Character Interview: Brendan from Spellbound

Today I have a special guest! Earlier this summer I read and loved Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz (my review here), and today I’m excited to be able to ask the character Brendan some questions. Hopefully this will help hold over Spellbound fans until the sequel, Spellcaster, is released next year. Or maybe not :).

How would you describe yourself?

I’m really bad at these. I never really know what to say. I could tell you what people at school think of me, but it probably wouldn’t be complimentary, not that I care. >:) Let me give it a shot: High school student by day, ninja by night. Nah, I’m only playing. I’m normal, I guess. New Yorker. DJ. Basketball player. Music fanatic.

Okay, I just asked my girlfriend what I should say and she said a bunch of really sweet but really sappy stuff that I am not repeating here. So yeah, let’s go with ninja. I can live with that.

Hahaa, OK ninja… What are a few of your favorite bands?

Oh, this is a tough one. There are SO many, Jen. And the stuff I play when I DJ isn’t necessarily the same stuff I personally listen to — I have to see what the crowd is into. I doubt the Vince A crowd would appreciate it if I started blasting Asking Alexandria at a school dance — even though I’ve been tempted. I like a lot of older bands, but that’s because when I like someone new, I read the thank yous in the album and see which bands they talk about, or read interviews and see who influenced them. That’s how I got into the Bouncing Souls — they’re a NY/NJ-area punk band that’s been around forever, but they influenced pretty much every band that’s ever played the Warped Tour. For example, I like All Time Low, but that’s how I discovered New Found Glory and all those bands that influenced them. Lately, I’m really into Rise Against, A Day to Remember, Asking Alexandria, Attack Attack—stuff that’s a little more aggressive. And I love hip hop: Jay-Z. Eminem, Dr. Dre, Deadmau5, Beastie Boys, Lil Wayne, Ludacris.

Oh wow, I’m going to have to check out those… I’m a little embarrassed I haven’t heard of a lot of them. I do like Eminem and Jay-Z! What song best describes your relationship with Emma?

Lately, it’s The Academy Is… “I’m Yours Tonight.” I didn’t give you any sappy stuff earlier so I guess you’re getting it here. It’s pretty much accurate, though, this song. I can’t believe I just admitted that.

Awww! OK, we can move on from the sappiness :). What’s your favorite movie(s)?

The Dark Knight, Fight Club, Donnie Darko, all the Jackass movies, pretty much everything Kevin Smith has ever made, V for Vendetta, The Hangover, Goodfellas. Oh, and The Great Escape! Have you seen this movie? Steve McQueen was the man!

All good ones except for the Jackass movies! LOL. I haven’t seen The Great Escape, I’ll have to add it to my Netflix que. So, what are your favorite haunts in New York City?

Irving Plaza, Hammerstein, Knitting Factory, Terminal 5—basically, all the music venues. In the summer I like to go to Summerstage, see who’s playing there. Plus it’s just a cool spot to see bands (it’s right in Central Park). I like the Highline Park, it’s cool to just walk around there and it’s not too far from where we live. I’m kind of torn about Belvedere Castle these days, but I guess you can understand why. I like Washington Square Park, that’s pretty cool. And I like the Lower East Side, just in general, as an area.

I love NYC, I need to go back soon. If you could travel anywhere, where would it be and why?

I went to Ireland and Scotland with my family when I was a kid, so I’d like to go back NOT with my family. It would be fun to go with my girlfriend someday, especially since we both have Irish heritage. Plus, I just loved it over there and I want to show it to her, just bum around in Dublin and Kilkenny for a few days. I also want to see a baseball game in every stadium in the U.S. I play basketball, but I kind of feel like an arena’s just an arena, you know? They’re all more or less the same because they host a bunch of different events in the same space, but there’s just something better about a baseball stadium. Each one has its own personality. So I’d like to do that with my dad.

I haven’t been to Ireland or Scotland – YET – I’d LOVE to go. My husband is Irish and still has family over there so we want to go… I can’t wait for him to show me around Ireland. 
What food could you eat every day and not get tired of?

It’s so stereotypical of me as a New Yorker to say pizza or bagels or bialys (even though that’s really my answer), so I will say Italian sandwiches — salami, mortadella, proscuitto, provolone, oil and vinegar and oregano… lol now I’m hungry. Or Doritos. I love Doritos, nacho cheese flavor. Cool Ranch is disgusting — I’m Brendan Salinger and I approve that message!!!!!!

Oh sadness Brendan! You need to develop some taste buds because Cool Ranch Doritos are the BEST! We can agree on Pizza though :). I have to ask, what the heck are bialys?!

Nacho Cheese > Cool Ranch. Every time. If you crossed a bagel with an English muffin, but put onions and spices in the center, that’s a bialy. They’re awesome. You just toast them with a little butter.

Oh, that sounds good! The bialy, not the Nacho Cheese Doritos ;). 
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I’ll be just getting ready to graduate from college then, so hopefully graduating!

Well, that wraps up my questions. Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me today. I wish you, and Emma of course, all the best! Many thanks to Cara for making this interview possible.