Guest Post by Serena Chase: Where's God in E'veria?

Thank-you to Serena Chase for being here today with her guest post on: Where's God in E'veria? Come back on June 3rd for my review of THE SEAHORSE LEGACY.

Where’s God in E’veria?

by Serena Chase

Perhaps no fantasy fiction is as filled with religious symbolism as that written from a Christian worldview. In most cases, the authors of such stories endeavor to create not only a world, but a belief system that applies to that fantastic world, but one which is also non-competitive with, or offensive to, the God of Christianity and the Bible. The Eyes of E’veria series was written from that worldview and I hope the symbolism therein aligns with the timeless truths of the Bible.

As an organic author, one who writes by the seat of my pants, I can honestly say that none of the metaphor or allegory that appears in the Eyes of E’veria books is planned in advance—at least not by me. Each day spent in the throes of a first draft, I sit down to write with only a vague idea of where my characters are going and how they’re going to get there. Like most “pantser” authors, sometimes I just stare at my unmoving hands on the keyboard, feeling the oppression of a lack of direction. Other days, inspiration flows from the strangest places, in some of the oddest ways or remembrances—and my fingers are shepherded toward something bigger than anything I had in mind, at a pace of flight.

When I was in high school I had a poster of “the names of Jesus” hanging in my bedroom. When I felt lonely, confused, or sad, I would sometimes look to that poster and my eyes would light upon a name or two that would speak comfort to what I was feeling. That poster didn’t survive the kazillion moves in the twenty-ish years between college and now, but the memory of it served as the inspiration for a scene in my debut novel, The Ryn.

In that scene, protagonist Rynnaia E’veri reads The Story of The First. While reading, she has a rather frightening supernatural encounter with E’veria’s First King, Loeftryn de Rynloeft—the Christ-figure-constant across the series—and better understands the myriad names by which her Creator King is known.

But just as Christians are called to be Jesus’s hands and feet in this realm, there are characters in the Eyes of E’veria books who are assigned that task, as well. In The Ryn (book 1) and The Remedy (book 2) belief is a fresh journey for Rynnaia, and even though she hears from E’veria’s Christ figure directly while reading The Story of The First, and later from the nearly-audible Voice that whispers and sings into her mind, we also see bits of God through the ministrations of others. Queen Daithia’s sacrifice, Sir Julien’s patient leadership, Lindsor’s righteous anger, Taef’s innocence, Jezmyn’s wisdom, Celine’s compassionate instruction, the comfort brought by the enikkas, and the mercy King Jarryn bestows on a traitor all give her a taste of the character of The First.

Rynnaia’s tale is completed at the end of The Remedy, but the Eyes of E’veria “series-within-a-series” begins a new two-book tale with familiar, but new-to-the-spotlight characters in The Seahorse Legacy. Unlike the path of discovery, faith, and growth in Rynnaia’s story, The Seahorse Legacy begins an adventure to be undertaken by two people whose knowledge of The First began in childhood. Both Erielle de Gladiel and Cazien de Pollis were brought up among believers and are, themselves, followers of Loeftryn de Rynloeft, also known as The First.

Erielle comes from a family of devout knights who can trace their ancestry back to the very prophet who foretold the adventures which came to pass in The Ryn and The Remedy. Cazien is a divinely commissioned pirate—which seems like an oxymoron, but you’ll have to read the book to understand how it is not! But just because Cazien and Erielle are believers does not mean they are always obedient—and just as disobedience, stubbornness, and spiritual laziness get reality-based Christians into trouble, so does it cause trouble for Erielle and Cazien.

So if you ask, “Where’s God in E’veria?” I would hope His fingerprints appear on each story from beginning to end, but that you can’t always see them on the surface, you can only feel them brush against your heart. I’m more surprised than anyone when God shows up and inserts himself into the story—sometimes even to the point of tears, because those are the moments I feel so close to knowing my Creator as the Author of My Story, among all his other wonderful names.

About The Author:

Serena Chase lives in Iowa with her husband, two teen daughters, and one very spoiled

(but really adorable) dog, Albus. A frequent contributor to USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog, she also writes for Edgy Inspirational Romance. Serena has served as a youth leader for high school students at her church, coaches her local high school’s Color Guard, and drinks entirely too much coffee between these and her daughters’ activities. You can find Serena on Facebook, Twitter @Serena_Chase, and Pinterest.  Visit her website www.serenachase.com

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I've shared with Serena one of the scenes where I saw God show up. If you have read the book was there a scene that God spoke to you? 

Thanks so much Serena for your guest post today! I'm looking forward to the next installment of The Eyes of E'veria!

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