The Dan O'Brien Project: Character Interview: A Moment with Ron Etts

I have Ron Etts, arguably the most powerful Shift, with me on the blog today to talk about where he fits in with the Legion and the future of the COTS series. Be sure to check out the other interviews, and future posts, about J. Everett Bettis' Children of the Skies.

What do you want from life?

Just a sense of belonging. Some place that I can feel truly safe and secure. The ability to be myself and to let go.

What's the one thing you have always wanted to do? What would happen if you did do it?

I wonder what it feels like to truly let go. To be able to truly feel uninhibited and let down my defenses. There is a darkness inside me that I can feel. The only way to keep it at bay is to be disciplined with my thoughts. At least, that’s what Maximus says. I’m afraid that if I let my guard down horrible things will happen and I won’t have any control to stop it.

What is one strong memory that has stuck with you from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?

I never knew my real parents. As long as I can remember, I was in and out of foster homes. When I was twelve I had these foster parents who were really nice. Well at least my foster mom was nice. My foster dad was hardly ever home. Anyway, she use to take me to the beach and we would watch the sunset. For whatever reason she really liked that. It seemed to put her mind at ease. She liked it so much that it made me like it. She died a few years later but I also remembered going to the beach. I still go every now and then. It was a memory I have of belonging. Someone in the universe who truly cared about me.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Living in fear of who you are, what you’re capable of and hiding who you really are from the world. I don’t think you can ever find true happiness that way.

What do you most value in your friends?

I really don’t’ have any. I've never really had any. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not some weirdo who talks to cats. But I've never really been extremely close to others. I've always felt alone and cast aside. After the wave hit, it didn't help. Now people are just afraid of me and I don’t blame them.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

I recently met someone when I joined Maximus’ group. The feelings came out of nowhere and were totally unexpected. When I’m around this person, I actually feel alive. Excited even. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but I have to admit I would like to see if something would.

Where do you go when you’re angry?

Definitely away from people. Even before I became a Shift, I tended to separate myself when I lost my temper. It’s not a pretty sight, especially now.

Bio: Ron’s character is based on an enigma. He was told his conception happened on a drunken prom night, with a teenage mother who was not ready mentally or financially to have a child. He was put up for adoption and was bounced from foster home to foster home for the majority of his life. That story was the only connection he ever had to real parents.

His character deals with significant abandonment issues and a lack of connection with other people. He constantly builds walls around his emotions to stay detached. Simply put, from his view point everyone leaves. Ron realized early on that he’s not like most guys. On top of being left behind and shuffling through the adoption system, he pretty much knew that he was gay from the start, but kept it to himself. He wasn't too athletic, and he wasn't too smart. But what the vast majority of people who knew him would call him was determined. Ron knew one of his gifts was the fact he never gave up. When he worked on something, he worked on it until he got it. This is how he worked his way to Harvard. He studied and got a partial scholarship and worked in the cafeteria and other odd jobs to pay for the rest. He was determined to finish with honors so that he would never have to endure being helpless again. Eventually, Ron graduated and got a job at a prestigious accounting firm.

Instantly, Ron knew working a 9 to 5 was not in the cards for him. He had always felt a pull, a secret language on the inside that called to him. That told him stories of his real parents and how they were connected. How his destiny was so much greater than these mere mortals could ever fathom. But day in and day out he continued on in the same routine until that fateful day. When the Morphiius wave hits, Ron’s secret will finally come to light. His abilities will shock and amaze the most powerful Shifts in the world. He will be the indestructible character of the story. His power will help many and eventually save the universe.

You can find out more about Ron, and the rest of the team, by purchasing a copy of Children of the Skies by J. Everett Bettis on Kindle or in paperback.