Transcender Trilogy Blog Tour: Character Interview with Jaden and INT giveaway!

Hey, guys! Welcome back! I wanted to repost one of my favorite character interviews that I did with Jaden herself a while ago, because I'm sure that some of you who now have had a chance to read the books, or take a look at the blurbs will enjoy this more than before!

Also, I'm thrilled to introduce Kat from The Art of Midnight, who draws amazing pictures, and drew some great ones of Jaden!

Interview with Jaden, Transcender and Princess of Domerica

Jaden, thanks so much for joining us at Ensconced in Lit! It's not often we get a Transcender here. Can you tell us a little bit about Transcenders?

Thanks for having me. This is my first interview, so I hope I don’t suck at it. I’ll tell you what I can about the Transcenders, but I’m sort of in the learning phase myself. Apparently there’s something in Transcenders’ DNA, a defect maybe, I don’t know, but it makes us able to release the electromagnetic fields holding our atoms together. It’s like we just lose our mass and transform into a kind of wave. It allows us to travel faster than light speed through walls and also through dimensions to parallel worlds. It’s really astounding. I’ve been to a few amazing places recently—some on purpose and some accidentally. I’m still getting the hang of it. Anyway, the whole thing is kind of scary awesome, if you know what I mean.

Wow, that's so cool. I wish I were a Transcender. Back to Earth, for a little bit. Tell us about where you grew up in Connecticut and your family.

Oh well that’s easy enough. The town I grew up in, Madison, is exactly what you think of when someone says New England. Quaint, charming, tons of trees. We have a busy little town square, and lots of pretty and close-knit neighborhoods. My dad’s a senior cardiac nurse at St. Ignatius Hospital, and my big bro is studying pre-law at Duke University. My mom was a Superior Court judge, but she died in a car wreck a few years back. I had kind of an idyllic childhood up to that point. Since then … things have been like a roller coaster ride.

What are the best and worst parts of Connecticut? Of Domerica?

The best part of Connecticut is that my friends are there and I’ll always think of it as home. The worst part is that it can be a bit provincial. Translation: boring. The best parts of Domerica, for me at least, are all the fantastic perks of being part of the royal family—great clothes, great food, being sort of pampered. Also, the countryside is storybook gorgeous and the weather always perfect. The worst parts: no iPhone, no music, no TV, no internet. Oh, and it seems like somebody’s always trying to kill me. That can be annoying.

What was your favorite dress in Domerica and why?

Well, I kind of have a weakness for pretty clothes, and I got to wear some killer outfits when I was in Domerica, but I’d have to say my favorite was this white gown, covered with crystals. I wore it to a feast in Unicoi. It was awesome. The crystals cascaded in diagonals all the way down the skirt, and it had a little train in the back. But it was pretty tight—one of those dresses you have to wear sans panties, so it wasn’t the most comfortable thing to sit in. In fact, by the end of the night, the crystals had made little indentations on my butt. Oops, is that TMI for an interview? Anyway, I still loved it.

Tell us a little about your gorgeous horse.

Oh man, I used to be afraid of horses because they’re just so big. But in Domerica, horseback is the major mode of transportation, and the princess, my mirror in that world, was supposed to be this accomplished horsewoman, so I had to get up close and personal with them whether I wanted to or not. The first time I saw my horse, Gabriel, there was this kind of a soul connection between us. And then when I took him for a test ride, I knew I had to make him mine. It was such an adrenaline rush. His coat is glossy and jet black, his mane long and silky, and he’s fast as lightning. I have to admit, I’m kind of partial to tall, dark, and handsome.

We think that Ryder is totally hot. Can you tell us a little about the first time you met him?

The first time I laid eyes on him, I thought he had to be an angel or something, because no normal guy really looks like that—flawless golden skin, gleaming raven hair, and bottomless blue eyes. He stole my breath away. Once I realized he was in the process of kidnapping me, though, his six-foot-five frame, black armor, and wicked long sword, made my heart race faster for a different reason—stone cold fear. Weird as it sounds, even though he was holding me against my will, his kindness and decency shone through, and I couldn’t hate him. In fact, I was kind of crushing on him that first day, and I worried it might be some bizarre Stockholm Syndrome thing. But it turns out he really is a great guy.

Have you ever played a joke on Ralston? If so, tell us about it!

Seriously? I’m always playing jokes on Ralston. He’s not what you’d call gullible, but he’s a little stuffy, so I can’t resist ruffling his up-tight British feathers from time to time. Once I “borrowed” his glasses without asking. They don’t have corrective lenses, but they do have some very interesting capabilities that I was hoping to try out. He was furious! I won’t be doing that again.

We LOVE your Skorplings. Will you tell our readers a little more about them?

Fred and Ethel are amazing. A Skorpling looks like a cross between a koala bear and a monkey, furry, gray, and cuddly. Plus they can actually speak. Their vocabulary is limited and they can’t pronounce certain letters, but they’re adorable, and different as night and day. Ethel is a sweetheart, always smiling and kissing me. Fred is a total prankster, always getting into some kind of mischief. But I love them both so much. I highly recommend them as pets if they ever make their way over into this dimension.

Since you can Transcend anywhere, what's on your to see list and why?

There are rumors circulating in the Transcender community about a parallel world where people actually have wings and can fly. I don’t know if it’s true, but that’s something I’d really like to see. Also, I want to visit Venice, Italy. During carnival time. I can't imagine anything more romantic and exhilarating than losing myself in a sea of beautifully masked faces and dancing my way along the Grand Canal at midnight.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope we'll see you again soon!

Thanks for inviting me. It was fun!

Question for the giveaway: What do you think of the great pics by Kat and/or Jaden's Interview?

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Don't forget the rest of the tour!

July 21  Ensconced in Lit - review 
               Crystal in Bookland – Transcender Character quiz
July 22 Pandora's Books - Transcender movie wish list

              Ensconced in Lit – character interview with Jaden

July 23 YA Book Nerd Reviews - review 
               Wonderland of Reading - review

July 24 The Whimsical Mama – guest post

                Fly to Fiction  – Review

July 25 Tea and Fangirling – Review

                A Reading Nurse – guest post

July 26 I Heart YA Fiction – Author Interview

Mary Had a Little Book Blog – Character Interview with Ryder