The Arrival (Children of the Morning Star Book 1)
Page 30
I survived our skirmish with the Confederates, shot an old revolver (one-handed!), and got onto a horse (with much help) for the 2nd and last time in my life. It was great fun, truly hard work (they really do the drills and marches—and some guys even live on hardtack and burnt coffee!), and it was worth being very... very... sore the next day(s). So, a big thank you goes out to them for the experience and everything they taught me. It comes out more in the next book, CONFESSIONS OF THE SECOND BORN, than it does here, but it was fun to gain perspective from Eric’s life. I later visited Gettysburg, an experience unlike any other. Mists drenched the quiet battlefields in the early morning light. You’d never think there’s a modern day city surrounding all the history that breathes there.
Thank you to Pastor Ron who sat with me and discussed Christianity and Lucifer—at length—to help me understand the way Lucifer might see the world today (well the world in 2006). I find it interesting that most biblical scholars state that the name “Lucifer” is a mistranslation referencing the actual “Morning Star” and that it is not among any of the names listed biblically for the devil. My favorite question from this interview was, “Do you think, if Lucifer truly wanted it, that God would forgive him?” And Ron thought about it—surely that’s not a question clergy get everyday—and said that if he (Lucifer) truly was penitent, then yes, God would forgive him. The trick here is truly being remorseful and seeking forgiveness, and that fascinated me so much that it became a subconscious thread that runs through the overarching tale.
Many thank yous go out to friend and author Jaleigh Johnson. I doubt I ever would have actually published one way or another had we not met. Similarly, we never met in person, but I’d like to thank Australian author Serene Conneeley for helpful insights, as well, that lit a fire under my butt.
A special thank you goes to Robin, my dear friend who passed away in January 2017. She was a soul sister unlike anyone I’ve ever met or will ever meet again. I love you, Robin, and I hope you are proud of me. Thank you to her husband and son, John and Connor, who shared their wonderful woman and opened their lives to me. They all hold a special place in my heart.
Perhaps the biggest thank you of all goes to my husband, Tim, for the countless times I sought his advice, made him read and re-read pages (egad, the torture), and for all the time I neglected him because I was in the zone—and for listening to me talk, talk, talk, and talk some more about Paresh and Eric and Jonathan relentlessly! He is my soul mate and I love him truly with all my heart.
This may be the strangest thank you, but I have to thank my cats. I drove them crazy with all the attention I gave the bright screen and clacky keys instead of to them. I mention David in my dedication. He was my best friend in a fur coat. Always there. He was a lap ninja. He helped Tim propose to me, not that Tim wanted the help, but he got it, and he was always at my side until he suddenly got sick and passed away just before Christmas 2007. He was my buddy. His name is completely coincidental and unrelated to the David in my story.
And of course, thank YOU! I hope you enjoyed Paresh and Eric and Jonathan’s journey and decide to join them when they return in CONFESSIONS OF THE SECOND BORN. I wrote the 2nd book almost immediately after finishing the first and have worked on edits off and on over the years simultaneously (as well as started on book #3 and a potential book #4... maybe).
Thank you to anyone I left out. It isn’t intentional. It’s hard to remember everyone after ten years of writing and edits while dealing with life’s trials and tribulations, especially when it’s nearly been my life’s work. I’m just so happy to share Paresh and Eric and Jonathan at long last!
I’d love to hear what you think! I have a neglected blog (that I need to resurrect) at kastiepavlik.blogspot.com. I also have a neglected Twitter account. Finally, I have an author FB page to neglect, as well (Kastie Pavlik, Author). ^_^
Historical Note
Historically, the battle of Poison Spring happened. However, artistic license puts Eric there.
The real 10th Illinois Cavalry, Company I (Champaign County), was in Camden, Arkansas when 200 wagons and soldiers left in search of food and supplies, and was not present at the battle (ambush) at Poison Spring.
After initial deployment, the real 10th Illinois Cavalry, Company I, truly did not return home for 3 years. Soldiers who re-enlisted received a 30-day furlough prior to disembarking from Camp Butler, Illinois—now a cemetery at the state capitol of Springfield—to return to war.
Eric’s unit was heavily involved in the Western theatre of the war. However, later, when Eric was no longer an enlisted soldier, but rather a mysterious man in black at the Colonel’s side with the 8th Illinois Cavalry, he transitioned to the Eastern Theatre of the war. But those stories come later!
Family Tree
The story will continue in...
Confessions of the Second Born
D eath stalks those closest to Eric as the Vampiric Nation edges ever closer to civil war. Paresh’s blood is out, and so are the emotions that come with it, further cracking an already splintered High Council and unleashing a murderous rogue upon Sunset Grove. As the Vampire Shadow Hounds descend on the hunt, increasingly chaotic violence encircles Paresh and Eric. Blood runs thick and trust wears thin, tempting Jonathan to abandon his quest for a penitent heart and forfeit his soul to join their fight. But how can Jonathan hope to save the future when he’s so unwilling to save himself from his own past?
Author (rough) Sketches
About the Author