Predators I Have Known
Page 20
In Blue Magic, book one of the as yet unpublished Oshanurth trilogy, magic is commonplace, and much of it relates directly to the creatures that practice it. I refer, in particular, to shark magic, the basis of which lies entirely with the sharks that I’ve met. The octopus is there, too, along with dozens of other underwater denizens among whom I’ve spent some time.
Confront, encounter, interact with a creature, and you are made aware of the unique characteristics it may not share with other inhabitants of the planet. This holds true for plants as well as animals, as anyone who has read Drowning World or the Midworld stories will attest. The environment of Drowning World and much of the invented flora and fauna therein can be traced directly to time spent in the Amazon and, especially, in a reserve called Mamiraua that lies about halfway between Manaus and the Peruvian border.
I have to go now. A kitten is growling and nibbling on my toe. As a writer, I could extrapolate from her to full-grown cheetah or lion or tiger.
But it’s better, much better, and far more fulfilling both professionally and as a human being to have encountered her family relations in person.
The End