Novela Elvare

March Character Interview

Patricia Parrington ~ March 16, 2026

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

Today, Novela Elvare is here with us from the adult mythic literary fantasy book Tales of the Wandering Scribe: Novela by Jay Owens. Jay lives in the Southern United States where he hones his craft, focusing on short story fiction and creative nonfiction articles and essays. His fiction, although it expands into multiple genres, tends to focus on characters and emotion-based realism.

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Meet Novela

[Cupping a mug of freshly brewed tea, Patricia settles on the orange suede couch across from her guest.]

Welcome to Fable Features! I’m excited to get to know you.

[She takes a sip of the tea and sets it down on the coffee table.]

Tell me—what’s a typical day look like for you?

[Novela takes a last bite of her sweet madeleine, sets the golden lined saucer on the table, and sinks gracefully into the plush chair.]

A typical day for me? Hmm, let’s see.

[She taps her fingers against her chin.]

Well a noblewoman’s day is never typical, and it is difficult to maintain a routine. But I do make it a point to visit my steeds each morning, before the demands of the house become unavoidable.

[She rolls her eyes.]

By the Gods, some days I just want to mount my dear Sacha and ride off into the Eastern Plains.

[She blinks and tilts her head.]

Oh yes, and I always read a few pages from The Writings of Thangelos Irivar before bed.

[She glances at Patricia, a hint of red blooming on her cheeks.]

[Patricia’s eyes dart to the blushing color in Novela’s cheeks and a small grin quirks her lips.]

I’d love to hear more about The Writings of Thangelos Irivar. What is it about?

You mean the book I read before bed? Well, the volume I have now is a collection of his early work, before he became a High Scribe in his guild. His new writings are placed in the Spiral Library as he completes them, such as mine the year prior.

[Her eyes drift upward.]

In fact, I do believe he is currently accompanying a master assassin. He couldn’t provide many details in his missive, for obvious reasons.

[She leans in and whispers.]

But I think I know who it is.

[She smiles and sits back into the chair, tapping her fingers on her knee.]

Wow, he sounds like such an extraordinary scribe! No wonder you like reading his writings.

Aside from reading, what are a few simple things that make your day better?

My dear Sacha, of course, is one of the things that always makes me smile. And anything to do with my lovely silk ribbons. My absolute favorite thing to do is sit inside the inner garden of the main estate, weaving the ribbons underneath the giant leaves of elephant ear.

That sounds like a lovely pastime!

What are your thoughts on lying?

[Novela scoffs, as if the very question offended her sensibilities.]Well, it’s abhorrent, of course!

[She leans forward, voice low.]

You can ask the exiled miscreant Daveed the Perfumer to understand how House Elvare handles a liar.

I think I can guess what happens!

[Patricia breaks the noblewoman’s intense stare and quickly changes the subject.]

What is your most treasured possession?

As a woman of House Elvare, you would expect me to proclaim it is my collection of silk ribbons. But it is not. Yes, I adore my ribbons and spend a lot of time weaving them. Yet my most treasured possession is a scroll of parchment given to me by the scribe Thangelos Irivar. He accompanied me on my trip to The Fair of Shadows. I employed him to record my story, but our journey became much more.

[Novela’s head drifts to the side as she speaks, her mind replaying the excitement of the fair, a smile curling upon her lips.]

Ah, the scribe again. He certainly sounds like a fascinating individual! I would treasure those adventures as well.

[Patricia tilts her head questioningly.]

Where is a place you would like to journey to with this scribe that you haven’t yet visited?

[A smile creeps across Novela’s face as she looks at her interviewer.]

I have thought about this very thing many times as I lay in bed reading his work. Our time together at the fair was a wonderful, magical time. We raced, danced, and talked among many other things.

[Her heart flutters as her cheeks grow flush. She takes a breath and continues,]

This makes me sound like a madwoman, but I would absolutely love to visit the haunted island of Murelie with him. Despite its many dangers, it is still a truly beautiful land. I would feel completely safe visiting with him, with my arm linked securely into his.

[The rosiness deepens upon her face.]

That does sound like a beautiful place to visit! And with this brave, talented scribe at your side, you wouldn’t have to worry about danger.

[Patricia taps her chin as she contemplates the next question.]

When was the last time you cried?

[Novela’s head slowly falls.]

I cried the week prior. One of our greyhounds wandered off the grounds. He came back rabid, seething at the mouth. The kennel master had the unfortunate task of putting him down. Despite my mother’s objections, I stayed to witness the dire process. That night, unable to sleep, I wished I had heeded her warnings.

I’m so sorry to hear that! It is such a difficult thing having to put down a pet.

[She hands a tissue to Novela.]

Let’s move on to a more lighthearted question.

If you could instantly become a master of any musical instrument, which one would you choose and why? 

[Novela exhales softly, her shoulders falling as she leans back into the chair.]

None of them, I suppose. I’ve never had the patience for instruments. My tutors tried, of course, but it felt like I was pretending to be someone else. Music is lovely to listen to, but learning it?

[She shakes her head.]

No, I would rather not. I choose to spend my time with my ribbons or in the garden or riding Sacha across the plains. Those things feel like me.

I love that answer! Music is indeed lovely but the learning of it just isn’t for everyone.

How do you want others to perceive you?

[Novela turns her head toward the picture window, focusing on a pair of goldcrests flittering around the outer gardens.]My word, I’ve never considered it.

[She watches the birds as they flutter out of view. Turning back to her interviewer she replies,]

I’m not sure. Nobility requires a certain etiquette that is difficult to explain to commoners. We possess an ingrained perception that is naturally assumed, so I’ve never needed to consider such a thing. It is a very intriguing question, however, and I will try to answer. [She glances around the interior of the study, as if the faces in the portraits would provide her clarity. After a few moments of contemplation she continues,]

I want the people of Aurevia to see me as more than just privileged noblewoman. I didn’t ask for this heritage, and I want people to see me as a woman of depth, someone they can relate to.

[Satisfied with her answer, she smiles and lifts her head, chin high.]

[Patricia smiles warmly.]

I think that is a very noble desire. Do you think attaining that perception from the people would be easy or difficult to do?

[Novela looks down at her madeleine, licks her bottom lip, and tosses the last bite in her mouth. She chews it quickly as she gathers her thoughts.]

The trip to Le Fiera delle Ombre with Angelo helped immensely. I was forced to interact with commoners that I would have never met otherwise. I gave a small child my ribbon. I confronted a dissident of House Elvare. I sat in the middle of a crowd as we watched the play. I realized then that relating to others comes naturally to me. But changing how people see a noblewoman? That is another matter entirely. Perception is a stubborn thing, especially when it comes to House Elvare.[She glances down at her leather flat shoes, her father’s voice echoing in her mind.]My father always warned me of that.

Perception is a stubborn thing, but it sounds like you have the skills and right desires to perhaps make a change.

[Patricia smiles warmly then moves on to the next question.]

What’s something—a memory or word of advice—you will never forget?

Oh, this is easy!

[Her face beams with a wide smile, her eyes sparkling.]

My father, Lord Cassius, is not the most affectionate man in Aurevia. He has many responsibilities outside of the house, and he communicates emotion through his words. Upon returning from a meeting in Corell, he ushered me into his planning room, sat me down as if I were a peer, looked me in the eyes and said, “Novela, listen to me as I say this. As a person of House Elvare, especially as a young woman, you must learn to understand that no one, I say no one is to be trusted.” That’s it. That’s all he said.

[She throws her hands up.]

He said it and simply walked out the room, leaving me there staring at the stone walls.

[Patricia leans forward, intrigued.]

How mysterious!

[Novela looks into Patricia’s eyes.]

And it didn’t take me long to discover the truth in his warning.

[Patricia nods, understanding the unspoken implications in Novela’s words.]

It is sad, isn’t it, that there are always people out there who mean harm?

[She glances at her wrist and blinks in surprise.]

Well! I hadn’t realized how fast time went by. Thank you so much for coming to my studio today, Novela! I enjoyed getting to know you and I hope you have many more amazing adventures with Thangelos Irivar.

End of interview.

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Want to Read More?

Novela’s author, Jay Owens, can be found on X/Twitter and Facebook. Tales of the Wandering Scribe: Novela isn't out yet, but you can follow its progress at Jay’s website, thewritingsofjayowens.wordpress.com.

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See Ya Next Time

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

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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.