Biblical Mirroring

Before I get into the meat of this post, I want to let you know about a giveaway!  You can enter to win a Amazon Kindle copy of Future Savior Book One: Conception.  Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

Okay, last week I visited A.R. Norris' blog and talked about why I decided to incorporate Biblical mirroring in The Future Savior Series.  Today, come along with me as I break down the first three novels in FS (Future Savior) and pull out the Biblical stories that enhance each book.  Of course, there are many small snippets of mirroring all throughout The FS Series, I'm only going to talk about a few today. 

Be sure to stay tuned to the very end!  You can catch a small excerpt from the much anticipated FS4: Desecration!

Future Savior Book One: Conception

There's the obvious theme of the Creator that runs through the entirety of not just FS1: Conception, but the whole FS Series.  However, I think for the purposes of this blog I'll stick to actual mirrored scenes and not themes... If I discussed themes we'd be here all day!

I think the first one that really stands out in Conception is the fake name Shaw uses when he's disguised as a teenage book:  Russel Samson.  Yep, this is an obvious reference to the Biblical Samson and that becomes quite clear in FS2: Resurrection.

The next scene that has significant mirroring is in King Quafin's throne room.  The way he badgers Christina to use her powers is very reminiscent of King Herod.

Another obvious one is the entrance into Verna Mount.  She's riding on a small pony and the Elves are cheering and waving branches at Christina... yep, pretty obvious.

I'm going to skip a couple for sake of space and time and jump straight to Jonus' victory over the Leviathan ruler.  This is a definite mirroring of King David slaying Goliath.

I guess I could talk about the biggest Biblical mirroring that takes place at the end of Conception... but I really don't want to ruin the ending!!!  You'll have to check it out for yourself.

Future Savior Book Two: Resurrection

In the very Prologue of FS2: Resurrection there's a little bit of mirroring.  Someone has killed themselves and it's an obvious reference to Judas Iscariot.

Christina's return to Meric is, of course, laced with mirroring.

We learn Drexton's story and I might as well have just called him Job!

Jonus continues to resemble the Biblical King David in so many ways.

And Shaw's entire journey in the Xertic realm has quite a few scenes of mirroring.  Including Samson and Daniel.

Not to mention young Kendalwyn is a direct mirror reflection of Ester.

Future Savior Book Three: Evacuation

With all the different story lines running through FS3: Evacuation, there's a ton of Biblical mirroring in this one!  One of the biggest, and one of the most important, is the people taking Leticia's mark of loyalty.  The only way I could have made that one more obvious would have been to make the symbol three 6s!

Trayd's left-handed escape from Eglan's mansion mirrors the Bible story of Ehud.

The walls falling down around the city of Newnan was a direct reference to the walls of Jerrico.

Brezkin's interaction with the giant fish is pretty obvious.  But his less obvious scene is where he and Kayliah save the children of Travers from twenty Vaipes using only one sword.  I pulled this from Jonathan and his armor bearer defeating twenty Philistines with only one sword.

*     *     *

There's so much more Biblical themes and mirroring in The Future Savior Series than just this little bit I talked about here today.  I have a friend who likes to refer to these as "Finding Easter Eggs".  Check out the series for yourself and see how many Easter Eggs you can find!  But before you do, here's an excerpt from Future Savior Book Four: Desecration...  Sorry, to all of you die hard FS fans... this isn't about Christina and Shaw!  This is an excerpt containing some obvious Biblical mirroring.

Future Savior 4: Desecration

(This excerpt is unedited and may vary upon publication)

Nebuch walked up to Kayliah, Brezkin, and Vetter getting just inches away from their faces.  He meticulously eyed each of them in turn.  His steely grey eyes were hard and cold.

"They will not take the mark," he declared.  "And since they will not pay allegiance with the branding of their hand, they will pay with their lives by the burning of their flesh.  There…" Nebuch pointed toward a small shed-looking building close to the waters of the lake.  I was filled with so much dread.  What did he mean by "burning of their flesh"?

