(Be aware! This interview might contain spoilers if you haven't read the books!!)
Me: Today I have the honor of interviewing the two hunks of the Born in Flames Trilogy, Fenn and Zane. Hello, boys.
Fenn: *waves* Hiya!
Zane: *grunts* Hey.
Me: So, boys, let’s start out with
something awkward to set the tone.
Zane: Oh boy.
Me: Oh boy is right, Zane, and I
have just the question for you. What is it like being in love with your
brother’s girlfriend.
Fenn: *coughs* Fiancé.
Zane: *side-eyes Fenn and then glares at me* Not fun. What do you think
it’s like? Here sits the perfect girl and I can’t do anything to make her see me. And honestly, I don’t want her
to see me, because if she did, then
she may not like me as much as I know she does.
Fenn: *rolls eyes*
Zane: *turns to Fenn* And despite what you may think, I do care about you
and your happiness. You’re good for her. So as much as it sucks to know I can’t
have what I want, I suck it up and go on, because that’s the right thing to do.
Fenn: *sighs and pats him on the back* I know. She’s a good girl and she
loves you. Sometimes I feel a little too much, but it’s only because of my own
insecurities. You two do have an understanding that makes me a little jealous.
Me: See, look at you two,
communicating and hashing it out like good brothers. I knew there was hope for
you.
Zane: *raises eyebrows* Don’t get ahead of yourself.
Me: Okay...next question. Fenn, how
did you feel when you found out Aurora chose you over your sister’s life?
Zane: Wow.
Fenn: *shifts uncomfortably in seat* You really like intense questions,
don’t you? *I nod* Honestly, I was
mad at her. *Zane’s head snaps in Fenn’s
direction* What? It’s true. I would’ve wanted her to pick Lex. She’s my
twin. I love her. And as much as I love Aurora and want to spend my life with
her, I felt the right thing to do would’ve been to safe Lexi.
Me: But you’re wrong. Alexis needed
to become the Celestian and you still have work to do as her protector. Your
most important job yet. Your reason for being is about to be brought to light.
Fenn: And what’s that?
Me: *smirk* If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you. ;)
Fenn: You’re going to kill me? No
way. You need me too much. I am Rory’s love and her protector. You wouldn’t.
Me: *shrug* Next question...for both of you. How did it feel when you
found out who your mother really was?
Zane: It was a slap in the face.
Fenn: I was disappointed, but it
made sense. I could never understand why she was the way she was as Eve. So
bitter and full of hate. But when I found out what she had been through with
Zordon and the sacrifice she made for me and Lex, I couldn’t hate her anymore.
I feel bad for her. *looks over at Zane*
Zane: She abandoned me and Zhax. He
may not have turned out to be so rotten if she would’ve taken us with her. If
there was hope for me, then there was hope for Zhax.
Me: You can’t live on what if’s,
Zane. You have to find it in your heart to forgive. It’s the only way you will
ever be able to fully heal.
Zane: I’ll get back to you on that.
Me: Zane. How did you feel finding
out that you had younger siblings aside from Zhax?
Zane: Well, after the shock settled,
I was in a mixture of emotions. I liked Alexis. She fit in with her attitude.
Fenn on the other hand, well, I was still trying to adjust to the fact that he
had Aurora’s heart. But when I saw past that, I was honestly happy.
Fenn: You were?
Zane: Yeah. You’re cool.
Fenn: You too. *grinning*
Me: Now for a funny question. This
comes from Megan. *leans in* She has
a thing for you, Zane. Would you be willing to mud wrestle each other for the
sake of my street team?
Fenn & Zane: *both start laughing*
Zane: Seriously? *I nod* Wow. Umm...I think that might be
a little uncomfortable. But for you, Megan, I would definitely be interested in
meeting you. Possibly, I might even flash these babies. *lifts shirt to flaunt chiseled abs and chest*
Fenn: Dude, put those away.
Zane: Don’t be jealous.
Me: You are quite the ladies man,
Zane.
Zane: *points to self* Me?
Me: Yep. They all have a thing for
you.
Zane: Hmm...maybe there’s hope for
me after all.
Me: Last question: Beauty or brains?
Fenn: Brains is where all the beauty
lies.
Zane: I agree. You have to have a
brain for me to even think of looking at you.
Me: Awesome! Thank you both for
sitting with me today. It’s been a while since I’ve spoken with you. And, Zane,
I might be speaking with you in the near future. Possibly to do a story in your
perspective.
Zane: Sounds good to me.
Fenn: What about me?
Fenn: Cool.
About Candace:
Candace Knoebel is the award-winning
author of Born in Flames-a young adult fantasy trilogy. Published by 48fourteen
in 2012, Born in Flames went on to win Turning the Pages Book of the Year award
in February of 2013.
Candace
Knoebel dreamed of being a dancer ever since she could remember. With a love of
all things art, she saw herself moving to New York and pursuing her passion as
an artist. But all that changed on October 10th, 2002 when she met the love of
her life. Her dreams diverged and after marrying her high school sweetheart and
having two beautiful children, she realized she missed her creative side.
