, on 22nd September: http://stacyclaflin.com/2014/09/22/meet-my-character-macy-mercer/
So, without more ado, let me introduce you to Stacy:
I’ve been writing and telling stories for as long as I can remember. As a kid, my story telling would get me into trouble when I would try to convince others that my stories were real. I think I scarred my younger cousin for life with my Cavity Monster story!
These days I write paranormal romantic suspense and later this month I’m releasing a suspense that beta readers call a psychological thriller. I’m also dabbling in contemporary romance, so nothing is off limits for my writing, although I can’t seem to stay away from suspense. Everything has that element. I’m the mom of two amazing and adorable boys. I educate my boys from home. Oh, and I run a home daycare too. Some ask how I can get any writing done at all. That’s simple, I get up around 4:00 in the morning every weekday so that I can get my writing in! I’m also a thyroid cancer survivor, I have been cancer free since 2008!
Links: Website | Amazon | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | G+
Meet my character, Yuda Vasilyevich
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2) When and where is the story set?
The story is set in a country called Lefranu, which resembles 19th century France, with some key differences. The action takes place in roughly the 1850s, with steam-powered technology, and has a steampunk flavour.
3) What should we know about him?
Yuda is a shaman, one of twins born to a Wanderer family. The Wanderers, like the Jews, are social outcasts, which affects him profoundly and shapes his attitude to life. He and his sister Yuste are called shamans because they were born with magical powers. As a child, he was small and weedy, and he was bullied at school. But after adolescence, he grew into his skin and became better-looking and a lot more powerful.
He’s a short guy with a big ego. He’s driven, mercurial and charismatic. He’s also bisexual, like most (if not all) shamans. At the time of the stories he’s faithful to one man, but occasionally sleeps with women. Then he falls in love with his best friend’s wife. The mystery is why (and how) he inspires so much loyalty and devotion.
4) What is the main conflict? What messes up his life?
Yuda’s life is massively messed up by guilt. He abandoned his first wife, leaving his children to be brought up by his sister and his parents after she killed herself. His father wanted him to become a doctor but instead he chose to work as a railway guard. He also had a huge fight with his twin sister and used his powers, damaged her physically.
The Wanderer Laws aren’t that tolerant of homosexuality, so he is haunted by that as well.
All this is happening in the background of the first book, where he takes over the care of his teenage children. He takes them with him on a dangerous mission to the northern frontier lands, in attempt to get to know them. They have a stormy relationship with him and immediately get into difficulties.
5) What is the personal goal of the character?
Well, that’s a bit of a spoiler. He’s not a hero on a quest in the normal sense of the word. He’s an agent of the Railway People and carries out the missions they send him on. I suppose he would see his goal as wanting to be at peace with himself. In practice, he’s trying to reconcile the different parts of his nature, and to live according to the ideals with which he was brought up. They were high ideals, and he keeps failing.
Otherwise, his personal goals are smoking, drinking schnapps and getting laid. And trying not to get killed.
6) What is the title of the novel, and where can find out more?
Children of the Shaman, and you can find out more at shamansland.com. It’s the first book in my shamanworld series.
7) When was the book published?
Children of the Shaman was published in May 2014 as an eBook. It originally came out in 2001 as a paperback in the US and the UK.
The eBook edition has been revised, so there are differences from the original.
Links: Website | Amazon | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | G+
Next week on the tour…Cora Buhlert!
Cora Buhlert was born and bred in North Germany, where she still lives today – after time spent in London, Singapore, Rotterdam and Mississippi. Cora holds an MA degree in English from the University of Bremen and is currently working towards her PhD. Cora has been writing, since she was a teenager, and has published stories, articles and poetry in various international magazines. When she is not writing, she works as a translator and teacher. Visit her on the web at www.corabuhlert.com or follow her on Twitter under @CoraBuhlert.
Buy her books at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple iTunes, Kobo, AllRomance e-books, DriveThruFiction and XinXii or borrow them at Scribd.
1) What is the name of your character? Is he fictional or a historic person?
His name is Yuda Vasilyevich and he is entirely fictional.2) When and where is the story set?
The story is set in a country called Lefranu, which resembles 19th century France, with some key differences. The action takes place in roughly the 1850s, with steam-powered technology, and has a steampunk flavour.
3) What should we know about him?
Yuda is a shaman, one of twins born to a Wanderer family. The Wanderers, like the Jews, are social outcasts, which affects him profoundly and shapes his attitude to life. He and his sister Yuste are called shamans because they were born with magical powers. As a child, he was small and weedy, and he was bullied at school. But after adolescence, he grew into his skin and became better-looking and a lot more powerful.
He’s a short guy with a big ego. He’s driven, mercurial and charismatic. He’s also bisexual, like most (if not all) shamans. At the time of the stories he’s faithful to one man, but occasionally sleeps with women. Then he falls in love with his best friend’s wife. The mystery is why (and how) he inspires so much loyalty and devotion.
4) What is the main conflict? What messes up his life?
Yuda’s life is massively messed up by guilt. He abandoned his first wife, leaving his children to be brought up by his sister and his parents after she killed herself. His father wanted him to become a doctor but instead he chose to work as a railway guard. He also had a huge fight with his twin sister and used his powers, damaged her physically.
The Wanderer Laws aren’t that tolerant of homosexuality, so he is haunted by that as well.
All this is happening in the background of the first book, where he takes over the care of his teenage children. He takes them with him on a dangerous mission to the northern frontier lands, in attempt to get to know them. They have a stormy relationship with him and immediately get into difficulties.
5) What is the personal goal of the character?
Well, that’s a bit of a spoiler. He’s not a hero on a quest in the normal sense of the word. He’s an agent of the Railway People and carries out the missions they send him on. I suppose he would see his goal as wanting to be at peace with himself. In practice, he’s trying to reconcile the different parts of his nature, and to live according to the ideals with which he was brought up. They were high ideals, and he keeps failing.
Otherwise, his personal goals are smoking, drinking schnapps and getting laid. And trying not to get killed.
6) What is the title of the novel, and where can find out more?
Children of the Shaman, and you can find out more at shamansland.com. It’s the first book in my shamanworld series.
7) When was the book published?
Children of the Shaman was published in May 2014 as an eBook. It originally came out in 2001 as a paperback in the US and the UK.
The eBook edition has been revised, so there are differences from the original.
Links: Website | Amazon | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | G+
Buy her books at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple iTunes, Kobo, AllRomance e-books, DriveThruFiction and XinXii or borrow them at Scribd.
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