The strongest looking men in the crowd moved forward and grabbed my friends.  They untied them from the railings, but they quickly bound their hands behind their backs.  Then the men shoved the three of them toward the small building.  The other men began lighting torches and I realized what was going to happen.  They were going to lock my friends in the shed and burn them alive.  Brezkin and Vetter cast sad glances back toward the lifeless body of Legion, but Kayliah found Skarr in the crowd and glared at him the entire time she was moved to the shed.

Kayliah, Brezkin and Vetter where thrown into the small wooden building.  The door was securely locked behind them.  The men with the torches came forward and began setting the shed ablaze.  It didn't take long before smoke started billowing out of the crack under the door and the small windows of the shed.  Through the windows the flames could be seen reaching the whole way to the ceiling. 

As Nebuch and the others looked on, something amazing happened in the fire.  A silvery light filled the shed, over powering the glowing flames.  The light slowly formed into the shape of a man and walked in the flames alongside my friends.  I knew this form.  I had seen it in my visions multiple times.  It was an angel and I was filled with instant relief because I sensed it was there to protect my friends. 

"Didn't we throw three people into the shed?" Nebuch declared in amazement peering in the windows.

"Yes, there were three," one of the men replied.

"But look!  There are four now and it appears as if all of their ropes have been cut," Nebuch gushed.  "And the new one?  It's glowing… I mean, it doesn't look real."

"I wonder sir," a different man with pencil thin mustache said, "could it be the ghost of that man." He gestured with his head back toward Legion's dead body.

"I don't know," Nebuch replied.  Horror laced his previously fierce voice.  All of the husky men standing there watching the shed looked like frightened children.

The door to the shed burst open and the flames fingered out the door, but along with flames came Kayliah, Brezkin and Vetter.  The fourth person, the angel, vanished from sight, nowhere to be seen.  My friends were completely unharmed.  Not even their hair had been singed or their clothes blackened.  They hurried over to where the men of the village had left their discarded weapons on the ground.  Brezkin grabbed his spear and the two Mortifs their swords.  The men of the village didn't even move.  They were transfixed at the miracle they just witnessed. 

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This morning I thought I would chat about my book, Innocent Deception.

I tend to wright in favor of the misunderstood. Ethan, my hero, is a Scottish laird who has a speech impediment. Imagine how difficult it would be to command respect when almost each word you speak is accompanied by a stutter.  I did imagine that very thing, and, before I knew it, Innocent Deception was born.

I came to care about Ceana as she developed witin this story. I would have to say it is her terrified courage that 'gets' me, right in the heart. She has a lifetime of abuse to contend with, and since marrying Ethan she is treated with respect and caring for the first time. Yet she is deceiving him and her guilt and internal since of right and wrong torment her each time he is kind to her.

Ethan is a man who, although he is ashamed of his inability to speak clearly, he forges ahead and builds a life for himself and those under his care. He lets nothing stop him from protecting his clan, and although he is devastated and angry when he learns of his new wife's deception, he struggles to understand why she did so.  His forgiveness and trust, however, is much more difficult to achieve.

I've posted a review snippet, and an excerpt, I hope you enjoy and if by some chance you've read Innocent Deception, I'd love to hear what you thought. :-)

Royal Ethan Anderson… a first born son cheated out of an inheritance by his father in favor of his illegitimate half-brother.

Ceana Sinclair, a girl who has no choice but to masquerade as someone else.

An unexpected death… A forced marriage…

Can a foundation of trust and love be built upon a lie?

Or will this case of innocent deception destroy any chance of happiness Royal and Ceana might have had?

   

                                                10 out of 10! ...From the very beginning, I was intrigued by the characters and the plot. We meet such different individuals that trying to predict how they all come together is nearly impossible. I loved the many twists and turns that this story takes as we journey together with the characters....
                                          Eye on Romance official reviewer

Please enjoy this excerpt:

Caoimhe bit her lip and forced the question plaguing her mind. "Will ye truly send the lasses back to Lady Gormal's clutches?"

The young laird, a man she had watched grow from a too thin, frightened lad who was afraid of his own shadow and terrified of speaking more than a pair of words at one time might he shame himself, stared pensively at her sleeping daughter.

A daughter likewise carrying a great fear within her, clutched about her as if it were a second skin.

She could understand the deception, Ceana marrying Ethan to assure his wee brother be returned and fear for her own life pushing her.

