#CharacterInterviews – A Demon’s View of Revenge – #FridayFantasy

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Character spotlights are a marvelous innovation, at least in my book(nvolume).  What better way, after all, to discover the nuances and little-known secrets our favourite characters conceal? By offering glimpses into the lives of characters, I hope to not only intrigue readers with tidbits of information they may not be able to glean from the character’s story, but provide an opportunity for (Indie) authors to reach a broader audience with fresh, unique material.  If you find yourself as titillated as I am by the potential in these Character Interactions/ Interviews, please do not hesitate to send me a message to inquire further or propose an idea.

So today we meet Madame Gormosy and Garrett from Devil’s Revenge by Jane Kohut-Bartels, which is her current Work In Progress.

Jane:  Very recently I was asked by Morgan to ‘interview’ a character from “Devil’s Revenge”.  This proved almost impossible, as the man I wanted to interview refused to stand still.  So I called upon Madame Gormosy, also a character in this novel to speak.  She has graciously done so and gives a good accounting of what was happening.  As she is also a Demon, please take what she writes with a grain of salt.

My name is Louise (Louis) Alphonse Margot Gormosy.  As you can read, I have the delicious talent to change my sex at will.  I am a Demon of Lust in the hierarchy of Hell.  There are many Demons of Lust down there, but they generally are stupid devils.  I, Madame Gormosy, am not. I appear in this novel at the bequest of Arch Duke of Hell, M. Abigor.  He too, is a Demon of Lust, but he is not stupid.  Non, he is not.  He is also a much respected Military Strategist and an ancient Healer.  He sends legions into battle and then he tries to stop up the wounds.  Of course, this is hardly the point, as all the ‘leadership’ in Hell have our own legions.  I, Madame Gormosy, have 60,000 devils to deploy at my whim. M. Abigor has many, many more, uncountable, but his hoof is close to the Throne.

When Bess, who is trying to write a book to end the conflict between M. Garrett and M. Obadiah, asked me to do this interview, I was pleasantly surprised.  She later told me that the interview was mostly intended for that scoundrel, M. le Demon, his mortal name Garrett Cortelyou.  I was not so happy with that. I will tell you a secret.  When I am in the form of M. Louis, Garrett is amiable.  We two have fought battles, have shared women, have caused much mischief over thousands of years, but he is unfortunately, uncomfortable when I violently shake my head and become “Louise”. Quel dommage! But he is a good soul (if Devils have souls) and we have each other’s back. Yes, and Devils have morals, after a kind.

This morning M. Garrett came in the room, nodded and listened to my request for this interview.  Mon Dieu!  He is a handsome man this morning!  He is tall, broad shouldered, with dark hair that is too long to be fashionable.   He is a formidable man and has many conquests.  He refuses to wear a wig and powder, so his hair is bound into a tail by a black silk ribbon.  He will not wear the silk stockings either in this century.  He wears trousers and boots, mostly. He has dark eyes that snap when he is angry.  I have seen the results of his temper over the centuries, and it can be impressive.  But he is not a cruel devil.  Non, in fact, if you must know… he is not a ‘proper’ demon.  His mother was mortal and his father?  Well, only M. Abigor knows for sure who his father is, and he is not telling.  But M. Garrett’s father must be a very important person in Hell and History, because he is treated almost like a son by M. Abigor.  And that status for any devil, is a much desired one.  M. Abigor is known for his own temper, but this is to be expected of Devils.  He can, if he so chooses, turn one into toast.

Garrett listened to my request for an interview, closing his eyes while I talked and then scowled and disappeared in a puff of smoke. He left the smell of brimstone in the room. I saw him walking towards the woods with a shotgun and a dog so I would believe he is out hunting this morning.  He could easily make a bird fall to earth with magic, but non, he forgets sometimes his bag of magic most devils have.  And of course, he is half human.  Not a proper devil at all. So, his magic is mostly of making ale and tea to appear, to levitating a chamber pot, and to appearing and disappearing at will.  This last is not good for an interview.  He is a tricky devil. He is also a sexy devil.

