Character Interview Blogfest: Anne and Clarice

People on Facebook voted for an interview with my shapeshifting sisters, so Paul and Scott will have to wait to give their interviews. As I mentioned before, this blogfest is being hosted by Echoes of a Wayward Mind. Check the sidebar over there to visit the other sites participating in this character interview. Please note that I've "known" Anne and Clarice for a much shorter time than Paul and Scott; I haven't even settled on the sisters' family name. Some things may change as I learn more about them.

Setting: Anne and Clarice sit at opposite ends of a long couch. Anne, in her mid-late thirties, is still dressed for her day job as a paralegal, in a tan cardigan over a white blouse and dark brown skirt. Her short, dark brown hair is smoothed away from her face, and her pearl earrings are barely visible. Her glass of white wine, still more than half full, sits on the coffee table. Clarice, who appears to be in her mid-twenties, slouches against the couch. She's dressed for a fun night on the town in a turquoise halter top, white capris, and gold wedges. Her highlighted hair is tousled, and bangles in various colors chime softly whenever she raises her wine glass.


Sandra: So, Anne, Clarice, tell us a little bit about yourselves. Both of you can change into birds at will, but they're different types of birds, right?

Anne (nods): As different as day and night.

Clarice: That's her idea of a joke.

Anne: Seriously, I'm an owl, and Clarice is a crow.

Sandra: Did you choose your shapes?

Anne: No, there's a ceremony you go through when you're of age where you handle different animal skins. The one that bonds to you is the animal you can become.

Clarice: They say the animal matches your personality--

Anne: Most of the time. (raises eyebrow at her sister) Clarice sure talks as much as a crow, but you'd think she'd show more common sense.

Clarice (sticks out pierced tongue) Crows are some of the smartest birds, even smarter than owls. They can count up to three.

Anne (smiles sweetly): That's not very impressive for a human, dear.

Sandra (flips quickly through notebook for a question to change the subject): So, what are your goals?

Clarice: Meet a cute boy -- or boys -- and (glances sideways at her sister) have some fun.

Sandra: What about your long-term goals?

Clarice: What about them?

Anne: That's the problem, you don't have any.

Clarice: Well, I don't want to the lead the Council [the governing body of shapeshifters]! They're worthless!

Anne (leans forward): See, if I was on the Council, maybe I could get them to do something for us. We need more safe places for our animal forms, and we need to find more potential shapeshifters before we die out. We can't bite other people like werewolves, after all.

Sandra: Are werewolves a problem for shapeshifters?

Anne: Yes.

Clarice (speaking at the same time): No.

(the sisters glare at each other)

Sandra: Is it just me, or are you two your own worst enemies?

Anne (sighs): Clarice just likes getting her own way. She's the baby of the family, and Mom and Dad spoiled her all the time.

Clarice: Well, you make up for it by mothering me all the time like I'm still six.

Anne: If it weren't for me prodding you, you wouldn't have finished college so you could pay for a whole new wardrobe every season. You do pay off your credit card on time, don't you, sis?

Clarice (flushes): None of your business!

Anne: And if you'd listened to me, you wouldn't have gotten tangled up with that werewolf pack. Shifters and werewolves don't mix.

Clarice (crosses arms): I still say a shifter werewolf should have the best of both worlds.

Anne: Except it didn't work, did it? Do you want to tell everyone what happened when you let the werewolf leader change you?

Sandra: Let's not provide any spoilers before the story's finished, OK? Anne, Clarice, any final thoughts?

(They stare at each other for a long moment, their expressions finally softening.)

Anne: You don't have to be birds of a feather--

Clarice: To flock together.

(They rise from the couch and strip off their clothes. Before you can see their naked bodies, they shift into their bird forms and fly away).