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:
.jpg)
(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
EYES OF E'VARIA ON SALE FOR KINDLE FOR A LIMITED TIME:
.jpg)
About The Author:
Serena Chase lives in
Iowa with her husband, two teen daughters, and one very spoiled
EYES OF E'VARIA ON SALE FOR KINDLE FOR A LIMITED TIME:
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!
TWO GIVEAWAYS!!!
TWO GIVEAWAYS!!!
GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
