CHARACTER INTERVIEW: Ted and Charlene Petersmire from Desert Rains

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

Ted: Hey Char, ya got a minute? We got this questionnaire thing in the post an’ since we both own the ranch we should mebe answer it together.

Charlene: You know I hate these things, Ted.

Ted: Yep. I know. Answer anyway. They wanna know who we are, where we live and such?

Charlene: Seriously? I’d think they could figure that out on the long comm, but okay. We’re Charlene and Theodore Petersmire, co owners of the Double P Ranch which can be found a bit outside of the town of Ridgeback on the mostly desert planet Galileo. We raise cattle and a highly valued food crop called ogen for export. Teddy looks like someone slapped a hat and a pair of boots on a mountain and set it walking.

Ted: And Charlene is a dark haired bundle of spitfire an’ science. Her beau Rick would say she’s beautiful. I’m pretty sure she has her moments when she ain’t hittin’ me.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Ted: Spare time? I think someone needs to define spare time fer these folks. Ain’t no such thing as spare time on a ranch. Ya always got somethin’ ta see to.

Charlene: True, though we also make time for eating with friends and family and there’s the Festival after the rains where the whole town comes together to dance and celebrate.

What is your favorite color and why?

Ted: Why do these people want to know about colors? This is the weirdest insurance question thing I’ve ever read. I guess I’ll put down blue.

Charlene: Me too. I like blue, like Richard’s eyes.

What is your favorite food? Why is it your favorite?

Ted: Now food questions I can relate to though someone will probably tell me slab toast and milk is bad for me, but only cause they ain’t been eatin’ slab toast and milk, and apple fritters, and steak, and beer, and…

Charlene: I suspect they don’t have enough space for you to list all of your favorites.

What would you say is your biggest quirk?

Ted: Oh, this is a good one. Charlene’s biggest quirk is her tendency to take on the world all by herself even when all the rest ‘f us are happy ta help.

Charlene: Yeah, well your biggest quirk is your tendency to go from one woman to the next like a big puppy when you really know you want to find the right one and settle down. So there.

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

Ted: This one we can agree on. Mister Donovan won’t take no for an answer. He’s been told the ranch and the seed ain’t fer sale or barter an’ yet he keeps comin’ after both.

Donovan turned towards Richard with a hard little smile. “Exactly my point. It shows a complete lack of ambition. And if they lack the ambition it stands to reason they should be willing to work with someone who will take their product and make sometimes of it on their behalf. The improvements to the ogen seed alone are worth a fortune in the right markets.”

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?

Ted: Well, besides each other? Prolly Rick, Charlene’s paramour an’ my best friend these days. Didn’t rightly figure he’d end up so important ta both ‘f us, but he’s a good man. An’ he’s gonna be a daddy soon enough.

Charlene: Ted! That information hasn’t come out yet. We only just got married.

Ted: Ain’t my fault ya work fast. I’m lookin’ forward ta bein’ an uncle.

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

Charlene: The book in which we? I’m going back to the comment that this is one weird form. Umm…I guess most folks don’t realize that our parents are first generation ranchers. We’ve still got family back on Central, but neither of us feel much need to go visiting. Maybe after the baby is born.

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

Charlene: I can SO make a pie.

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A Question for Me:

Ted:  So do you have a favorite food, Pretty Lady? Something which drives your creative instincts?

Ted, that would have to be chocolate. Chocolate melts writer's block, and keeps me going when I'm thinking I should be doing the dishes. Thanks for asking!