Celeste Asher

Linnae Klutchko
6 days ago
5 min read

November Character Interview

Patricia Parrington ~ November 15, 2025

Hello my lovely readers and fellow book-lovers! For those of you who are new here, I, your art-loving host Patricia Parrington, have the pleasure of interviewing characters from books all over the world.

Today we have here with us Celeste Asher from the middle grade novel Squeak by D. A. Power. Power is a magical realism and low fantasy author from Missouri. She is currently writing The Asher Chronicles which is named after the main character, Celeste Asher, who is chronicling these adventures as an adult.

Meet Celeste

Welcome to Fable Features!

[Patricia brushes some hair out of her face, and she sits on an orange suede couch as she smiles at her guest.]

[Celeste quietly sits down in front of the interviewer, shyly looking at her surroundings. Her hand goes to her hair and winds a lock of it around her finger.]

So! What’s a typical day look like for you?

I get up and go to school. I come home and read, draw, do homework.

[Celeste suddenly gets quiet again, tugging her hair nervously. She doesn’t want to tell the interviewer about Briz, the mouse who talks to her.]

I hang out with my friends. Then, if I have time, I do target practice with my slingshot. I’m currently learning how to hit moving targets.

[Patricia leans forward.]

A slingshot? That’s so cool! How’d you get into that?

[Celeste smiles.]

My grandpa taught me after I got attacked by some girls on the playground and they beat me up because they thought I was weird and had ruined field day because I suck at running and P.E. But also, one of them was in my dance class and was still sore about the fact I kinda singlehandedly ruined the recital and stole her glory—she was the best dancer in the class. So Pa—that's what I call him—decided to teach me, I guess to give me something I could do, but also carry it with me if I ever needed it for protection.

That’s awful you were bullied! That’s just not right. I love that your pa taught you how to defend yourself, though. That can come in handy.

[Patricia mimes using a slingshot and grins.]

[Celeste grins back at this.]

What are you passionate about? What fires you up?

[Celeste’s turquoise eyes light up.]

I'm very passionate about art, books, and music. I love to draw and read, and one day I want to write and illustrate my own books and for others. I also like to sing, but never by myself in front of other people.

[She looks horrified by this thought.]

[Patricia nods emphatically in agreement.]

You’d never catch me at karaoke, that’s for sure. That’s awesome you love art, books, and music! I do too. I think that’s super cool you want to write and illustrate books. Have you written anything recently? What do you like to write and draw about?

[Celeste answers,]

Well, I will draw just about anything, but I especially love drawing fantasy creatures. Animals. I was drawing a unicorn the day I rescued the mouse. I like to write stories. Recently, I had to write a short myth for my fifth-grade English project. I had to read it aloud too. I was so nervous. Also, my friends and I like to play D&D. I drew pictures of each of them in their character outfits with their weapons and gave the pictures to them. Then I drew a group pic of us together and gave them copies as well.

[She reaches inside a trapper keeper she brought with her and pulls out the drawing.]

[Patricia claps her hands together.]

You are so talented! This looks amazing.

Do you have any pets or a pet you would like to have?

[Celeste gets quiet again, tugging her hair nervously.]

No pets.

[Briz would scoff at the notion of being her “pet.”]

[Patricia looks at her curiously, noticing the hesitation, but doesn’t persist.]

What’s the strangest way you met one of your friends?

[Celeste hesitates, then says cautiously,]

My friend was being bullied by some boys. They were kicking her and laughing. I stopped them, even though I was scared. We became best friends after that.

I would’ve been scared too! That’s awesome that you stood up for her. Not many will do that.

When was the last time you cried?

When I had to say goodbye to my best friend.

[Patricia’s forehead crinkles and her brows furrow.]

Oh no! What happened? Why did you have to say goodbye?

[Celeste hesitates for a moment, then answers sadly,]

It’s hard to talk about, actually, but . . . she had to . . . move.

I’m so sorry. That sounds really hard.

[Patricia falls quiet for a moment.]

It’s not easy saying goodbye to people close to you.

[She pushes some hair back behind her ear.]

Let’s do a question that’s a bit more lighthearted: If you had to choose between being gifted a baby cow, baby goat, or baby duck, which would you choose?

I think a baby goat would be adorable.

Right! I completely agree.

[Patricia cocks her head.]

Do you have anything that is just too sentimental to give up or change?

When I was little, I had an embarrassing dance recital. The one I told you about earlier. It was so awful I ran off the stage, crying. Later, this little boy presented me with a red carnation, just to cheer me up, but I never found out who he was; he was hidden behind his mother. I guess he was shy. I’ve kept that carnation ever since.

That was so kind of him! I hope you find out who it was.

Hmm, looks like we are at our last question.

[Patricia taps her chin, thinking.]

If you could give younger you one piece of advice, what would you say?

[Celeste gets a wistful look on her face as she says,]

You are braver than you think, stronger than you know.

Great advice. And something that’s applicable to many people, I think.

[Patricia smiles at Celeste.]

Thank you so much for coming here today. It was wonderful meeting you!

End of interview.

Want to Read More?

You can read more about Celeste and support her author, D. A. Power, here. Happy reading!

Cover, illustrations, and character art created by Sydni Nasada.

Celeste's drawing mentioned in the interview!

See Ya Next Time

Aaand that's all the time we have today. Thank you, readers, for coming. And thank you, Celeste, for letting us get to know you! See y'all next time.

If you would like to submit a character to be interviewed for a future issue of Fable Features, please send an email to linnae.writer@gmail.com with the subject line: Fable Features.

Please note that erotica and content with excessive vulgar language will not be accepted.

If you have questions you'd like Patricia Parrington to ask in a future interview, please submit them to linnae.writer@gmail.com with the subject line: Interview Questions.