Character Interview with Anne Crosby from Dust to Blood by Tonya Cannariato

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Character Interviews

with Stacy Eaton

Today we have Anne Crosby with us from Dust to Blood written by Tonya Cannariato.

Welcome Anne! Thank you for coming today! Come on it and get comfortable and tell us about Dust to Blood.

I was being a good company girl, minding my Ps and Qs—even though my boss is a bit eccentric, and, lately, more intrusive into my personal life than I’m entirely comfortable with. I’ve been traveling all over the world to cull research information from some of the major global libraries. My first trip to Russia, and all of a sudden it’s no longer library research so much as a cloak-and-dagger foray into people’s pasts muddled as they have been by KGB meddling.

Wow... that sounds interesting!

I meet a group of men whose memories of any lifetime under the Soviets is non-existent—though, patently, they are of an age that those should be present. They shock me by demonstrating a physiological quirk I’ve never seen before, nor have any explanation for its possible genesis. Their contention that this makes them dragons is laughable, but the mystery of their past is enough for me to continue, per my boss’ instructions.

Dragons?

Plus, Ivan is the kind of eye-candy you don’t mind having an excuse to return to see—if only to drool, discreetly, from afar. After all, I’m not interested in a relationship, so much as professional advancement and recognition.

ahh... a woman of business I see.

From what I’ve seen, women are already given short shrift enough without the hint that they might be otherwise occupied when duty calls. Certainly, my sister’s professional experience since she had her girls has borne out the truth of that consideration; nieces are close enough to offspring from my perspective.

They could be yes.

My mild claustrophobia and bathophobia are continually tested as we end up having to explore dungeons and sub-dungeons in pursuit of any documentation we can unearth to help them reclaim their history.

That would be very difficult!

I never expect anything magical might actually underpin their existence, but even my early research indicates something not entirely within earthly norms is at play. I am grateful that I get to see some beautiful and unusual locations in the course of my research—even with the fall of the Soviet Union, traveling in Russia takes a certain kind of creativity, so I’m lucky to get to visit Chernivtsi, Omsk, and Manpupuner.

Well at least you get to see some wonderful places.

I’m happy I elected to take a few semesters of Russian during the course of my undergraduate studies, but that linguistic baseline is sorely tested during my visit. I’m even more pleased when I find associates willing to be helpful who are fluent enough that I don’t have to worry about miscommunication.

That's good! I would worry about that.

My investigation evolves into the surreal, as everything I thought I understood about reality explodes in my face, leaving both me and my team transformed forever.

Sounds very suspenseful!

We all want to be different, so what is the one thing you wish your creator had done differently with you?

I’m still peeved about my name. I mean, it’s the epitome of white-bread American. And then the insipid excuse that it was my parents’ choice. Of course, they are pretty white-bread American, so maybe she was onto something. It’s just a little embarrassing to be a world traveler for your job and always have people able to assume your nationality on the basis of something so fundamental.

lol...

If you could have added something to the story, and your creator would have let you, what would that have been?

Books really are my biggest love, so if we could have spent more time in the libraries and keeping track of my research process, I think that would have been more edifying. Then again, she does have two more books to go before she completes my story, so maybe there will be more of that later. (Author’s note: Not much chance of that, as Anne will be pushed further and further outside her comfort zone as the story develops.)

What do you love best about yourself? What do you like least?

My intelligence. It’s easy to intimidate people just by using an extensive vocabulary, so I tend to talk my way into the hidden vaults of knowledge more often than not, just on the strength of the way I carry myself professionally.

You are rather good at that I noticed.

On the other hand, that same characteristic tends to be off-putting for other people, so I don’t have many close friends. My family relationships are also strained by my insistence on a scientific approach to the realities we face in our lives.

I can understand that.

What part of the book was the hardest for you and your creator to work through?

Endings really are the most difficult to come to grips with—and where she left me… I shudder to think what else I might be facing.

Is there a sequel for this book? If so, what do you want to accomplish in the next book. If not, do you wish you could continue your story?

My story continues for another two books. I’m a little nervous about what she throws at me next, since she already threw me such a radical transformation at the end of the first book. I’m not sure how I feel about the change, so I’m going to be fighting her a bit as we move forward. It’s a dramatic departure from my previous life, so I’m not in a forgiving space. Plus, me, in a relationship? She must be kidding! Unfortunately, I seem to be stuck with it, so Ivan is going to have to convince me that sticking around is a viable course for me. Not that I’m the easiest person to live with anyway, but I don’t share that with many people either—it’s part of why I’ve been determined to remain single.

Yeah - somehow I wonder about that.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

I know I’m a little cerebral for most people, but this adventure really is worth following for its greater implications about the meaning available in the world around us.

Thank you Anne for joining us today! Good luck on your adventures!!!!