It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve sat down and had a chat with one of the characters from my upcoming book The Trials of Hercules, so I’m definitely due for an interview. This week, I’m talking to Iolalus, but before we begin I want to encourage you to make a note to check this blog next week for a super special money-saving announcement regarding The Trials of Hercules (following this blog makes it very easy to stay up to date).
Anyway, as I mentioned last week, Iolalus is Hercules’s younger cousin and a member of Portaceae’s vigiles – the army/police/fire fighting force under Herc’s command. Iolalus idolizes the great hero, but where Herc is serious to a fault, Iolalus has a quick sense of humor that makes everyone like him. Iolalus’s ability to win people has been known to stir up Herc’s jealousy.
As always, thanks to Cee of Cee’s Photography for providing the questions via her Share Your World weekly blog event!
Question: Do you believe in ghosts?
Iolalus: No. I don’t think many people in Osteria do. Still, when I was a kid, I was deadly afraid of the dead escaping from Hades’s Chasm. They crave living flesh and, well, there’s not a lot of living flesh in the land of the dead, so I always worried about Hades getting distracted and letting a few slip by his watch. Come to think of it, that thought still scares me. I hate serving vigile duty near the Chasm.
Q: Irregardless of your physical fitness, coordination or agility: If you could play any sport professionally what would it be? Or if you can’t picture yourself playing sports, what is your favorite sport?
I: I can only pick one? Well, I can’t say wrestling or archery because those are both Herc’s best sports – although I have come close to beating him at a few wrestling matches. (Pauses, clearly trying make his choice. He mutters a few options until his eyes widen with excitement). Chariot racing! Gods, flying around the track, battling against the other riders, the adoration of the crowd. Definitely chariot racing.
Q: Do you prefer long hair or short hair for yourself?
I: Short. It’s regulation for vigiles to keep their hair short. I’ve always wanted to be a vigile – well, ever since Herc was selected to be a vigile – so I’ve always kept my hair short. Now I can’t imagine wearing it long.
Q: If you were on an small island, who would you want to be with? And where is it? How big is it?
I: I would definitely want Herc to come along, as well as his kids, my two 
nieces and nephews. The island would have to be big enough to have a track around it for my chariot racing practice and stables for the horses. I wouldn’t be too picky about where it was, as long as it wasn’t too near the Chasm…you never know when those dead are going to get out and want a snack.
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Image credit: Photo taken by me September 2010 at the Capitoline Museum in Rome, Italy. Copyright 2014 All rights reserved.
Tammie Painter 