Interview with the Character #2 – Royce Keller and Staci Troilo

Hello readers! As promised, I am back sharing with you another interview with the character.

This week I’m super glad to host Staci Troilo and the main character of her upcoming novel Type and Cross. Staci is a professional writer and editor. You can get to know her better at stacitroilo.com, follow her through her facebook page and find her other links and published works here.

Now I leave you to the interview… see you at the end!

Type and Cross: Royce Keller grants an interview.

Staci Troilo

 

Staci Troilo, author of Type and Cross, a mainstream novel due out this November, sits down with Royce Keller, the male lead of the story. He had insisted on home turf advantage, so they are meeting at his house. It’s summer, right after the novel ends, and he invites her to meet on his patio. There is a breathtaking view of his pool and the gardens he planted himself.

He appears relaxed, sipping fresh squeezed lemonade and leaning back in an Adirondack chair. He has let his light brown hair grow out a little, and it’s ruffling in the breeze. His blue eyes are covered by designer sunglasses, and his jeans and t-shirt are smudged with dirt.

After offering Staci some refreshments, he actually starts the interview.

RK: So you wanted to interview me for your friend’s blog, huh? You know I’m a private person. There probably isn’t much you’ll ask that I’ll be willing to discuss.

ST: Don’t worry. We’ll keep things pretty general. I just think people might be interested in your story.

RK: What’s to tell? I got my medical degree twenty years ago and started working at Cathedral Lakes Hospital, working my way up to Chief of Emergency Medicine. I married the love of my life right after graduation and we started our family. That’s about it.

ST: Well, that’s not entirely true, is it? I mean, you’ve undergone a lot of changes this summer.

RK: I’m not really comfortable discussing that.

ST: You don’t have to go into specifics. I just think people might like to understand what’s going on in your life.

RK: (Cocks a brow and clinks the ice in his glass.) Hmm.

ST: That’s not a ‘no’ right? So how about I ask you some specific questions. You can decline to comment on the ones that seem too personal.

RK: Fine.

ST: (Smiles.) Why don’t you tell us about your garden?

RK: (Sits up and leans his elbows on his knees.) Sure. It only took about a week to lay it all out and get the primary plants in, but it really took about two months to tweak everything and get it all the way I wanted it. Most of the flowers remind me of family members, and this section over here (points) is where the family pets have been laid to rest. My daughter, Faith, loves animals. She was really the reason for that area. And she spends the most time there, so I let her help design it.

ST: What got you into gardening?

RK: (Scans the landscape and takes in the riot of colors and textures the perennials and annuals lend to the garden.) You already wrote about that in the novel. I don’t think there’s any reason to revisit that.

ST: Okay. Well, in addition to medicine, you now own—

RK: That’s really something that my wife, Vanessa, is managing. You can discuss that with her.

ST: (Sighs.) Fine. Let’s talk about Vanessa.

RK: What about her? I told you, she’s the love of my life. We met in college and married after graduation. Been together ever since.

ST: Sounds like a match made in heaven. But that wasn’t always the case, was it? This summer really rocked your marriage to its very foundation.

RK: (Sits back in his seat again.) Tragedy tends to do that.

ST: Well, sometimes tragedy brings people together.

RK: Vanessa and I are together. And we couldn’t be happier.

ST: Yes, but it could have ended so differently. After—

RK: I’m not talking about that.

ST: All right. Well, are you willing to discuss your family? Specifically your kids.

RK: My son, Jensen, just graduated. He was valedictorian of his class. My daughter, Faith, is finishing her senior year of high school long distance so she can start college early.

ST: And your daughter Hope?

RK: (Puts his glass on the table and crosses his arms.) Discussing Hope is off limits.

ST: (Frowns.) Okay. What about your parents?

RK: What about them?

ST: Can you tell us a little about them?

RK: They came to stay with us for a while. They’re gone now. I doubt they’ll be back.

ST: Care to elaborate?

RK: No.

ST: So basically, all you’re willing to say is that you married your college sweetheart, you weathered a rocky patch in your marriage, you’ve started a new business venture that you’re turning over to Vanessa, your kids are starting college, and you and your parents aren’t on the best of terms.

RK: You’re lucky I gave you that much.

ST: But Royce, don’t you think readers will want some answers?

RK: That’s a chapter of my life I don’t care to dwell on. If readers want answers, they’ll have to read the book.

ST: But—

RK: That’s all for me. I shouldn’t have agreed to this. The past is best left in the past. I’ve moved on.

ST: One last thing. A random question. Let’s leave this on a positive note.

RK: Fine. What?

ST: The nature versus nurture debate. Where do you stand on that?

RK: (Sighs and frowns.) Hmm.

ST: Do you have an answer?

RK: Philosophers and scientists have been debating that point for years. I can hardly say anything that they haven’t covered.

ST: You said you’d answer. And you didn’t.

RK: And you said the question would be random. And it isn’t.

ST: I’m sorry. I’m just trying to give readers a sense of what you’ve been through.

RK: Like I said before… If they want to know, they’ll have to read the book. I believe you said it’s coming out in November.

ST: Yes.

RK: Then they won’t have long to wait for answers. (Stands.) I’ll walk you to your car.

Royce has always been stoic and in control, but the interview rattled him. That’s why he ended it so quickly. His is a compelling story, though. Hopefully you’ll check it out in November.

http://stacitroilo.com/

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Well, now I am intrigued and can’t wait for the book to come out! I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did. Stay tuned because next week I’m going to host an interview by D.e.e.l!

If you are an author and want to share an interview with your charater, contact me at writerireneaprile@gmail.com!