Welcome back, dear Reader, to the spacefaring science fantasy universe of Vazdimet.
You hold in your hands the second installment of Mordena Dawn, exploring the formation of the Mordena mercenaries and the tumultuous pasts of its founders, most notably the formerly villainous necromancer, Shane Lawrence, and his quest for redemption.
I’ve realized, in the course of plotting out this series, that I have a love for charting the less-explored facets of life and human behavior. I love a good redemption arc, same as anyone, but it’s the aftermath that fascinates me. How does one move forward when their entire history is constantly pulling them backwards? Each memory, each ingrained habit, each gut reaction, well-trained through the years to lead them where they were, not where they want to go?
I suppose it’s my own history leaking through, as tends to happen when writing from the heart. I haven’t conquered planets or shattered souls, but I’ve taken my own journey to fight myself free from the ingrained lessons of coping and survival – I’m still on that journey – and it’s hard. I don’t think I’ll ever be done. It’s a lifelong quest.
But it’s worth taking, alongside all the discovery and self-discovery and all the emotions that entails. And I think that’s why I love writing about Shane and his circle. His discoveries, as he works to untangle who he can trust and which of his regrets are his own doing versus someone else’s, mirror our own journeys. His are more ruthless, perhaps, and certainly more fantastical, but that only makes them more appealing. A way to confront our own journeys, without feeling burdened by them. If Shane can do it, so can I.
And so can you. Here’s to many more journeys together, in Vazdimet, and across our own mortal plane called reality. And as you make your way through your own life’s journey, know that I am grateful to find my fictional stories featuring as a fraction of your own adventure. May they bring you as much enjoyment and comfort as they’ve brought me for mine.