And she could see how Ethan's trusted guards would wish this quiet lass as his bride rather than the demanding Sorsha.

But the choice they had made had been a mistake, one that would be imprinted on Ethan's mind and heart for years to come.

Perhaps it was mother's intuition, or maybe simply wishful thinking, Caoimhe felt in her bones if the pair could get past the deception, a love between them could blossom and grow, and heal all the hurts and betrayals which each had suffered.

Yet wishing on her part did nothing for Ethan and Ceana.

Her heart was a painful knot within her breast. Nay, the laird would have to forgive his wife, and she would have to forgive herself, before any trust, or love, could grow.

So lost in her musings she started when Ethan reached a hand out and brushed a wisp of hair off Ceana's forehead.

Oh, aye, the lad cared for her already, and she knew from her observations of Ceana that she also cared deeply for her husband.

Not taking his eyes off his bride, he spoke. "In light of all ye've t-told me, Caoimhe, I w-will have to give the matter of Ceana and Sorsha more thought." He turned his steel gray eyes to her. "Whilst at the moor, I had t-told Diarmad I w-would be sending the lasses to Balvack to live, Lady Gormal overheard and claimed she w-was not Sorsha's mother. At that moment a messenger came and told us of their capture, and I could not question her further."

His lip pulled into a half smile. "Apparently she spoke the truth."

Caoimhe could not gauge what he was thinking. His young, handsome face was void of any emotion. She nodded once, a stiff jerk of her neck, not knowing what, if anything, she should say.

She wanted more than anything for both Ceana and Sorsha to remain here, behind the safe walls that had sheltered her all these years.

She shuddered to think what would happen to the lasses if he did send them back. If Lady Gormal still lived, it mattered not a good man, such as Diarmad, was the new laird.

Lady Gormal would make her daughter's life unbearable.

Considering she had now disclaimed Sorsha as her own, that daughter would suddenly experience what Ceana had lived through the whole of her life.

The heavy oak chamber door burst open and Caoimhe quickly covered her head.

Lady Sileas stood in the threshold, her hair coming out of its braid and her eyes wild.

Two guards hovered behind her, looking at Ethan helplessly.

Caoimhe's heart sank.

The laird would never let her daughters remain within these walls if the Lady Sileas did not wish it.

Sileas pointed a trembling finger to the bed. "Why did ye bring them back?"

Ethan motioned for Caoimhe to take his place sitting at the edge of the bed. On legs suddenly too weak to hold her, she sat, keeping her hooded head down.

He moved to his mother and wrapped his arms around her while she cried.

"Shh, Ma," he soothed. "Wee Sionn is h-home safe now, ye need not w-worry anymore."

She sniffed and Caoimhe's heart went out to her. The woman had had a hard life. Her mind was weak, and as of late, becoming weaker.

"I ken he is safe now!" she cried. "But why did ye bring those lasses back within our walls? Ye don't need them anymore, ye should have let the Vikings keep them!"

The venom in her words made Caoimhe wince and she instinctively picked up Ceana's ice-cold hand and rubbed it between her own, which were in truth, not much warmer.

She hoped the draught she gave her was strong enough to keep her sleeping whilst Ethan's mother was here. She did not wish her Ceana to witness the anger coming off the woman in waves.

"Mother," Ethan said, his voice strained. "It has been explained to ye w-why Ceana lied about who she was and married me. She feared for Sionn, Ma, she w-was trying to protect him and see to it h-he be returned home by marrying me."

Her voice rang out with frustration, "I don't care!"

He continued speaking despite her outburst, his breathless, halting words desperate to sooth his mother, his face strained and flushed with the effort he made to control his stutter. Caoimhe's heart wrenched, knowing that although he did not fear taunting from his mother, or herself, his halted speech still embarrassed him greatly. "Sorsha h-had nay part in the deception when she arrived here, she did not k-ken who she w-was or where she came from, Ma. Even if she had not lost h-her memoires, she had nay choice in her father's decree she marry me in order to h-have Sionn returned to us."

There was a swishing of material and Caoimhe guessed Lady Sileas pulled out of her son's embrace.

