Featured Personality: Macha
Thanks for taking time from your busy RL schedule to talk with me, Macha. I'd like to get right to the heart of your world if I may. When one visits your home, they are immediately taken back to ancient times…tell us about your character’s roots in Celtic Lore, and how she relates to you personally, and to your character in the Novel you created, “About Time.”
I have always been interested in Irish history (being half Irish helps!) and so when I came to Pan I decided my character would reflect what I loved about the ancient Celts. *smiles* When I had the chance at About Time, after speaking with the other Mob and with people who were current writers, we decided to do a back in time to ancient Ireland, more to the point, the pivotal time when Brian Boru defeated the Norse. The idea of “What If” was too interesting to let go; so we are writing history—but it will not be "our" history as where the characters really are is a parallel universe!
As a member of Galaxy Quest, you are involved with three other characters dubbed the “Fearsome Four.” Would you elaborate on your character there, “Red Terror,” how she fits into those ancient roots of MACHA, and how you ended up writing about space-pirates in the future?
Oh Lordy! *grins* Well one can be fascinated with ancient history and still have an interest in the future (another one of my secret loves!). I was asked to write at GQ and after looking it over thought it would be great fun and it has been! The Fearsome Foursome have given me such a run! I have been brushing up on my SciFi knowledge whenever I have an opportunity. The character "Red" is Irish so I have almost come full round from the ancient "Macha" to the future "Red". If one reads both, they will find that they are very similar in many respects.
Great! So, how did you happen on PAN HISTORIA? I know you write poetry regularly, and posted many of your original works here on PAN before the crash. Does writing poetry influence the way you write your characters within a storyline?
I think in many ways it does...it is like music; to me my poems are always "lyrics" and as such they tell a story and the story is the whole of what writers do!
Knowing your love of history and all things ancient, if you could meet any figure from the past, who would it be, and what would you want to talk about?
*slaps head* Only one? I could not answer that, though I would love to meet and talk with Winston Churchill. My Gawd the man was...well a person who was meant for his times! I would ask about his upbringing, his American mother and how it was for him when he grew up. I would really like to have been a fly on the wall when the Brits had Ultra and how they decided what to do with the information they had at the time. I would of course like to have been able to meet and talk to the real Brian Boru and even before that, to have been able to walk amongst the Celts in their glory.
Okay, one last question. What do you feel are your greatest accomplishments thus far in life, and what goals are still out there waiting to be explored and conquered?
My greatest accomplishment is my child, she is a joy to me, and a gift from God, and second, are my students. What I would like to do with is left of my life is simple, to be the best that I can be, to love unquestioningly, to seek knowledge and if the fates be with me to finally get my book published! But if I cannot see all of what I wish, then I would simply ask to be able to honor my parents (both have passed away) and to give back to the world like they did. Thank you all here at Pan, and thank you for making me feel welcome and for this great Honor!
