Character Interview: Robbie from The Basement

Hi everyone and welcome to my blog! My first novel The Basement is doing okay as far as sales! I want to thank all my fans and followers because without you guys this would not be possible. I also wanted to share my new book trailer (above). International Book Promo did a great job putting it together for me and I’m proud to show it off. I love it! I hope you do too!

Today, I am going to interview a significant person in my life. I’ve come to know him very well.

I speak of a young boy who goes by the name of Robbie. He is the main character in The Basement: Robbie’s Rite of Passage. Some of you have already gotten to know him quite well, others are in the process of getting to know him, but there are still many that have never heard of him.

Whether you’ve read The Basement already or have not had the chance to yet, Robbie is a boy worth getting to know, and this interview will reveal things that I don’t even know. So there will be surprises even for me.

I expect Robbie will be here at any moment.

(The sudden resonating echo of knuckles rapping on a door.)

Oh! That must be Robbie now.

(The clicking of high heels resound on the floor as Vashti, who dressed up for the occasion, walks to the door and opens it.)

Robbie’s here! I’m trembling with excitement. He is a handsome boy with eyes that reflect wisdom beyond his eleven years, along with a bit of sorrow. He has a dulcet smile. I can tell he’s nervous because he’s tugging on his checkered shirt, and his big brown eyes have not yet settled on one spot. Hmmm, I think we should get started before he changes his mind.

Robbie

Vashti: Hi Robbie, how are you?

Robbie: Great!

 

 

Vashti: Lets have a seat and get comfortable so that we may start.

Robbie: Okay. (He looks around and sits with his hands together, rubbing them slightly.)

 

 

Vashti: Robbie, are you nervous?

Robbie: Um, yeah! (He giggles.)

 

 

Vashti: Well, don’t be nervous. I’m just going to ask you a few questions, and I want you to be as honest as possible with your answers. Your fans want to get to know you better. What do you think about that?

Robbie: That’s really cool.

 

 

Vashti: Who brought you to the interview?

Robbie: My mom.

 

 

Vashti: Oh, good! I’d like to meet her.

Robbie: I’m pretty sure she wants to meet you, too. You should go talk to her after this.

 

 

Vashti: I will certainly do that, Robbie. Now, lets get started.

(Robbie swallows hard and fidgets around a bit.)

 

 

Vashti: Robbie, do you enjoy school?

Robbie: Sometimes…um most of the times.

 

 

Vashti: When do you not enjoy school?

Robbie: Ah, there are, um, kids that pick on me sometimes.

 

 

Vashti: Why do they pick on you?

Robbie: I don’t know. I guess because I’m smaller than they are, and like, I get good grades and they don’t.

 

 

Vashti: Yes, you are an honor student. Your parents must be very proud.

Robbie: My mom is. (He lowers his head.)

 

 

Vashti: Your mom? How about your dad?

Robbie: (He shakes his head.) He doesn’t care. He’d rather I be an athlete like he was before he hurt his knee. He thinks I’m a wimp. I guess I am.

 

 

Vashti: Why, because you don’t play sports? That does not make you a wimp!

Robbie: My dad sure thinks so. He doesn’t care that I get straight A’s. My mom does care and we celebrate, just the two of us, on report card day.

 

 

Vashti: That’s very nice. How do you and your mom celebrate?

Robbie: We go to a bookstore in our neighborhood, and I get to pick out any book I want, and then we go for ice cream! (His face lights up.)

 

 

Vashti: That sounds like fun.

Robbie: It is.

 

 

Vashti: Robbie, do you think your father loves you?

Robbie: (His eyes fall to the ground, and he slumps a bit.) I guess he has to because he’s my dad, but he doesn’t like me. He wishes Nathan, Nestor or even Freddie were his son instead of me, I’m sure.

 

 

Vashti: Tell us — who are these people you mentioned?

Robbie: Oh! Nathan is one of my best friends, and he’s a very nice guy. We know Nestor from church. He’s a youth leader. All the kids look up to him. We call Freddie Spiderman because he’s the strongest teen in the neighborhood, and he does “Daredevil” stuff that no one else dares to do.