"Why are ye defending them?" she demanded.

Ethan sighed. "Ma, I just explained w-why," he said his voice soft and caring despite the breathlessness that accompanied his stutter. "They are h-here, and will remain so until I can decide w-what is best for all. Ye h-have nay reason to w-wish either lass ill."

Relief filled Caoimhe's eyes with tears. He would not send her daughters away, at least not yet. And, despite his mother's wishes.

There was a scraping of feet against rushes and Caoimhe turned in time to see Lady Sileas break the hold her son had on her upper arms and make her way to the bed.

Caoimhe stood, placing herself between the angry woman and the sleeping girl.

"Lady Sileas," Caoimhe began, choosing her words carefully. "It has been a long journey for ye, from the time wee Sionn was taken to now, and ye need rest. Let me take ye back to ye chamber, I will fix ye a drink to help ye relax."

Her eyes, unclear and frightened, seemed to search hers, even though Caoimhe knew she could not truly see her eyes under the deep hood. "I don't want the lasses here, in my home."

The words shot spears through Caoimhe's heart, but were so pitifully spoken, she could not hate her for them.

Caoimhe took both her hands into hers and rubbed them slowly. "Tell me why, My Lady," she asked softly. "I ken ye understand all that happened with the lasses, the deceit was never meant to hurt, but to help. Yet ye are determined to see them ousted, especially Ceana, will ye not tell me why?"

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ethan move to stand by the hearth. She could sense by the stiff set of his shoulders and the way his head was cocked he wished his mother to answer her questions as much as she did.

Lady Sileas sank to her knees into the rushes. Ethan moved to come to her and Caoimhe shook her head, halting his steps.

Caoimhe knelt in front of her, not releasing her hold on her hands.

Tears ran in a stream down Sileas cheeks as she raised ravished eyes to her. "She reminds me of myself." The words came out an anguished whisper. "When I look into her eyes, I see the terrors of my own past, from when I was under The MacLean's thumb and I can't bear it. To this day my husband haunts my dreams. I fear I will see him, or his evil son Aodh, around each corner I turn."

Sileas grip tightened painfully, yet Caoimhe did not pull away.

"Don't ye understand?" she cried. "As long as my husband lives, I still belong to him. He could find me, take me back, I can't go back, healer, I can't!"

Ethan knelt behind his mother and wrapped his strong arms around the weeping woman, his dark head rested atop hers, his knees bracketed her swaying form.

Caoimhe met Ethan's eyes for a pregnant moment, she read the anguish, confusion and helplessness within the storm gray depths and her heart pinched for him. Carefully, she released Sileas' hands, her own heart breaking for more reasons than she could contemplate at the moment, and stood.

She checked on Ceana one more time, assuring herself her daughter still slept, then, with one more glance at the kneeling couple she stepped into the drafty hall and pulled the heavy door closed behind her.

The chances of Ethan allowing the lasses to remain now that he knew why their presence hurt his mother so much were all but none.

Caoimhe would lose her daughters for the second time. There was nay way she would be allowed within the walls of the Moor of Balvack. Even with Diarmad as laird, he could not stop Lady Gormal from slaying her the moment she set eyes on Caoimhe again.

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-211/Innocent-Deception-Tami-Dee/Detail.bok     

www.tamidee.com

www.tamideeblogspot.com

The Mechanics of Setting

(Posted for P.I. Barrington)

I've learned a lot since I seriously started to write science fiction. Things like some readers love minimal setting description while others believe if the setting isn't detailed enough the book isn't satisfactorily complete. Yes, I've been told both by everyone from non-writing readers to reviewers and even my own co-author.

"The story is massive," she's said to me more than once. "You're trying to condense an epic!"  Readers have told me, "I love it that there's not too much detail, it's not overly written!"

So, where to draw the line? Some authors will tell you half and half; some will insist you must describe the fumes from an alien aircraft. Me? I mix it up. I'll put in what needs to be there and keep out what doesn't—sounds simple huh? It isn't. There are thousand comments on this discussion out there and many new and even seasoned authors get confused from time to time. Yet there is help and it's in the form of worksheets and generators!

