CHARACTER INTERVIEW: Cassie Vincent from Extreme Measures

Tell me a little about yourself (where you live, who you are, what you look like, what you hope to achieve, etc.) 

Thanks so much for the interview! My name is Cassie Vincent, I’m a real estate agent in Seattle, Washington. I love living in Seattle because I love the outdoors. I guess you could say I’m athletic because I run, bike and hike a lot. In high school I was a gymnast and a cheerleader so I’ve always been active and loved to do physical exercise. I also love my job and always get such a thrill when I help someone find the perfect house. My goal, what I want to achieve, is to continue to grow my business, but to someday, soon I hope, get married and start a family. I absolutely love children and can’t wait to have some of my own.

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What do you like to do in your spare time? Like I said I love doing activities outside so I as often as I can I’m outside doing something active. Most days I go running. The area where I live is very hilly so it’s a great workout. On weekends when I have more time I’ll do some biking and if the weather is good I’ll go hiking. I also love to cook. I took a Thai cooking class and have to say I make some delicious dishes. Next I want to try Indian cooking.

What is your favorite color and why? 

My favorite color is Aqua blue. I’m kind of crazy about it. I have blonde hair and blue eyes and got my dad’s olive skin so I think the color looks good on me. It’s all over my house too. Every room has a touch of it somewhere.

What is your favorite food? Why is it your favorite? Well, like I said I love Thai food but my absolute favorite food is hamburgers and sweet potato fries. I know, I know, everyone around me is vegan and gluten free and green smoothie crazy, etc… and I love to eat healthy most of the time but give me a nice juicy cheeseburger and sweet potato fries and I’ll be your friend for life!

What would you say is your biggest quirk? 

I have so many… my biggest one though is probably that I love to play practical jokes on people. I grew up with five brothers and I had to be creative since they were all bigger than I was. I couldn’t beat them up but I could be smarter than they were. Scaring people is probably my favorite. Watching someone jump when they get scared makes my day!

What is it about your antagonist that irks you the most, and why? Share a line in the book where this irk is manifested. 

Her name is Margaret Lowell and everything about her irks me. She’s a horrible, manipulative and scary woman. She’s capable of anything. She doesn’t just irk me, she terrifies me.

From the book: “You will eventually understand why I’m doing this, and once you do, you will go along willingly. I just have to keep you here long enough for you to understand my reasons for doing what I’m doing. And until I know you won’t hurt yourself, or me, I will keep medicating you. Just trust me, Emma.”

What or who means the most to you in your life? What, if anything, would you do to keep him/her/it in your life? 

My family and my friends are the most important things in my life. I would do anything for any of them. My good friend Emma was in a horrible situation and I was ready and willing to risk anything to save her. Luckily another friend named Jess was with me and we had to do some pretty crazy things to find her. I wasn’t sure we’d find her in time. I know they would do it for me though.

What one thing would you like readers to know about you that may not be spelled out in the book in which you inhabit? 

I would like them to know that even though I come across very confidant and brave, I actually feel awkward and shy a lot of the time. Every day I have to make myself go out and face the world. Hopefully one day it will come naturally for me. And luckily until that day, my drive and passion/loyalty for my career and my friends pushes me out of my comfort zone.

If you could tell your writer (creator) anything about yourself that might turn the direction of the plot, what would it be?

I would tell them that I don’t like being a hero and don’t really want to have to save the day, or save someone’s life. I’d much prefer to spend the day going to lunch with friends, shopping and going to a movie about someone else being a hero. If I told the author that though, and she actually listened to me, the story wouldn’t turn out well. Not well at all.

Cassie has a question for me:

Do characters ever surprise the author/creator? What do you do when that happens? Do you let the characters have the freedom to do what they want or do you control the story?

Great question! My characters are continually surprising me, and I try to sit back and listen to them. I may have an idea of where I want them to go, and they usually surprise me by going further than I at first anticipated. I've learned that control, in life, as well as in the stories I write, always fare better when I don't force the characters to do what I want them to do but instead, leave a door open for them to walk through if they want. My story is always better for having listened.

Thanks, Cassie!

Additional places to purchase the book: 

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/extreme-measures-michele-ashman-bell/1121914988?ean=9781680471656

Deseret Book: https://deseretbook.com/p/extreme-measures?variant_id=117150-paperback