Beautiful People Linkup--September

The "Notebook Sisters" are co-hosting a linkup called "Beautiful People." Each month they announce a new set of questions to answer about your character so you can learn more about them.

This month, I'll be interviewing Hans Levarius, the alchemist, necromancer, and antagonist of my YA medieval fantasy, the sequel to The Sorceress. It is still untitled, though I'm planning to resolve that soon. I'd toyed with The Necromancer, but then that'd be two books in the series that have the same title as the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series. Anyway.

One quick note about Hans: When I was making my Pinterest board for the story, the person I cast to play his part is Benedict Cumberbatch. He looks a lot like him, and he'd be excellent at the straight-faced and low voice thing.




1. What is their motive?

Power, riches, your typical bad guy stuff. He's a little very bitter over his childhood, because his older brother was the clear favorite, and Hans often got the shaft.

2. What do they want, and what are they prepared to do to get it?

To kill the king of Stormcastle and become ruler. He then plans to take over the surrounding kingdoms, and so on, until all of England is his. Hans deals with blackmail and poison, so it's not very hard for him to get people to do what he wants.

3. How do they deal with conflict?

Hans is sneaky, so he doesn't usually have to deal with conflict directly. He has others do it for him until the time is right to reveal himself, and by that time, he'll have all the power necessary to take over.

4. Describe their current place of residence.

It's a small room in the king's castle. It has a bed, a wardrobe, a bookshelf, etc. What the king doesn't know is that Hans is hiding potion vials and spell books underneath the floorboards.

5. If they were writing this story, how would it end?

With him sitting on the king's throne, the crown upon his head.


6. What habits, speech patterns, etc. are unique to them?

He often speaks as if he's irritated, at least when Anya (the protagonist) is in the room. When he's alone with the king, however, he's very smooth and influential. He's charismatic in the sense that no one has a reason to distrust him and generally listen to what he has to say.

7. How do they show love? What do they like to do with/for people they love?

Love? Hans doesn't love. Love is weakness. Love means you're willing to sacrifice yourself for someone else. That's not Hans at all.

8. Do they have any pets?

Nope. He doesn't have enough time to care for someone/something else, not even a potted plant.

9. Where would they go to relax/think?

In his room in the castle, amidst his spell books and potion supplies.

10. What is their weapon of choice? (FYI: words, eyes/looks, and fists count as weapons too.)

Secrets, lies, blackmail, poison, anything that allows him to kill while remaining undercover.

What's your villain like? Leave a comment!