Member Spotlight: Dnae Ila

Author: Zandera Sommers, April 2015

Meet your new Supreme Leader!

"KNEEL BEFORE LORD DNAE! FOR YOU SHALL KNOW TERROR AND FIRE AND---

Ack, *koff koff* ahem. Terribly sorry." /adjusts invisible monocle and top hat.

Supreme Lord Dnae Ila would like you to know that she deigns to rule you all. Your terror and hope shall be her power, and you, her minions, shall alternately rejoice and despair. Accept Dnae into your hearts!! Surely you would like to know more about the One who rules us all? Never fear, this Membership Spotlight shall answer all of your burningTM questions. Supreme ruler, what is your favorite kind of food? Is it children's tears, children's souls, scampering citizens, or some other type of delicious munchie?

"Ice cream is the only true food source. Yes, it counts as a food. I don’t care what your mother says. Vanilla, Neopolitan, Death by Chocolate, Cookie Dough, Rocky Road, Lemonberry, Pumpkin Cinnamon Praline, Low Fat Raspberry FroYo, Double Mocha Cappuccino Almond Triple Fudge Swirl, I’ll eat it all!"

Did you in fact become possessed by an evil demon during Shaoman 2014 and if so, could you tell us about those experiences?

"Oh, no. Of course not. No, my transformation was purely mostly voluntary. Sometimes you just get a craving for terrorizing villages and towns, like when you just need a cone of Mint Chip. Sure, I could’ve ignored it, but really, why? Once I learned to control the gargoyle side of me, I was able to get the urges under check. But you never know. The full Shaoman moon may do unexpected things to me next year..."

What’s your favorite thread right now on the Boards?

"Right now? It’s a tie between All Your Tower Are Belong To Us and The Forbidden Weave. We’ve worked hard on those. In a more serious vein, I like the weight loss thread, and the D&D debates on various threads are interesting to say the least." We are very grateful to grovel at Your Supreme Feet.

Please deign to tell our unworthy selves what brought you to the site in the first place and what kept you around? "Narysse Sedai brought me to the site. She’s the one who introduced me to WoT years ago when we used to work together, so when I finally got around to reading it, I had to tell her, and she wasted no time in giving me this site's address. I stayed because, frankly, I’m addicted to friends. I’m a regular at a few different sites around the internet, and after spending time in those places, the Tower is just so peaceful and welcoming. You’re all real people that I feel I can connect to, and it’s a very different atmosphere from other places you find on the internet, respectful and genuine."

The Supreme Overlord considers us friends?

"Yes, but I expect more grovelling."

Yes your most gracious Emperor! Please don't kill me! If I may ask, what is your profession in real life?

"I’m a 'graphic designer', 'commercial artist', 'typesetting artist', 'computer art designer' or whatever other title people want to give me. I’ve always been a bit flexible with the specific terms. I like to call myself an artist, though. Here on the Tower, I am on the marketing team, which has been great. We've got a lot of talent on this site, and it's nice to be able to contribute."

Thank you for all that you give us, Divine Emperor. Reviewing the work you've done, I see that you are truly amazing. Why are you so good at graphic design?

/buffs claws "[/FONT][FONT=Verdana]Practice. Sure, I have innate artistic talent, but that only goes so far. I wouldn’t be able to do any of the stuff I can if I didn’t have years of experience. Every job I do, I learn more and better ways to do things. I am strides ahead of where I was two years ago, leaps and bounds ahead of where I was when I graduated college. It's like eating a 20-scoop sundae in one sitting--it takes practice!"

Your Worshipfulness truly inspires us all. If I may beg more questions, what's your favorite part of the site?

"I like the discussion forums a lot, but what I really like most about the site is that it’s more than the site. I like that there’s a Minecraft server, Warcraft guilds, craft-alongs, Cards Against Humanity games, events. That’s the best part; it’s more than just words on a screen."

If one more itsy-bitty little question is permissible, would you please tell us about your preferences reading The Wheel of Time?

"All right, but just one more question. The whole reason I started to read WoT in the first place was because of Brandon Sanderson. [/FONT][COLOR=#333333][FONT=Verdana]Sanderson may not be the best author I’ve read (still debating that) but he will always have a special place in my heart, because after college and joining the workforce, I fell out of my lifelong habit of reading. Life had gotten too busy, and I found myself not able to keep my attention on books, and I felt like I was losing my passion for reading, which saddened me. Then a friend recommended Elantris. The feeling I got when reading that book was like running down a steep hill, going faster and faster to keep from tumbling head over heels. I just couldn’t read it fast enough. Sanderson reignited my passion for books, and for that, I will love him forever.

"You would probably like to know who my favorite character is in the WoT books, and I have to admit that is a really tough question, because I like certain characters better in certain books as they develop and change. I think I really have to love Verin, though, at the end there with her book and her tea. She has a rare courage and I admire that. I also love just everything about the whole Tuon/Matt thing."

Do you have any pets, Supreme Leader?

"You said only one more question!"

I'm sorry! I shall give myself 100 lashings with a wet noodle. I'm sorry! Please don't kill me!

"Well, I suppose there's no harm done then if it's 100 lashings. I have one cat, a siamese-ish stray that we got as a very little kitten. She’s super cuddly but likes to rough-house, won’t eat most people food, and absolutely loves to chew on emery boards. Her hobbies are standing between your face and the computer/phone and jumping into chairs as soon as they’re vacated. And I will exchange your face with a computer right now if you don't get to the business of groveling!"

I'm sorry Supreme Leader! Yes Supreme Leader! Thank you for telling us about you, Supreme Leader! Hail to the Emperor!