Amber Kizer was kind enough to answer some of my questions about her book
Meridian. Check out what she has to say. I also want to thank Ms. Kizer for taking the time to answer my questions.
What was your inspiration for Meridian?
This book is very close to my heart--the idea came from sitting vigil as my grandparents died (about 18 months apart). They both had very different dying experiences, though in both cases, as a family, we chose to work with a wonderful hospice organization (St. Vincent’s Inpatient Hospice Care, in Indianapolis, IN).
With everything in life, I like to know as much as possible so I read and did a bunch of research on dying, the physical process itself, the psychological process, and people's near-death experiences.
For this story, I wanted to explore the idea that the "light" people talk about as they die is an actual person and what that might mean.
What if everyday of a person's life was that of being a window to beyond? I wanted to give a face to death that wasn't the Reaper's, wasn't something out of nightmares. And saying "God" is there in death doesn't say much--what does that mean really? How does that look?
And from a science aspect we’re all energy. Where does that energy go? And isn't a soul of any animal or plant worthy energy? How does that look? How does that fit with the major religions and cultural norms?
And I also wanted to explore some organized religion as fear based--the idea that people hide behind religion because they're afraid or upset or angry. How does that twist what can be profound and comforting in faith? The mob mentality is so easy to manipulate if you're good at it--I wanted a character (Perimo) who was good at it and used it.
Are Aternocti and Fenestra associated with any religion?
No, like death itself they transcend religion, region, culture and ethnicity. There are Fenestras all over the world—they may have other names but they are there.
Tens(Meridian's protector and love interest) has a very unusual name. Where did it come from?
All the characters in this book have names that “mean” something to me as the writer and might resonate with readers who like to dissect deeper levels in a story.
Tens, the male lead, is a Protector and as such knows things about Meridian that he doesn’t really know how he knows. His full name is Tenskawtawa and comes from a Shawnee religious and political leader from the 18th century. He was Tecumseh’s brother and he was also known as “The Prophet”. With our Tens’s backstory, and gifts, I knew it was the perfect choice and it felt right.
Are the Fenestra (half angel, half human)always female?
No, they don’t have to be female. While it’s a trait that’s passed down along the maternal line it has more to do with when that child is born than what gender it is.
Is there a sequel in the works? Can you tell us a little bit about it?
Yes, there’s more to come in the Fenestra series. Unfortunately for readers, I won’t say much. I’m superstitious while I’m working. I don’t talk to anyone about the story until it’s down on paper (okay, my agent and editor are the only exceptions). I can say that Meridian and Tens continue their love story and there is a new Fenestra in the mix.
Readers who want to be the first to know can sign up for my newsletter list on any of:
www.MeridianSozu.com,
www.AmberKizer.com, and
www.OneButtCheek.com. I always tell my list “news” first and they get exclusive sneak peeks, contests, and other goodies! Of course fans can find me on Facebook and on Goodreads if they want to know what I’m reading and excited about. Thanks for having me!
