Meet Jaecrel "Jae"

Okay, so, initially, Jae was a young boy, but I've changed him to be a girl after a long discussion with my fabulous editor, Philip A. Lee, which makes for a more dynamic character. Although Jae remains a strong character, only her gender seems to have changed (I could have made her more effeminate, but I feel like that wouldn't be true to the character herself and the personality that she continues to have).

Jae never reveals her surname, and is eleven. She has sandy-blonde hair, freckles, piercing dark blue eyes, and mourning dove wings. Unlike Navyni, whose seriousness often overpowers his ability to engage in light conversations, Jae will joke about anything—boogers included. Her favorite person to pick on—other than Frendyl—is Kel, Frendyl’s second cousin. She delights in wiping boogers on Kel—until she dumps hot soup on Jae's lap, that is.

While Jae may seem care-free on the outside, she hides a deep-rooted terror—terror that she might become Soulless—lose her soul and live in a limbo-like state of non-being—if she does not do as commanded. Jae’s in league with an amüli known as the pretender, and must find the Blood of the Sun if she’s to survive. When she follows Frendyl into the swamp to search for the stone, she traps Frendyl underground in a mad attempt to steal the gem and to save herself.

Meet Captain Melroc Krune

Frendyl meets so many people on his journey to find the Blood of the Sun, and one of the authorities in his life is his uncle, Melroc Krune, who captains the sky-ship Frendyl sails across the world on. Melroc is only one of a number of authority figures, but he's more like Frendyl than most of the others, and his influence on Frendyl becomes evident in The Soulbound Curse, where Frendyl plays a part in capturing Clae Vojtech for his cousin, Mizendrel.

Captain Melroc, like his nephew, has pale eyes, though his are violet, and masses of black, tangled hair. He wears his hair long and keeps a Viking-esque beard, which is braided at random and has jade and wooden beads woven throughout. Like Frendyl and Kel, he has the wings of a mallard hen. Leather is his choice of clothing—a black leather vest, brown leather breeches, and massive, boiled leather boots. Like all amüli, his clothing is made to fit comfortably around his enormous wings.

Melroc was born into an enormous family. He has two brothers and four sisters; Frendyl’s father is Melroc’s oldest brother and current patriarch of the Krune family. Unlike his brother, though, Melroc—while massive—often refuses to be an imposing person. He prefers to give commands after gaining the respect of others, not through force, and is an avid player of xiangqi, favoring the General. When he’s concerned or in deep thought, he chews on the pointer-finger knuckle on his left hand.

Meet Navyni Yassla

The second of the Meet-the-Characters series is Navyni Yassla, who is the father of Yaranda and Azalie Yassla (both appear in The Soulbound Curse). Because every manuscript and short story I write takes place in the same world, I have the unique opportunity to delve into the minds and actions of characters that may only play a background--or non-visual role--in other parts of the overall story. Navyni is such a character, and others--such as Eblyn (who appears in The Vow of the Four Kings, Frendyl Krune and the Snake Across the Sea, and an as-yet untitled graphic novel series)--help to draw the threads of life together throughout the massive series.

Navyni is thirteen years old and comes from a powerful family in a city called Madirakov. He’s African in appearance, with long, black hair, which is often braided into multitudes of strange shapes, and held in place with clasps and combs of gold. His eyebrows are pierced in gold rings, and he has the wings of a lilac-breasted roller. Because he’s from a much warmer climate, Navyni garbs himself in light-colored, breezy robes, and as the first-born son of a powerful family, he has taken on a momentous task—revenge.

Navyni’s drive stems from a burning passion to reclaim his family’s lands. A cunning cousin of his ousted his family from power, and even froze his only older sister in time while she was pregnant. Due to his path, Navyni is an expert in the art of battling with a double-bladed staff called, “The One who Eats Breath.” He’s drawn to Frendyl’s outgoing nature and the similarity of their personal journeys.