Journey to the Title
Leoshine, Princess Oracle. Leoshine Princess Quarry.
Leoshine crouches at the feet of the human alien. Her father calls him her new master.
This is how Leoshine, the title character for my science fiction/fantasy series becomes an oracle.
The human alien doesn’t want a slave. He is on a mission to regenerate the atmosphere and the society of Myxolidia that his people established a thousand years ago. The people of Myxolidia thought they could make it on their own. And he can’t succeed without Leoshine, the Myxolidian Oracle in her corner of his counsel chamber.
Where did “Leoshine” come from?
The “Leo” comes from “Leonie,” a favourite character in These Old Shades, by Georgette Heyer. And I’m African so lions are dear to me.
The “Shine” comes from a prophesy Leoshine’s father remembers spoken over her when she was born. She was going to be a “bright and ascending star for her people.” She shines over them all.
But that’s not all.
I am a fan of Asterix by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. They delineate between tribes and peoples with suffixes on their names. Everyone with “ix” at the end of their name belongs to the Gaulish tribe. I have all the names of Myxolidian women ending with “shine.”
How do I pronounce it?
I am not fussy about how you pronounce “Leoshine.” I want you to feel like you are the main character going through her adventures and triumphing in the end. Go ahead and call yourself “Leo-shine” with a long “i.” Someone once asked if they could be “Leo-shinay” with a French accent on the “e.” Sure! Like I said, I’m not fussy as long as you find yourself in the story.
In my head, I am “Leo-sheen.” I don’t have a reason why.
What does “Quarry” mean to you?
Leoshine escapes her human captor. Her brother thinks he rescues her to be his oracle, reviving the religion of the schism that brought Myxolidia to power.
The titles of the Leoshine series describe her journey from slave to co-regent. There, I’ve given it away. If the adventure wasn’t in the details, you could stop reading now.
- Oracle
- Quarry
- Slave
- Commander
- Consort
- Regina
Book Two of the Leoshine series is set to launch in March 2023 with Siretona Creative Publisher.
The whole story is written, however, we continually discover the joy of editing. It is like surgery on conjoined twins: delicate, life altering, and liberating to individuals. Each time I think I need one title for a long book, I find I need to split the book in two because more details, more character development, more intrigue makes the series more delicious for you, my readers.
After Leoshine precipitates the battle between the alien invaders and her brother, he drags her through the underbelly of Myxolidia, chased by the human alien’s hunter-servant.
“Hunter.” “Chased.” I began with this concept and it led me to “Quarry.”
quar·ry 1
(kwôr′ē, kwŏr′ē)
n. pl. quar·ries
1. a. A hunted animal; prey.
1. b. Hunted animals considered as a group; game.
2. An object of pursuit: The police lost their quarry in the crowd.
[Middle English querre, entrails of a deer given to hounds as a reward, from Old French cuiriee, alteration (influenced by cuir, skin) of coree, from Vulgar Latin *corāta, viscera, from Latin cor, heart; see kerd- in Indo-European roots.]
I didn’t like the alliteration of “Princess Prey” or “Princess Pursued.” I really like the “Q” that Travis Williams found in the Palatino font for the cover!
Most people in North America are more familiar with the second definition of “quarry.”
quar·ry 2
(kwôr′ē, kwŏr′ē)
n. pl. quar·ries
1. An open excavation or pit from which stone is obtained by digging, cutting, or blasting.
2. A rich or productive source: found the book an indispensable quarry of information.
tr.v. quar·ried, quar·ry·ing, quar·ries
1. To obtain (stone) from a quarry, as by cutting, digging, or blasting.
2. To extract (facts, for example) by long, careful searching: finally quarried out the genealogy from hundreds of sources.
3. To use (land) as a quarry.
[Middle English quarey, from Medieval Latin quareria, quareia, alteration of Old French quarriere, from *quarre, cut stone, from Latin quadrum, square; see kwetwer- in Indo-European roots.]
At least this definition mentions books!
What does a princess have to do with “quarry” in either definition?
Leoshine is pursued by the human alien. He wants her to be his princess. The hunt is long and wearying and no one gets what they want in the end. (More details, more character development, more intrigue in the books to follow!)
Leoshine is the treasure of the story. We dig deep into the words to find her and ourselves since we identify with her struggles and victories. We are princes and princesses in the greater Kingdom and sometimes it takes some digging to find us.
The Leoshine series is like bedrock from which we mine deeper meaning for ourselves and the world around us.
I am delighted with the controversy over Leoshine, Princess Quarry. Join the debate! Which definition are you most familiar with? What quarries do you know?
One reader reminded me of the rehabilitated quarry called Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. This place epitomizes Leoshine’s journey! Scraped clean of her identity and home, she comes out stunningly restored, bestowing her people and the human alien with mercy, beauty, and justice.
I feel a strong urge to visit to this wonderful garden.
I will leave you with a quote from one of Leoshine’s fan’s:
Quarry — hunted — and Leoshine was not only hunted but used as bait by her brother, as I understood it!
Marilyn
Join the conversation! What does “quarry” mean to you? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Join Leoshine’s fan club. Once you read Leoshine, Princess Oracle, you’ll have a better perspective of what we’re all excited about.