And no, it's not cheating I don't care what you've heard or believe. Sometimes you'll have story with many characters, races, subplots, planets, ships, pretty much any and everything you can think up. In fact you're so deep into the story that you haven't taken the time to delve deeply into developing those items mentioned above or spent enough time creating names for places, characters, planets etc. Worksheets and generators help you out in these areas; they don't write the book for you. In fact, they'll probably kick start your own imagination!

I've culled what I think are the best worksheet and generator links and I think you should take a quick look at them. The worksheets cover everything from civilizations in detail to quick character lists to (my fave!) names of races, planets, religions…you name it. I hope these links will help you out and I hope you think they're as much fun as I do!

1.           Seventh Sanctum: This is one of the best for science fiction and magic and if you have some development skills you can even contribute your generator for others to use! Highly recommended! http://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-name.php

2.           ChaoticShiny: This is the other best generator, especially for fantasy based on RPG and is for "people who write game or live in fantasy worlds of their own creation". Highly recommended for fantasy & alternate history writing. http://chaoticshiny.com/

3.           ScaldCrow: Interesting but limited and limited to actual RPG rather than directed at writers. http://www.scaldcrow.com/GENERATORS.html

4.           Squid: Intense generator with real and imagined world generators (Afghanistan, Egypt, France, Japan and Congo to name just a few!). Definitely worth checking out! http://www.squid.org/tools/random/index.php

5.           Serendipity: Revamped and based a lot on Les Mis but specifically for fantasy authors! Serendipity has name generators from French to Japanese and bonus villain names. Recommended.  http://nine.frenchboys.net/

**The next four links are excellent for

character/civilization/food chain/planetary worksheets: Highly recommended***

http://www.elfwood.com/farp/thewriting/liljenbergworlds/index.html

http://www.elfwood.com/farp/thewriting/liljenbergworlds/planetworksheet.pdf

http://www.elfwood.com/farp/thewriting/liljenbergworlds/foodchain.pdf

http://www.elfwood.com/farp/thewriting/liljenbergworlds/civilizationworksheet.pdf

Recommended**

http://northbynotwest.com/Sherry_Ramsey/Script_Wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/World-Builder.pdf

http://www.the-writers-craft.com/support-files/character.pdf

One of my favorites is a classic world building worksheet that is astounding in the details it covers. It is the World Building form from Patricia Wrede—each link within this link opens up a whole world of information you create yourself—but as Patricia will tell you—if a section doesn't work for you, don't use it! Not only that but this link is the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America site which you should probably investigate anyway.

http://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions/  ****Highly recommended

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzylBQC3SyqoM2JjMDkwZDEtNDI2NS00ZDMxLTg5MzctMThjODBkYmZkNTRh&hl=en&pli=1   ****Highly recommended

http://www.fantasymaps.com/101/  ***Recommended

And below this is a link FULL OF LINKS on fantasy mapping, creating, guidelines for the genre'! It's almost got it all!

http://www.oneofus.co.uk/index.php/how_to/how_to_create_fantasy_worlds/

If you're a purist, you can always spend time inventing your world in detail with copious notes or creating your own character or world building worksheets, there's nothing at all wrong with that and believe me, just filling out worksheets can be a blast on their own but if you're stuck for the name of a certain weapon or town and don't have a lot of time to research it or think it up, try out a generator or two. You may just get an idea for the next world you build!

Jennifer and A. R. Crossing in our blogs...

Yes, it's wonderful. It's exciting. It's, it's, totally awesome!

Jennifer is over at my blog, http://sci-fiadventures.blogspot.com/, talking about world building and her use of biblical mirroring and how rewarding it was for her.

In a freakishly unplanned twist, I'm at her blog, http://jenniferhartz.com/blog/,  talking about world building, specifically the science concepts and even more specifically immortality.

Make sure to hoppity-hop to each site!

Paranormal vs Horror, the Jmo opinion

When I was younger, around nine to whenever, I was the biggest scaredy cat you'd ever want to meet. I blame Salem's Lot, a miniseries based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. Something about that movie scared the stupid right out of me. I think it was the kid floating outside the window scratching to be let in, or the Master at the end. Whatever it was, I slept with a crucifix for a long time after it. As you can see, it took me a long time to come to grips with things that go bump in the night.

