The initial introduction of Dah Inali in
Songkeeper will likely stay with me for a while. The description of him, a dark, desert warrior with dreadlocks and spectacles, is one of the most unique physical characterizations I can ever remember reading. So when I was able to chose a character to host for this tour, I immediately thought of him. That said, I'll let the author tell you a bit more about him...
I
is for Dah Inali
We first meet Dah Inali in Songkeeper.
Dah Inali is the brother of Sa Itera and the brother-in-law of
Matlal Quahtli, chief over the entire Saari nation of the Vituain
Desert. Born heir to the Sigzal tribe, he lost his inheritance when
Itera was made mahtem in his stead and the Sigzal tribe was aligned
with Quahtli as her dowry. It is a loss that he bears bitterly …
and one he will not soon allow her to forget.
With a flick of his
hand, he adjusted the spectacles perching on the bridge of his nose
and turned to Sa Itera. “What does the Mahtem of the Sigzal tribe
require of her disinherited brother?” –Songkeeper
Inali is an
artist. I have always been fascinated with those who possess a gift
for art, because I do not. Drawing the map of Leira for
Songkeeper
was about as much as my talents permit. I do not have an eye for
design, and the things that I think I see so clearly, I cannot
translate onto the page. When I try … I am bitterly frustrated.
So of course, I have the highest
respect for the amazing people who can.
And Inali is one of those. Even when
traveling, he carries parchment and charcoals in his satchel and can
be found frequently setting his thoughts into drawings. He has the
sensitive soul of an artist. Often underestimated because of his
quiet, unassuming nature, when the moment of pressure comes, he may
surprise you with his strength.
When it comes to life, his perspective
is a somewhat melancholy and fatalistic one.
“Things come and
things go. Such is life, is it not, little Songkeeper?”
--Songkeeper
He typically goes about clad in fringed
leggings and an open lion skin vest with a clay bead on a chain
around his neck. As far as weapons go, he prefers the subtle art of a
spear pipe and coated darts to the heavier spears preferred by the
majority of the Saari.
A young Saari
warrior stood beside him, skin the dull bronze of the desert. He
clutched the upright shaft of his spear in two hands, point buried in
the sand, cheek pressed against the haft. Hair the color and
consistency of dried earth hung in knotted strands to his shoulders,
interwoven with clay beads. A pair of spectacles perched on the
bridge of his nose. –Songkeeper
Inali was one of my favorite secondary
characters to write in Songkeeper. (Although, admittedly, I
say that about all the secondary characters … because they are all
my favorite!) In my mind at least, he was very distinctive. His
scenes came easily. His personality translated onto the page with
little effort on my part. Both physical description and personal
mannerisms quickly fell into place. This is when I wish I was an
artist like Inali, so I could easily translate the image in my head
into a picture on a page! With no skill as an artist, I am forced to
resign myself to words. And oddly enough, many of Inali’s scenes
went from first draft to final stage with few changes.
Regardless, Inali himself intrigued me.
With his spectacles, satchel, and sketching supplies, his character
stood in stark contrast to the majority of the Saari characters who
took center page. In a world of fierce warriors, deprived of his
birthright and his dream, he struggles to find his place. Maybe I
just like characters who have hit every unlucky break and hard knock
you can imagine, because poor Inali has had to face many significant
disappointments in his life.
Those who manage to rise above such
circumstances become the heroes we remember. But those who are broken
and crushed beneath such circumstances become the casualties we
mourn.
Curious as to which way Dah Inali will
swing? I guess you’ll just have to read Songkeeper!
Check out the links below for a place
to purchase the books.
And before you leave, don’t forget to enter the giveaway! One lucky
winner will take home a copy of
Orphan’s Song,
Songkeeper,
and a gorgeous handmade mug. Two lucky winners will take home copies
of
Songkeeper!
Enter through the Rafflecopter below and
be sure to visit
www.gillianbronteadams.com
to continue following the blog tour. You can earn new entries for
each post that you visit along the way. Winners will be announced
after April 15
th.
Bio: GILLIAN BRONTE ADAMS is a
sword-wielding, horse-riding, coffee-loving speculative fiction
author from the great state of Texas. During the day, she manages the
equestrian program at a youth camp. But at night, she kicks off her
boots and spurs, pulls out her trusty laptop, and transforms into a
novelist. She is the author of
Orphan’s
Song, book one of the Songkeeper Chronicles,
and
Out
of Darkness Rising. Visit Gillian online at her
blog,
Twitter,
or
Facebook
page.
Description: War ravages Leira and
the Song has fallen silent.
Freed from the hold of a slave ship,
Birdie, the young Songkeeper, and Ky, a street-wise thief, emerge to
a world at war. Hordes of dark soldiers march across Leira, shadowed
by whispers of plague and massacres, prompting Ky to return to his
besieged home city in hopes of leading his fellow runners to safety.
Desperate to end the fighting, Birdie
embarks on a dangerous mission into the heart of the Takhran’s
fortress. Legend speaks of a mythical spring buried within and the
Songkeeper who will one day unleash it to achieve victory. Everyone
believes Birdie is the one, but the elusive nature of the Song and
rumors of other gifted individuals lead her to doubt her role.
Unleashing the spring could defeat the Takhran once and for all, but
can she truly be the Songkeeper when the Song no longer answers her
call?
