Have Stakes Will Travel

A NOTE TO READERS

Hi, everyone,

With the last short story compilation, Cat Tales, I wrote a letter to you all, and frankly, except when it comes to making up stories, there isn’t a lot left to say (grinning). So today I want to talk a little (very little) about the new shorts.

I’ve always said that when I first envisioned Jane, I “wanted a character who had no past, with seemingly only the future open to her. I wanted a character who was a bit repressed socially, sexually, and emotionally. I wanted a character who was a singularity—the only one of her kind in the world. I wanted a loner in the truest sense of the word.” (Yes, I just quoted myself.)

But seeing Jane from the inside, from her point of view (POV), leaves us seeing Jane only as she sees herself. I wanted to explore how Jane is viewed by those outside her own head, her friends and lovers, and that is what so many of these shorts, some from her past, allow me to do.

For Have Stakes Will Travel, I wrote a piece from Beast’s POV from the years just before the Hunger Times, a piece I titled “We Sa and the Lumber King.” WeSa is Cherokee for bobcat. The Appalachian Mountains were heavily deforested in the late 1880s to the early 1920s, resulting in severe erosion, loss of habitat, horrible flooding with tremendous loss of life, and destruction of the lifestyles of the hardy farmers and the few Cherokee who still lived there. I wanted to show how Beast felt about the men who came in and destroyed her world. “We Sa and the Lumber King” gives you a short-short from Beast’s perspective, with her values and honor system.

“Haints” is a story from Molly Everhart Trueblood’s perspective, which allows us to see Jane as Molly saw her, early in their relationship. Molly, being the earth mother type, feels sorry for Jane in a lot of ways, which was a surprise to me! Until I wrote this story, I had no idea how deep her worry for Jane went. “Haints” allowed me to let their relationship grow a pace or two.

“Signatures of the Dead” was previously published in the anthology Strange Brew, headlining Charlaine Harris, so if you missed it then, you get the chance to read it now. And if you read it then, here is your chance to reread and get a taste of Jane, now that you know her better.

“Cajun with Fangs” was a total blast! It’s from Jane’s point of view and takes place shortly after the ending of Raven Cursed and before the start of Death’s Rival, which is out in October 2012.

Following the shorts, you’ll get a special extra-long preview of Death’s Rival, only available here. Yes, it will be out on October! (Cue the flashing lights and the pom-poms. If you feel like dancing, I suggest a merengue beat and—for the ladies—a full skirt to swish around! For the guys, I have to say, you will look splendid in a tux.) Okay, blatant plug is done.

If I have totally confused you, I’ve also included an updated timeline of stories in Jane’s world to help. I hope you enjoy all the shorts. I thank you for being fans of Jane and Beast.

—Faith

www.faithhunter.net

facebook.com/officialfaithhunter

P.S.—Don’t miss Beast’s Advice Column to humans, which is at her Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/faith.hunter#!/pages/Beast/135860763157310 or do a Facebook search for Beast.