How did I overcome my fear of the things lurking in the dark? I read Salem's Lot and generally devoured everything by Stephen King I could before moving onto other horror novelists. Nothing like facing your fears to overcoming them. later on, I discovered other horror masters, Dean Koontz, and the unforgettable H.P. Lovecraft, who I believe talked to me on levels that the other authors didn't even come close to reaching..

Strange thing is, I wasn't afraid of Dark Shadows. It had vampires, witches and werewolves. If it had the big three of horror, why didn't I hide under my blankie with a crucifix firmly in hand? Because, Dark Shadows wasn't horror. It was something totally different. A hybrid of Horror and an old romance staple, Gothic. Sure at the time people called it Gothic, but looking back I believe with all my heart that Dark Shadows was the forerunner of what we modern day romance novelists call Paranormal.

It had all the requirements we look for in Paranormal. A tragic tortured hero cursed to live forever in darkness, while his hearts yearns for the sun and the love of the one woman who he can never have. Or, can he? That question was asked a lot over the course of that show. More times than not, the answer was no.

Years later I discovered Anne Rice, Nancy Collins and a number of authors who wanted to push the envelope of horror fiction. We had the monsters we had come to love, but they were us! Us, in that they questioned their existence, wondered if they had souls, and more importantly wanted to love more than be mindless monsters bent on the destruction of the things they couldn't have. Later Sheri Kenyon, Lynsay Sands, J.R. Ward, and a host of other authors would take this to a whole new level.

With our framework of Horror and Paranormal in place, what differentiates Horror from Paranormal? For one thing, the point of a paranormal romance isn't to scare the crap out of you. Sure, Stephen King, most Horror authors for that matter, might have a heroine and hero that is brought together during the course of his novels, but that isn't the central theme in the book.  Believe me, if a romance novelist threw as much crap at their main characters as a horror novelist did, there wouldn't be time for romance. Whereas horror deals with the psychological aspects of a story, romance deals with the emotional. Now, that doesn't mean just the lovey dovey part, but the hard problems of getting past the differences in people to find true love.

Let's get back to the topic at hand. Why isn't Paranormal Romance Horror? Well for one thing, it combines so many genres that it can be hard to untangle what comes from where. Here's the kicker that makes Paranormal Romance uniquely its own. Paranormal contains elements of horror, so we're threading a fine line trying to separate the two. I'm not through yet, so don't blink. It is wrapped in the best parts of high fantasy. Most of them are deeply rooted in the contemporary world. Some even have components of Science Fiction incorporated into them. Being from Louisiana, I know just the word to describe Paranormal Romance. Lagniappe. If you're unfamiliar with the word, let me define it like this--romance with a little something extra. You can't get any better than that.

So when someone says that paranormal is just watered down horror feel free to laugh in their faces. If they say something about it, tell 'em Jmo made you do it. Probably won't save you from a butt whooping but you never can tell. As you can tell from my books, I go the other route. I make them laugh in mine, or snort Coke all over the place. Either way it's fun to watch.

Check out the second half of this debate with Stephanie Burkhart over at the Morgan Diaries, where she gives her take on the subject.

http://themorgandiaries.blogspot.com/

Hairy Characters

No, I'm not talking about werewolves or demons. I'm talking about pets. Domesticated pet characters are a rarity in science fiction, especially in space voyage and off world subgenres, which I think is a shame.

Let's break it down even more, to cats and dogs, which are the two most prominent animal companions for humans. There is something about cats and dogs that call to a natural bond with human beings. Not to mention their natural tendency to offer themselves as protector and friend.

Cats have been domesticated as early as 3500 BC by ancient Egyptians. (I personally believe the ancestral God-worship of cats is why felines can often be so cocky and "superior" to others...including us.) Okay, yeah, they had a bad break during the Middle Ages but they recovered with the whole Black Plague incident when they turned superhero and killed the plague-infected rats.

Scientifically, petting your animals lowers your blood pressure. Pet owners tend to live longer. They also reduce depression and studies have shown they improve how people see their quality of life.

And you think cats are long-standing companions, then you'll be blown away by dogs.

