[ My (insanely wonderful) girlfriend asked me some questions about my characters – here are the answers! ]

If Tanim and Daren were superheroes (or villains…), what would their outfits look like, and what power(s) would they have?  What would be their kryptonite?

First, I think Tanim and Daren would have to be villains, not heroes. Daren certainly isn’t enough of a humanitarian to risk his life for strangers, and Tanim would probably rather stay in bed with Daren than answer his version of the Bat Signal. So villains, definitely. They would probably be a team, or Daren the lead and Tanim his right-hand man. I could see them as sort of Mafia-esque villains; debonair, not too flashy but VERY menacing, and more serious than theatrical. Perhaps their outfits would be matching suits, Daren in black and Tanim in white. Daren would carry some sort of blade, of course, and Tanim a gun. If they had powers as well, I think Daren’s would be something like the ability to call down darkness or to get into his opponent’s mind use their own weaknesses and fears against them. As for Tanim, I could see him with perhaps some sort of fire power, since he’s the Sun, or the ability to control weather (though I’d also love for him to be able to turn into some sort of huge hound). Weaknesses-wise, Tanim’s would obviously be Daren; he’d be helpless if Daren was in a situation in which Tanim’s actions could cause him any sort of harm. Daren’s weakness, on the other hand, would probably be capture. I can see him having a total mental breakdown in certain confined conditions, just from PTSD flashbacks alone. I think they’d make a good team, though they’d have to have a good reason to put effort into being villains instead of just staying home.

Remember “Toy Story”?  Buzz and Woody have catch phrases in their voice boxes.  So if you pull Woody’s string, he says stuff like “There’s a snake in my boots!”  And Buzz says stuff like “Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue!”  If Tanim and Daren were toys and they had voice boxes, what would their catch phrases be?

Best. Question. EVER. Also a tricky one! I suppose they’d have to have a variety of phrases; maybe a silly one, serious one, etcetera. Tanim would say things like “Hush, my love”, “I am yours”, and “It’s not an addiction if you enjoy it”. Daren would probably say things like “Fuck off”, “You don’t understand”, and maybe “You’re a fool”. (…of course, this is under the assumption that they aren’t, you know, kid friendly dolls.) It’d be fun if you could change their settings to different periods or storylines. That way you could have quirky settings like Victorian Tanim or Super Crazy Daren with associated catchphrases. Also, just think of the outfits.

On a similar note, you know how every family in Game of Thrones has a sigil?  Like House Stark is a wolf’s head and the phrase “Winter is coming”?  What would Tanim’s symbol and phrase be?  And Daren’s?

Hmm… Well, first of all, it probably goes without saying that their houses have been at war with one another since forever, right? Okay. So Tanim’s house sigil would be a rising sun, and their words would be, “We Hold Back the Night.” Their colors would probably be gold and white, so he’d wear a lot of gold, amber, and rubies. Daren’s house sigil would be a crescent moon, and their words would be “Darkness Falls.” Their colors would be silver and black, ornamented with pearls and moonstones. Therefore, Tanim and Daren are of course raised as bitter enemies, encouraged to sabotage and foil the other’s house at every opportunity. And yet, there’s such a fine line between hate and love…

Let’s say that Tanim and Daren have each been sentenced to death, but for whatever reason, they can select the manner of their execution.  Of the following methods, how would each man choose to die and why: lethal injection, guillotine, electric chair, hanging, or firing squad?

That… that is a really good question. I suppose it would depend on why they had been sentenced to death. I can see Tanim choosing hanging if he truly believed he deserved to be punished for his transgression, as hanging is usually a long and painful method (if it’s done incorrectly, at least). After all, in several fragments he chooses hanging as his own method of suicide. I could also see him choosing a firing squad for the same reason, and also because a firing squad and hanging are both very classic, antiquated methods of execution. They suit Tanim’s personality more than quick, painless methods.

Daren, on the other hand, would probably choose something with the most chance of scarring or disturbing others, as a sort of last “fuck you” to the ones punishing him. Something public, then, like the guillotine or a firing squad. Both of those methods also carry great historical significance, since they’re often associated with the execution of martyrs and revolutionaries. I think Daren would want people to see him die and to remember that image for years.

What kind of car most embodies each man’s character?  What make and model are they?  Or are they other modes of transportation (motorcycle, jet, bicycle, etc.)?

Well, to be honest, I don’t know much about different car models, so I can’t give you a super detailed answer. I’m actually tempted to say Tanim would be a carriage, or something equally elegant and historical. A carriage fits his outdated, Victorian values (in so much as his desire to be the provider and protector in a relationship) and is a somewhat nondescript, understated mode of transportation. It highlights its occupant, not itself.

I’m not actually sure if Daren would be a mode of transportation, simply because I can’t see him in any role where he’s serving someone else that way.  The closest I can come to is a wild stallion (if you consider horses a mode of transportation), the kind of creature that can’t ever be truly broken. It may allow you to ride it, if it trusts you and is in a good mood, but one wrong move or word and you’ll be dumped on your ass.