“Just spit in the wok, Letty, like I told you.” #magicalcookware
~The World of Rowan Blaize: Character Profiles~ by JONATHAN KIERAN
The realm of ancient sorcerer Rowan Blaize is one in which otherwise hidden worlds collide with (or dwell alongside) our own mortal sphere. Rowan’s existence is played-out across landscapes and dreamscapes that encompass “worlds within worlds,” providing the observant traveler ample opportunity to encounter creatures of dazzling magical qualities. Some of these beings are friendly, others are belligerent, and still others have a hard time deciding among the various options. From one universe to the next, certain things never change. Enjoy meeting the main characters of Rowan’s adventurous story in the profiles below and remember: wherever the world and whomever the wayfarer … only enchantment is immortal.
Character Name: Gertrude “Gert” Gokey
In my mind, only the inimitable Queen Latifah could bring the sort of class, sass, and brass required to play my favorite witch and pepper-shop owner, Gert Gokey.
Nature/Occupation: Witch and co-owner of the Datil Be The Day Gourmet Pepper Emporium
Age: Hundreds of years, at the very least.
Background: Gert, like her constant companion, Letty, hails from some sort of shadowy European background, but her origins appear to have been humbler. In fact, Gert alludes often to her life in some mountainous, woodland region, where she learned her spellcraft from various colorful family members associated with the great (smelly) witch, Baba Yaga. Gert’s sometimes exotic nature and ebony skin, however, hint at witchy origins even more mysterious than her limited biographical details thus far imply.
Significant Traits: Gert loves hearing a good story, telling a good story, hearing about a good drink, drinking a good drink, and is possibly addicted to reality TV. She has a soft-spot for child beauty pageant contestants and, if she were not dedicated to her pepper shop, believes she would be a superb nightclub proprietress.
Unique Powers/Abilities: Gert is a dab-hand at divination spells using the most mundane objects imaginable for such tricky enchantments (see: her “scrying pan”) and is also quite skillful when it comes to mastering fire in virtually any circumstance.
Classic Quote: “Just spit in the wok like I told you, Letty.”
Featured In: Book Two (Rowan Blaize and the Hand of Djin Rummy) and Book Four (As-Yet Untitled)
*If I am ever fortunate enough to see Rowan’s adventures adapted for film or for the stage, this is the actor (or creature) I can most readily visualize playing the character in a given profile.
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If you’re bored and don’t have any Japanese eyeballs to lick, hop on over to Jonathan Kieran’s Official Facebook Page and give it a Like!
Escape the Imminent Collapse of Civilization, Friends, if only for a few hours. A sweeping modern fairy-tale is born with the Rowan Blaize series of books. Click on the book covers to the right or have a look below …
Watch the Rowan Blaize Book Trailer HERE.
Book One = The magical cornerstone – a lavishly illustrated epic narrative poem … a genuine “spell” for the young and young-at-heart to treasure for a lifetime, telling the story of sorcerer Rowan Blaize’s battle to regain his magic powers. (Think Beowulf-meets-Dr.Seuss or an epic story-in-verse of a scope similar to Tolkien’s soon-to-be-released The Fall of Arthur, only contemporary.)
Book Two = The rip-roaring novel that continues the adventures of Rowan Blaize and introduces the three hilarious witches of the Ancient City, along with its dysfunctional werewolves, wraiths, ghosts, vampires, dryads, banshees and a beauty pageant brat that just might destroy the world.
Book Three = The next novel that finds Rowan trapped by a spell in another world, caught between a faery-squashing sorceress who’ll stop at nothing to conquer the kingdom … and a feisty teenage prince who’s determined to get it back.
Click here to purchase the Kindle e-books and watch a video of Jonathan discussing his work.
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