Character Interview with Donovan Beaumont from Dark Hero by Lily Silver

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Character Interviews

with Stacy Eaton

Today we have Donovan R. Beaumont, Count Rochembeau with us from Dark Hero written by Lily Silver.

Welcome Donovan, or Count... not sure what to call you, but pleased to have you hear with me today. Please tell us about Dark Hero!

I was traveling in England disguised as Mr. O’Rourke. I use this disguise to remain anonymous when traveling, as being Comte Rochembeau stirs up too much interest.

I guess that would.

I visited Lord Hamilton’s stables to purchase breeding stock and met a lad named Michael. He invited me to dine at his cottage, as it was his sister’s 18th birthday. I am immune to tedious young ladies who toss themselves at me, so I was not worried. Elizabeth O’Flaherty did not simper or flirt. She seemed annoyed with my presence and ignored me the entire evening.

That was a surprise I am sure.

I could not get this beautiful young lady out of my mind. I kept returning to the cottage and finally proposed--in the space of 3 weeks.

3 weeks! WOW!

If I were a superstitious man, I would have accounted my obsession with Elizabeth to magic, but I am a man of science and reason. Her stepfather refused Mr. O’Rourke’s suit.

He did not!

Elizabeth informed me later that he hates Irishmen and he had hopes of securing a match for her among wealthier men to settle some of his gambling debts. Damn! If I’d known, I would have come to ask for her hand dressed as Comte Rochembeau.

Oh that would have pleased him I'm sure.

I arranged to meet this blackguard in London disguised as the count. I wear a mask over the upper half of my face to conceal my features when I am the count as I’ve created the rumor of him being disfigured in France during the Terror. I offered to pay off the man’s debts for Lizzie’s hand. The agreement was made.

Guy would do anything for money, man....

I married Lizzie, never knowing the rotter was planning a very cruel wedding gift for us to destroy our chance for happiness. I left Lizzie for a few days, intending to reunite with my bride after completing my business affairs in England before we set sail for my plantation in the Indies. Lizzie was kidnapped in my absence.

Oh no! What did you do?

I tracked the creatures down who took my bride and killed them. I learned her stepfather was behind it and vowed to kill him.

As he should be.  Was Lizzie alright?

Lizzie was barely alive. She sustained a severe blow to the head during her attempts to fend them off. And I didn’t doubt she had been ill used by the vermin. When she awoke after the rescue she did not remember me. I was a veritable stranger to her.

No way!

I found I had to woo her all over again, despite the fact we were married. My Lizzie was terribly changed after her ordeal. Add to her amnesia the frightening new ‘ability’ to speak with ghosts and to touch others and glean knowledge about their intentions, and I was flummoxed in knowing how to deal with this new Elizabeth who was now my legal wife.

That sounds like a whole bunch for you both to deal with.

By the time we arrived at my plantation, I was beyond patience with the lass. We had a quarrel after she rebuffed my amorous attentions, so I busied myself with plantation business after my 6 month absence. In a word, we became estranged. I learned too late Lizzie was keeping some very serious secrets from me; she was practicing magic with a local voodoo priestess, and a malevolent ghost cursed by a druid ancestor was stalking Lizzie, causing her great physical harm.

OH no!

There were other vile secrets, but those I cannot share as they were of an intimate nature. I am a scientist, a man of logic and reason. I cannot countenance such things. If my wife continues to deny the truth regarding these strange goings on in my home I will take matters into my own hands and deal with her accordingly.

Wait! What does that mean???? Oh Man!

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

I wish she had not had me tortured, or had my body bear the ugly scars of such abuse. I have nightmares about my time in the Bastille. It has made me suspicious of others, and caused me to take drastic measures to protect myself from those about me. I feel it weakens my character to be so flawed. I almost come across to the reader as paranoid at times, and it does scare Elizabeth at times. This does not help me in my attempts to regain her love.

I'm sure it does not.

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

Being a woman, I feel my creator held back when outlining my more ruthless nature. She hinted at my penchant for dissecting bodies in the name of science, but never really showed me doing this.

Oh yuck...

Also, during the scenes where I confronted an adversary, she kept the leash cinched pretty tight around my neck. I would have preferred that she showcase my unique abilities in taking down an opponent or in making someone do as I wished by applying the right amount of force, be it physical or psychological. I learned some very interesting techniques for interrogation during my time in the Bastille, and also while pirating in the East Indies. My creator, again, being a female, seemed to back away from being too graphic or brutal. But I am a man; a seasoned warrior. I do not cringe at the shedding of blood or the use of violence to protect what is mine.

I'm sure you don't' cringe from those things.

She could have added more fight scenes, with vivid descriptions.

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

I am pleased to have been created as a highly intelligent man, a near genius. I love being given the talent to be able to study science and medicine, to knock about in my laboratory, and to intimidate my guests a little with my pickled human organs and my stuffed creatures.

Yuck again!

That was amusing for me in the story. I dislike being so mercurial in my moods. My darker side scares Elizabeth. I know this, but I cannot control it as much as I would like to. I am often too serious because of my paranoia about being betrayed by those about me again as I was in France. This is a hindrance to winning the heart of the woman I love. I believe my Lizzie might respond to me more favorably if I were less intimidating and a little more lighthearted and amusing, like my longtime friend, Captain Jack Rawlings.

But then you would not be the same person, would you?

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

My reaction to Elizabeth having been raped in the story; I was so angry, I wanted to kill, and kill cruelly, yet the man who orchestrated the entire business was far from my reach for most of the book. Once I had him in my clutches, I wanted to kill him, slowly, painfully, but my creator would not allow me to do so.

She wouldn't????

We did not do well in these scenes as she restrained my natural inclination to bludgeon the man into a bloody, very dead and dismembered pulp. Had I done so, the ending of the story would have been much different as many people would not have had to suffer wanton violence at his cruel hands.

I kind of like your idea...  That is kind of scary that I admitted that. hmmmm.

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?

There is a second story with Elizabeth’s brother, Kieran O’Flaherty, as the main character. It takes place in Ireland, not the West Indies. I do not know as yet if I will have a part in it. I believe my creator may have me make a brief appearance in that book. If so, hope I am perceived by the reader as being less of a ghoul and more charming this time around. I would be pleased to have a second story written about Elizabeth and myself. In the Caribbean, circumstances are always changing in my time period with slave uprisings and countries battling over ownership of islands. These events are as common as the rain showers we have here. The War of 1812 could intrude upon us as I struggle with my loyalties to the United States as an American citizen living under English rule. Who knows, St. Kitts could end up being taken over by the French or the Spanish . . . or I could always return to piracy.

So very true... so much could happen.

Is there anything else you would like to share before we go?

No, I’ve said more than enough. Women tend to expect men to chatter on like magpies.

Magpies, huh.... Well Count - thank you for coming to visit and share with us!  Your story sounds like it is full of action and adventure! Very nice!

To Purchase:

Amazon

Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/148132

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-hero-lily-silver/1110199676?ean=2940014522441

To connect with the creator:

Website

http://lilysilver.webs.com/

Blog

http://romancinghistorylove.blogspot.com/

Twitter 

@timeless_lovers

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/lily.silver.3

Goodreads 

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5833291.Lily_Silver

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