Angel City Bugler Reporter Interviews Astra Q Phelps

Astra Q Phelps recently did an interview for the Angel City Bugler, during which she gives readers some wonderful insights into how she got her start as a kick-butt demon slayer and all around tough Tweener.

Hello Astra, thank you for joining us today, we love your books and were hoping we could get to know you a little bit.

Hey! How’s it going? You got anything here that needs to be blown up or vanquished?

Uh, well, no, not really. I have an ex-husband… But no, forget I said that. I just wanted to chat with you for a few minutes.

You don’t want me to save the world?

Um, no, not right at this moment.

Oh good. Okay.

So, Astra, you certainly lead an exciting life. Vanquishing demons, fighting off devilishly handsome Royal Devil Princes, and saving the world, how does one get into this line of work?

One has to be born a Tweener, with a powerful Seraphim for a father and an equally powerful Royal Devil with witch powers as a mother. It’s not an easy gig you know.

I can imagine. Can you tell us what exactly a Tweener is?

Are you kidding me? Do you live in a cave? (shakes head) Tweeners are half angel and half devil. We’re a warrior race that helps the Big Guy out in the epic battle between good and evil. (shrugs) I thought everybody knew that.

Impressive. So how long have you been doing this? Vanquishing demons I mean?

Well, I vanquished my first one when I was five I think. He tried to steal my little red bucket in the sandbox. I loved that bucket. I’d have done anything to keep it.

You, um, (clears throat) you killed a demon for stealing a bucket?

Well yes and no. He tried to eat my sister, Darma too, but it was the bucket that really set me off.

I um, I see. Well, so you figured out you were good at vanquishing demons when you were five and decided that might be a good way to make a living?

Absolutely not! I mean, yeah, I was good at it. But saving the world is so hard…and exhausting. I probably would have just gotten a job throwing rowdy schmoes out of extra-terra nightclubs if it hadn’t been for that stupid prophesy.

Prophesy?

Yeah, the one that has me working with the great Unifer, that’s Devil Prince Dialle we think…we’re not absolutely sure at this point...to save the world.

Wow!

(Nods head) Yeah, wow! Except the world doesn’t stay saved. I can’t tell you how many meals and how much sleep I’ve missed over the last several months trying to keep this stupid world saved. It’s become a full time job.

(Reporter leers) Yes, but there are perks aren’t there. I mean, you get to lock lips with the gorgeous Dialle on a regular basis.

Oh yeah. I mean, he’s really yummy, and impossible to resist let me tell you…but there’s so much to do when saving the world, there just isn’t all that much time for extra-curricular activities if you know what I mean.

But I understand you manage, somehow.

(Astra grins) Yeah, we manage. Somehow.

So, what’s it like? Hanging out with the magical crowd? Are they nice?

(Astra snorts) Nice? Lady, what planet are you from? No really, what planet?

(Reporter shrugs) My ancestors came from Venus.

(Astra nods) That explains a lot. None of them are Nice. Even the angels have an agenda. They’re good, yes, but rarely nice. Demons are just plain skuzzy, with their pretty masks that fool humans every time, and you don’t want to get yourself in a room with a lot of them when the temperatures are very high…

Dangerous huh?

What? No, they smell like last week’s steak on the windowsill. And then there are the Royals…well, they’re beautiful and everything, but they’re just like sexy walking uber-agendas, you know. And their plans are never good for yours truly or the human race. (Astra sighs) My social circle just fizzes with conflict, intrigue, and dangerous agendas.

Well, you certainly have a difficult job.

Tell me about it.

But what’s this I hear about you going to the Big House to visit the Big Guy in ‘Tween a Devil and His Hard Place?

Cool place. All light and airy and stuff. He needed to fill me in on something…I’m still not sure what…talk about agendas… Something about getting my father back. He was at the right hand of God before he fell you know.

Your father? Really?

Yup. Took over the celestial army when Michael retired. The Big Guy needs him to help keep the humans safe against a really big plot to take over control of the dark world and humankind. The demons are in an uproar and the rumor is that the Angel City witch coven is pulling the strings behind the uprising. And to make things even worse, somebody from the Big House is involved and helping the witches. A dark angel with some power apparently. Some think it’s my father.

But you don’t believe it I’m sure.

Not for a minute. But the sticker is I’ve got to prove it. No easy task while saving the world.

So what’s on your plate for the next book. Are you saving the world again?

Of course. In the third book of the series, the ratio between magic and non-magic is being altered by the dropping of a veil of twisted magic. Humans can’t survive under the veil and as it descends they get increasingly crazy and start attacking everything in sight. I of course have to find the cause and put everything right again. Meanwhile, I’ve been marked by the Serpent as one of the conduits…

Serpent? Conduits?

(Astra smiles) I guess you’ll just have to read the book.

Sounds fascinating, I can’t wait. I want to thank you for visiting with me today, Astra. It’s been very…ah…illuminating.

Yeah, sure. Hey, you haven’t seen a really small dragon running around here have you?

(Reporter picks up her feet) A dragon? Why no, did you lose one?

(Astra shrugs) Maybe. Oh well, I’ll just follow the char marks…