As I mentioned, I am here at the bequest of M. Abigor.  I am flattered that this exalted Demon would choose me, Madame Gormosy, to appear in this story. Bess (the author) might think she is controlling these events, but she is naïve.  She is mortal, and mortals can’t see much beyond their noses.

I was brought into this novel to give instruction to Bess.  As a mortal woman of the 21^st century, she doesn’t have the standards or knowledge how to relate to M. Garrett or really any other Demon.  She is to be the consort of M. Garrett, and avec vous et moi? She is rather….stupid. All mortals are stupid compared to most devils.  Except the stupid ones.

Let me tell you how this mess started.  Bess, sixteen years ago (actually more like twenty six years) started writing a story.  She played around with these mortal characters, brought them to life, and then closed the book on them without finishing. I think she pinched M. Garrett’s tail.  Then, in 2006, she went back to the book, but she saw that she had written a very boring novel.  So, what to do?  She took a number of characters, M. Garrett and M. Obadiah, who hated each other and stupidly made them into devils.  Bon!  She continued the novel.  However, M. Garrett was furious that she had ‘closed the book on him’, (and dented his overreaching ego) and he did not spare his temper.  In fact, he did something that is not what a ‘civilized’ man would do. Of course, though, he is half demon so that would account for his action.  Bess fell in love with this devil (but who could withstand his charms?) and the story took off.  It was not a straight love story, though, of course not with demons around.  M. Obadiah, from the previous novel, made his appearance and the battle between the two men started all over again. M. Obadiah’s offense was intolerable.  He abused Bess in the vilest way, but this was just to get at M. Garrett. Those two are like two bulls fighting over the same pasture and heifers.  Mon Dieu!

I was commanded by M. Abigor, who has powers over all of us….Bess included, though she doesn’t know it yet, to tutor her in deportment.  Bess has had the standard education of a modern woman, but she knows nothing about the great French salons, the intellectuals and wits there, she has no idea of the power the Underworld over mortal dealings.  Sure, she knows of the power of the Church, but she knows much of nothing.  Since M. Garrett has declared her to be his consort, she must now learn how to deport herself.  She doesn’t know all the characters (mostly demons) she is interacting with, but soon, IF I can get her up to snuff…she will have tea with M. Abigor.  By then, perhaps this woman (who is not a young, spring chicken) will not disgrace us all.

I must say this:  What M. Garrett is focusing on, this great adventure to discover his father, his detour into Celtic history, is just a ruse by those more powerful than he.  They are called “The Others” and they have been around since the beginning of time.  They are more than Demons, they are Immortals.  Some of them come from the Nefarin, and some from cultures that have passed out of history.  But they are the Untouchables above us.

I, Madame Gormosy, think these “Gods” are playing with us all, but we have our tasks here on Earth and in Hell.  So, the fight continues between these two bulls with Bess the mortal woman between them.  I just don’t understand it, as Bess is not any Helen of Troy.  She is nice enough looking but her ignorance of life and history gets in the way. And, she can appear as a slob.  I have come in her rooms in the morning and I see her sitting with her elbows on the table, in dishabille, a mob cap almost over her eyes.  Mon Dieu!  What Devil (or man) can tolerate that in the morning?  But M. Garrett must be besotted with love because he just smiles at me.  And of course, Bess doesn’t have a clue as to who is pulling the strings of life.

Your faithful (as far as Demons can be trusted…) servant,

Louise Gormosy

**Madame Gormosy and Garrett are characters created by Jane Kohut-Bartels, of Lady Nyo’s Weblog a writer, painter and former belly dance teacher in Atlanta.  She has published 5 books to date on Lulu.com, Amazon.com.  Jane also served as an advisor on the board of PoetsCRIT Journal for 3 years and contributed articles and poetry to that international journal..  She is working on a sixth novel to be published late Spring, 2017.  She has  been deep in research and study of Japanese forms of poetry and literature for ten years, and  has published numerous articles and assays on Japanese aesthetics and early Japanese poetry.

Thank You Jane for sharing your compelling characters with us and allowing them the freedom to take center stage.

 

~Morgan~

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Image via from: The Pragmatic Costumer.com