Author's comments

The Goddess of Light follows Paul and Leora Bolang in their lives from 1926 until 1934.  These are the intrawar years that lead up to WWII.  I show the society and culture of this time with intimacy that you will not find in most literature.  This is a strong adventure novel due to the character of Leora and Paul.  Their purpose should be evident.  Their ability to affect the world still in question. 

I'm currently writing The Goddess of Light.  The novel is a follow-on to Aegypt.  It is obvious at the end of Aegypt, that the story continues.  I wrote on it many years ago, but it really wasn't going anywhere.  When OakTara accepted Aegypt, the interest of their chief editor Ramona Tucker in a sequel reexcited my interest in the novel. 

I loved the idea of Paul and Leora meeting Paul's parents.  The concept of a dark skinned woman from Africa being the wife of a high society officer in the late 1920s and early 1930s was too luscious to not write about.  Leora's introduction to the society of Paris was equally interesting.  Her introduction to the officer's wives in mid-west America just puts a nice lid on the concept of prejudice in the modern world.  I love this as a subtle theme for lots of reasons.

Paul and Leora's children are also beautiful writing concepts.  I write novels about people.  The characters are real and broken.  They are incredible in some ways, mundane or negative in others.  I build novels around the characters--giving them life through their words and actions.  

The world changes for Paul and Leora when he is called to a secret mission with the British and Leora moves to Paris.  The climate of northern Europe is not the place for Leora--it saps her power and her strength.  Paul goes missing and Leora receives a package from him.  A package with an antiquity she is afraid to open.  A blackmailer turns up at Leora's house and demands the package or Paul and Leora will be ruined.  Leora rejects the threat.  The notes of Audrey and Parrain turn up, and the French military courts martial Paul.  Paul and Leora are ruined.

Leora must take business into her own hands.  She seeks Paul's friend, Sir Barot Cheston in Oxford England.  The convincing is a de jai vu from Aegypt.  Sir Barot will not answer, but gives Leora an ultimatum.  Leora waits and is helped by Sir Barot's student Matilda Anne Robyn Acland Hastings--Tilly.  Tilly is a marvelous character.  A modern woman and an Oxford student, she is a child of royalty without many social skills and no tact.  Paired with Leora--what irony. 

The novel is finished and I sent the manuscript to my publisher.  We'll see when it gets published. 

I study an era by reading every primary source document I can find from the time period.  Then I begin researching strong scholarly works on the subject.  I studied about a year before I began to write Aegypt.  Since The Goddess of Light is a follow-on to Aegypt, I was able to use much of the same research.

The Question: 

When the world was young, people believed in all kinds of gods and goddesses.  In the novel The Goddess of Light, I expand the question I asked in Aegypt, what would happen if modern people came face to face with a real goddess.  Leora, the goddess of light, interacts with the modern world--sometimes that world is more cruel to those who have a power beyond our expectations.  Also, I added to my original question and ask a new one about prejudice.  Explicitly, the question in The Goddess of Light is what is the reaction of the goddess of darkness against her sister, Leora.

The Characters: 

The characters came directly from Aegypt.  They were the survivors from the destruction of Fort Saint.  Directly, there is Paul Bolang, Leora Bolang (the goddess of light), Maurice le Boehm, and Leila, (the goddess of darkness).  Indirectly, there is Sir Barot Cheston, Paul's parents, Paul's sisters, and Paul and Leora's children.

The Theme: 

The goddess of darkness has prepared a horrible revenge against her sister.  Leila attempts to destroy Leora's marriage, family, and reputation.  Leora must fight against powers in this world and those against which the world has no defenses.   

Teaser: