Character Interview: Lexi Christensen, from Sally Chambers’ “The Stonekeepers” w/Giveaway

Welcome, readers! The other day, I had a golden opportunity to lure Lexi Christensen–the lead character in THE STONEKEEPERS–away from Sally’s office to ask her a few personal questions while Sally was away.  Shhh…don’t tell Sally, okay?



 

Hi, Lexi, thanks for coming over. To get started, tell me the most interesting thing about you.

Hello, Mrs. Phifer! Thank you for inviting me to visit with you and share a little about myself and of what’s happened in my life lately.

You asked what the most interesting thing about me is?

Well, right now my creator is kicking me under the table. ☺ She knows I’m bursting to tell you something that would be a spoiler for readers. So I’ll back off a little and tell you that I think my middle name is the most interesting thing about me (among a half-a-dozen other things she tells me are off limits!) Usually one spells Evangeline like this. Not my middle name. Mine is spelled Evengeline, and     E-ven means stone in Hebrew. I never paid much attention to it until recently when its Hebrew meaning was shown to me. In that moment, it became crystal clear how important stones are in my life.

Q. Your creator? You mean Sally found us out, after all? Oh, well, just shows what a close watch she keeps over you! Anyway, let’s continue. What’s your most favorite thing to do for fun?

Mmm—not an easy question—too many favorite things to choose from. Okay if I tell you about two favorites? I love being outdoors and I love horses, so when there’s time, horseback riding on the beach with my two best friends is the best! But one other favorite fun thing my best friend, Jenni, and I do is help with and read to kindergarteners and first graders once a week. They are totally adorable!

Q. What do you put off doing because you dread it?

Ever try to coax a stubborn 70 pound dog into a tub? I dread that scene! My dog has a paranoid aversion to water—but not just any water. He’s fine with the ocean, ponds, sprinklers, hoses, faucets, even swimming pools, but just mention the word bath and he’s on his back, whining for mercy, or halfway under my bed, probably thinking I can’t see him. He just hates getting a bath. But guess who stands still as a statue, loving it when the hair dryer flips on? The old guy’s a conundrum! ☺

Q. I know you are still very young, but…what are you most afraid of?

Age is a state of mind for me—I feel at least 25 after all that’s happened so far this summer. I used to be pretty fearless. Now I suppose I’m most afraid of being in a crowd of noisy, pushy people. It’s a recent fear. I was at Boston’s Logan International Airport, and what should have been an uneventful boarding ended up terrifying instead. Keeping really busy is helping me work through it, and a few other borderline traumatic things I’ve had to confront.

Q. What do you want out of life? How do you envision your future?

Finishing college is primary. Career, marriage, children—and I’m not worried about in what order they occur. I know my life is in God’s hands and it will happen in His perfect timing.

I’m going for a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science—focus on Computer Science. Since it looks as if I’ll be staying in Nantucket after college, I’ve decided to take Dad up on his offer to shadow him as he runs his company, sort of become his protégé. Who knows where that might lead? And all along the way, I pray I’ll make a difference in others’ lives.

Q. Name something that is the most important to you.

My relationships—with God, family and friends. They never walked away when I went through the most tumultuous few weeks of my life. They helped when they could and when they couldn’t they encouraged, supported, and loved me through it. I’ve found that there’s nothing, no one, in this world more valuable and irreplaceable than family and friends.

And I’m thankful for a deep, abiding, knowing, that God will never leave nor forsake me. He’s proved it over and over—like when I’d wake up panicked at choices I faced, as well as when I looked into the ugly blackness of mortal danger aimed in my direction.

Q. Do you read books? If so, what is your favorite type of book?

Yes, I love to read—always have. I grew up reading richly illustrated children’s books and wandered through the classics. I love reading anything that inspires, uplifts, stretches, or challenges me, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, including suspense, mystery, adventure, intrigue, historical, and creative nonfiction. One author I like, Tom Clancy, challenged me in his first book with learning the anatomy of a submarine—just one of the types of books I enjoy. ☺

Q. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’d be much less of a perfectionist, which would make me more patient and understanding with others and with myself. (And I could reel off all the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23 right here!) My two best friends, Jenni and Ridge seem to always be running late and it drives me crazy!

Q. I know you have a dog that is precious to you. Tell me about him.

My McDuffy McGillicuddy McFee? I’d love to! We call him Gilly. He’s a gorgeous golden retriever with chestnut eyes. Hard for me to remember, but on my third birthday, Mom and Dad tell me he was one lively puppy when he was delivered in a big wicker basket. I’ll share a little scene from my story with you. He was in my bedroom while I was deciding what to take with me to college and I stooped to stroke his silky fur, thinking about him. My throat got tight and my eyes blurred with tears. Dogs should have a place in dorms. “I’m going to miss you so much, old guy,” I said to him. But my tears turned to laughter when his rough tongue started swiping away at my salty, wet cheeks. Love that dog!

He’s a dear old man now, and it’s a wonder he’s still alive after . . . well, that’s another scene for another day. ☺

Q. You had a wonderful–but dangerous–opportunity to go to modern-day Israel. Have you ever thought you’d like to time-travel back to ancient Israel?

You must have been looking around in my dreams! Yes. I have wondered about what it would be like to be in ancient Israel. But I‘d like to drop into the days when Jerusalem was besieged by Babylon’s king, Nebuchadnezzar and the Lord allowed two kinds of treasures to be taken from the city.

The first of the treasures that were taken were some of the articles of the house of God, the temple. I want to see what those things were. Were they some of the gold and silver? Or maybe the even the Ark of the Covenant?

And then the second of the treasures that were taken were “some of the children of Israel,” in particular, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Our children are our national treasure and these young men were Israel’s. I want to see how these four young men, exceptionally “good-looking, wise, knowledgeable and quick to understand, with the abilities to serve and teach language and literature,” reacted when they were first found, tested, and chosen by the marauding Babylonians.

And then—many generations later, I’d like to join the shepherds on the hillside near Bethlehem, hear the Good News from the lips of angels, and, with them, kneel beside Mary to praise God and touch the soft, precious hands that saved me. I want to run with them into Egypt, watch Jesus as he learned carpentry from his dad in Nazareth, and stand beside Him in awe at His first miracle of water into wine at a Cana wedding.

Those were all fun questions to answer! Thanks again for inviting me to share with your Whispers in Purple blog readers, Mrs. Phifer!

My pleasure! Thank you so much, Lexi, for sneaking away to help me out. Though I guess we weren’t as clever as we thought, huh?

  ~ ~ ~   ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~

GNow, about that giveaway mentioned above: GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Lexi and Sally are offering to give away TWO copies of THE STONEKEEPERS: one paperback (sorry, Lower 48 states only) AND one eBook copy, (KINDLE version only) to give our International readers a chance to win. All you need to do is leave a comment below with your email information so we can contact you if you win. To keep the ‘bots’ from stealing your email, disguise it. E.G: zippity [at] doodah [dot] com. Easy. Also be sure to tell us where you live (US or other) as there will be two (2) drawings.

Giveaway will run for two weeks, ending Tuesday, July 28, at Midnight Central Time.

Don’t have a Kindle? Amazon offers a free Kindle App you can download for your PC, MAC, or other Android tablet. Just go to: http://tinyurl.com/ojud254

Extra Incentive: Be sure to check out  the two previous posts about this book: Sneak Peek, and What Floats Sally's Boat? and come back here and mention something from BOTH posts in the comment section and you will receive a second entry in the drawing. Invite a friend to visit and comment, have them mention you sent them. Your friend will get an entry, and you will get a THIRD entry. How ‘bout that?

TWEETABLES:

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