I recently sat down with Alex Black in his office to chat about his life and work.
An interview with Alex
Black
Part One
Ed: First, Alex, thank you for agreeing to this
interview. Our readers should know we have set a few ground rules to
make it possible. The rules are simple: We won't discuss our
relationship or how we first met. That would break some rules about
fourth walls. We won't go there. The only other thing is that you've
asked that we don't discuss the other household members, as that
would invade your privacy. Having agreed to those simple
stipulations, our readers would first want to know about your life as
a wizard. What are some of the perks and pitfalls of being a wizard,
Alex?
Alex: Many perks are tied closely to the pitfalls, Ed.
The first example that comes to my mind is that wizards age slower
than non-magical humans. That is an advantage, but it also has
societal implications that can lead to awkward situations. Dating
outside our kind can be tricky, especially if things get serious.
There is a phenomenon of May-December relationships, but we stay in
the May days, if you will, much longer. We remain youthful in
appearance for a good part of what you would consider middle age. Old
age, for that matter.
Ed: Now you have me wondering about your
actual age, but let me ask it in a less personal way. Is it like
reverse dog years? For example, I would age seven years to each year
of your aging. Or is it like our Leap Year babies that every four
years only counts one candle on the old cake?
Alex: Interesting, but no. And yes, it is like
the reverse dog years, with you being the dog in this example and me
being the human. But it does no more describe us than it does dogs
because, like all animals, we progress through life at different
stages. As you know, puppies don't stay puppies for long. Wizards
mature at roughly the same speed as humans until we hit puberty. But
from there, things slow down.
Ed: Well, age is an uncomfortable subject for
many people. Primarily because our culture does not like growing old,
we'd like to slow down our aging as much as possible. Several times
while writing your story, you mentioned being proud of your
wand-making abilities, especially your wooden spoon. How did that
come about?
Alex: Not entirely by accident. I've always
enjoyed cooking and baking, which is like making potions. One day,
while cooking pasta, I thought of enchanting a wooden spoon so that
the pasta would always cook to the right texture and the water would
not boil over. It started in the kitchen, but soon, I was taking it
down to my basement lab to use in various spells. It recently got
pressed into more extensive service after a mishap on a case.
Ed: I know you have been friends with
Garth Nolan for some time. He is an interesting person, which makes for an interesting friend. Could you share some of your history with Garth without revealing anything from your most recent case? How long have you known him? What are your
common interests? That sort of thing.
Alex: Oh gosh. I
have known Garth for ages. I am not actually comfortable with the
specifics. We are both pretty old, though I suspect Garth may be
about a decade or two older than I am. But that is a guess based on
conversations I have had with him over the years. We have a lot in
common, actually. We both love music and enjoy listening to various
genres and styles. There isn't much in the world we won't at least
listen to, so in that respect, we have similar tastes.
Garth is a night person. While I enjoy going out at night, I am
getting an early start on my day. As a P.I., I have to work crazy
hours, and often, our work schedules overlap. Garth is an excellent
resource because he is in touch with many outside my circle. He can
find out things that I am unable to learn. Garth owns several music
and dining venues throughout the Pacific Northwest. Unlike me, he is
very good at running businesses.
Ed: Was there anything
else about him you haven't yet shared?
Alex: Oh, sure. I
forgot to mention that Garth is a Vampire. I forget that detail
myself at times. I think of him as a friend and hope he feels the
same way. He could say quite a bit about me without
mentioning that I am a Wizard. If you interviewed him, I'm sure he
would tell you I was a P.I. Just as I told you, he was in the
nightclub business. That is another thing we have in common. We both
identify more with our work than with things we have little or no
control over. If you want to interview Garth, I can arrange it.
Ed:
I'll pass on that, at least for now.
Alex: Don't worry, he
doesn't bite.
Ed: I'll think about it. That is enough for
now. I want to continue our conversations about your work and
life.
Alex: Of course, as long as you stick to the
agreed-upon rules. I'm working on an interesting case but can't
discuss it now. I will discuss it once the case is solved and with the permission
of my clients. Deal?
Ed: Deal! And thank you, Alex, for
your time and the excellent tea you served.
Alex: Thank
you. I'll be in touch!
Read about Alex's latest case in the Book "Shadow of Secrets."
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