When I first started this substack, it was because of my Threads account. The little slices of my life with my husband were a big hit with so many people, it inspired me to move over here. While I wrote stories based off those threads, the initial topic that inspired the threads was my current WIP.
Before I announced Rivals & Retribution, which is an anthology project I put on hold after I fumbled its original release, I’d been working on my novel. Rewrite the Stars is a planned trilogy, and you’ve already met one of the cast of the story. Our headliner, though, is Fiadh Owens.
Fiadh is an cailleach (a witch), and her family can trace their lineage back to the ancient demise (demi-goddess) Bríd. Within this world, spells are woven, and we follow Fiadh’s journey as she becomes more confident in her power. And although witches don’t dream, our lovely leading lady is the exception to this rule. Her dreams tie her to another world, and she has several hurdles to overcome in the first book of the series.
I am pleased, for the first time since I got the artwork way back in May, to reveal the character rendition of Fiadh and her familiar, Rake. Vii, the incredibly talented artist behind the canvas, worked tirelessly with me to bring Fiadh to life. She lifted her from my mind and put her onto the page. You can find more ways to support Vii on her patreon and you can see more of her stunning artwork on Instagram with her handle, @viimorte. Without further ado, meet Fiadh:
Who are the most important people in your life?
F: Is mam going to read this? That changes my answer.
G: I don’t plan on giving it to her, no.
F: Right. In that case, Rake, Cillian, Iyrenna, Tiernan, Rayalla, Ceyzara, Aislinn, Rian, Greg, Niamh, Mam, and Mamó. In no particular order, of course.
G: Of course not. That’s a lot of people!
F: You’d probably have a lot, too, if you were straddling two worlds.
G: That’s a good point.Where do you live?
F: I’ve just admitted to straddling two worlds, haven’t I?
G: Perhaps you can give a bit more context about where you live in those worlds for the readers?
F: Aye, I suppose. I live on the continent of Atar, in the state of Byaltandir, in the smallest city of Tineach in the Ethereal Plane. That’s the one with the humans, of course. In the Infernal Plane… well, that’s a wee bit more complicated. It’s in Iyrenna’s head I spend most of my time, or questing with Tiernan.
G: I appreciate how thorough you were there! Do you have a preference between the two worlds?
F: I feel I’m biased toward my life in Tineach, having grown up there. But I have a great love for Éirenic, Iyrenna’s land. There’s war and conflict brewing in both places, so it’s not a matter of safety, simply comfort and how well my magic works in either place. It works best on the Infernal Plane, though.
G: That’s interesting, I didn’t know that. *makes a note*
F: *arches a brow* Right, you had no idea.Is anyone else responsible for you?
F: I know Rake will be able to see this, the void-forsaken beastie. He’s my familiar, and responsible for helping me learn my magic and keeping me safe. I suppose in a way Bríd is responsible for me, as well.
G: I will make sure Rake doesn’t see this.
F: Would you be thinking I’m daft, Grace?
G: Of course not. I wrote you to be a shrewd, logical female.
F: Then you know as well as I that langer will find this in my head anyway.
G: Not much I can do about that, I’m afraid.What would it mean to live as your true, authentic self?
F: Ah, that’s easy. I would most certainly be free to use my magic in Tineach without fear of being hunted down and killed by humans.
G: Which magic?
F: Yes, witch magic.
G: No, I meant which form of magic would you use?
F: Spoilers, Grace!
G: Humor me, will you?
F: I suppose I would use both. The cailleach power and the demon power.From your perspective, what is your biggest flaw?
F: I constantly feel like I’m capable of more. Like I haven’t reached the peak of what I can do. I never can live up to the full extent of my power or abilities, and it’s put me and my friends at risk on more than one occasion. I also seem to have formed a bit of a temper over the course of the book.
G: You did that on your own. You weren’t supposed to be cranky.
F: Because you’re a right ray of sunshine?
G: Which one, Solan or Anlae?
F: Does that matter?
G: Yes.
F: Anlae.
G: Huh. Wonder what made you pick that one?
F: I just—If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
F: Rude, Grace. Let me finish answering before you ask a new question.
G: Well, what would you change?
F: I wouldn’t be tied to Iyrenna. Knowing now what I’ll have to do, what I’ll have to give up in book two… I would rather Kaldur and Mihpira had used a different curse to try to ensure my demise.
G: And you were lecturing me about spoilers?
F: That’s what you get for interrupting me. *smirk*Tell me about a time when you surprised yourself.
F: I’d have to say that first time I transported myself into Lycanid.