Through lunch breaks and late nights after putting her kids to bed, she built a
world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five
Purgatory. Since then, she crawled out of Purgatory and has devoted her time to
writing and sometimes heelying.
Where to find Candace:
Born in Flames:
Red mirrored scales race up my
arms as the haze of pain blurs my vision. My bones crack, breaking to realign.
I scream. It is then that the realization of my unavoidable fate sinks in; I am
of a dying race. I am dragon.
Aurora Megalos, orphaned and teetering on the edge of adulthood, thought finding her past would curb the sting of being an outcast. Having no memories of the time before she awoke on her foster mother’s doorstep, she yearns for the emptiness inside her to be filled. With her fellow orphaned best friend, Fenn, by her side, she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. But something powerful stirred within her that she couldn’t explain. Something wanted out.
In the dark of night, a crazed Seer, dubbed Mr.Creepy, erases everything she’s ever known with an impending prophecy. She now faces two paths. Return to her true home to protect a dying race against a growing evil, or stay hidden in the safety of our realm with a shot at a true love. With a vengeful Arch Enemy stopping at nothing to see her dead, she’s running out of time; a decision must be made. What would you choose?
Aurora Megalos, orphaned and teetering on the edge of adulthood, thought finding her past would curb the sting of being an outcast. Having no memories of the time before she awoke on her foster mother’s doorstep, she yearns for the emptiness inside her to be filled. With her fellow orphaned best friend, Fenn, by her side, she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. But something powerful stirred within her that she couldn’t explain. Something wanted out.
In the dark of night, a crazed Seer, dubbed Mr.Creepy, erases everything she’s ever known with an impending prophecy. She now faces two paths. Return to her true home to protect a dying race against a growing evil, or stay hidden in the safety of our realm with a shot at a true love. With a vengeful Arch Enemy stopping at nothing to see her dead, she’s running out of time; a decision must be made. What would you choose?
Buy Links:
Excerpt from Born into Flames:
Preface
THE
CALL OF THE ORB was strong now that it rested in my hands. A song thrummed in
my chest as I felt the veins in my neck beating wildly. Looking at it now, the
change wasn’t as scary as I had thought it would be. Even with knowing that I
could be staring my possible death in the face. The question was—would I be
strong enough to sustain these powers given to me? Maybe I was just scared of
The Fates choosing my des- tiny, or maybe I was scared that what was about to
happen would forever change my life. Either way, growing up I had always hoped
that my life would mean something more than just being a foster child, but
this, this was much bigger than anyone could imagine. And what lies ahead? Well
if it’s anything compared to what I am going through now, then I expect my life
to fall into a whole new level of crazy. And I think it may be just what I was
look- ing for.
Embracing the Flames:
The
Stone of Immortality has always been kept under the watch of the Draconta. That
is, until the betrayal of a Fate. Now everything is about to change. Aurora Megalos accepted her destiny without blinking-even if it meant succumbing to her dragon side. Deemed the Progeny, she left the ordinary life she knew and has done everything in her power to learn the ways of her new realm and what it means to be part dragon. But when her mentor, Astral, suddenly disappears, she is forced to take the reins.
With war on the brink, she sets out on an epic journey to not only find her mentor, but to stop her Arch Enemy, Zordon, from obtaining the Stone of Immortality. But what she discovers about him along the way is far worse than she could’ve ever imagined. She will be tested and pushed to the limit. Lives will be lost, love will be questioned, and a battle will begin.
Buy Links:
Excerpt from Embracing the Flames:
Chapter One:
I closed
my eyes and focused on shifting. Scales raced along my skin as my muscles
filled out. Talons stretched out from my fingertips and toes. I flexed my hands
and then doubled over as my tail protruded out my back end. My clothes ripped
as my wings broke free and extended out, slightly shadowing Fenn and Astral.
I opened my ruby-red eyes
and saw the mystified look in Fenn’s eyes, the same look he always wore when I
shifted. I thought back to the first time I had ever shifted in front of him.
“You’re just a muscular,
reptilian version of yourself, Rory,” he said as he reached out and ran a hand
through my hair. He leaned forward, softly kissing me as his hands ran down my
scaled arms
and
pulled me into him.
Such a small, simple act
had meant so much.
I turned away from them
both, ignoring the connection my pride had with my tear ducts, and tried to
remain focused with every inch of air I climbed.
So far, I was still here,
still in control.
I spiraled in the faint
breeze and inhaled deeply. All of my senses were enhanced—a perk that came with
being a dragon. I zoomed in on Fenn. I could smell his fresh, musky scent and
was reminded
of home.
Not our new home, but our old one—the apartment back in Hawaii. My heart ached
for Mily, our foster mother. I hoped she didn’t miss us too much.
They were both staring up
at me, hands shielding their eyes from the sun I hovered in front of. “I’m ready to begin,” I called down to them.
I tried to hide my wariness as heat trailed out in curls
from my
nostrils.
“Try hitting her with
something small,” Astral instructed Fenn, his voice sounding like it was right
next to me even though I was high in the sky.
I zoomed in on Fenn again,
bracing myself for his attack. I sensed his energy building within him as his
palms began to glow.
Every muscle in my body
tightened with anticipation as the scent of his magic surrounded me-a fresh bar
of soap mixed with a summer’s salty breeze.
“Temparo!” he shouted,
hurling his blue energy towards me. It was the controlling spell that we had
learned a few days back. My senses were so keen I could see the spell coming
towards me as if it were in slow motion. I jumped to the side, the spell flying
past me and down into a tree with a crackling smack. The wood splintered out
from the force leaving a wide scorch mark in its wake.
Fenn boastfully smiled as
his eyebrows rose, taunting me to challenge him. My heart flittered a little.
He was proud of me and that made me feel momentarily invincible.
“Again!” Astral said
delightfully.
“Immoblatio!” Fenn tossed.
I easily dodged it again, watching the spell slowly hurl by me. My wings fluttered,
a rush of power surging throughout me as I headed for the ground. Being in the
air gave me the advantage against his physical attacks. I wanted more. I needed
to know that I could do it on my own.
I mocked his earlier
taunting smile as I let my feet touch the ground. “Let’s try something harder,”
I said daringly. “No holding back.”
A shadow of a smile grew
on Fenn’s face.
“I feel good and I want to
see what I can really do.” I hoped that I could keep things under control. I
didn’t want his smile to vanish.
I backed up a few steps
and stared at my clawed feet, inhaling deeply. It was important that I remained
focused so I could stay in control. And so I could keep Fenn off guard.
“Pellum Descendum,” I
chanted, throwing the knock-back spell at Fenn. He ducked just in time, pulling
my legs out from under me at the same time. I wavered, and my wings fluttered,
catching my fall and lifting me a foot off the ground.
I felt his energy building
up once again, but I was too close to him to dodge. “Silentaro!” he shouted,
his energy hitting me directly in the face. My scales provided a strong
barrier. They didn’t burn
the way
my skin did when struck by magic, but they also didn’t stop magic from
entering. I felt my lips magically weave together, preventing me from speaking.
Steam wisped out of my
nostrils as anger sparked within me. I threw a hearty punch but missed as he
dodged and said, “Turbularum Vortum.”
I was already off balance
from the missed punch and was caught off guard by the spell that hit my side. I
flinched. This was one I had not been taught yet.
The clouds seemed to fall
from the sky as a black whirlwind surrounded me, lifting me off the ground and
into the spiked, cold air. I was being spun uncontrollably inside the tornado,
stunned and
unable
to counterattack. Panic set in as my anger grew beyond my human limit. The
dragon spirit in me pushed forward, refusing to take anymore of this beating.
No! I begged internally, trying everything I could to remain in control.
I focused on breathing evenly, but the confine of the artificial whirlwind was
suffocating me.
I pleaded with my eyes for
Fenn to let up. Awareness registered on his face and then he pulled back, the
spell finally dying off. I felt Astral’s strength pouring into me, waiting for
me to use, but I
refused
as I hovered above them. I was going to do this on my own or else.
Fenn released me from the
silencing spell. Probably out of pity.
This made me even angrier
with myself. “Don’t do that! Don’t take pity on me,” I spat. The dragon in me
was gaining more and more control by the second, pushing me past the point of
reason.
His back stiffened as he
glared back at me. “Suit yourself.”
I felt a familiar darkness
stir within me, urging me to give in to my untamed emotions. Without thinking,
I swooped down, grazing his face with the claws of my feet, uncaring if it
hurt. He was already
healing
as I pulled myself up into the air, ignoring his fiery glare.
“Protectio!” I shouted. A
shimmering bubble of protection surrounded me. It was only strong enough to
protect me against his next spell, but it would give me enough time to prepare
and counter.
“Immoblatio!” he
rebounded. I saw it coming and dodged to the right, swooping down and landing
behind him, tapping him on the shoulder.
“Pellum Descendum,” I said
with a saucy smile. He flew backwards once again, barely missing Astral who
quietly stepped out of the way.
Pain shot throughout my
limbs as my emotional state became leaden. I was struggling with my dragon
side, trying to remain in control. I fell to my knees as my stomach convulsed.
The dragon
was
winning.
“Silentaro!” Fenn’s voice
sounded cold and indifferent. My protective bubble absorbed the spell and
vanished with a light pop.
He stalked towards me, his
fists clenched in determination. “Silentaro!” he continued, moving swiftly with
a vengeance.
My lips sealed shut once
again. I staggered backwards, clenching my side in pain.
Astral stepped forward as
if to stop him, but Fenn was in his own world, driven by the anger of battle.
Or worse, by my ignorance and temper. “Pellum Descendum!”
I went flying backwards,
the agony finishing off my last bit of control. A portal opened up in front of
me and Fenn stood over me. His expression had shifted from hostile to
apologetic concern. He extended an arm to help me up. “I took it too far.”
But I wasn’t in control
anymore. I was succumbing to the darkness inside of me. I fought hard, on the
edge of slipping away completely, but it was too late. Even Astral was too
late.
Fire ruptured from within,
breaking the silencing spell and burning off the magic Fenn had used to quiet
me.
I didn’t know I could do
that.
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