Hello! My name is Verchiel and I’m from Joleene Naylor’s Amaranthine series. I am filling in for Katelina because…well, I’ll get into that in a moment. But, using state of the art-mumbo-jumbo-author magic, Jo has had Katelina interview other authors’ characters. Now she is interviewing our fellow Amaranthian’s. Even better, the questions come from you, the readers! So let’s get this party started!

As I said, this is Verchiel, filling in for Katelina. You see, today’s interviewee is Claudius, who some of you might remember has devoted time to… well, let’s just say he’s been out to get her. Because of their, erm, past, she refused to interview him, so I stepped up – again!

Aren’t they lucky to have me?

Claudius

Claudius: Oh, it’s you. Wonderful.

V: Don’t sound so excited to see me! Geeze! The enthusiasm-

C: Can we get on with this?

V: Oh, all right. Despite the fact that most of the readers hate you, there were a few questions for you.

C: They only hate me because they’ve been force fed the story through Jorick and his human’s eyes. If they looked at it the other way around, one assumes they would be intelligent enough-

V: Hey, hey, let’s not insult the readers, huh? I happen to be quite fond of them!

C: I wasn’t insulting them. I was merely stating that they haven’t been permitted to see the other side of it. Let me kidnap their mate and see how they feel about it then.

V: You know, there’s a school of thought out there which says you didn’t really love Arowenia, anyway…

C: And who’s made that determination? Who has the right to decide what is love and what is not or who loves and who does not?

V: You know, if you’d just SAY it, it would go a long way towards convincing people.

C: I don’t need to “convince” anyone! What I feel or do not feel is of no consequence to anyone but myself! *narrows eyes* Why are you here again?

V: Because it was me or Kately, and after… well, you know…

C: Oh. Her. Jorick’s annoying human. Or Patrick’s. Or whoever she belonged to. It gives me a headache trying to decipher it. If given the choice between the two of you, then I must say you’re the better option, though only just. Ask the questions and get on with it.

V: I’m going to pretend that was a compliment! First from Sue, “You became a vampire in the 1500s, I believe. What advances in the world today amaze you the most?”

C: An interesting question. One is not so much an advance, but a shift in social attitude. I find it intriguing that in the New World bloodlines don’t carry the value they did, or even still do, in the more civilized world. That paternity, or even maternity, no longer matters is an interesting concept with both pros and cons. As far as advances, such as technology, I find most of it too noisy and distracting. There are televisions, cellphones, radios. Every moment is bombarded with noise and the pouring out of someone else’s ideas, thoughts or feelings. It’s no wonder that the modern world is stilted and unoriginal. One can not have an original idea because their mind is too overrun with everyone else’s ideas.

V: I don’t know. I rather like TV. But for the sake of the interview let’s move on. From Donna, “Claudius, so many are afraid of you and you act like a tough guy, but in reality, without your body guards around, you seemed like a frightened squirrel. Was there a time when you were really ‘tough’?”

C: *opens mouth*Snaps it shut*takes deep breath* Ah yes, more of Jorick and Oren’s propaganda, I imagine. Like so many things, tough is subjective, but if you mean was I ever forced to ‘take care of myself’ then the answer is yes. Francoise, my maker, was little more than useless in many ways, and her coven – which was scarcely more than a pack of dogs – was even less so. I spent many years fighting, not only for my position, but just to exist, as I had when I was mortal. There comes a point when one wearies of having to fight. The intelligent person then creates a group of people to do the fighting for them…

V: Speaking of your maker, from Juli, “Claudius, I assume that you murdered your maker, but tell us “officially” how you parted company with Francoise?”

C: Ah. Yes. Francoise. You are correct that I “removed” her when it proved necessary to do so. She was… how shall I say it? She was common, yes, but she was also condescending and she had all the qualities of a large anchor, weighing me down and holding me back from achieving any kind of lasting greatness. Not only by her ridiculous rules, but also because she was determined to remind me on a nearly nightly basis of exactly where I had come from. Eventually the time came when she needed to be reminded where SHE came from. The fact that she shared immortality with me only stretched so far. Should a child shower praise and devotion on an unworthy parent?

V: That’s an interesting example, but they don’t usually KILL them…

C: You deal with it your way, and I shall deal with it mine. Next.

V: Whatever. This one is also from Donna, “Picking on a human to get even with Jorick, knowing Jorick’s personality, wasn’t that rather, um, dumb?”

C: What was dumb was not killing her. Had I known that Jorick was really as attached to her as he is, I would have done so. Not that it would have equaled what he did to me. Perhaps you’ve forgotten what he did to my mate – who had been with me for centuries? Though because I’m not the main character the death of MY companion doesn’t matter, is that it?

V: Um, actually, we can’t get into too much of this or we’ll spoil the plot.

C: For whom? Hasn’t everyone who’s ever going to read those dreadful books already done so? I can’t really imagine that a hack author like this could continue to draw new fans.

V: Weirdly enough, it does happen. Wait, I don’t mean it’s weird. Our author is great. So great, in fact, that she should quit doing book covers and start writing full time. I’m seeing a “Verchiel” spin-off series.

C: Please. What would that entail? “Verchiel breezed in, made a few comments that failed to be amusing and then breezed out again, all the while doing nothing of any importance.” There. I’ve completed the series for you. You and our hack author are both welcome.

V: That wasn’t very nice. We’re running out of time, but I have a final question before you go. Though you’re not in the newest book, Ashes of Deceit (to be released May 2012), some former members of your coven are. How do you feel about their new affiliations?

C: Which ones? That Hectia refused to submit is cheering to a point, but that Kale and Joseff… Well, there are laws, aren’t there? If one puts aside their personal feelings, they can acknowledge that Kale was forced to follow the laws and his newest alliance, while it is enough to make my blood boil, is advantageous for him. One must always choose the most advantageous path and not allow sentimentality to cloud one’s judgment, so in that respect he has done well.

V: And with that we’re out of time! The next interview is Oren (and Katelina will finally return to interviewing!) so leave your questions for him on this blog and as always thanks for stopping by!

Aside from reading about Claudius in the Amaranthine series, he also guest stars in the short stories Arowenia  & Michael and of course stars in his own story Claudius

Related articles

• Interview with Jorick (joleenenaylor.wordpress.com)
• Interview with Katelina (joleenenaylor.wordpress.com)
• Interview with Verchiel (joleenenaylor.wordpress.com)
• Interview with Patrick (joleenenaylor.wordpress.com)