Character Interview - Zuri
- Dan
- Aug 14
- 3 min read
Meet Zuri Williams, the protagonist in Phantom Algebra. She's the kind of girl who only believes in what she can hit, kick, and grapple. What will she do when she encounters ghosts?
You can pre-order Phantom Algebra today! It's the perfect read to usher in the haunting season!
Where were you born?
I was born in Victor Heights. That's part of LA. We lived there because it was close to a boxing gym where my dad trained. He started taking me to the gym as soon as I could walk. He taught me all the combat sports, from Muay Thai to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Mom worked as a cub reporter at the local news station and came to all my bouts. Those were the good days, back when Dad was winning fights and bringing home good money, before his injury and everything fell apart.
What is your favorite color?
Green because it's the color of money. When your family doesn't have enough money to pay the rent and can only afford instant ramen, money is never far from your mind. Money is stable housing and a full belly. Oh, and any leftover cash can be used to pay gym fees.
What is your dream job?
I'm going to become an MMA fighter, as in mixed martial arts. One day, I'll be a world champion.
What is your favorite food?
Anything other than instant ramen! Go for a few years eating that practically every day for every meal, and tell me how much you like it. I do love cooking whenever I have the opportunity, which isn't often. My favorite…hmmm…I can make a mean omelet. The only thing better than making it is eating it.
How do you spend a typical Saturday night?
Well, Mom and I have been on the run for the past three years. Moving from town to town, frequenting roach motels and not much else. I've been going to school, but we're never one place long enough for me to make friends or anything else. That is until we moved to Badger Hollow…we've been here a while now, and I spend most Saturdays in the company of Toby Alkorn. He's the starting quarterback for the Fighting Badgers and twice as gorgeous as any boy has the right to be. Don't tell my mom…she doesn't know about him, and I want to keep it that way.
When I'm not with Toby, you can find me watching clips of my hero, Malee "The Jade Tiger" Chaiyathorn, beating people bloody in the octagon. She'll be a world champion soon, and the most tremendous honor I can imagine is one day battling her for the title.
Zuri and her mother settle in Pinedale, North Carolina, to start over. For years, they’ve been on the run from Zuri’s father, a retired boxer and full-time gangland enforcer.
In Pinedale, Zuri finds a gym where she can train in mixed martial arts to pursue her dream of becoming a champion fighter. At Pinedale High, she discovers friends among the outcasts, academic challenges, and something unexpected…ghosts.
When Zuri encounters a tween phantom haunting the library, her life is turned upside down and inside out as she attempts to help the spirit. This incurs the wrath of devils, living and dead. Zuri will need her martial arts prowess, heart, and the aid of friends to protect everyone she loves.
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