MEET THE CHARACTERS

PROTAGONISTS
LADY ANNE is King Ahmad’s beautiful, but mysterious bodyguard. While she appears to be all lady on the outside, she is not afraid to face terrorists and is capable of taking them down with her enhanced abilities. She is a woman full of secrets, and no one is able to trace her history or whereabouts.

KING AHMAD is the king of the small Muslim nation of Mashkoor, which is situated between Bulgaria and Turkey. He is the first Muslim king to convert to Christianity and is shunned by friends and family as well as hunted by every Muslim terrorist group in existence.

STUART JACKSON is a two-time NASCAR Champion who is at the peak of his career, yet finds his life lacking meaning. Although drawn to Lady Anne by her beauty, once he has a chance to get to know her, it is her contentment in an obviously difficult situation which makes him seek her.

JOANNE VANDER HAAS is an agent with the United States’ most covert agency. When the threats surrounding Lady Anne intertwine with Joanne’s job, her agency agrees to a desperate plan to protect their secrets…one that could lead to death.


MINOR CHARACTERS
NEIL VANDER HAAS is Joanne’s husband. Stuart admires him for his strong Christian walk and the way he fights his serious illness with dignity.

GEORGE OWENS is Joanne’s boss. He has worked with her for almost fifteen years. The first several years they were partners. He has a quirky sense of humor and enjoys getting the best of Stuart.

TROY COLLINS is Stuart Jackson’s crew chief. Since Stuart’s relationship with his father is poor, Troy often plays the father figure in Stuart’s life.

JOHN BLASZCZYK (blaschik) is the pilot for Stuart Jackson’s jet and always good for adding a little humor. His fear of covert government agencies is contagious and begins to affect Stuart when he has to deal with Joanne’s boss.

AMBASSADOR BAINSWORTH is the American ambassador to King Ahmad’s country, Mashkoor. When he brokers a peace treaty between Mashkoor and Israel, he becomes a terrorist target and Lady Anne is assigned to protect him.

READ CHAPTER 1

CHARACTER NAMES IN PERIL

Have you ever wondered where authors come up with names for their characters? I never really thought about it until I started writing fiction and had to name my own characters.

Here’s how I came up with some of the names for the characters in my novel, PERIL: Fast Track Thriller #1:

Lady Anne – For some reason, I just always knew what this character’s name was. I never really had to think about it.

Stuart Jackson – Like the character himself, his name is a compilation. I wanted the character to be an average NASCAR driver, so I gave him characteristics similar to a number of well-known drivers. I continued that by giving him first and last names that are similar to well-known drivers.

Neil Van der Haas – I envisioned blue-eyed, blond-headed Neil to be of Dutch descent, so I gave him parents who came to the U.S. from the Netherlands. For his given name, I came up with a Dutch name, Nels, that could be easily converted to an English name. For his last name, I came up with a Dutch-sounding name that is similar to the Dutch last name of a penpal I wrote to for years.

Joanne Van der Haas – When I first created the stories I eventually combined together to create The Race that Lies Before Us, they were "what if" stories about me. What if I were in this situation? What if I could do this? What if I had this type of job? So I came up with a name that is similar to my own name.

Troy Collins – I combined the name of two towns I’ve lived in: Troy and Collinsville.

Stuart's sister – Although she’s not a character in this book, when I needed to mention Stuart’s sister, I needed to give her a name. So I came up with a name that starts with "st" like Stuart’s does.

CHARACTER INTERVIEW - STUART JACKSON

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a two-time NASCAR champion, originally from Virginia, near Washington, D.C. I have everything anyone could possibly want, but lately I’ve noticed that I’m not very content. Two brushes with death have stripped away all external things and leave me feeling like I’m missing something important in my life.

You mention two brushes with death. Is one of them the White House incident?

Yes, that was the second. The first was an accident on the track a few weeks before that.

So you were at the State Dinner honoring King Ahmad?

Right. He’s a big NASCAR fan, so they invited me because I was the reigning Sprint Cup champion.

There were some unusual reports about Lady Anne’s actions at that night. Did you see anything to corroborate what others have said?

Not really. I saw her by the head table when everyone was fleeing the dining room, and later by the broken window, but I didn’t see her do anything extraordinary.

What about at the Talladega Speedway. She rescued you and King Ahmad when he visited there, didn’t she?

