In Out of the Shadows, I introduce a secret group of humans called the Gladius Incendia (also called “Gladdies”). Gladdy members know cherubians and mornachts exist and are doing their best on Earth to help Elysia‘s cause. I will discuss more about them in a separate post. In the story, Tom meets Matt, Anna, and Coones, who quickly become his friends outside the Naval Academy.  I wanted my Gladdies members to have distinct, intense personalities. This is especially true of Matt’s perfectionist sister, Anna. Anna is a bit OCD about things:

[Anna] pulled a steno notebook out of her apron pocket. “I need my flare pen.” She looked back and forth at the computer desk and frowned.

Coones held a blue ball-point pen in front of her nose, flicking it back and forth.

Anna pushed Coones’ hand aside, barely looking at him, and opened a drawer in the back.

“You’ll have to excuse her,” said Matt. “She’s got a few bugs in her system that we haven’t fully deprogrammed.”

Anna pulled an economy size box of twenty flare pens out of the drawer, grabbed one, and returned. She sat down next to Tom and started writing.

–From The Elysian Chronicles: Out of the Shadows Chapter 27: No Longer Alone

Where on earth could I have come up with this idea? Um…. Uh….

Have you seen the amount of Pilot G2 Retractable Premium Gel Ink Roller Ball Pens I keep on my desk? Probably fifteen, just in case a few run out. And I have them in three colors: Blue (for everything), Red (for editing), and purple (because purple is awesome). I refuse to write with anything else, and I hide my pens at work. It’s logical actually. I have horrific handwriting. Ball point pens make write too quickly. Pilot G2’s slow me down and make it somewhat legible.

I wrote Out of the Shadows before my Pilot G2 addiction, however. Back then,  I was addicted to flare pens because I could read my notes in the theater for my Final Cut in Movies show. Hence, Anna’s flare pen addiction.

Be sure to click here for more Elysian Chronicles Fun Facts!

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Fantasy, steampunk, and paranormal novelist M. B. Weston is the author of The Elysian Chronicles, a fantasy series about guardian angel warfare and treason. Weston is also the hose of The Final Cut In Movies radio show that airs on TMV Cafe Monday nights at 8:00 EST. For more information on M. B. Weston, visit www.mbweston.com. To receive notification of M. B. Weston’s book releases click here to subscribe to Dark Oak Press & Media’s e-newsletter.