I have something special for you today. An interview transcript from the Fairview Mythical Times with Valerian Smith of A TASTE OF MAGIC written by Alexa Piper! Who’s ready to see what the naughty Valerian had to say?

[Fairview Mythical Times, Valerian Smith interview transcript]

FMT: Mr. Smith, thank you for agreeing to this interview and for inviting me into your home.

Valerian Smith: Please, call me Valerian. No need to be so formal. I was quite astounded to find a reporter of the Fairview Mythical Times interested in me, to be honest. You must tell me who told you about me! Your request was ever so intriguing.

FMT: I wish I could, but you know I can’t reveal a source.

VS: Of course. Very reasonable. Are you alright, my dear? You look flushed.

FMT: I’m fine, thank you. Your… your coach is just really impressive.

VS: Isn’t it just? Thank you for noticing. Quite sturdy as well.

FMT: And big. Maybe I should sit over there. To give you some space.

VS: Well, if you must. Do I make you feel uncomfortable or are you always this shy?

FMT: Should we get to the questions?

VS: Certainly. But I thought we had already started.

FMT: I understand you fall on the supernatural spectrum. You are a greed eater, correct?

VS: You can print it that way, but just talk like a normal person, try to relax. To answer, I’m a taotien, yes. Chinese myth has a few things to say about us, some of them thoroughly misconstruing our nature.

FMT: Misconstruing? How so?

VS: Well, they suggest we eat people. We don’t. They also suggest we are evil, malevolent. How about a drink?

FMT: Oh, no thank you. It’s not even noon.

VS: Just some plum wine then, I insist.

FMT: Well, I… thank you. Oh, okay, you are sitting next to me again. Sure that works. So you have no cannibalistic tendencies?

VS: Please. I am no ghoul.

FMT: Right. But you do feast on people’s greed?

VS: Of course. But that’s not a bad thing. Greed makes people do terrible things, or wouldn’t you agree?

FMT: Yes, but–

VS: Wonderful! Let’s drink to that. Cheers!

FMT: …cheers. I really shouldn’t be drinking while working.

VS: Would you rather not be working right now? I could give you a massage.

FMT: I, uhm. No. Thank you. You were saying about greed?

VS: It’s bad. Really bad. The greed. And being tense, that is.

FMT: Tense. I see. What about the goat horns?

VS: My dear, do I look like I have horns? Have some more wine. And may I say, that blouse suits you very well.

FMT: Oh, I really shouldn’t. Thank you, that’s…

VS: Yes?

FMT: Really kind of you.

VS: Of course. Taotien are generally kind. Do you see how the legends are completely off? Mmh, you have an eyelash on your cheek.

FMT: Oh, thanks.

VS: Blow and make a wish. Yes, just like that. Now, would you like me to guess what your wish was? It’ll only take me a single try to get it right. Promise.

FMT: Mr. Smith!

VS: Valerian. Let me turn this off before I tell you what your wish was, before I tell you about your deepest desire, the thing you want the most. You smell downright… greedy.

Want to find out more about Valerian Smith? Check out his book A TASTE OF MAGIC by Alexa Piper. You can get it at Changeling Press.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Somehow after dropping out of college, Cora’s life has become one part Dresden Files, one part Buffy. She thought she was heading for a boring, uneventful future. Instead she tumbles into the supernatural underbelly of Fairview as a PI’s freshly minted assistant. Will she manage to tame the not-so-vampiric lover who has her on his radar?

Valerian enjoys his life eating the greed of humanity. When he stumbles into Cora, he happens to find her quite the delectable morsel. He wants to savor her fully and introduce her to the paranormal world she’s never known about before. There are annoying creatures to overcome before Valerian can have his way with her. But nothing will keep him from making Cora his.

Content warning: There is brief mention of depression and suicidal thoughts in Cora’s story, but those thoughts are not acted upon.

 

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Alexa Piper is never sure what mischief her characters are getting up to next.
She writes their stories so she can find out and satisfy her (and your) curiosity.