Character Interview - Merged by Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl #YASciFi

Character Interview: Orfyn from “Merged”

Interviewer: Why the name Orfyn?

Orfyn: I really am an orphan. I don’t want pity, and I’m not about to let anyone make me feel like they’re better than me just because they know who their parents are. So I made it my street name, and anyone who’s ever seen one of my paintings knows I have nothing to apologize for.

Interviewer: Some may think you sound cocky.

Orfyn: The nun who raised me would say, “Pride goeth before destruction.” But she also believes God gave everyone a special gift, and it would be a sin not to use it. I like to paint, and I’m good at it. I’m just lucky that other people like my stuff, too.

Interviewer: Is it true you only paint in oils?

Orfyn: For now. Something almost magical happens when you unscrew the top of a tube of oil paint. The smell, the texture, the rich color you don’t get with any other medium. Being a street artist, none of my paintings last long enough for them to fully dry. It’s like I’m showing the vandals that I’m okay when they tag over my work, because since it’s still tacky, it’s not really finished.

Interviewer: Is your goal to be a professional painter?

Orfyn: I already am. I have a lot of fans who follow me, and they make it a contest to be the first one to find my latest painting and post a photo of it. But I understand what you mean. Yeah, I’d like to see my work hanging in a museum. Be respected, and all that. I’m not sure how, but I’ll figure out a way to make that happen.

Interviewer: What you do is considered to be illegal. In fact, the mayor of New York City will pay for information leading to the arrest of people like you. How do you feel about that?

Orfyn: It’s wrong. I’m not disrespecting someone’s property, I’m turning an ugly wall into public art. Something beautiful that makes people feel good. How is that a bad thing?

Interviewer: With all due respect, not all graffiti is beautiful.

Orfyn: Art is about making someone feel. People get angry and frustrated and they want things to change. Their art is a reflection of those feelings. There’s a place for all of it.

Interviewer: Have you ever been in love?

Orfyn: Not love-love. But I want to be the guy who looks across a room, sees this amazing girl, and just knows she’s the one. She’s out there. I just haven’t met her yet.

Interviewer: One last question. Do you wish you’d been adopted?

Orfyn: Sure. But after a while you realize it’s not going to happen. That’s okay, although it would’ve been nice to have grown up with a dog. I’m going to adopt one someday. A dog that no one else wanted.

  

Merged
Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl

Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Month9Books

Date of Publication: September 17, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-948671-34-7

ASIN: B07P7ST29L

Number of pages: 293

Cover Artist: AM Design Studios

Tagline: Great minds don’t always think alike.

Book Description:

Seven of our country’s most gifted teens will become Nobels, hosts for the implantation of brilliant Mentor minds, in an effort to accelerate human progress.

But as the line between what’s possible and what’s right draws ever blurrier, the teens discover everything has a cost.

Scientists have created an evolved form of living known as Merged Consciousness, and sixteen-year-old Lake finds herself unable to merge with her Mentor.

Lake, the Nobel for Chemistry and Orfyn, the Nobel for Art, are two from among the inaugural class of Nobels, and with the best intent and motivation. But when Stryker, the Nobel for Peace, makes them question the motivation of the scientists behind the program, their world begins to unravel.

As the Nobels work to uncover the dark secrets of the program’s origins, everyone's a suspect and no one can be trusted, not even the other Nobels. 

As the Mentors begin to take over the bodies and minds of the Nobels, Lake and Orfyn must find a way to regain control before they lose all semblance or memory of their former selves.

Amazon

Excerpt:

Mr. Blue points to the document. “Sign this and change your life. Or don’t. It’s up to you.”

“What happens if I say no?”

“The Darwin Corporation will remain your legal guardian, but you’ll lose the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become one of humanity’s greatest hopes.”

So basically, he’s saying I’m stuck here either way. “Will I always be locked up?”

“That depends on your choices.”     

I wait for him to crack a smile. He doesn’t.

I break eye contact and flip to the last page. There’s one short paragraph stating that I’ve read the forty-one-page document (which I haven’t), I understand the risks (which I don’t), and I buy into the idea that two minds are better than one (or something like that). At the bottom, there’s a line with my name printed below it.

“Is it dangerous?” I ask, really wishing my voice hadn’t cracked.

Mr. Blue hesitates, and for a moment he almost appears human. “Every medical procedure has its risks, but the end result could change the world. And you’ll be one of the few who have the ability to change it.”

What if I could become the next Michelangelo? I’ve been given the chance to create art that makes a difference. For now, and even hundreds of years to come. “What else can you tell me about Bat?”

“He’s very successful,” Mr. Blue says, taking a pen from his suit pocket. “And he’s dying.”

“Can you give me a little more than that?”

“He specifically chose you.”

Nobody has ever chosen me.

I grab Mr. Blue’s pen and sign the document using the name I’m adopting. If I’m going to share my brain with someone and become a ground-breaking artist, I’m doing it as Orfyn.

About the Authors:

Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl are a husband-and-wife team who write stories of mystery and adventure from their cabin in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. When they aren’t dodging moose, their story ideas appear during their walks with their dog, who far prefers chasing balls to plotting novels. Jim and Stephanie are world travelers who seek out crop circles, obscure historical sites and mysterious ruins.

www.jimandstephbooks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jimandstephbooks/

https://twitter.com/JIMKROEPFL

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