Welcome to Character Witness, where we let our poor antagonized characters take center stage, and the authors have nothing to say.
Who are you?
My name is Eugene “Gene” Law, and I’m a magician. I don’t pull rabbits out of hats or saw women in half. I deal in the cosmic powers of the universe, and all the problems that comes with.
Tell us about your author (and include links to where we can find them):
Marty’s been using his imagination to avoid weeding since he was in short pants. A devotee of the short form, Martin strongly believes in writing fast-paced, exciting fiction you can complete in a single sitting. You’ll find different series, genres, and tales spanning a multiverse of imagination on his website and where excellent ebooks are sold.
What books are you in?
Way too many. I’ve got a whole series of them. He calls them the Tales of Weird Florida and there are five volumes. Then there’s a bunch of short stories (15 or something) and a few novellas. The guy is basically trying to kill me on the daily. It’s exhausting.
What are you doing on a Friday night?
Depends. I’ve got two kids, so I’d like to say I’m doing fun stuff with them: playing with dinosaurs with Kris or teaching Cathy how to drive without hitting things. Now, when the “author” gets involved, all that goes out the window. Friday’s become some shit show of terrible that I inevitably make worse (because why wouldn’t I?) before somehow pulling it out at the end.
It’s Tuesday night, and your friends/allies/enemy-to-lover have dragged you out to your world’s version of a karaoke bar. What do you sing?
Porter (my wife) has dragged me to a karaoke bar? Oh man. Okay, so I guess I’d pick something from Tom Petty. The man is a Florida icon, you know? Don’t Back Down? Yeah, that’s kinda of the Law Family anthem. Sadly, as I have been stood up at the gates up Hell. *shaking his head* You really can’t make this stuff up. Well, *he* can. Stupid authors making up terrible things. It’s the stories of our lives, am I right?
How did you get your scar?
Which one? *points at leg, arm, cheek, other leg, shoulder* Oh, this one? Yeah, that was when we got a warren worth of Grellics in the backyard. *Pauses to tilt his head* What? You don’t have those? Frustration Fairies? Rubbery little bastards that no one can see until they bite you, then, of course, you go damn near crazy with irritation. Hell, Porter tried to fix Kris’s swing set with a chainsaw. Ah, memories.
Wait… *pauses again* You don’t have Grellics?! So that’s *another* thing this guy just cooked up to make my life worse?!
What is your fondest childhood memory?
“The Author” stays tight-lipped on my childhood. I get the impression there are some skeletons in that closet he’s saving for a future series. I can say that I enjoyed my time with Jenkins when Porter and I had just moved in together post college. The man was an amazing magician, you know, cosmic powers of the universe and stuff. *waves hands* Anyway, turned out to be a really good guy, a tad crazy, but aren’t we all?
If we were to ask your closest friends what your catchphrase is, what would they say?
“Not in the face!” *shakes his head* See? That’s the kind of stuff I have to deal with from this “guy.” *looks up* You’d think an author would be able to come up with something really good. Sure, the “tag line” for my series is “Magick demands Sacrifice and so does family.” Yeah, yeah, sounds great and all, but this is my life we’re talking about so it’s *my* sacrifice. All he does is drink tea and sit in a chair every morning. *rolls eyes*
What was your best worst decision?
Easy. You know that time when I threw my entire life away just to keep my family safe? That. It formed a whole five-book series, and if I’m being honest, it’s some of my best work. I have to come to terms with a child becoming a teenager and pushing away, all while driving my Dad Wagon straight into hell itself. *brushes nails on khakis and blows on them* Yeah, I’m not gonna boast, but I was pretty awesome in that one.
Every main character has a ghost, something that haunts them. What is yours?
*Stops talking and looks over his shoulder* So, uh, you know how everyone has an ex? Well, yeah, I do too. She’s… She’s something else. Morgan twists me up something fierce in multiple books. She’s not going to be here, though, right? *looks again* I mean, this is just a protagonist interview, right? Right?!
Tell me about your guilty pleasure or sinful habit:
I’m not a huge fan of being told what to do. This is well documented. In fact, one year Kris’s grandfather gave him some wooden dinosaur kit and while I was trying (and failing) to build it, the old man just kept rubbing it in my face. So, I used a little “Mesozoic Magick” to get my point across and… yeah, do not mix garage beers and temporal magick on a Saturday afternoon. That’s my lesson for your readers.
What is your chicken soup for the soul? It could be a food, a material item, an activity or endeavor, a comfort read, or a movie. Whatever it is, tell us about it:
Man Pizza. Yeah, it’s like all the meats on one pizza. It’s terrible for you, which is why Porter never lets me get it, but one time the ladies were all out and I have a “Magician’s Weekend” which consisted of light insanity and man pizza. Ah… Man Pizza. *looks fondly into the distance*
If you have a formal education, what did you study, and how are you applying the knowledge daily? If you have a vocation or trade, what is it, and how did you come into it?
I went to The University of Florida, got a degree in business. It’s… not overly helpful in my line of work. Still, I basically majored in staring at Porter’s butt so none of this is really that surprising. The magick knowledge has been accumulated over the years, you know, as dad’s do.
If you could save one thing from your burning house, what would it be?
My family. I’m a magician; I’d get them all out. It’s what I do. Now, I’d do it in such a way as to leave you guessing right up until the end. Will he make it out? Won’t he? That’s because someone *looks up again* loves to make my life miserable. Hell, why did you even let him read this question? All you’re doing is giving him ideas.
Name your irrational fear:
Being alone. Yeah. There, I said it. A chunk of the series has me very much alone, and I don’t like it. Yes, I get it. The author is always there, but *looks up again* I mean, have you seen this guy? He obviously hates me. And… And?! He plays banjo. I mean, come on, banjo?
Anything you’d like your maker to know?
Could I get one just one night that doesn’t involve monsters, demons, magick, explosions, near-misses, fairies, honey-do items, or whatever else I’m forgetting? That would be nice, you know? Or maybe you could come down here and enjoy a story *with* me? No, you cannot bring your banjo. Yes, I know you think it sounds lovely, but… yeah, it’s a banjo.
And since we all love an apple crate, here’s yours. Air out your grievances, declare a statement to the world!
Sure thing. There aren’t a lot of good dad stories out in the world, you know? We’re like the Bambi’s mother of literature. Oh, look, a dad story! Boom! Dead. *chuckles* I kid, but seriously, these are exciting stories told from the viewpoint of a man who tries to be a good father and husband, who makes mistakes but loves his family so much it hurts. Sometimes we need a little of that in literature. Come over to the “Dad Side” and give my Tales of Weird Florida a try. I promise excitement, adventure, and perfectly creased khaki pants.
Dead Set (Tales of Weird Florida #1) is available now!
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