"Hello? Is anyone in here?" Brandice Snowden cautious and curious, enters my attic.

"Come on in, sit, sit. I just finished vacuuming the chair, not because I think it needs it, but only because the last visiting author, R. Holland, had to leave after an allergic reaction to my dust. So, now that you're comfortable let's get started.

Who are you and where did you come from? 

If you talk to my immediate family they would tell you I’m some changeling dropped off from the nether realms in place of the child that should have been theirs.  If my family legends are to be believe I am the descendant of a human/fairy folk hybrid from what is now known as Ireland.

More mundanely, I’m Brandice Snowden and I am from Texas.

Obviously you’re a writer, what is the name of your book and the general plot? 

My book is titled Demon’s Veil, it is the first book in a planned trilogy.  In it I have a witch, Marie Leveau, who reluctantly has to work for a government agency that deals with the things that go bump in the night.  She has recently been assigned a new team of soldiers.  While they work together she introduces them not only to the paranormal world but non-human races as well.  While trying to do their jobs they stumble upon a prophecy that could mean the end of the world if they can’t band together to save it.

Where did you come up with the idea?

I had a dream….no seriously, one night I had a nightmare that had me waking up sobbing.  The central image was a child crumbling to dust in my arms.  It had me so emotionally tore up that I ended up writing it down as a short story.  My husband and friends begged me to turn it into a book.  So the short story started what is now Demon’s Veil.

Which of your characters do you like the most and why?

 I’d have to say my favorite character is Keiron.  He’s got a chip on his shoulder but a heart of gold.  He can also be kind of funny.  I’ve always like a man with a sense of humor.

Which one do you hate the most and why?

Darnell would be the one I hate most.  He is one of those guys who thinks he is entitled when he is actually weak.  He allows himself to be manipulated into betraying everything.

You’re stranded on an island and you are granted three things;

An IPod with only one song loaded, what is it? A book with the last chapter missing, what is it and who wrote it? And a lunchbox with a sandwich and a full thermos, nom nom…

First the song.

Oh god! Only one song? I’m going to go crazy if I only have one song.  I can’t even choose a favorite genre because it changes based on my mood.  So just to let you know this answer will be wrong tomorrow because my mood will have changed; but since I have had kind of a rough day today I’m going to go for my go to bad mood song “Kiss my Irish Ass” by the Flogging Molly

The book?

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens (yes my literature degree is showing).  I always wanted to rewrite the ending to this book because I thought Lucie chose the wrong man.  I mean seriously, He literally died for her.

Your lunchbox?

Yummy, what kind of sandwich and drink would you appreciate? Salmon BLT on focaccia and water.  I really don’t drink anything other than water, unless it involves alcohol.

Alcoholic drinks while alone on an island sounds like a sunburn waiting to happen.

Next question.

What is the biggest mistake you have made in your life? Not writing or publishing mistake – any mistake. Even if it happened in 3^rd grade, I wanna know about it.

 Wow, that’s a serious question.  I’d have to say that I let other people decide the kind of person I should be for too long.  But on the up side, I have discovered the kind of person I don’t want to be and have found the strength to discover who I want to be in the future.  Life is a journey not a destination and I am hoping to arrive at the end sliding across the pavement on a Harley yelling, “That was fun. Let’s do it again.”

What would you do for a Klondike bar? 

What haven’t I done? I live in North Texas where a cool day in the summer is still in the triple digits.  Ice cream is serious business around here.

Funny and embarrassing at the same time.

Okay, you’re still stranded on that island and two people show up, the character you love the most, and the one you hate the most, and they both know what you said about them. What do you do?  Flirt with Keiron and knock Darnell out so he can’t try his Jedi mind tricks on me.  Probably in reverse of that order though.

Flash round favorites:

Color

Pretty much any jewel tone

Sound

Rain on the roof

Season

Fall, Halloween is my favorite holiday

Animal

Cats…I could easily become the crazy cat lady if left to my own devices

Smell

Wood burning in a campfire

Food

Sushi.  I even got my five year old eating it.

I just had Sushi last night. Yummy

Place to visit

New Orleans.  It just fits my personality.

I don’t know how to take that.

Place to live

I haven’t figured this one out yet

Movie

Labyrinth with David Bowie.  I will attend the Masquerade of Jareth at some point it is on my bucket list.

Alien

Lwaxana Troy from Star Trek. I imagine myself being forward and bawdy like her as I get older.

Number

13

Writing spot

My favorite is my local 8^th Street Coffee Shop.  However I do the majority of my writing on my lunch break at my day job.

We won't tell your boss. Secrets are safe up in my attic.

Texture

Velvet. I could pet that all day.

When I was growing up my dad had a velvet painting of a nude lady. I think it's up here somewhere.  If I find it I'll let you take it home to pet if you want. No? Okay, I'll stop digging.

Go on, favorite planet

Pluto, even though they say that technically it isn’t a planet anymore.  When I was growing up it was a planet and I am stubborn.

And last of all, favorite memory-

Sitting on the counter in the kitchen baking with my grandmother.

Anything else you would like to add?

 I’m an odd ball.

I think we've figured that out from this interview, but go on.

 I sword fight for fun (rapier).  Yes, I use real swords.  I participate in the Society for Creative Anachronism.  I also have actually been publicly shamed by a Southern Baptist preacher as the hand of the devil because of my novel.  You don’t have to add that last bit, I just think it is kind of funny that it happened in this day in age.

Being a person of faith myself I know where he's coming from and I'd hate for him to see what I wrote, but the Lord works in mysterious ways. All things work for good right? At least it wasn't a Catholic school nun, when those rulers hit your knuckles it hurts.

I think I have that ruler here somewhere also.

Hey, I found the velvet painting!  Brandice, you want it?

*Cough, cough* Well thank you Brandice Snowden for your taking time out to visit my attic. And after looking at this painting I feel like running away and slamming the door also.

Until next time, all you beautiful peoples, thanks for visiting my Attic.

Demon's Veil