That was quite an experience. She used some unusual methods to rescue us, but she asked me not to give any specifics.

I see. The woman certainly works hard to protect her secrets.

That she does.

I understand that you spent quite a bit of time with her after the attack at the Famous Fifty Banquet. Are the rumors true that the two of you are a couple?

Unfortunately, no. It’s just a rumor started by the media. They don’t seem interested in listening when I tell them I’m we’re not dating and we’re not spy partners.

I know this is personal, but I’m curious, she’s a very beautiful woman and you speak highly of her; is there a reason you’re not pursuing a relationship with her.

It’s complicated, and I’m not at liberty to talk about it.

The pilot of your jet seems to think that Lady Anne is just using you because the only times she contacted you were to help her friend Joanne.

I would have done much more than what she asked me to do, considering that she saved my life twice. Setting up everything for the dream NASCAR vacation Joanne planned for her husband was easy. Flying her to D.C. after the race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway was a more unusual request, but it was urgent and I was it a position to help.

And you continue to remain in touch with Lady Anne?

We’ve become very good friends. I’ll be eternally thankful that God brought her into my life, even for a short period. She not only pointed out why my life felt empty, but also introduced me to Jesus.

That is most certainly something to be thankful for. It’s always good to end on a high note, so I’ll conclude our interview here. Thank you for your time.

CHARACTER INTERVIEW - LADY ANNE

You're quite the mystery woman, Lady Anne. After your appearances with King Ahmad at the White House and the Talladega Superspeedway, no one could locate you.
I have many secrets to guard, so my privacy is very important to me.

Some people think that you were involved in carrying out the incidents at the White House. Is there any truth to that?

Absolutely not! My actions saved people; they did not harm them.

You aren’t hiding out from the law, so are you hiding because of the reports that you did some fantastic things which made you the hero of the day?These high-profile assignments make me nervous, especially when I must demonstrate  my enhanced abilities. The attention they have brought me is not welcomed.

So you're saying the reports are true?I am afraid I can say no more about that. My work and how I accomplish it is classified.

I can tell this line of questioning is making you uncomfortable, so why don’t we change the subject.

That would be appreciated.

You spent quite a bit of time with King Ahmad when he visited the U.S. What do you think of the first Muslim king to convert to Christianity?

He is a very brave man. Every Islamic terrorist group in existence has vowed to kill him, yet he refuses to recant his beliefs. He has found the truth and will not turn from it.

Did you enjoy the time you spent with him?

It was an honor to escort him to the White House and a pleasure to get to know him over the weekend at the Talladega Superspeedway. I respect him very highly. Unfortunately, appearing with him has made my life difficult. It has brought me fame that I do not want and has even made me a terrorist target.

That must be difficult. How do you deal with the knowledge that there are people out there who want to kill you?
It worries me constantly, especially since my friend Stuart Jackson has been threatened too. Since he is a famous NASCAR champion, he cannot go into hiding as I can. But I have a plan. It is very risky and I am not looking forward to implementing it, but if it works I should be safe from the threat of terrorists.

I don't suppose you could share that plan with us?
I am afraid not.

More secrets?
Yes. My life is full of secrets.

As much as I would love to know more, I can understand that hour plan would need secrecy, so I will just wish you the best of luck. Thank you for joining me today. It has bee a pleasure to get to know you.

CHARACTER INTERVIEW - KING AHMAD

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am the king of Mashkoor, a small, oil-rich, Islamic country between Turkey and Bulgaria. Until I met my friend, Professor Hutchins, who was n charge of an archaeological dig in my country, I was a devoted follower of Muhammed.

Do you mind sharing about your conversion?

Not at all. I welcome the opportunity. I studied archaeology in college, so I followed the progress of Adam’s—Professor Hutchins—team. It intrigued me that he had determined where to dig based on clues found in the Bible, combined with geographical, historical, and archaeological information. I questioned him about the historical accuracy of the Bible, and those questions led me to consider that if prophesies regarding historical events had been accurately predicted by prophets of the Christian God, could the many other prophesies in the Bible, have been fulfilled as well?  

When Adam told me about God’s plan to offer a Savior to bridge the gap between man and God, I was, as you American like to say, blown away. So different that in Islam, where an indifferent Allah judges people according to his whims. I could not ignore a loving God who offers a guaranteed way to heaven .

