An interview with a writer: Bokerah Brumley

Welcome Adventurers! Today I have a special treat for you. I have guest blogger and fellow author Bokerah Brumley.

Tell my adventurers the name of your book and about the world you created.

Goodness. Between all my shorts and my novels, I’ve created quite a few. On the fantasy side of things, I’m excited for everyone to meet Imani Chausiku from Imani Earns Her Cape. It’s a middle-grade fantasy world. Imani is a Fae incognito. She lives just outside of Washington, D.C., and her mom works as an ambassador to the President. As a part of growing up, her mom takes Imani back to the Fae world for a ritual test. Once they get there, Imani discovers all sorts of secrets from her mom’s past. It should be out around the first of the year from Clean Reads Press.

Right now, I think my favorite science fiction character is Sirocco Arioch. She’s the youngest of four siblings. Her father passed away under questionable circumstances, and her mother assumed command of the Arioch corporation—the universe’s leading exporter of duct tape. The novel is called Four Winds From a Tempest, but we’ll see whether the publisher keeps that or not. I expect that you’ll be able to meet Sirocco sometime next year. 

What inspired you to write about this character?

For Imani, I love the name. I love the idea of a Fae living in our world, being bullied, but choosing to rise above retaliation. I also loved building the Fae world. There’s a Mergone tree, a sentient tree, a rabbit-burro that pulls a rock man, and all sorts of fun things that I was able to create in the Fae world. Imani definitely earns her cape, and she meets family members that she never knew existed.

For Sirocco, I wanted to write a space opera about a family and the ties that remain no matter what. There’s a thread of romance, but it’s a subplot and not really something that has anything to do with Sirocco. Again, I loved the world building. I made up multiple planets and tried to give each one a different look. Sirocco is something of a rescuer, and she helps wherever she can. In the course of the novel, she changes many lives—sometimes for the better, sometimes not.

How long has this character been in your thoughts?

Imani has been a friend of mine since last year. She introduced herself last summer and then I wrote out her story. Sirocco’s been around longer. She (and her siblings) came ‘round in 2015. I’m only just now able to polish up her story, though, but I’m as excited about that as ever.

What is the one trait you wished you shared with your main character?

With Imani, I love who she wants to be. By the end, she learns to have confidence in who she is and what she’s capable of. She learns that she’s much more than what she thought, and she learns to fit in by being unique.

Sirocco learns that she doesn’t know as much as she thought she did, but she never turns away from someone that needs help. It gets her into trouble sometimes, but I love that about her. Her desire to help gives her an uncommon bravery and boldness.