Ask the Characters

On this virtual book tour, the key characters in GW Canyon’s world answer four questions.

GW

Last thing that made you laugh out loud: Davey texted me a photo of a trout he'd caught on a fly I tied. The caption said "Better than yours." It wasn't.

A movie I could watch every year: Local Hero. The guy goes to disrupt a small Scottish town and the town quietly dismantles him instead. I relate to the town.

What I do when I can't sleep: Walk. Surf aviation sites. Think about the problem until it yields. It usually does.

What people get wrong about me: That I'm the one running things.

Tali

Last thing that made me laugh out loud: GW, in full seriousness, asked if I thought his fly-tying setup "needed better organization." There are seventeen drawers. I didn't answer.

A movie I could watch every year: All About Eve. Smart, patient, and it takes most people until the third watch to figure out who they're actually rooting for.

What I do when I can't sleep: I always sleep, no matter what’s going on in my life. The last thing I’m thinking about before I fall asleep is often the first one when I wake up. I never nap.

What people get wrong about me: That my agreement is indecision. It's never indecision.

Elaine

Last thing that made me laugh out loud: A junior developer hotshot who, at yesterday’s standup, said this would work. He was so earnestly wrong I couldn’t help myself. I know I hurt his feelings, but we don’t give out participation medals to make men feel better.

A movie I could watch every year: Arrival. The logic of it. A woman who can see all of time at once and still chooses to walk into it anyway. That's not tragedy. That's clarity. I'll watch anything with Amy Adams.

What I do when I can't sleep: I used to run architecture problems in my head until I landed somewhere clean. Now I either have a man or a vibrator, and I sleep very well.

What people get wrong about me: That something is wrong with me. Nothing is wrong with me.

Allison

Last thing that made me laugh out loud: A board member asked me, with a straight face, if I'd considered bringing in a male co-chair "for balance." I thanked him for his input.

A movie I could watch every year: The Queen. A woman running an institution, managing men who think they're managing her. I find it restful.

What I do when I can't sleep: Read the candidate files I've already decided on. I usually know within the first page. I read to confirm.

What people get wrong about me: That I'm soft on the people I care about. I'm exactly as hard. I just hide it better.

Amy

Last thing that made me laugh out loud: My husband told me I was "the calm in his storm." He said it earnestly. I don’t think he liked that I laughed, but smiled anyway.

A movie I could watch every year: Broadcast News. The Holly Hunter character is the smartest person in every room she's in and spends the whole film deciding whether that matters. It matters.

What I do when I can't sleep: I make a list. There's always something that didn't get resolved, and writing it down moves it out of my head and onto paper, where it belongs. Then in the morning, I throw it away.

What people get wrong about me: That I'm the supportive one.

Sharna

Last thing that made me laugh out loud: Someone called me dangerous. I said thank you and they weren't sure if they'd complimented me. They had.

A movie I could watch every year: I don't watch the same thing twice. Why would you?

What I do when I can't sleep: Ambien takes care of that.

What people get wrong about me: Everything. That's by design.