As I continued to read the Bible, my desire to know this loving God grew until I had to act upon what I had learned. So Adam led my in a simple prayer and  I admitted that I had committed wrongs, stated that I believed Jesus had died to pay the price for my sins and rose again, then asked for God’s forgiveness. Such a simple act, yet it brought such joy.

It must be difficult being the king of a Muslim nation now that you have converted to Christianity.

It has made my life difficult in many ways. The most difficult has been in dealing with my family. Thankfully, we have secular law rather than Shari’ a law. So they do not feel the need to kill me. Instead, they shun me.

I can’t imagine what it must be like. Does everyone shun you?

Thankfully, no, or it would be a very lonely life for me. My advisers must work with me or they cannot do their job. But I cannot trust them. Many say they admire my bravery, but in their heart they wish to kill me. But I try to love them. They have been deceived, as I was for so many years. I would see them all come to know Christ if I could, so I hold regular church services in the palace, as Lady Anne suggested.

Can you tell us how you met Lady Anne?She was assigned to be my escort during my State Visit to the White House. And I must admit that I was quite miffed that a woman was to be my bodyguard. As much as I have grown in my faith, sometimes the Muslim beliefs I was trained in all my life still govern my thoughts. It was difficult to accept that she could do the job adequately, but she reminded me that I had prayed about my safety and stated that God had provided. As time told, she was quite right.

There were some unusual reports that she did some fantastic things that made her the hero of the day, not just at the White House, but when she escorted you to the Talladega Superspeedway as well. Can you shed some light on them.

I can only say that her methods are truly unusual, but she has asked me not to speak of them openly.

Her secrets, right?

Yes. I only know the smallest part of them, but I am very thankful that God placed her in my path and used her to provide for my safety.

You are a very lucky man, Your Majesty. Best wishes on your continued safety and your attempt to witness to those around you.

CHARACTER INTERVIEW - JOANNE VAN DER HAAS

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I live in the St. Louis area with my husband and three children, but work on a contract basis with an organization in Washington, D.C. I used to work with them full-time, but wanted to stay at home with my children more. Now I only take an assignment every three months or so.

I understand that you know the elusive Lady Anne.

Yes, I do.

Can you tell us how you know her?

We’ve worked together on occasion.

And you work with...

I’m sorry, but I can't say who I work for. Even the name of the organization is top-secret.

I understand you had some concern about Lady Anne’s high profile assignments.

Extreme concerns. It put her in the public eye, which could expose her secrets and eventually lead back to our employer. Unfortunately, neither my boss nor his superiors agreed...at least at first. But when Lady Anne became a terrorist target, and others started to look for her too, my fears began to come true. Then they finally paid attention to my concerns.

But Lady Anne is scheduled to appear with King Ahmad again.

In spite of the danger, when push came to shove, they gave in because they didn’t want to offend the King.

Is there anything that can be done to keep her safe?

She has a plan, but it’s dangerous. I’m praying it will work. If it doesn’t, I don’t know what we’ll do.

I hear that you have problems of your own to deal with at home.

Yes. My husband Neil’s illness was a shock. It’s been hard, especially on top of the issues going on at work. We still don’t know which way things will go, but there has been good news along with the bad. And we’re praying that he’ll recover completely.

He’s a big NASCAR fan, isn’t he?

Huge! That’s why I couldn’t resist planning a special NASCAR weekend for him. Stuart Jackson was so kind to make all the arrangements for us. He might be rich and famous as a NASCAR champion, but he’s a very nice person and was quite generous. It was a perfect weekend for Neil, although it led to a fiasco in the end.  

Was it worth all the trouble?

Now that I look back, I’d have to say it was. As much as I hated to admit it at the time, God was in control and led events to come out for the best in spite of all the difficulties. From my perspective, it looked like He was guiding me into disaster, but it all worked out in the end.

Thank you for agreeing to be interviewed, Joanne. I will join you in praying that Lady Anne's plan will work out.

CHARACTER INTERVIEWS

I hope you enjoy getting to know the characters a little better through this series of interviews. If you have any specific questions about any of the characters after you read the book and would like to ask the author, please feel free to e-mail Suzanne at homestead1997-author@yahoo.com.

LADY ANNE

STUART JACKSON

KING AHMAD

JOANNE VAN DER HAAS