 

 

Vashti: What makes you think your father would rather have one of them as his son instead of you?

Robbie: My dad doesn’t yell at them or call them names like he does me. He puts his arm around them and pats them on the back when they do something that pleases him. I guess I never make him happy because he never does that to me.

 

 

Vashti: Tell me about Natasha.

Robbie: (He turns beet red and giggles.) What do you want to know about her?

 

 

Vashti: What is she like?

Robbie: She’s the most beautiful girl I know. She’s really smart, and she’s athletic too. She always beats me in a race. She and Barney are my very best friends. (Big grin.)

 

 

Vashti: Tell me about Barney. Do you think your father would want him as a son?

Robbie: Nah! Barney is too much like me. He’s a nerd, too! (He giggles.)

 

 

Vashti: Robbie, I’ve heard some disturbing news about something your father wants you to do. Could you tell me about that?

Robbie: Um. He… he wants me to go down to our basement at night. He thinks that if I go down there in the dark and kill the mice that nest there, I will prove to him and the neighbors that I’m a real man.

 

 

Vashti: What? You’re only eleven years old!

Robbie: I know! I told him that, but he says I have to do it anyway.

 

 

Vashti: Will you do it? Will you go down to the basement? At night?

Robbie: I have to! If I don’t, my father will go on believing that I’m a wimp and a scaredy cat. He’ll continue to call me names and embarrass me in front of my friends. I have to do it!

 

 

Vashti: Have you ever been down to your basement before?

Robbie: No, but everyone knows that there are creatures living in that basement.

 

 

Vashti: Creatures? What kind of creatures?

Robbie: No one knows for sure, but Barney’s cousin saw one. It nearly killed him!

 

 

Vashti: That’s terrible! Surely your father doesn’t know about the creatures. Otherwise he wouldn’t be sending you down there.

Robbie: He’s heard the rumors, but he doesn’t believe them. Anyway, he’s too drunk to care whether it’s true or not. I guess tonight I will find out unless my dad changes his mind. (Robbie stares straight ahead and tugs on his shirtsleeves.)

 

 

Vashti: Okay! Well, that is the end of our interview. Thank you so much for stopping by, Robbie. It was a real pleasure having you. Oh, and tell your mom to wait for me a moment while I wrap this up.

Robbie: Thank you. Bye!

 

 

(Robbie smiles faintly and walks away.)

 

 

Oh, I’m sure his father will reconsider and not make him go down to that scary basement. If not, surely his mother will not allow it, right? Of course! Robbie will be alright. Won’t he?

The Basement’s main character Robbie

Robbie’s dulcet smile

 

** The Basement is temporarily unavailable for purchase due to issues with the Publisher. It will be available again late this year.

Bullied

Actor Joshua Rush

Hello! Welcome to my blog. My name is Vashti Quiroz-Vega, for those of you visiting for the first time. I am a writer of Fantasy, Suspense and Thrillers. I do, however, have a tendency to mix a little Romance, horror or humor (among other genres) into my stories.
I love art, creativity and beauty, and I know these come in many forms. In my quest to build my author platform, I have met and befriended a group of incredibly talented individuals. Writers, poets, artists and even singers who are masterful at what they do. I feel blessed to have found them, and I would be selfish if I kept the beauty, artistry and creativeness of their craft all to myself.
So for the next few weeks I will be featuring their art, writings and music along with my own work on this blog. I guarantee you will enjoy every bit of it.
In today’s post I will feature the poet and writer Adrianna Joleigh. She wrote the poem “Bullied” specifically for my novel The Basement. I am honored and grateful for it.

Bullied

Raped from prosperities
Bleeding tears rain
Hopelessness infuriates
Self-loathing remains

No reason to wake up
No reason to smile
No reason to feel
I am worthwhile.

Surrounded by hate,
And I don’t know why.
Wanting only to be loved.
Vulnerable to their lies.

Why am I not perfect?
Why am I not pretty?
Why am I too fat?
I Wallow in self-pity.

Repeated struggles
to end my misery.
Hating the image I see.
Who here would miss me?
—A. Joleigh

How A Bully Is Made

Bullying is a serious issue that is faced by many people. Bullies have existed since the beginning of time, as have the victims who have suffered from bullying. The age-old question is, What makes a bully act like a bully?

