The Temple of the Exploding Head

LADY SARAH OF BLANCHEFORT is the eldest daughter of Lady Poe of Blanchefort. She’s the cousin and best friend of Kay and joins him on his adventures, primarily in the second and third books in the Temple of the Exploding Head trilogy.

Sarah is the spitting image of her maternal grandmother, Countess Hermilane, right down to the blue hair and rather pugnacious temperament. Sarah is a notorious tom-boy, and often dresses like a boy, eschewing the fine Blanchefort gowns her mother wishes she’d wear. She is Gifted with the Gift of Sight, a usual Blanchefort Gift, and the Gift of Strength, which is unusual for a girl to receive. Her mother has forbidden her from powering up inside the castle due to past mayhems she has caused.

Sarah refuses to see any gentleman hoping to court her unless they first have a “cool-sounding” name. The Blancheforts had to issue a public apology to the House of Posie after Sarah refused to see their son, Houck.

She has a love of the lurid and the grotesque, and often seeks out “nasty” things to gawk at. Her favorite place is the “Mystery Library” located on the 50th floor of Xyotel Tower, which she shares with her twin brother, Phillip. There, Sarah maintains her collection of books and other materials on ghosts, demons, urban legends and other miscellaneous things. She is very meticulous and, as Kay often says, she would make a wonderful librarian. Her favorite “ghost” to chase is the Wraith of Gaston, an entity she is determined to uncover and confront.

Sarah is often said to be bull-headed, quick to judge, quick to get angry, loud-mouthed and opinionated in the extreme. To those she loves, she is loyal and dedicated, steadfast to the end. To those she does not know or dislikes, however, she is rude, rather boorish and, often-times, a vile bully. She has a running feud going with Kay’s sister, Lady Kilos, and often calls her Tez, which means “cheap prostitute” in Esther. Nobody can recall when the feud began or who started it, but Sarah takes every opportunity to be mean to her. Kay often speculates that Sarah is simply jealous of Kilos because she has the Gift of Stare, a Gift that Sarah had hoped to have.

When Sarah found out that Lady Sammidoran of Monama would be seated at their table at the annual “Falling in Love” ball, she was incensed. Sarah hated and mistrusted Monamas–those odd loners from the south who often turned into Berserkacides. Sarah had a whole section in the Mystery Library dedicated to Berserkacides, and she was convinced Lady Sammidoran would turn into one right there at the ball. When she thought she caught the Monama girl making eyes at Kay, her cousin and best friend, she was determined to put a stop to it at once. Cracking her knuckles, she stood, ready to call “Sam” out.

Sarah appears in all three books in the Temple trilogy. The first book, The Dead Held Hands will be out in March, 2011 by Loconeal Publishing.

copyright 2011, Ren Garcia