Character Q&A: Basil Stark of Misha Handman's SHADOW STITCHER

Character Interview Day! Today's guest is Basil Stark from inside the pages of SHADOW STITCHER by Misha Handman.  It is a pleasure to have him with us at The Literary Nook!

What is your name?

Basil Stark. A few people call me “Gentleman Starkey”, but only if they’re trying to upset me.

What do you look like?

I liked to think that I look like a man who’s lived a good life. A friend once told me that I looked like ‘a ragged sharp-nosed Humphrey Bogart wannabe.’ I take it as a compliment.

Where are you today and what are you doing?

I’m following up on some leads for my latest investigation. I expect it’s going to involve going down to Marooner’s Bay to chat with a pair of suspicious mermaids, which I am not looking forward to because they inevitably try to drown me.

Describe the outside of your home.

I’m fortunate enough to have been allowed to build a home on Piccadilly territory, so it’s fairly standard for the area – slat sides, low roof, a small vegetable garden that, if I’m being honest, is mainly tended by some well-meaning neighbors, and a good community around me. 

You come face to face with your worst enemy. How do you react?

Resignation, followed by terror, followed by death. If I ever have to face the Pan again, I doubt I’ll survive the experience. Fortunately, he’s long since gone from the island.

At least, everyone keeps telling me that.

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

In my line of work, I’m up more nights than mornings, so I’ve become a night owl over time.

A police officer stops you for a minor violation. What violation is that and how do you react?

Now that is a difficult one. I’m stopped for a lot of minor violations. It’s probably trespassing, though. I usually try to keep my cool, but one way or another it generally means a night in jail. The Commissioner quite likes having an excuse to lock me up for a bit, just to annoy me.

What is your favorite piece of clothing?

My old World War I greatcoat. I think it makes me look fairly dashing.

Do you have any phobias? What are they and how intense are they? How have they impacted your life?

I was afraid of swimming for a very long time, after a very bad day. I’ve mostly pushed through it, now, but it gives me the shivers from time to time. 

Open your wallet, purse, or briefcase. What do you find?

My wallet has a few bills of various denominations, a pair of business cards in case I need to give someone contact information, and a small matchbook. I don’t smoke, mind you, but enough people do, and it’s always nice to have a source of fire to scare off monstrous things.

You move into a new home. What's the first thing you buy for it?

A set of good locks.

How do you feel about mortality?

All too used to it, but I’m not quite looking forward to it.

What scares you?

Failure.

Oh, I’m not exactly calm when I’m in a deadly situation, but I can work through that. It’s failing others that I really don’t care for.

How would your parents describe you?

Hah. They would have said that I was a disappointment, if they ever bothered to mention me at all. Haven’t seen them since I was barely more than a child, and good riddance.

What’s the last thing you do before you go to bed at night?

Clean my pistol, make sure it isn’t loaded, and put it by the bed.

Who is your best friend?

Probably Niall. He’s a researcher at Second Star, and we’ve had a long and complex life together. There are people that I’m closer to, but they’re all family.

Who is your worst enemy?

Whoever is currently trying to kill me.

Are you faith-oriented?

Not particularly.

Are you married or in a relationship?

Definitely not. Did Plum put you up to that question?

Do you have children?

… next question, please.

Where is your favorite hangout?

Oh, it would have to be

You are at the zoo. What is your favorite animal?

When I was younger it was tigers, but they keep trying to eat me, so the shine has gone off. These days? I honestly just have a soft spot for penguins. They’re quite determined out of their element, and so graceful within it. It’s good to see.

You just woke up to find that war has been declared. What’s the first thing you would do?

I try not to drink unless things are pretty bad. I think that qualifies.

When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Independent.

If there was one thing you could change about yourself, what would that be?

I’ve spent many years trying develop a sense of hope. I’m not quite there. I would very much like to be, though.

 

 

About the Book  

 

Basil Stark isn’t the man he once was. A reformed pirate and private detective, he walks the line between criminal and hero, living in the corners of what was once the island of Neverland, its magic slowly fading into the new world of the 1950s.

When a routine missing-persons case turns into a murder investigation, Basil finds himself pulled into a tale of organized crime, murder, unstitched shadows and dangerous espionage. With only a handful of fellow outcasts and a stubborn determination to bring a killer to justice, will he survive the many people who want him dead?

ORDER YOUR COPY

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1770531998/
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadow-stitcher-misha-handman/1132633222

 

About the Author 

Born on Vancouver Island, Canada, Misha Handman spent his early life immersed in the arts, with one parent a teacher and the other a manager of theatre and opera. Moving across the country to Ottawa, and then Toronto, he began writing at a young age – first writing comics and designing card games for his closest friends and then, buoyed by their approval, gradually expanding out to submissions to magazines and short story collections, and graduating from the University of Toronto with a classic English degree.
Misha has always believed in the importance of entertainment to our health and well-being. He is also interested in our shared fictional history, working in game design to develop collaborative games and story-driven experiences and exploring the new worlds that we are sharing. His fascination with these things led to the development of his first novel, Shadow Stitcher, as an exploration of the English classic “Peter Pan.”
When not writing, Misha spends his time in Victoria, Canada, working as a professional fundraiser for charities – a job he describes as “helping people to help people.” He continues to work on game design on the side, and is always excited to see the myriad ways that people approach story construction and creation, both as a voracious reader of genre fiction and a dedicated player of games.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: www.mishahandman.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/frivyeti
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmhandman/