The Proust Questionnaire is one of the most famous series of questions asked in interviews and used for self-reflection. According to Vanity Fair, “The Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised)
by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature.“ Proust Your Protagonist is a series that interviews authors writing from the POV of their lead characters to answer the Proust Questionnaire.

Here is the basic Proust Questionnaire told from the point of view of Lyra Wells, the lead character in Kari Lee Townsend’s fantasy cozy mystery, The Well-Kept Secret.

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Lyra Wells — Half-human, half-Dweller, and the reluctant guardian of Wishville’s wishing well, caught between two worlds and two very different men.

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What is your idea of perfect happiness?

A quiet morning at the wishing well before anyone else is awake — mist rising, Vex purring at my feet, no secrets tugging at me.

What is your greatest fear?

That the two halves of me—human and Dweller—will never belong anywhere, and that I’ll lose the people I love because of it.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I push people away when I should let them in.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Dishonesty cloaked as charm.

Which living person do you most admire?

My mother, even though she’s missing. Her courage built the bridge between two worlds.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Old, leather-bound journals. They make me feel like my thoughts might matter someday.

What is your current state of mind?

Restless. Suspicious. Determined.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Blind obedience. It’s not loyalty; it’s laziness.

On what occasion do you lie?

Whenever someone asks about Elarion and Dwellers. Humans can’t handle the truth.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

My eyes. They give me away when I’m trying to pass for ordinary.

Which living person do you most despise?

Despise is strong, but Henry McAlister and his redevelopment plans to modernize the well come to mind.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Integrity wrapped in grit. Someone who stands his ground but still listens.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Resourcefulness without cruelty.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Of course. It’s complicated. Trust me.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

What? The wishing well itself, and the promise it represents.

Who? Ask me again after the end of my series because I can’t choose between Holden and Calderis.

When and where were you happiest?

Childhood summers with my mother at the edge of Whisper Woods, when I didn’t yet know the world had rules.

Which talent would you most like to have?

To make everyone live forever. Then I wouldn’t lose so many loved ones.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’d stop doubting my own instincts.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Keeping the centuries-old treaty intact this long without losing myself.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

A bird, able to fly free and let the wind take me wherever I wanted to go.

Where would you most like to live?

Someplace where magic and ordinary life coexist without hiding.

What is your most treasured possession?

The spiral necklace that cradles a memory crystal that holds a trace of my mother’s voice.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Falling in love with two men and not being able to do anything about it.

What is your favorite occupation?

Solving puzzles no one else realizes are puzzles.

What is your most marked characteristic?

A stubborn streak the size of Elarion’s crystal caverns.

What do you most value in your friends?

Loyalty paired with a sense of humor.

Who are your favorite writers?

I love other cozy fantasy or paranormal mystery authors like Tonya Kappes’ Southern Magical Bakery series, Amanda M. Lee’s Wicked Witches of the Midwest series, and Nancy Warren’s The Vampire Knitting Club to name a few.

Who is your hero of fiction?

Éowyn of The Lord of the Rings. She fought for her people even when told to stay behind.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

I would say Joan of Arc. She stepped into a role no one expected her to, carrying both faith and duty while standing between ordinary people and powerful forces. I resonate with her sense of destiny, sacrifice, and being doubted even while she knew her path.

Who are your heroes in real life?

My mother as the former Guardian of the Well, and the Wellies, in their own way. These quirky senior ladies are self-appointed guardians of the well, with plenty of unsolicited advice for me, but the closest thing to family I have left.

What are your favorite names?

Humans have multiple names, but Dwellers only have one name. However, those names are full of meaning and layers. Calderis, the Chief Enforcer of Elarion, and my mother, Serenna, are two of my favorites.

What is it that you most dislike?

Manipulation disguised as kindness.

What is your greatest regret?

Not asking my mother more questions before she vanished.

How would you like to die?

Humans are mortal, Dwellers are immortal, and I am somewhere in between as a half-blood. I will die eventually. As long as I go on my own terms, knowing the people I love are safe, then I will be at peace.

What is your motto?

“Half of two words, wholly myself.”

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Kari Lee Townsend’s The Well-Kept Secret releases today, October 28th! You can purchase the eBook on Kindle and print editions from a variety of booksellers online.

Townsend has a wide presence on the web so you can follow her and learn about her upcoming books!

Street Team: www.facebook.com/groups/karileesbooksandbabies
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Official website: https://www.karileetownsend.com

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Many thanks to Kari for agreeing to do the Proust Questionnaire! She’s a prolific author so make sure to check out her links and see her backlist–there’s something you’re sure to like!