I would like to give a big shout-out to Erin Diane for inviting me on this "Character Meet" Blog Tour. Erin Diane is the author of Room in the Heart. Erin grew up in Northern
Michigan, later moving to Northern Colorado, and was encouraged to write
from a very young age. She has been writing poetry, songs and stories since she
was 12 years old. Room in the Heart is Erin Diane's first full length book.
Check out her books on Amazon here and meet protagonist Thea Michaels here.
This character interview will introduce you to a main character from Works in Progress (WIP) or recent releases. My recent release is THE TRIBE OF ISHMAEL (Afterlife Chronicles #1). In this interview, you will meet Kantazsia, a demon solider in the Host of Hell who plays a pivotal role in determining protagonist Ishmael's afterlife. As a bonus, for today only this book will be available for free on Amazon.com here.
KANTAZSIA
1) What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or a historic
person?
Kantazsia Leviathan is a fictional demoness that protagonist
Ishmael befriends on his journey through Hell in Afterlife Chronicles I: The Tribe of Ishmael.
2) When and where is the story set?
This dark epic fantasy tale is set in Hell. No one really
knows the date, but it is estimated to be the millionth year of the Miser. All
the demons know is that when the Doom Bell in Acheron tolls its seventh chime,
warrior angels will descend and the battle of the Apocalypse will begin.
3) What should we know about him/her?
Kantazsia is one of many demons born into the dark authoritarian world of Hell,
which sustains itself through the torment of human souls in each of its
ninety-nine punishment circles. By the time they reach demonhood, every demon
swears to one of the all-powerful Fallen, who embody one of the Seven Deadly
Sins. They train to best be able to serve the mysterious Darkness, King of
Hell, for the day when he will free them from their prison. Every aspect of
demon life revolves around preparing for the inevitable war.
It is hinted that Kantazsia is estranged from her powerful
family. When she was young, the demoness escaped from her cruel mother by
day-dreaming that her father was an angel who would one day fly down to rescue
her from the unending misery of Hell. This fantasy helped distract her from the
reality that she watched her mother kill him. Kantazsia grew up spending a lot
of time alone, hunting only with her favorite pets, a pair of gray lyons. When
no one ever came to rescue her, Kantazsia’s heart hardened and she committed
full-heartily to the cause of the Darkness.
As an adult, the demoness followed her dream to become a
follower of Abaddon, the war-like Fallen of Wrath, by joining the Host of Hell.
This decision was frowned upon by her family, who championed the Fallen of Envy.
In the ranks, Kantazsia’s high-class background alienated her from her military
comrades, effectively casting her out as a “lone ranger” type. She is rowdy and
crass; loves fire whiskey and human designer jeans; hates tempters, the
mind-reading followers of Satan; and keeps her enemies at a distance with a
magical golden pistol that never runs out of bullets. Despite her drawl and
casual demeanor, Kantazsia is fiercely loyal to those she cares about and is
wholly dedicated to the Darkness.
4) What is the main conflict? What messes up his/her life?
Kantazsia fails her tank squad test and is demoted to be a
patroller in the lifeless Furnace circle. She is the laughingstock of her
comrades. When she captures Ishmael, an unclaimed soul, Kantazsia finally has
the chance to seize the glory she’s always dreamed about in the eyes of the
Darkness. However, Ishmael challenges her single-minded dedication to her cause
with his vision of a different afterlife beyond anything she’s ever dreamed. Kantazsia
must choose between avenging her people’s pain or a glimpse of freedom.
5) What is the personal goal of the character?
Kantazsia wants to be recognized as one of the Darkness’s
beloved for everything she has sacrificed as a solider of Hell.
6) When can we expect the book to be published?
It was published recently on Amazon.com. Visit:
“Chapter 43: Reborn” Excerpt:
***Warning: Contains Profanity/Violence***
~Kantazsia~
Sooner or later, every demon
faces its first death.
It could be over something
stupid. Betting a wolf demon you can outdrink him, for example. Or it could be
out of curiosity. Cut yourself shaving, and you just keep cutting, until all of
the blood runs out of you.
Humans let fear dictate their
actions during their earthly life, and for good reason. Once they’re chained to
a punishment circle down here, one way or another, Hell will make sure they
return to it. Demons know Death like an old friend, but that doesn’t mean
they’re any happier to see him. Death strips age and memories from our souls,
but he doesn’t strip away enemies.
When I was a fledgling, and
kind of a bigger bitch than I am now, I tormented this one imp, Vyphar, for
cycles, before stuffing him in a washing machine, sprinkling him with chlorine,
and setting the dial to heavy duty.
Even during the final stages of the rinse cycle, the poor imp didn’t remember
that he’d been the demon who’d failed my entry exam into the Glorious Infernal
the first time. The report included this one really cute quip: Kantazsia will never amount to anything more
than a follower of Jezebel. Most demons spend their present life obsessed
with the past—or what we can remember of it. You never know if you will come
back as an imp or a fledgling, female or male. The only thing you know for
certain is your name; it whispers from the hearth of your soulfire.
Except this time. This time
when I awoke in the Bleeding Grounds, I remembered my family name and every
memory of my past life in vivid, excruciating detail. Suddenly I didn’t want to
die anymore. I wanted to fight. I wanted to grow strong. I remembered Azrael’s
hand returning me to Hell. I remembered fighting my way through its nefarious
embrace, felt it eat bits and pieces of me. I felt my hellfire dwindle and
watched my vision of Paradise grow dimmer. There are only so many times you can
come back before Hell takes you.
Survive. The Darkness has a
timeline for getting out of Hell. When the Doom Bell tolls its last, he will
bring Heaven to its knees. The question is, will I have endured the mortal
banes of life that Hell taunts us with, eating and sleeping; will I have
quelled my enemies, past and present; so that I will be left standing at his side?
If Vyphar hadn’t included that
last bit, I would have used the delicate cycle. It’s the fuckin’ small things.
Copyright © Heffner 2013
Meet more Amazing Characters:
Miranda Var, from A.L. Butcher's fantasy book The Stolen Tower.
Adam Blake, from Ryan Gladney's surreal Nine Lives of Adam Blake
