Interviews From The Writer’s Desk: Database/Jenna Archer

Hullo, everyone! Here’s the interview you’ve all been waiting for!!! Thanks so much for being so wonderful! 😉 Check out Blaze’s interview, too, and if you’re new, check out the first part of Twinepathy here.

I’ll admit it – if I’ve ever been nervous about an interview… this is it. Blaze was pretty easy, but he was also very easy to talk to. Jen… well, I have a feeling it might be harder to pry answers out of her. After all, she’s the head of a top secret organization. She specializes in secrets… and she probably wants to keep them.

The door opens and in she walks – Database, head of IDIA and superhero. She’s tall, with shoulder-length wavy brown hair that has a few streaks of gold in it. She’s wearing black pants, a forest green shirt, and a brown leather jacket, which is somehow as intimidating as all black would be. She seems calmly confident, like she could handle anything anyone could throw at her. She gives me an encouraging smile and sits down in the chair without being instructed. “Ready whenever you are,” she states.

I nod awkwardly. “I’ll try not to ask anything that you wouldn’t want to answer, but feel free to refuse to answer any of them. A lot of the questions are submitted by fans, too…”

“I’ll do my best to answer them all,” she says with a smile.

I look at my computer. “What’s your real name, if you’re comfortable with sharing that?”

“Jenna Archer. Most people call me Jen now.”

A good start. “Do you have a family?”

Jen pauses, thinking. “That’s difficult to answer. In the biological sense, no. But I feel like a lot of the IDIA members are family. It’s like I have a lot of brothers and sisters. The kids are especially great.”

I nod. I’d ask about her family, but… too awkward. Besides, that’s a perfect lead in to the next question. “Who’s your closest friend?”

“I don’t really have one,” she admits. “I’m friends with all, but close to none. It’s not exactly what I would chose, but there’s no one in IDIA, or anywhere else, that I really identify with. I’m too different.”

“Who do you look up to?”

Jen hesitates. “No one in particular, I guess. I respect many people, but…” She shrugs. “No one in particular. Next?”

“Someone just told you they loved you. What is your reaction?”

She picks up a pen from my desk and fiddles with it, twirling it around her fingers. “It depends on how they mean it, I guess. My first reaction would be suspicion, no matter what, and if I found out they truly meant it… well, I’d go from there, depending on the situation.”

Not exactly the type of answer I was looking for, but we’ll move on. “How’d you get your powers?”

“I don’t really know.” Jen sets down the pen. “I’ve had them for as long as I can remember – which is pretty much my entire life, including my younger years – but since I never knew my parents, I don’t know how I got them. I was put up for adoption as a baby.”

She’s opening up more, that’s good. “Do you like being a superhero?”

“Yes, definitely,” Jen states with a tinge of a smile. “It makes life much more exciting.”

“How did you become part of IDIA?” I ask.

Jen grins. “A very good question with a very simple answer, unless you want lots of details. I created IDIA.”

I give her a surprised look. “You did?”

She nods. “I knew that many superheroes were living in fear, alone. IDIA was created to lessen the fear and create a sense of community, so people with powers could find others like themselves. There’s more, obviously, but that’s the original reason I created IDIA.”

I may have underestimated her. Not just head of a top-secret organization, but the creator, too! “Is there a different power you wished you had?”

“Not really. There are so many cool powers out there, but mine’s really unique. There are tons of telepaths, but I’ve never seen anyone with my power. I’ve learned to love and appreciate it, and I wouldn’t wish for anything else.”

That’s good. “If you could erase one memory, what would it be?”

Jen smiles. “I wouldn’t do it. If I took away even one memory, I might not be the person I am today. The past is what shapes us, and I wouldn’t change mine for the world.”

I smile. A perfect ending. “Thanks so much for coming today, Jen. I really appreciate it, and I’ve definitely enjoyed this.” And it wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be.”

Jen stands up. “Thank you for having me.” She leans across the desk and places a hand on my shoulder. “Call me if you ever need me. I’d love to come back again, too.”

“I might take you up on that,” I say with a grin.

There you go, friends! An interview with Jen! What do you think of her? Any speculations about her? Comment below with your thoughts… or someone else’s, whichever. 😉