hardcover trilogy (Books 7-9)
978-1-936253-67-8
paperback trilogy (Books 7-9)
Greetings, young people of planet Earth,
The Muses, or whatever you would like to call those mysterious sources of inspiration, don’t always just inspire. Sometimes they issue orders.
For a long time, Calliope (epic poetry) was my main inspiration, as she probably is for most novelists. Thalia (comedy), Melpomene (tragedy), Erato (love), and Polyhymnia (sacred poetry) also had things to say, of course.
Then, as I was finishing NEBADOR Book Six and beginning Book Seven, another presence began to be felt, almost like a shadow lurking in the corners of my mind. It took a while, and many long walks and meditations, to figure out who it was.
Clio, the Muse of History, started speaking more and more clearly and . . .
almost forcefully . . . as Book Eight passed and Book Nine, the epic conclusion of the NEBADOR saga, began to be drafted. But even as the other Muses stepped aside and Clio’s voice became dominant, I became aware that writing and polishing Book Nine wasn’t all she expected of me.
She also instructed me to GIVE Book Nine to anyone who is led to discover it by the mysterious workings of the universe. I don’t expect anyone to understand this who lives their life solely by the rules of human society.
Those of you who can understand, will understand.
This story is for those who are young and would like the Earth to still be livable when you grow up. A few older people, with their eyes and ears open, might also enjoy it.
I’m sorry, but the ultimate fate of the planet in the story was not revealed to me, and I chose not to just “make something up.” Perhaps that will encourage people to continue pondering the themes of the story long after reading it. That would be good, and very timely.
J. Z. Colby
2015