G: All the content to choose from, and that was what surprises you?
F: I think that’s the last thing that actually did surprise me, until—
G: No spoilers, please.
F: And that’s why I chose my first time in Lycanid. Obviously the events at the end of book two were the biggest shock of my life.
G: Right, that’s giving too much away. Next question.What values or beliefs were you taught when you were young? Do you still carry those same values and beliefs today?
F: I was raised to honor the seven original deities and all they sacrificed to close The Fracture. Also to honor the demise who created our line of cailleach. Too bad both of those were partially fabricated falsehoods.
G: How do you mean?
F: The Gods sacrificed to close The Fracture, but it wasn’t only the Ethereal Plane that wound up being created, now was it? There are 11 other planes of existence I didn’t know about until my 33rd cycle!
G: And honoring Bríd?
F: That would be seeming obvious, now, wouldn’t it? Bríd isn’t a distant ancestor of mine like I spent my first 25 cycles believing. She’s my birth mam. There are so many relatives between her and the females who raised me that we don’t even share blood.
G: That…. well, that’s fair. So it’s safe to argue you don’t carry those same values and beliefs today?
F: Well, yes and no. I still honor and follow the Old Gods, especially knowing what I know now, but those beliefs have evolved to include the truth of their history. Just like I still honor Bríd, but we have a different type of relationship and I have to balance on the rope between daughter and cailleach.What do you know now that you didn’t know at the beginning of your arc?
F: That everything happening in the Infernal Plane isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning, and the same unrest is spreading through the Ethereal Plane. Although it makes me nervous, and I don’t like it one bit, that conflict shaped me into the person I am an lá seo.
G: Could you repeat that last bit in the common tongue? I didn’t catch that.
F: Aye. That conflict shaped me into the person I am this day.
G: And who would that be?
F: Wouldn’t the readers prefer to read about that?
G: Another excellent point.What is one thing you always carry with you?
F: A spark of Bríd’s flame. I keep it in the orb in my necklace.
G: It’s beautiful. Does it ever burn you?
F: Of course not. I’m of Bríd’s blood. Her fire runs through my own veins.Bonus: What would the wallpaper be on your phone?
F: What in the void is a phone?
G: It’s my world’s version of a comms disc. They’re squares, and they’re a little less useful in some ways. But you can set a picture on the screen as a wallpaper.
F: That’s interesting! And I’m not sure, is it like a holo-image?
G: Alas, that’s one of the ways our phones aren’t as awesome as your comms disc. 2D images only.
F: 2 D?
G: Flat images. Like a printed photograph.
F: Ah, aye. I see. I suppose it would be a photograph of Tiernan, Ceyz, and me? From that time she took us to her—
G: Not sharing that bit yet.
F: Got it. Sorry.Bonus: If you had to wear a warning label, what would it say?
F: *laughs for a solid 15 seconds* I’m not sure I’d affix one to myself, though Tiernan might have one that says “Difficult to work with, constantly needs saving, useless because she doesn’t have wings, approach with caution.”
G: I don’t remember him saying you were useless because you don’t have wings.
F: Weren’t you the one who said you wrote me to be smart? I can read between the lines.
G: I’ll have to take a peek at that in revisions.Bonus: If you were on AIM in the early aughts, what was your screen name?
F: Now I just think you’re trying to make me look silly.
G: I would never do that. Readers will think this is funny!
F: What is AIM and what’s a screen name?
G: Back when our technology was less… developed… we used a computer application to send instant messages. It was called AOL Instant Messenger. Your screen name was the name you chose that showed up when you messaged someone, or how they found you in their contacts.
F: What does AOL—
G: Please don’t ask what AOL stands for, I don’t want to have to explain that, too.
F: Then maybe you should ask normal questions. *pauses for a moment* It would probably just be something simple, like WildWriter.
G: I like that, incorporating the meaning of your actual name. Thank you for answering all my crazy questions!
F: *mutters under her breath* Because I had so much say in this….
Fiadh was much more cooperative than Tiernan, am I right? Still a smidge on the cranky side, but I think that’s just because I interrupted her that one time. Okay, twice, but really, who wants to explain AOL to a fictional character?
I hope you enjoyed getting to know Fiadh, and seeing her gorgeous character art! I would love to know: what would you ask if you had the chance to talk to my character? Let me know—leave a comment or go post in the subscriber chat. I’m excited to hear from you, and thanks for reading!
xo
Grace
This is such a great idea! I'm absolutely going to need an interview with Rake at some point.