BOOK CLUB FRIDAY--INTERVIEW WITH HERO KERRY MARCHANT OF HYWELA LYN'S DESTINY SERIES

Today we sit down with starship owner Kerry Marchant, hero of author Hywela Lyn’s Destiny Trilogy.

What was your life like before your author started pulling your strings?

I was perfectly happy exploring space on the starship Destiny, which I co-own with Commander Jon Quinlan. I had no intention of changing my life or becoming involved with a woman. In my opinion, my author treated me very badly in her first book Starquest. I decided that was it. I would never allow myself to go through such heartbreak and trauma again, and I told her as much. So she wrote the next book barely giving me a mention. I was ‘safer’ that way she said. As if I ever cared about being ‘safe’ (not in the physical sense, anyway!)

What’s the one trait you like most about yourself?

Hmm, do I have to answer that? I guess if I am pushed, I would say I’m fiercely loyal to my friends and anyone I care deeply about. (But anyone who crosses me had better keep well away from me.)

What do you like least about yourself?

Many things. I have a fairly short fuse, although I do try to keep it under control. I can be impatient – and I’m told I can be sarcastic, although I’d prefer to think of it as a ‘dry’ sense of humour!

What is the strangest thing your author has had you do or had happen to you?

How long do you have? Being injured on a hostile planet, where the attackers disappear without trace, trying to track the origins of a sinister signal in a building that appeared out of nowhere, and bottomless chasms with soaring flames and creatures from hell…I could go on.

Do you argue with your author? If so, what do you argue about?

Often. I argued with her about the outcome in Starquest and then, when she refused to budge, I ‘suggested’ she give me a story about what happened after that book finished. She told me she had already written a sequel, Children Of The Mist. I reminded her that I only had the briefest of mentions in that book and would quite like a story of my own. So rather reluctantly she agreed to write a third book – I think I won that argument rather conclusively, don’t you?

What is your greatest fear?

There was a time when I would have said losing the Destiny. Now, however, my feelings of devastation at its loss would pale in insignificance if Cat were no longer there.

What makes you happy?

Watching the tender way Cat interacts with her pet chameleopard, Shifter. She is so strong and independent but I am one of the few people who see her softer side. Also, I love being at the controls of the Destiny, the fastest and most beautiful starship in the galaxy!

If you could rewrite a part of your story, what would it be? Why?

Well, there were a couple of parts where I was rendered unconscious - and being buried in rubble and nearly killed in an explosion was not exactly pleasant, but then, I am no stranger to getting hurt, and I did survive. Plus, ironically, my being injured was what brought Cat and me together in the first place, so I suppose it was necessary and it would be wrong to change it.

Of the other characters in your book, which one bugs you the most? Why?

Oh Dorian Krell, definitely. A despicable character, completely devoid of any redeeming qualities. I can’t imagine what Cat ever saw in him.

Of the other characters in your book, which one would you love to trade places with? Why?

I am perfectly content with my present life, but if I had to change places with someone, I guess it would be the ship’s doctor, Berne. He is such a down-to-earth person and rarely gets upset or loses his temper.

Tell us a little something about your author. Where can readers find her website/blog?

Hywela Lyn is proud of the fact that she is Welsh, although she now lives in a small village in England, and tells them she has always been known by her second Christian name, Lyn. She decided to use her first name as her pen name, because it seemed a shame never to use it. She loves all animals and the outdoors, and is fascinated by the beauty of the stars in the night sky. This and the beautiful Welsh countryside and its legends inspired her to write romantic tales set in galaxies ‘far, far away’. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her horse and rescued terrier – or ‘just eating chocolate’ as she puts it.

Learn more about her and her books at er website and blog.

What's next for you?

Who knows what the future holds? I have the feeling my author is quite happy with the way she left us. I certainly remember smiling at the end of Beloved Enemy. (I tend not to smile easily.) Life aboard the Destiny provides us with plenty of opportunity to explore the wonders of the galaxy, and I hope we can enjoy new adventures together for a long time to come. Who knows? I might even persuade said author to write about another member of the crew – it will be a nice change to have her torture someone else. All right, perhaps that’s not really fair. She did give me some blissfully happy scenes in the end, but I had to go through a lot of pain and heartache, and work darned hard for them. Funnily enough, she always says she has a soft spot for me!

Beloved Enemy

Cat Kincaid is obsessed with killing the man she believes is responsible for the torture and death of her sister, but when she eventually catches up with him, survival becomes a greater priority than revenge.

Kerry Marchant, haunted by memories, regret and self-blame, shields himself from the pain of the past by committing himself totally to the starship, Destiny, of which he is part owner. However, the beautiful, red haired woman who reminds him of his lost love, and who he suspects is working for a corrupt regime, represents a possible threat not only to the ship but to his heart.

Marooned on an inhospitable planet, they need to work together to stay alive, fighting not only unknown assailants but their growing attraction. But how can they learn to trust each other when he has vowed never to get close to a woman again, and she made a solemn pledge to destroy him?

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