Canine partnership with us Homo Sapiens has be as long ago as 4500 BC. Most people think they started as only hunting "tools" but it's been shown they were hunting companions, not tools, and in fact were also revered by Egyptians.

This relationship has not waned with the evolving times. So, why would this change for the future? Why are domesticated animals so far and few between in SF works? Yeah, there are a few scattering pet characters, but not many.

When I began writing the second book in the Telomere Trilogy, it was natural for me to work a pet into the story. A male character, Damani, wasn't him without his dog. They were a pair. I further expanded that relationship in the third book, End of Eternity, when he took center stage as the main male character.

Below is an excerpt of End of Eternity, showcasing the bond between this man and his dog. (Just remember, this book is in draft form and hasn't been edited to publisher's specifications. The final could - will - be different.)

Excerpt:

"Zane." Damani crouched, buried his face in his dog, and didn’t care who saw or heard the emotion in his voice. He nuzzled Zane's neck, rubbed his side, and patted his belly. "There’s my boy. Aren’t you a sight for tired eyes. You miss Daddy?"

Zane barked, jumped his front paws onto Damani’s thighs, and barked again.

"That’s a big fat yes," Galvin decided. "Though, he might want custody rights with Makai. The way my brother spoiled him, you’d thought Zane was Makai’s dog. They were inseparable."

"You have a new friend?" Damani asked Zane, cupping his jaw.

With his world once again right, Damani let his attention return to Luna and Jetta. A definite change from when the women first met. No verbal communication, but Damani was sure mind speech was happening. A lot by their expressions and Jetta's sly glance in his direction. They hurried off, out of the hangar bay.

"I don't need to hear minds to see you're in deep trouble." Galvin positioned himself next to Damani and watched the woman leave. "I've seen the same look from her several times and it never ends well."

"So have I," Jace added and slapped Damani on the back. "Sorry, Watcher."

"No matter. Let me clean up and then I'd like to know where we're at with the case."

"Noah's already called for a mission briefing in three hours. Rest a bit. Seems you need it," Galvin said with a sarcastic pat on his cheek.

Galvin and Jace strode off together.

"Come, Zane." Damani snapped his fingers and both walked side-by-side towards his quarters, where he planned for a long shower.

It seemed the two men worked out the remaining stiffness between them as well. He shook his head. Chaos. It's what family and friends brought. Chaos, turmoil, and stress. Happy one moment, fighting the next, then flipped to happy all over again. He didn't need any of those things.

 *     *     *     *     *

Hope you liked the excerpt.

Who knows, there could be doggies out there, ready to explore the stars at our side. Let me know what SF books you've read with strong cat or dog characters. I'd love to add them to my TBR list.

Oh! And remember, next week our summer crossover event starts. We'll all be hopping around from here and swapping blogs with each other.

It'll be crazy! It'll be wild! It'll be fantasmic!

Crossing over to the Writer Side

With the Summer sun blazing outside, we thought it might be fun to change places with each other. Well, those of us sweating and boiling in the hot Southern sun did. Not sure, but I think that it's just me. Me being, J .Morgan. Everyone else will be pretty much surprised when they open that gigantic UPS package to find us--uh, me--squatting inside with a bottle of chloroform and a nice sanitized hanky before we--again just me--slap a return label on their foreheads and send them to their new home.

Huh?

Give me a minute. Apparently, someone wants to interrupt my maniacal super villain rant. I so do hate it when that happens. Feel free to insert mental image of me scurrying off, rubbing my hands together in some villainous way.

Okay, back. It would appear that above rambling on my part wasn't exactly what the rest of the guys had in mind. Instead of kidnapping and mailing each other to different climates, we're going to be crossing over onto each others' blogs. What does that mean? I'm really not sure, but I do know it's going to be fun.

So starting next Monday for the next four weeks, we're going to be jumping from the Writer Limits to blogs unknown. Well, unknown until we tell you where we're going. So, when you get to the bottom of your regularly scheduled Writer Limits Blog, we'll transport you to the next blog on your trip across the universe!

Again, insert super villain 'Brawhwhahwahwahwhawhaw' here. Along with a cough and a nasally wheeze, because the weird cackle is rough on the throat.