Today, I’m honored to host my friend and fellow Pets in Space Author, S.E. Smith, who wants to talk about what she loves about writing for the series, and one chiropteran charmer in particular. Over to you S.E.
One thing I really enjoy about writing for Pets in Space® is, well, the pets!
Over the last five years, I’ve had the pleasure of writing for a wonderful charity anthology called Pets in Space®. My pets have ranged from a cyborg dog who adopts his own family of kittens to this year’s pet, an adorable bat named Batty. I have to admit each pet has held a special place in my heart. They are more than a pet, they are an essential character to the story with amazing personalities that shine through, much like my own real-life pet named PIA.
My pet this year once again plays a huge part in the world of my characters. The King’s Quest: A Dragon Lords of Valdier Short Story is set on the Minor Moon of Leviathan, home of the people for the Kingdoms of Glitter and Sandora. First introduced in Ambushing Ariel: Dragon Lords of Valdier, this is a world inhabited by the people from the Kingdom of Glitter, Sandora, and others. The species, while small, are fiercely protective of their world and the creatures who live there.
After writing For the Love of Tia and The Dragonlings and the Magic-Four-Leaf Clover, I decided it was time to revisit the world where Tamblin, King of Glitter and the mistaken King of the Leprechauns lives. In the story, Tamblin receives a young bat who he affectionately names Batty. Whether the character came from my love of Robin Williams portrayal in Ferngully: The Last Rainforest or my husband’s fascination with bats remains a mystery. LOL. In case you are wondering, we have a bat house and frequently sit outside at dusk to count how many visitors we have.
Far from being terrifying, I’ve discovered not only how important bats are to our environment, but that there are a wide range of bat species! From the tiny bats who gobble up mosquitoes to the huge spectacled flying fox, or spectacled fruit bats, we saw in Cairns, Australia, down at the main library, they are fascinating creatures who have captured my heart.
I hope you enjoy Tamblin, Arosa, and Batty’s story as much as I do. And the next time you look up at night and see a bat, I hope you think of a little bat with an enormous heart.
S.E. Smith is a New York Times, USA TODAY, International, and Award-Winning Bestselling author of science fiction, romance, fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary works for adults, young adults, and children. She enjoys writing a wide variety of genres that pull her readers into worlds that take them away. This is the 5th anniversary of her writing for Pets in Space® which helps the nonprofit charity https://www.hero-dogs.org/
