STURM: Hi Caitie. Thanks for agreeing to talk to me. You're positively glowing with health. And that charming pinafore dress makes you look like you're on the verge of turning twenty. Pregnancy does become you.
VON DER.LAHN: Hi Anna. Thanks for the compliments! I'm feeling great. Spring in Germany, especially at Burg Lahn, does that to me. All that life that goes away in winter, returns. It's a heady experience.
STURM: And let me congratulate you on your recent victory. It must have felt like quite a triumph.
VON DER LAHN: Victory? Well, life has become a little easier. Goodness knows carrying triplets is a weighty enough affair. I'm glad to be able to get on with just concentrating on that and not having to listen to taunts of being the Hexe of Burg Lahn on a daily basis.
STURM: Have they stopped?
VON DER LAHN: Will they ever? You know how superstitious people are in the Rhineland. I've had to learn it firsthand!
STURM: You've turned down every request for an interview up until now. Since the surprising revelation of your relationship to Kilhian ar C'hoed and his own revelations, I think most everyone is eager to know more about it.
VON DER LAHN: No one was more surprised than me - except maybe for Kilhian. But you'd have to ask him about that. It's unsettling to suddenly find out you've got relations that you had no clue about.
STURM: Yes...I imagine so. But is there anything you can tell us about what transpired behind-the-scenes? How did you get Herr ar C'hoed to agree to come out in the open about his dealings with Dagmar Abel? And how did it come about that her sister----
VON DER LAHN: (clears throat) Half-sister. As I said, you'd have to ask Kilhian about all that. Have you tried to reach him? I'm sure he'd love to come out in the open about so many things.
STURM: Haven't yet tried to reach him, no. To be honest I'm more interested in your take on things. I mean, this whole thing started back when they accused your...when they accused Augustus Schwarzbach of attempted rape and murder. And Frau Abel's involvement in that was never proven.
VON DER LAHN: No, it wasn't. But I learned from Gus many years ago that the best way to handle trouble, especially serious trouble, is not to dwell on it overmuch. Don't you agree? I have to admit that I do, on occasion, have problems following through with this advice. But long hot showers and taking action helps. Well, you and I certainly know how to go about taking action. (smiles) Bless our hearts!
STURM: We've dealt well together, it's a fact. Action is a better way of dealing with a great many things. A good reporter can't wait for the stories to come to her.
VON DER LAHN: And a good scientist must accept the data at hand, even if it seems unpleasant or the problems insurmountable.
STURM: You've certainly had your share of trouble lately.
VON DER LAHN: I am learning to take the good with the bad. If I constructed a histogram of all the good things that have happened to me since I moved to Germany and compared it a histogram of the bad things, then I think----
STURM: We don't have room for any graphs in this article, I'm afraid.
VON DER LAHN: Hey, no problem.
STURM: I have one last question. It's a little awkward, but if you don't want to answer it...
VON DER LAHN: Out with it, Anna.
STURM: There seems to be a rumor of someone, people are calling him the Lord of the Dead of all things, stalking you.
VON DER LAHN: (creases brow, frowns, then smiles brightly) As I said, these kinds of rumors will likely never cease. Why I never...maybe it's one of those leftover Karneval gags.
STURM: (laughing) No, from what I've heard, from the official rumor mills, he's going for something much older than Gothic. Late Iron Age, maybe, you know, some kind of Nordic thing.
VON DER LAHN: Sounds oddly romantic in a scary supernatural kind of way. But a stalker, no, I'd surely have noticed that. I'm certainly not afraid of Death, wouldn't do much good anyway... (looks away)
STURM: Another mystery. They seem to surround you.
VON DER LAHN: Do you think so? I reckon it's something I could cultivate. Imagine that, me being mysterious. I'd dearly love to have such an image. But honestly, I'm just an expatriate Texan, trying to learn how to manage daily life in a castle near the Rhine and prepare for the big changes that come with having children.
STURM: Hmm. Maybe someday we'll learn The Full Story.
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Book 5, the conclusion to The Schattenreich series
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The Full Story: AVAILABLE NOW! In trade paperback
and ebook:
Amazon (global link)
Nook (Barnes & Noble)
Kobo
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Other links at www.sharonreamer.com
BONUS! To celebrate the completion of the series, the ebook of Book 1 of the series, Primary Fault, is on sale for the entire month of December for $0.99.
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| Here's where it all began, Book 1 of the Schattenreich series |
Amazon (global link)
Nook
Kobo
Apple ibooks
additional links at www.sharonreamer.com
Excellent! What a clever way to move the story along
ReplyDeleteHi Martha! I just saw that you have a blog. I've subscribed and look forward to seeing your posts. :)
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