Character Interview: George Spanos from Eliot Baker's 'The Last Ancient'

We’re thrilled to have here today, George Spanos, from Eliot Baker’s supernatural thriller/mystery, The Last Ancient.  He is coming to us all the way from Nantucket and the great state of Massachusetts, by way of the Greek island, Ikaria.  It is a pleasure to have him with us today at The Literary Nook!

Thank you so for this interview, George.  Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?

I am much more funnier and handsomer than how Simon says, but every American knows: We must do what Simon says. Ha! Is joke! Simon says, ‘Make George handsome!’ But for serious, my little brother Simon is so good journalist I think he can do no wrong.  I call him little brother, but he is not real brother. I am just loving him like brother, ever since being his childhood bodyguard and teaching him to fight and chase girls and respect the gods. 

What do you believe is your strongest trait?

Besides my wine making? It is making pretty girls laugh until they go red in the lips. Ha! Sorry, sorry, I am joking, still. No, in really, my strongest—how you say, ‘trait?’—is my big heart. Old George has so much love in his heart I sometimes weep like old woman for how beautiful, how funny, how sad this whole world is.

Worst trait?

Well, sometimes I am so handsome that I break girls’ hearts. Is sad. I do not like hurting people. Unless they are bad people and I am paid to do be hurting them. Or if they want hurt Simon. Then I like hurting them very much! So I guess my worst trait is that I hurt people for living and for fun.

Do you have a love interest in the book?

Sadly, no, old George did not get loving in this book. Simon, the hero, sure did though—his very nice, beautiful, rich tennis champion fiancée and that really sexy reporter lady. Way to be going, little brother! Although it’s too bad that … well, better not say more.

At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?

Aye yai yai, I was nervous whole time, from first page. You see, I am joking much, to be keeping it light, but old George knows things. Scary things, dangerous things, and I don’t want nothing bad happening to my little brother. He is a prince—a king, I think!—but so serious, so skinny, not so strong in chest like big George, which is why I am keeping him alive so long. 

If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?

I won’t be nobody who tries to hurt my little brother, because all those back-stabbing alchemists and arms dealers and mercenaries and mutant beasts and demi-gods are stupid malakas. They will have to be going through me to hurt little brother, and I would not want to be making old George angry.

How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?

It is so sad. And so happy. Like Greek tragedy. The gods, they tell me things. I was knowing little pieces of what would happen. But I am just soldier. I don’t understand everything those wise men and tricky ancients whisper. I just hope Simon is happy, even though he’s... Him and… no! I say no more! You try to trick old George into spoiling ending! You are making old George very grumpy with your tricking. 

What words of wisdom would you give your author if he decided to write another book with you in it?

Give George some loving!

Thank you for this interview.  Will we be seeing more of you in the future?

I am just soldier. Am doing what the gods tell me. And now, they are telling me to be silent. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eliot Baker lives in Finland. He teaches communications at a local college and runs an editing and translating business, but would be content singing for his heavy metal band and writing novels full-time. He grew up near Seattle, got his B.A. in World Literature at Pitzer College, and got his M.S. in Science Journalism from Boston University. He was an award-winning journalist at the Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror, and before that he wrote for the Harvard Health Letters. He spent four years pursuing a career in the sciences while at the Harvard Extension School, during which time he spun old people in NASA-designed rocket chairs and kept younger people awake for 86 hours at a time in a sleep deprivation study. He likes good books, all music, and bad movies, and believes music and literature snobs just need a hug.

His latest book is the supernatural thriller/historical mystery, The Last Ancient.

Visit his blog at www.eliotbakerauthor.blogspot.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

 Around Nantucket Island, brutal crime scenes are peppered with ancient coins, found by the one man who can unlock their meaning. But what do the coins have to do with the crimes? Or the sudden disease epidemic? Even the creature? And who--or what--left them?

The answer leads reporter Simon Stephenson on a journey through ancient mythology, numismatics, and the occult. Not to mention his own past, which turns out to be even darker than he'd realized; his murdered father was a feared arms dealer, after all. Along the way, Simon battles panic attacks and a host of nasty characters -- some natural, others less so -- while his heiress fiancee goes bridezilla, and a gorgeous rival TV reporter conceals her own intentions.