Authors Interviewing Characters: Kay Stephens
DAUGHTER OF THE LOST
When the freshman party ends, the sophomore hangover hits.
Trinity Tachel has no use for society’s rules. Not after the New Orleans police failed to investigate the murder of her sex-worker mother. Not after she was abandoned to the Louisiana foster care system as a child. And certainly not after fighting through freshman year to prove herself worthy of a spot at the prestigious Filton University.
Trinity is overjoyed when she’s invited to spend the summer in the Los Angeles mansion of retired porn star Missy Mariola. Escape the daily struggle to survive as a New Orleans college student? Yes, please. Shock proper society by openly embracing an adult film star? Even better.
But when Trinity returns to New Orleans for her sophomore year, she’s an unrecognizable version of herself.
Missy Mariola has taken over Trinity’s life. Missy doesn’t want Trinity to work, makes all the rules—and even chooses Trinity’s housemates. Trinity finds herself living with people she despises, including a hot New Orleans cop who has a frustrating habit of showing up during her worst moments.
Trinity has to decide if she wants to remain the abandoned child of her past or embrace a future with people who love her.
Daughter of the Lost is a roller-coaster journey of self-exploration and finding family—even among your mortal enemies.
KAY STEPHENS INTERVIEWS TRINITY TACHEL
Kay Stephens recently caught up with Trinity Tachel, a sophomore at Filton University and the youngest ever recipient of Filton’s distinguished Excellence in Economics award. We discussed how she achieves greatness beyond the confines of a classroom…and even how she manages to make time for the special men in her life.
Read close, Filton freshman, and perhaps you’ll learn a tip or two that will help you on your own journeys toward success in learning and love.
Kay: Trinity, last year you were widely recognized as the rising star of Filton’s highly competitive freshman class. Your economics professors tell me you are among the sharpest academic minds they’ve ever worked with. How did you put that beautiful brain to work this summer?
Trinity: Thank you, Kay, for your kind words. I was fortunate enough to receive an offer to spend the summer in Los Angeles. It was a tremendous learning experience that I’m certain will benefit my continuing education.
Kay: Ah, Los Angeles, a city bustling with opportunity for a young economist. Were you there to complete an internship or pursue your studies in a new academic setting?
Trinity: I was living with my best friend’s mother. She’s a retired porn star you’ve probably heard of. Missy Mariola?
Kay: Huh. (checks notes). For an academic institution, Filton University seems to have uncommonly strong ties to the porn community.
Trinity: I assure you, it’s all the same porn star. She is omnipresent. (holds up ringing phone with Missy Mariola’s name displayed across screen). See what I mean?
Kay: If we could just get through a few more questions before you answer―
Trinity: (answers phone call). Missy, I told you I was doing an interview. This better be an emergency.
Missy: This is an emergency, my darling. I haven’t reminded you today how very special you are―
Trinity: Missy, you’re on speaker.
Missy: ―and if that interviewer says anything to diminish your self-worth, you stand up, turn your back, and―
Trinity: (hangs up phone call). Where were we, Kay?
Kay: I think we were discussing the tremendous learning experience you gained from living with a retired porn star.
Trinity: Well, have you ever seen Missy Mariola’s house? That thing is insane. Someone should give me an honorary degree just for learning to navigate from my bedroom to any one of its seven bathrooms.
Kay: And how, exactly, will your working knowledge of a porn star’s home layout benefit your continuing education?
Trinity: (rolls her eyes as phone begins ringing again). In hindsight, a summer internship may have been the better decision.
Kay: But what about this academic year? Surely with your credentials and professors’ support, you could easily find an internship in your chosen field.
Trinity: Funny you should ask, Kay. I’m considering reapplying for the same internship I held freshman year.
Kay: (leans in). Fantastic. Which internship is that?
Trinity: I danced at Enrique’s Cabaret.
Kay: (leans back). The strip club?
Trinity: Yes. And I would have already returned to my internship, but Missy thinks I should just focus on school. (lowers voice to whisper). She hired a police officer to keep tabs on me and I haven’t figured out how to sneak around him yet. But the second I do, believe me, Kay. I’m back on that stage.
Kay: She hired a police officer?
Trinity: Yeah, she’s crazy.
Kay: To keep tabs on you?
Trinity: I’ll say it again. Crazy.
Kay: (winks). Is he at least an attractive police officer?
Trinity: (narrows eyes).
Kay: All girls like a man in uniform, am I right?
Trinity: I’ll put in a good word for you next time he’s aggressively violating my basic human rights.
Kay: So, it’s a hard pass on the cop then?
Trinity: (scoffs). This interview is ridiculous. (stands, turns her back, screams “Missy. What?” into phone as she storms out of the room).
Kay: Well, lovely audience, we seem to have lost another of our interviewees. But I hope you learned something special today on academic achievement (and maybe a little something about budding romance). Look out for Trinity’s full story in Daughter of the Lost—dropping July 16, 2024!
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Category: Interviews, On Writing
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