Guest Interview: Dave from Rachelle Ayala's Broken Build

Welcome Dave Jewell, the hero from the new romantic suspense, Broken Build by Rachelle Ayala!

So, Dave Jewell, you’re the mystery man everyone wants to know about. How did you pop onto the scene and start a software company? It must have been hard finding venture capital after the stock market crash.

Not sure what you’re insinuating. I had a great idea and wrote my own code. The toughest thing about starting a company is to get funded without losing control of your idea. Every time you pitch, you run the danger someone will run off with your idea and implement it faster. Since I wrote my own code, I put up a website and tested out the concepts in the form of online video games where I let people play for free. They could buy and sell swords, potions, magic spells, gems, pets, and fashion accessories and join guilds to corner the market for a specific commodity. I refined my bidding algorithms and influence meters to ensure everyone was able to score a rare item at least once in a while, but the larger guilds obviously had more clout. It was really quite fun. The game site is still up an running. There’s a fashion site called Fling a’Bling and a warrior/dungeon adventure called Rogue’s Cave.

I’m still curious about the funding.

Sorry, you won’t get anything out of me. My lips stay sealed.

I see, not the kiss and tell type. You've experienced some sadness in your past. How have you moved on?

I thought this was a business interview. Do we have our wires crossed here? I do have a board meeting in half an hour.

Fine, okay. Business. Some people are wondering why you and your employee, Jennifer, are spending so much time together. Want to elaborate as to why?

Melinda, is that right? If your mother wasn’t my mom’s college roommate. You want to know about Jennifer?

Yes, please, do tell.

She is one of the most important employees at our company. Many people do not realize that you can have the most brilliant programmers, the most complex software, and the state of the art testing lab, but if you cannot get your software built and released, it’s all for nothing. Ms. Cruz, er I mean Jones, is simply amazing. She can write scripts in her sleep and remembers all of the multiple private branch labels. If the engineers muck up a merge, Ms. Cruz can untangle them by ferreting out the logs and comparing diffs. What really surprised me was the innovative mindset she has. Did you know she was implementing a continuous build system in her spare time? Her idea is to contain and quarantine bad code so that if one module broke, she’d automatically roll that module back to the last known working one while allowing the rest of the build to go through. This works as long as the interfaces between the modules are unchanged. She has a checker script for that too.

In the past, whenever a single line of code broke, it brought the entire system to a halt. Everyone pointed fingers, test automation could not run and this would cause major delays. I had to fire that Ms. Debeers because she insisted on making changes and not containing the damage.

Er… okay, thank you, Mr. Jewell. I was actually looking at something a bit more personal. Our readers are curious about things that make you tick, what your outlook is. So, if you don’t mind me asking, what is it about Jennifer Cruz Jones that makes her different from other women you’ve dated?

This is off the record. But I’ve never dated Jennifer Cruz Jones. She’s a valuable employee and got mixed up with something way over her head.

Then why is she staying at your mansion? Your other employees seem to think there’s something going on.

Simple. I’m protecting her.

But you intend on marrying her.

Yes

So you must have feelings for her.

No comment.

Okay… what would you do if she were to disappear or told you she never wanted to see or hear from you again?

*silence, runs his fingers through his hair and tightens his jaw*

I love her, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear?

Sure, seems like you told her that several times in the book. Why is it so hard for you to admit it here?

She got me at a weak moment.

Speaking of which. You’ve been involved in some strange activities lately. What’s going on?

Melinda, it’s been so nice speaking with you. Please do give my regards to your mother.

Oh no, not yet. An important board member wants me to interview you. SHE wants to know what you like about Jennifer.

*walks to window and looks out* She’s the kindest, most compassionate person I know. She never felt accepted or loved by her father and her mother died early. I want to make it all up to her and give her everything she missed growing up. I’ll never neglect her or make her feel lonely.

Anything about her that bugs you?

*laughs* Her obsession with her weight, exercising and eating healthy foods.

Really? I thought she ate a Whopper and a guacamole bacon cheeseburger with you.

That was before I proposed. Think I should have held out longer?

Not for a greasy burger, no. What's in your future, Dave? 

*looks at the watch Jennifer gave him* A board meeting, a stock offering, and snuggling up with Jennifer and reading a scene from a romance novel together, either Chantel Rhondeau’s new one or Cate Beauman’s Bodyguard series or Melisa Hamling’s hot one. Her hero’s name is Cruz, but Daniella, whoa… oops, strike that. Jennifer has them all beat. You have one coming out?

Yes, next year. Watch for it. Time Changes Everything, Jake and Amanda get pretty heated under the sheets too.

*straightens tie* We’ll put it on our reading list. I really have to run. Thanks and I’ll have my admin send a box of chocolate to your mother.

Rachelle’s books: Michal's Window and Broken Build

Rachelle’s blog: http://rachelleayala.com

To read more about Jen and Dave, buy Broken Build from Amazon. 
FREE October 8-10! 

Thanks for stopping by,

Melinda