Do bullies really enjoy making another person miserable or causing them pain? What do they get out of striking fear in the heart of another? Are they inherently evil? You may be surprised by the answers to these questions.

Bullies do not fit into a neat little box. There’s no doubt that evil people live among us. There are those who relish the pain of others and take pleasure in causing distress or harm. However, most bullies are not monsters. So why do they act like monsters?

Bullies are often people who have been bullied or abused themselves, and they cast blame upon others for the bad things in their lives.

People who feel their home life is out of control and they’re not listened to or valued by their family may feel the need to hold positions of power. Such a person may become a boss and gain power by dominating his or her employees, operating on the principle that being feared is the way to gain respect.

A teenager who is constantly berated by a parent or older sibling may feel the need to do the same to others, just so he or she won’t feel like the only victim.

A child who is physically abused at home comes to view violence as normal.

Sometimes, there is no obvious explanation, except perhaps that the bully is a mean and cruel person who only feels good when causing others harm.

~Vashti Quiroz-Vega

Joshua Rush as Robbie

The Basement is available in amazon and Barnes & Nobles (iBooks, Kindle, Nook)

Robbie

Illustrated by Jessica-Art

Hi everyone! Welcome to my blog and thank you for taking the time to read my post. Today I am sharing a short excerpt from my novel “The Basement”. This snippet will give you a little insight on the main character Robbie and his father Robert. I hope you enjoy it. There is also a short poem written by Adrianna Joleigh written specifically for The Basement.

 

♥

Robbie’s Problem Parent

Excerpt from The Basement

 

Robbie’s dad, Robert, was a quiet, serious man with a rough exterior, which intimidated most of the neighborhood kids. Many had seen him lose his temper with his wife, his son, and even his neighbors on more than one occasion. It was never a pretty sight.
His eyes resembled two large, shiny, black pearls suspended in yellowing ice, bordered by bushy, black eyebrows. When he glared at you with those eyes, it was hard not to tremble.
Robbie was nothing like his father. He was an intelligent, sweet boy with delicate features. He was quiet and bashful except around his friends. He was a bit clumsy and awkward at times, which always made the kids laugh. Robbie was a self-conscious, timid and insecure boy perhaps because of the constant berating he suffered at the hands of his father. However, he was also good-natured, considerate, clever and courageous when he mostly needed to be. Although most of the kids in the neighborhood pitied Robbie, some poked fun at him.
His dad was very strict with him—sometimes downright ornery. At least it’s what most people in the neighborhood believed. Robbie was a small, fragile kid who had more in common with his wife’s genes than his own, and Robert didn’t like it. He didn’t appreciate that his kid was more brain than brawn and often belittled him. It seemed no matter what Robbie did to please his father, it was never enough. All of Robbie’s achievements in school—his straight As, awards, and honor roll certificates—weren’t appreciated by his barbarous father. Robert often got drunk on beers, and when he did he was obnoxious. He loved to pick on his son when he drank, which embarrassed and saddened Robbie and his friends.

Excerpt from THE BASEMENT

 

 

Unaccepted

Blood tears rain down his face.
His chest bloated with poisonous words.
His eyes pitch black and hollow,
Beaten by the mouths of cowards.

Sitting alone in dark shadows
Of the bullies who murdered his wit.
Stabbing his life one day at a time
‘til nothing’s left but an abysmal pit.

Fearing the presence of strangers.
Fearing the judgment they pass.
Fearing the abuse and lies that are fed
Into a child’s life that shall not last.

Desperate to make sense of the pain
Injected daily into his veins.
Killing any expectation he’s ever had
Without fervor, his aches remain.

Foolishly coming to you for acceptance
Into this world of yours.
Desperately clinging onto the niceties in life
Prospects vanish behind barred doors.
What is there in life worth living?
What is left but pain and degradation?
What does he have that’s worth giving?
What’s the point of surviving abomination?

–A. Joleigh

The Basement is available in paperback and ebook
(Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks)

“Within this entertaining and frightening tale is a good lesson to be learned.”

 Get The Basement on amazon.com