Meet the character: SOLIS

Outlaw. Thief. Bandit of the Western Woods. These are the unwanted titles Solis has carried all her life. As a child, she was abandoned in the ancient forest, but it was not the woods that threatened her chances of survival. It was the bounty hunters who sought to capture her, each one yearning for a different reward. Being hunted wasn’t new to Solis … but what each hunter wanted Solis never could have guessed. For the gold of the sun can be spent a thousand different ways.

About the Character: Solis

Pronunciation: Sol-is

City of Residence: Theatis, Corlan

Kingdom of Origin: Corlan

Status: Outlaw

Keep reading for a Q&A with the author of We Outlawed Bloodlines, Vic Massey.

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Why did you choose Solis as your MC for We Outlawed Bloodlines?

For me, Solis was someone I could relate to at certain times. Of course she's her own character, but there are bits of myself in her. When it comes to the weapons we give our characters, I know many authors write their MCs as archers, and Solis is no different. Her weapons of choice are arrows and knives, because those are the weapons I would have chosen in a fantasy world. Like Solis, I don’t prefer a sword or a shield as my weapon of choice when it comes to practicality. So I not only gave Solis skills in archery, but also the lens in which I see the natural world. I wanted Solis to have a deep respect and love for the forest. We all live in a busy reality, but sometimes slowing down and taking in what's around you is more than necessary.

But that's not why I chose Solis as my MC specifically.

In fact, there were many reasons. One of those reasons I talked about in my first blog post, "HOW W.O.B. BEGAN." You can read that blog post here, where I explained how I first started writing We Outlawed Bloodlines and how Solis and her family of outlaws came to be.

Though I feel the answer you really want is why Solis over any of the other characters? Why her story? Well, I won't spoil anything, but We Outlawed Bloodlines is only the beginning of Solis's journey alongside her newfound family. Solis is on a path to greatness and sorrow, and becomes the sought-after prize of many powerful people who have been plotting for decades. And while I can't wait to give you the entire series, and more, I have to write it first. By the end of the first book, I do hope the reader will have questions about all that's at stake for Solis and her friends. Especially, when Solis doesn't even understand herself.

Can you tell us a little bit about Solis and her world? Where does she live? What does her daily life look like?

Solis is twenty years old at the start of chapter one. She lives and hunts in the western woods, which is a small part of the ancient forest that spreads between three kingdoms: Corlan, Wervenire, and Freigh. The western woods (along with the north and south) surround the Capital City of Theatis, in the kingdom of Corlan. Occasionally, Solis will wait along hidden roads to steal from highborn merchants when there is no game to hunt and sell. A little like Robin Hood and his morally grey outline. Corlan, the origin kingdom that housed the element of earth and those who could wield it, is beyond wealthy in precious metals, lumber, ore, and skilled warriors. Many elves have become Guards of the Capital, patrolling city streets to keep them safe from outlaws and thieves sneaking through the gutters. The cover of night—even when the cloudless sky is full of shining stars and clusters of dust, alongside two moons with light that hardly ever dims—is always safer than the day for people like Solis, who is no stranger to shadows. 

This is Solis's world. The forest. The night. The city of Theatis. Survival amongst outlaws. Yet no other outlaw, dead or alive, is worth what Solis is to the Royal House of Corlan alive. Because of this, Solis doesn't stray from the forest unless she has to. With a few knives and handmade arrows at her side, Solis hunts, gathers food and materials, collects water bucket by bucket from nearby streams to cook and to clean, and comes back to the home she built on her own over the last fourteen years of her life. Solis has no one, and her trust is broken because of this. And as to her living situation … you'll have to read the story to learn where exactly in the forest Solis lives, for she would never mark it on a map.

Did you discover Solis's personality through writing? Or did you always know how Solis would act and think?

I'd say that's a combination of both. Right away, I knew Solis would be protective of herself, secretly wishing for companionship and family more than anything else. Bounty hunters have been a problem all her life, which hasn't made trusting people easy. To the outside world, Solis presents herself with a brave and cunning smile. An outlaw who holds her chin high and stands her ground.

This is a true part of Solis's personality.

I always knew Solis would struggle with her reality after being alone for so long. Failing to face the demons and trauma she's survived, Solis battles with her self-esteem, allowing herself to be happy, and opening up to others. She's never been close to anyone who hasn’t left her in some way. She longs for connection, but her lack of trust gets in the way. This is where outlaw #2, Paxem Auro, comes in as the first member of Solis’s newfound family.

However, the reason I answered “a bit of both” in the first sentence is because I've discovered my characters will often “speak up” with opinions of their own as I'm writing. This happens quite a bit when I bounce between POVs so frequently. Each character has a voice of their own, and sometimes their personality doesn’t fit with the plot I originally planned out. (Don't get me started on the number of scrapped scenes!) It's almost automatic for me as an author: I introduce a problem or scene, and I know exactly how each character would react. With Solis, she's smart and intuitive. She's always thinking ahead and won't leap into action without somewhat of a plan or idea. Survival has always been her greatest priority, and survival requires wits. She knows how to get out of a situation, which can influence her actions and thoughts, whether Solis knows it or not.

So, yes and no. I knew who Solis was at the start of writing We Outlawed Bloodlines, but sometimes, in certain scenes, the personality she developed did surprise me. But, and I’m sure every author says this, she’s the perfect main character for everything I have planned for this series. I don’t know how many books there are going to be yet, but We Outlawed Bloodlines is only the first.

Would you say Solis is a flawed character?

Yes! What character isn't? Nearly every character in We Outlawed Bloodlines is flawed in some way.

Solis struggles with her self-worth and trusting others.

Paxem struggles with his powerlessness to stop the chaos happening to the people he loves.

Ezek's willingness to do anything for those he cares about always gets him hurt.

Concordia struggles with addiction and doesn't quite care to fix it.

Ira's arrogance constantly hurts those around him, which indirectly hurts himself.

And Demerrea's naïve thinking lands her in more trouble than she knows how to navigate.

All my characters are flawed, and we’ll be getting to the rest of them soon (and I can’t wait to introduce them to you). When it comes to flaws, you can either let them define you or use them to make yourself stronger. In my opinion, it all comes down to the mindset of the character and where they are at certain parts in the story. In life, we learn and we grow, or we stay where we are. Our lives are messy and never straightforward. The real world is an endless game of moving parts: different opinions and personalities clashing for better and for worse. In a game of chess, there are always unmoved pieces still in play that must be considered. Characters and plots in a story are no different. The only difference is in the eyes of the character. And through Solis's eyes, you'll come to find she's as strong as she believes she isn't. 

Does Solis's name mean anything special?

Maybe.

You'll have to read the book to find out.

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Stick around for more posts about Solis's newfound family: Paxem, Ezek, Concordia, Ira, and Demerrea.

WE OUTLAWED BLOODLINES

An Epic Fantasy Novel Coming Soon

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