The Thoughts of a Book Junky!: Character Interview: Lil from Awakened & Giveaway!

Please Welcome Lil from Awakened by Ednah Walters!

Steph: Lil, thanks for stopping by.
Lil (takes a seat across from Steph and smiles): I hope she doesn’t ask personal questions. I might have to lie and I suck at it.
I’m happy to be here.
Steph: So, let’s start. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Lil (sighs): I should have known she’d start with person Qs.
I’m just an ordinary girl with ordinary teen issues and a little extra responsibility than most.
Steph (laughs): Ordinary teen issues? A little extra responsibility? You fight demons. That’s huge.
Lil (makes a face): Okay, fighting demons is big, but I have the training and my abilities make my job a little easier. But I do have teen issues. I worry about my boyfriend, school, my friends, popular girls who make my life difficult.
Steph: You’re talking about—?
Lil (interrupts): No names, please.
Steph (smiles): I understand. She spends a lot of time online and might read my blog. Let’s talk about your duties as a Guardian. What are some pros and con's of being a Guardian?

Lil: Pros…hmmm. The big ones are, we stop demons from buying and owning human souls, and our people get back their glory. When angels, our ancestors, fell and were sent to Tartarus, they lost their glory. As a result, we were born without souls. Saving humanity helps us get them back.
Having abilities is also a great pro. I can have lunch at a beach in Florida or Caribbean and make it back for my sixth hour class without breaking a sweat. Also, we don’t worry about money, because the High Council provides us with large bank accounts as soon as we join the Guardianship program.
Cons…(Lil grimaces)…we fight demons. Since we once belong to the same race, they have abilities like us, so when fighting, things can get pretty sticky.

Steph: Do you find it hard to balance your human life (school, friends) with your Guardian life?
Lil (frowns): Very. I try to keep the two lives separate, but at times it is not easy. I’ve tried not to use my powers and meddle in other students’ lives when I read their thoughts. You see, we’re not supposed to make choices for people because they have free will, but I’ve slipped and helped a few. I can’t help it.
I also worry that my human friends might catch me using my powers. If they do, they might totally freak out. (Shrugs) Then I’d have to erase their memory.
Steph (leans forward, her eyes wide): Can you really do that? Erase memories?
Lil (winces): Oops, wasn’t supposed to say that. Forget you asked me that question. In fact, forget what I said after I shrugged.

Steph (nods, totally unaware that I zapped her): I think they might find your background cool once they stop freaking out. I know I do. Let’s talk about Bran. Tell us about him?
Lil: Oh no. My human friends always want to know stuff about Bran too. Are all girls just curious or was their curiosity because of Bran?
Steph: Uh, Lil?
Lil (sighs): He’s the best boyfriend in the world.
Steph: Do you do anything cool together?
Lil (smiles dreamily): All the time. We teleport to fun places for lunch or dinner, just the two of us. At times we don’t have reservation, but we usually find a way around it.
Steph: You mentioned before that you have boy issues. Why? He’s completely in love with you. I mean there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for you.
Lil (still smiling): I know, but he’s three years older and more experienced than I am, so I worry that, you know, I might bore him.
Steph (shakes her head): From what I read in Awakened, I doubt it. Can I ask you a couple more questions about him?
Lil (grimaces): I don’t mind, but there’re certain things I can’t discuss.
Steph: That’s okay. Can you tell us what attracted you to him?
Lil (giggles, remembering their first meeting): His eyes. I call them emerald green. Then there’s his smile. He has the most beautiful smile in the world. And he’s very protective of me. At times, he can be a bit overprotective. That drives me nuts.
Steph: I’m sure he does. What's one of your favorite memories from your childhood? What about with Bran?

Lil: Watching my grandfather wow his audience in the circus. Those will stay with me forever, even though I now know they weren’t an act. Bran? Well, the first time I saw his wings. He took my breath away. He still does.
Steph: Oooh, that’s sweet. Do you think he can show them to me if we meet?
Lil (shakes her head). He has to remove his shirt to do it unless he’s wearing special shirts. No way was he undressing in front of another girl. Absolutely not.
Of course. I’ll ask him.
Steph: Thank you. What’s the most romantic thing he's ever done for you?
Lil (blushing): On our first date when he…you’ve read Awakened, so there’s no need to repeat it. Everything he did that evening was romantic
Steph: Can you dish any dirt about him.
Lil (giggles): No.
Steph: Come on. Just one.
Lil: He’ll kill me for saying this. He’s very ticklish.
Steph (leans forward): Is he a good kisser?
Lil (blushing): The best. The only man I ever want to kiss. Now forget you asked that question. Sheesh, she’s so nosey.

Steph (unaware she’s been zapped again, consults her notes): How is your relationship going with the other trainees? Do you still train with them?
Lil (shrugs): Remy and Sykes are like my brothers. Izzy can be so sweet one day and totally horrid the next. Kim is a queen bee, a witch with the letter B. But we are a team. During a battle, we were perfectly together. I do train with them, but only twice a week. I have to take extra lessons to master the dagger.
Steph: What's your favorite part of your new life?
Lil: Hanging out and pretending to be a normal teenager. That’s what Bran and I do sometimes when we’re together or away from the valley. We pretend we’re just normal teens in love. No worrying about demons or hunting. Also, I love doing stuff with my human friends. They treat me like one of them, which is cool.
Steph: Your Grampa raised you in the dark. Is that normal for all Guardians?

Lil: No, most Guardians are raised in Xenith, the Guardian world, and only come to earth at the age of sixteen after it’s clear they have special abilities. My case is different because my grandmother was human. There are Nephlings out there like me or like my mother who was half human and half-Guardian. You might even know some. Even you might be one. One day you’re happy being a teenager, then bam, you start hearing voices or moving things with your mind. (Stands) I really need to leave now. We’re hunting tonight and I must head to HQ to grab my weapons.
Steph (eyes wide): Can you allow people to watch you hunt?
Lil: Sure, but then I’ll have to kill you

Steph (blinks): Uh…uh….
Lil (laughs): I’m kidding. We use angelic glamour, so humans don’t see us fight.
Steph (blows out air in relief): Phew, you had me worried. Just one more thing. Can you tell us what's next for the Guardians or have you had any word when Ednah might be done with the next installment?
Lil (standing up): Our next adventure, Betrayed, will be out next year, I believe. Summer or fall. Ednah should know by end of the year. As for the Guardians, so many things are happening. Some good, some bad. I really have to go now. Thanks for the interview (teleports).