The bad guys (the villains or antagonists in this work) are, as one might expect, up to no good. I do not gloss over the very real sufferings that can occur in history and a society: we need go no further than a history book or today’s news to see this in motion as humanity clashes with one another. Suffering and injustice transcends sociological and anthropological categories or segments. But mum’s the word on the antagonists for now and the problems they cause—this is a preface and not a synopsis of a novel,
While the Series setting is the present (2020 as of the first work in the Series—planes were still flying, pre-COVID-19, when I wrote the Story), historical writings and events have shaped the characters and the story. Whether engaging in military operations, walking the family dog, or falling in love, you will find a mixture of elements shaping the work. Soldiers grieve over lost loved ones and injustice. A character may struggle with the outcomes of anger, bitterness, and revenge. A character throws in the towel: life is not worth living. Childhood struggles and PTSD shape lives: we live in a world with many hurdles. A blogger speaking truth encounters persecution. The story builds relational and romantic bridges in unexpected areas in pursuit of our innate equality as humans, a person’s right of free choice and to challenge preconceptions surrounding romance, love, and relationships.
The work hints at and touches on spirituality within different contexts and cultures, including a few supernatural aspects: I have sprinkled ancient miracles and what may appear as paranormal happenings into the work. I leave it with the reader to debate and decide, within themselves, if a superhuman happening is just fiction … or a possibility? Is it science fiction, imagination, or fantasy? Do our language, and genre labels, create implied boundaries in our thoughts? Do our own views on choice of words, philosophy, religion, and spirituality—what’s “proper” or “acceptable”—constrain our acceptance and definitions of humanity, gender identity, individual journeys in life and the right of others to broader interactions? Do limitations in our language shoehorn us into boxes—do we lack language to describe something new or understand another perspective, vantage point or paradigm? At times, I may communicate concepts in words and stories in unexpected ways. The work may pose questions without supplying cut and dried or scripted answers: your thoughts, reflections and personal journey are worthy.
Do our worldviews, or if you prefer a more nuanced and philosophical perspective and analysis, our ontology and epistemology, allow broader perspectives? Or do we head towards our comfort zone? A place where we steer clear of other outlooks and not always consciously? Does the height and perspective of our vantage point allow entry into the unknown, or do we insist on the familiar in a tidy little box? Or are we adrift without anchors: no rocks to guide the stream’s waters? How do crises shape and amend our worldview?
Many contemporary issues mingle (sometimes lurk) within the pages. You will find hidden meanings and nuances within the work. In other instances, the characters speak on topics that may interest you. As I complete edits on the last draft (July 2020), we are amid the COVID-19 crisis. Topics I have been reflecting on and journaling, for years, have current application and relevance. Only minor late amendments, such as the mention of a product in focus (“bidet”), were not in the original draft and reflections. I introduce “what-if” thinking within the work to discuss assumptions or premises: to provoke thought.