God and Goddess of Third Book in Soul Eclipse Triology

Dear Readers,

For the longest time I 've struggled to decide which god and goddess to use for the third and last book of the Soul Eclipse Triology. I had initially decided upon Durga and Brahma but the similiarity between Durga and Kalika (the heroine of the 2nd book) was too close and that would have adversely affected the circular nature of the series.

After much study, I've decided upon Saraswati and Brahma. A little history might be helpful for understanding my reasoning. The consorts represent the beginning, middle, and end of all things. Kalika, being an incarnation of Durga, wouldn't have allowed the fullness of this trinity to be explored. Saraswati did.

Notice that these books are also not in order of beginning, middle, and end, and this was deliberate. The goddesses resurrected in an arbitrary fashion and this allowed for a much more free-flowing storyline.

Book Three: Saraswati and Brahma are the deities of creation, language, music and creativity. Life and newness come through them.
Book One: Lakshmi and Vishnu are the deities of sustenance/resources and maintenance of the universe and life. They are the reason that nature survives and protects its own.
Book Two: Kalika and Shiva are the deities of destruction and death as a result of the ravaging effects of time. They destroy illusions and self-deceptions, the ego and its self-deceits.

For those interested in my progress, I'm a little over half done with Book Two, and am on schedule to finish it in May.

Romance Recommendations

Dear Readers:

This is just a quickie note. I've recently encountered some authors for the first time that I quite enjoyed and wanted to share their names with you:

• Gaelen Foley
• Caroline Linden
• Laura Lee Guhrke
• Adele Ashworth
• Shana Galen

Enjoy reading.

Kalika in Hinduism

Dear Readers,

Kalika - more commonly known as Kali in modern Hinduism - is filled with symbolism, from the chain of skulls she wears around her neck, to the severed arms she wears as a girdle, to the blackness of her skin, and her long, red, protruding tongue. Taking this goddess and turning her into a heroine initially seemed a monumental task, but as I've studied her, my attitude has changed. Because she represents both time and reality, the worshipper's attitude determines if she is considered ugly or beautiful. For many, the passage of time is terrifying, as is the stripping away of self-delusions. For those afraid of the destructiveness of time and genuine introspection, Kali is ugly. For others, who see the birth and death cycle as beautiful, who aren't afraid to see the world honestly, Kali is beautiful.

And so, as I've been writing this novel, I've begun to understand how Kalika can be both horrifying and comforting and those are the attributes and dynamics that I've tried to instill in her character as she comes to remember who she is.

I hope readers will come to love Kalika as I have as she struggles to overcome the delusions that have hidden her from her nemesis and put all of creation into jeopardy. Her journey, in many ways, reflects are own.