Character Interview/Giveaway - The Descendant by SJ McMillan

The Descendant (City of the Gods #1)

SJ McMillan

700 A.D. Teotihuacán, Mexico – The High Priest believed himself to be as powerful as the gods. He set a plague on the city as a demonstration of his power. The Gods took pity on the remaining loyal congregation. They granted each survivor immortality and an extraordinary ability. Three loyal survivors were given a mission of great importance: train the lone human descendant of their civilization to stop the evil priest from damning the rest of humanity.


2012 A.D. San Diego, California – The time has come to finally make Katalina Deckard aware of her destiny. Her life has been a constant struggle since the loss of her parents when she was young. But has it prepared her to save the world? Can her friends, who have survived so long, convince her she has what it takes to accept the mantle of Redeemer?

Today I have author SJ McMillan here to interview her character, Katalina.  I am so excited!  I know we all love character interviews so much, and this one is terrific!  Be sure to check out the giveaway after the interview!  Thank you, SJ, for your time and interviewing Katalina for us!

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By: S.J. McMillan

Tell us the name of the book you are in and a bit about it.

Well, first off, I want to thank Fictional Candy for having me here today. This is all very exciting. The name of the book I’m in is City of the Gods: The Descendant. It is the first book in a planned trilogy. The first book is about a human girl, me, who discovers she is the only descendant of an ancient civilization. The Gods appoint me to right the wrongs that were done to my ancestors by an evil man.  I have three people, from the original civilization, sworn to protect and train me until I am able to defeat the evil.

Tell the readers about yourself. What should they know about you?

As I mentioned before I’m the main character. I’m a pretty easy going individual. If I possess a mean bone in my body, it’s a small one and it’s buried deep within me. I’m not much for confrontation, at least in the beginning of this story. I do a lot of growing in this book. I learn about the civilization I’m descended from, my personal past, and what is expected of me when I claim my destiny. It’s a wonderful journey.

What are your favorite scenes in the book? The action, the dialog, or the romance?

Wow, this is going to be hard to answer. I got to work with some other great characters. Action scenes are always fun. Sometimes I was on the edge of my seat wondering how I was going to get out of some of the predicament the author put me in. Not to mention, many of the action scenes were with Tristan and Damian. If they weren’t sworn enemies you’d think they would be best friends. They know each other that well!

I have great dialog with everyone, though there are a few conversations that stick out in my mind as favorites. I’m not going to share those because I want you to read the book and find your own favorite dialogs.

The romance in this book is very sweet. I think the author shied away from romance and sex to keep the story focused on the mission of saving the world.

Did you have a hard time convincing the author to write any particular scenes for you?

Haha, yeah, sex scenes. I could never convince the author to write one for me. She actually blushed if I mentioned it to her. She gives me this uber hot hero, who is protective and sweet, and anything you could possibly want in a man, and what does she do? She lets me kiss him a few times. Grrr, talk about sexually frustrated.

What is the least favorite characteristic your author attributed to you?

I would have to say it is my self-doubt.  There are moments in the book where I have this fear that I’m not good enough for anyone or any situation I’m put in. Most of that feeling dissipates by the end of the book, but there will always be that lingering bit of doubt in my mind. Am I the right person for this job? Can I do this? Why me? There has to be someone out there better suited to save the world than me? I would have loved to plunge head first into the action and mastered my abilities right off the bat. I could have been so badass!  Then again, that could have a bad way to go as well.

What was the scariest moment in the book for you? What was the happiest?

Out of everything I went through in this book, the scariest moment for me takes place in the first chapter. It is a very real, very dangerous situation to be in for anyone. It sends chills down my spine just thinking about it. That is one scene I can’t believe the author wrote and put me through.

The happiest moments were near the end, and that’s all I can say without spoiling the end.

What do you think of the other characters in the book?

I love them all, from the other main characters who were with me every step of the way, to the characters who only spoke a few lines. (Yes, I’m talking about you Bouncer Bruce!)

Sabine & Vivian are my best friends. They are complete opposites, but that is what makes our friendship so unique.

Damian is so evil. He is willing to do anything to get want he wants. The perfect villain.

And as I said before, Tristan is the hero any woman would want protecting her.

Do you like the way the book ended?

Yes and no. It ended well for some, but not so much for others. The reader does get to meet a new character at the very end of the book, but that is all the author will allow me to say.

Do you know the authors plans? Can we expect to see you in future stories?

Right now the author is working on the second book of the series, which I am happy to announce that, yes, I am returning. The focus shifts to another character, but the reader will still see quite a bit of me. Almost all of the characters from the first book are returning for the second book. The third and final book is still in the planning and outlining stages, so I don’t know how all of this all draw to its final end.

If this book was made into a movie, who would you want to play you?

Christian Serratos. Most will probably know her from her roles as Raven on Secret Life of the American Teenager (Raven), and the Twilight Saga (Angela). This girl was born to perform. She’s modeled, danced, ice skated, and already knows how to kick butt with Tai Kwon Do and Hapkido. Impressive resume.

Once again thank you so much for having me today. I hope you enjoyed the interview.

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In her own words...

I am an author signed on with Ruby Lioness Press. I am beyond excited that my urban fantasy novel, City of the Gods: The Descendant, has finally found a home.

I play many roles in life, as we all do. I am a wife to a supportive husband, a mother to three young rascals, and an administrative assistant during the week just to name a few. Now I will finally get to add published author to my list.

I started writing poetry in high school. I enjoy poetry and still write a poem whenever inspiration hits me. I love to read, especially paranormal romances and urban fantasies. The love of reading spawned the urge to try writing a novel of my own.

One of my favorite parts of writing a book is creating the characters. I immerse myself into their lives. I laugh when they laugh and cry when they cry. I cheer them on in their triumphs and encourage them in their struggles.

I have also come to enjoy writing fight scenes. Don’t laugh, but my husband (the wonderful man that he is) will act them out with me so I know exactly how I need to show it to the audience. Call us crazy if you want but it is really fun to act out a scene using a broom handle as a spear and a foam baseball bat as an axe.

I hope you enjoy City of the Gods: The Descendant. I am working on the follow up book now. I love to hear from other authors and readers. You can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/McMillanSJ, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/McMillanSJ, or check out my awesome new website at www.mcmillansj.com.

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