Character Reading: Elise Sutton

Being a magical healer is a gift that I don’t take lightly. As an empath, it’s hard not to feel compassion for the damaged souls around me, and it was a hard lesson to learn that I can’t fix everything for everyone.

Author Cindy Spencer Pape is celebrating her upcoming release Motor City Witch from Carina Press. Her heroine, Elise Mei-Xing Sutton wanted a reading. I was happy to oblige. In return, Cindy Spencer Pape has offered a free download of one of her books to one of you. Check the contest details at the end of this reading.

From Cindy’s bio, we learn

Cindy has been, among other things, a banker, a teacher, an elected politician, but mostly an environmental educator.

You can visit her on the web to see what other offerings she has for you as well. Now let’s see what is going on with Elise.

1.How do you see the people around you?

There is one person who challenges you on a daily basis. You may see this individual as too much muscle and not enough brain. You think he needs to learn control but you probably don’t have time to teach him, do you?

All around you people flame out/burn up/lose their spark. You can’t light the world, Elise. It may be that people physically tire you out with their constant broiling passions.

Elise’s Response:
As an art gallery owner I see a lot of bright young stars and watch some of them grow to shine steadily and others burn out hot and fast. I think they see me as cold sometimes, but actually it’s more that I’m a little bit shy. I opened myself up once and it nearly destroyed me, so now I keep everything locked up inside—except when it comes to my daughter Dina.

As to the daily challenge, I’m the mother of a four-year-old, so she constantly keeps me on my toes. But I think you’re talking about a man, and there is one whose memory is a raw wound that doesn’t want to heal. Aidan Greene is the only man I’ve ever loved, but I was intimidated by his passion and determined to protect my heart. He saw through my chilly exterior to the woman underneath, but I’m afraid that too much has happened to ever let us connect like that again.

2.How are you seen by the people around you?

How interesting. You get a fire card for how you see folks but a water card for how they see you. The Guardian of Water is a woman who is compassionate. She walks the path of Kwan Yin.

You are a healer of more than small wounds. Something in you soothes and offers succor to deeper wounds—the kinds that are left after years (or lifetimes) of abuse.

You attract people to you. Be careful that you don’t attract the wrong ones, okay?

Elise’s Response:
Being a magical healer is a gift that I don’t take lightly. As an empath, it’s hard not to feel compassion for the damaged souls around me, and it was a hard lesson to learn that I can’t fix everything for everyone.

Because of traumatic things that happened in my past, I’ve chosen to close myself off from my magic, and only use it when I absolutely have to for my family and close friends. I’m afraid I may have also shut myself off from life, but I’m not sure how to fix that. It’s so much safer to stay in my own little world.

3.What is your most important goal?

This is a great card for a goal! The Explorer of Air climbs high to see everything that he can. You are driven to learn and explore even when you might prefer to stay on the ground.

I think that your curiosity has gotten you into some unusual spots as well. Birds are messengers that you need to pay attention to as well. Your goal seems to be to carry the message of what you’ve learned.

Elise’s Response:
I think that used to be me—always putting myself out there, until a disaster struck and I began to hide and lick my wounds. Now my only goal is to raise my daughter and make a good life for her. Still, when I see Aidan again, there’s a part of me that remembers what it was like to fly with him. It’s gotten awfully hard to sleep since he came back into my life—especially since everybody (including him!) seems to think he’s Dina’s father. I only wish he really was.

 

4.Where do you get your strength from?

Whoa. Awakening is Judgment in other decks. This is a really deep card for your source of strength. This card is about rising up from the dead and continuing on.

My feeling is that you know that no matter what is thrown at you, you just have to grit your teeth and keep moving forward. This is a very Earth-sign thing, Elise. It is about doing what needs to be done because it MUST be done.

You really don’t have a choice but to be strong, do you?

Elise’s Response:
No. This is exactly how my life feels—like I’ve been destroyed, but for my daughter’s sake, I have to be strong, I have to keep going. After losing Aidan and giving up my magic, Dina’s the only thing I have left. My art gallery is just a way to keep a roof over our heads, and I work hard at it, but since I lost Aidan, Dina is the only important thing in my life, even if she is the consequence of a horrible attack by a demon.

5.Why do you want to be remembered?

This card makes me smile. We have all that passion vs. compassion then the drive to do what needs to be done. Then we get the oh-so-serene 9 of Fire.

Your secret wish? Your heart’s desire? What you want folks to say about you after all is said and done?

That Elise. She was in control of her energy. She maintained her inner peace. She achieved the enlightenment she sought and fought so hard.

Elise’s Response:
Yes, that’s it, exactly. I work hard at serenity and balance. That’s why I’ve given up magic—it’s too chaotic. It’s also why I’m so afraid to let Aidan back into my life! Around him, I’m anything but calm. I want to be remembered as a strong, loving woman who did the best she could, even under difficult circumstances. Not someone who let life break her to pieces.

You can read an excerpt here. Or you can just skip that and go directly here to buy the book. And do check out the first book in this intriguing series, Motor City Fey.

And you can meet Cindy along with a host of other authors including half of my writing alter-ego, Marilu Mann at Romanticon 2010 coming in October. It’s the second year for this conference. You simply do not want to miss this fun time!

By the way? Marilu Mann has a hot new release coming October 6. It’s the lead book in a new BDSM series from some of your favorite EC authors. Keep your eyes out for more on the 1-800-DOM-help series. Check out an excerpt from Needing Harte.

Want to see other character readings? You can see them all here. Did you know I designed Tarot spreads to help writers with their own stories?

You can get a character reading for your own character (unpublished) for only $15 for the rest of September. If you are a published writer, you can email me to set up your free reading for a new release.

And don’t forget that I will be doing my full month NaNoWriMo Hero’s Journey Workshop to help you stay on track for your 50,000 word count goal.

Leave a comment. Ask Cindy a question about her books to get in the running for this book.

7 thoughts on “Character Reading: Elise Sutton”

  1. Hi Cindy and Arwen

    Congrats to both of you on your upcoming releases. Love the insight this reading gave us on Elise, my heart hurts for her, and I hope she eventually gets her hea.

    caity_mack at yahoo dot com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *