Today my guest is fellow Wild Rose Press author, Dena Weigel. Her upcoming novel, THE BYZANTINE CROSS, is an historical thriller set in 1950. Dena tells us about the fascinating secondary characters that populate this book and makes it so compelling. The book releases November 11, 2024, but you can pre-order your copy now!
Secondary Characters
When I set out to create the villains of my story, my goal was to create realistic characters that were interesting enough to follow, and dark enough to be a threat. I also wanted them to be distinctly different individuals—the “privileged” and the “heavy.”
Coming up with the back story for each character was a fun exercise and I thought I’d share their stories with you!
Maximillian Schafer: The Privileged
The powerful and connected Cardinal Maximillian Schafer—He is not only tall and imposing in his physique—his mere presence commands respect.
The Cardinal, a.k.a., “Max,” exudes refinement and the European elite status he was born into. Descended from the thirteenth Holy Roman Emperor, Otto the Great, he knows he is destined for greatness, too.
Max was born in 1884 in Brandenburg, Germany. His family, once vastly wealthy, lost their
fortune during World War I and the depression that followed. He joined the priesthood and
eventually rose to become the assistant secretary to the Archdiocese of Berlin. Through that
position he met Hitler, meeting with the Führer and members of the Nazi Party several times
prior to World War II. His relationship with the German leader was noticed by the Vatican and he was brought to Rome to advise the Pope’s Council on the eve of Hitler’s invasion into Poland in 1939.
The Vatican proved to be his first real challenge. Despite his meticulously laid plans, Max
struggled to break into the Pope’s inner circle. He was assigned a role in the Vatican library and, overtime, became the director.
Always the gentleman, Max has carefully cultivated the image of a sophisticated intellectual. He is an appreciator of art and culture, enjoys the best food and drink, and calls the members of Europe’s royal class his friends.
In reality, Max is no one’s friend. He has made his alliances only to see his plans for them
spoiled by war. In The Byzantine Cross, Max sees his last chance at regaining the wealth and prestige his family has lost, and much, much more!
Yuri Feodorov: The Heavy
Prize fighter—escaped convict—killer. Yuri Feodorov is not a man you want to meet in a dark
alley.
Yuri was born to a peasant farmer in a small town east of Moscow, but he was brought up inside the Russian prison system. At only fifteen, he and his friends jumped a train to ride to the next town to visit some girls. When they were discovered, he was arrested on the spot, charged and convicted for defacing the emperor’s property, and sentenced to hard labor in one of Russia’s worst gulags. Thrown into prison with murderers and rapists, Yuri’s initiation into adulthood forever changed him from the mischievous boy he was, into a man who could only survive in the underworld.
Forty years after that fateful day, Yuri saw his escape when Stalin emptied the gulags to send prisoners to work on the Moskva-Volga Canal. Always shrewd and gifted at observation, an open door on the train offered a quick escape, and.
Yuri went on the run. He made his way on foot to the Finnish border, losing an ear to frostbite
and nearly dying from pneumonia before finding a kind farmer who nursed him back to health.
After recovering, Yuri roamed around Europe as a prize fighter, gaining fame in the underworld of Europe’s largest cities. He’s been recruited as a hitman by organized criminal groups and performed thirty-three assassinations. Yuri is good at his job, but time and age have taken its toll.
When his handler approached him with a job offering the biggest payoff he’d ever seen, Yuri
knew he couldn’t refuse. And when he finds an envelope with an all-access pass to the Vatican inside a locker at a train station, he sees this job as his last chance at a retirement before his body gives out on him.
Two Villains, Distinctly Different
When I created these two villains I turned to the polar opposite of hot and cold as a reference for their character. You’ll find references to this duality throughout The Byzantine Cross. In their personal habits, their fears, and how they fight to achieve their goals. I hope you enjoy the distinctly different villains I’ve created and feel their heat and cold as they take you along on the adventure!
Blurb - The Byzantine Cross:
Former OSS spy, Sarah Kraft, thought she'd left her dangerous past behind in 1950s New York City. But when her former boss tracks her down and convinces her to accept a new mission--steal the ancient Byzantine Cross from inside the Kremlin for the CIA, she's
dragged back into the world of espionage.
Once in Moscow, she's promised the aid of a Russian double agent, Nicolai Rodzyanko,
but things aren't as they seem. Someone hired a hitman to eliminate Sarah, and she and Nicolai realize they're not the only ones after the mysterious cross. As the two dig deeper into the history behind the oldest known biblical relic, they discover it's far more than a
simple artifact. Sarah starts questioning the motives of her former boss and the agency she once trusted, and when supernatural forces come into play, she must make a decision that could change the course of history.
Excerpt:
“Here you go,” Nicolai said, removing the box through the hole and handing it to Sarah.
She didn’t respond. Instead, she blew a layer of dust off its lid and ran her finger over the
double-headed eagle to see the rubies flash red in the light. She lifted the lid and lying inside on a cushion made of purple silk was the Byzantine Cross.
No decoration, no jewels—just a simple wooden cross.
“That’s what you’re after?” Nicolai glanced over her shoulder. “Rather plain, isn’t it? The
box is worth more.”
“You would think so, wouldn’t you?” Sarah murmured.
Nicolai glanced at his watch again and said, “We should get going. The power will be
back on in nine minutes.” He took the box from Sarah and carefully put it back on the shelf.
“Hopefully, this will go unnoticed until you’re back in Rome.”
Sarah tucked the cross into the waistband of her trousers and pulled her sweater down
over it as she jogged back through the galleries behind Nicolai. When they got to the main hall, they rushed toward the stairwell but stopped when she heard the click of a gun behind them.
“Kremlin Garrison!” a deep voice yelled again a few feet behind them. “Stop where you
are, or I’ll shoot!”
Sarah sucked in a breath and held it. No! Not now!
“Pizdets!” Nicolai swore next to her as he raised his hands above his head. “Follow my
lead,” he whispered as they pivoted to face the soldier.
“Stay where you are.” The guard stalked them, his gun aimed at Nicolai’s chest. He
appeared twenty years younger than Nicolai, and bigger in size.
This won’t be easy.
“What are you doing here?” the guard asked in Russian.
“I can assure you there is no need for weapons,” Nicolai replied with feigned confidence.
“What’s your name?” the guard barked.
“Nicolai Rodzyanko, secretary to the chairman of defense. I have my credentials in my
pocket if you’ll allow me.” He moved to reach inside his dinner jacket but froze when the guard took a step forward.
“Keep your hands up!”
The guard closed the short distance between them in three steps and reached out to search
Nicolai for weapons.
“I work in the intelligence office,” Nicolai said. “We’re guests at the ball tonight. My date
wanted a tour of the museum.” He waved his hand dismissively. “It has all been authorized.”
“By whom?”
“The director of intelligence. He arranged for the alarms to be turned off.”
The guard waved the gun at Sarah. “What about her? Why is she dressed that way if
you’re coming from the party?”
“She’s...she’s,” he stammered and glanced helplessly at Sarah.
“I’m an American spy,” Sarah blurted out in English. “Here to steal the Kremlin’s
treasures.”
Pre-order Buy Links:
Amazon:
Barnes and Noble:
Author Bio:
Dena Weigel was born in a small Western Kansas town—a place that provided her with ample time for exploring, reading, and lots of daydreaming. After graduating with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts, she studied art and culture in over thirty countries before
settling in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. There, she built a career writing for
businesses and nonprofits around the world. Dena enjoys hiking with her husband and
daughter, painting, and relaxing on her deck with a cup of coffee and a great book. She
is currently working on the next Sarah Kraft novel, The Argentinian Affair.
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denaweigelauthor/
Thanks for being my guest, Dena!