Character Interview - Romance Writers Weekly #lovewritechat

Xio Axelrod thinks it's been a while since we interviewed our characters. Here are five questions she set us. The tricky part was deciding which characters should answer. If you joined me from Susan Scott Shelley welcome! 


I chose to go with Charlotte and Justice, from my fourth (as yet unpublished) manuscript, WHEN TIME FALLS STILL.  

Professor Charlotte Girardet’s career is firmly on track, but complicated by her attraction to rugged security guard Justice Cooper.  

Justice chose family over a career as a professional hockey player. Now he’s must convince Charlotte that love and ambition are not mutually exclusive.

It isn't only Charlotte's heart that's in danger. Tensions blaze after several students are viciously attacked. Struggling to balance her profession and her passion, Charlotte trusts Justice with her deepest secret. Then she is kidnapped by the assailant plaguing the university. Will she have the chance to decide between her long-held dreams or a new life with Justice?

I chose to have Charlotte and Justice answer these questions as they would have before they met each other. Trust me – by the end of the book they would answer some of these very differently!

What's your favourite word?
Charlotte: Obfuscation. It’s just fun.
Justice: Team.

What is your fondest childhood memory?
Charlotte: I had a lovely childhood, so this is hard to narrow down. But one of my most vivid memories is the day I picked up my father’s copy of “Beowulf”. I was enthralled by the archaic language, the rhythm and roll of it. That day is the reason I became a professor of medieval poetry.
Justice: After my mom died, hockey became one of the only ways my dad and I communicated. The look on his face the day I was drafted to the NHL is something I’ll never forget. I guess that’s not really a childhood memory, but I was still a teenager, so I hope that counts.

What one thing in your past do you wish you could do differently?
Charlotte: That’s another tough question. I’m pretty pleased with my life, the way it is now, where I see myself going. I suppose if I have to answer, I would say I wish I could have completed by Masters sooner. If I’d put a bit more effort into it, I would be that much further ahead in my career.
Justice: I wish I had paid more attention to Tiffany, my ex-wife. When she asked for a divorce, it was like getting hit from behind—unexpected and painful. If I’d been paying more attention, maybe I could have kept our family together.

Vanilla or Chocolate?
Charlotte: Chocolate, of course.
Justice: Vanilla. Why mess with perfection?

If you could have lunch with one famous person (alive or not) who would it be and why?
Charlotte: Well, since the author of Beowulf is unknown, my second choice would be Geoffrey Chaucer. His work is so grounded in real people and everyday life that meeting him would give me a whole new understanding of the world I study.
Justice: Geoffrey Chaucer. I like to audit university English courses, and “The Canterbury Tales” is one of my favourite poems. I think he’d be a fun guy to have a beer with.

Who did J.J. Devine pick to answer these questions? And how did they handle the tough ones? Find our here.