V.A. Jeffrey's Blog

Themes Of Message At The Deep And Later Books

When I come up with a viable idea for a story often I’m also thinking of a theme that I want to explore. When I actually sit down to write the theme is somewhere in the back of my mind. It isn’t always specific or granular at this stage. It is more hazy. As I write the theme becomes more developed and specific.

So, what themes, you might wonder? I have touched on them slightly in the past on this blog. The Chapel Perilous. Cosmic Awe. Cosmic Horror. Others, I will expound more on this blog are knighthood and the ideals of chivalry, both historic and my own personal views on it. Spiritual Light and Spiritual Darkness, (or the good old-fashioned themes of Good and Evil). As far as the latter is concerned, if you’ve read my most recent novel you may have discerned that theme already.

So many people these days take offence over the idea of calling something what it actually is. Say, the question of Evil. I think that naming something for what it is, is just as important as the old idea of truly knowing someone’s name. Naming something gives it power. Knowing the name of something, whether that something is a person or an idea or an action gives YOU power. Not naming or refusing to name can rob you of power. This, too, is a theme in my current series.

Recently, I talked about a few of the obvious themes in Frank Herbert’s Dune series. This will be a blog series spread over several weeks I’ve mentioned some themes already that I am trying to explore. Others may include the struggle of new scientific ideas supplanting the old edifice of scientific ideas, alchemy, knighthood, celibacy, the issues of a highly stratified society, oppression and rebellion, social and cultural decay, anarchy in relation to personal and community freedom vs anarchy as a philosophical idea taken to an extreme, occultism vs enlightenment, psychopathy vs conscience on the personal level and on a societal level. Father and son relationships. So, there are a lot of things brewing in my mind.

First, the Occult versus Enlightenment. From what I’ve known, it first arose from ancient Babylon. It rose in tandem and was very much a part of ancient pagan religious practices of the time. The promise of knowing the future, of desiring good fortune, power, love or the tantalizing promise of secret knowledge - which often can confer power upon the seeker - I believe allowed the Occult to rise into existence. These are human desires, normal desires but they are often twisted and lead many to a dark road after a time. The very word “occult” has more than one meaning but they are related. It is both a noun and a verb. The more well-known meaning is “hidden knowledge” or secret knowledge. The other meaning which comes from astronomy means “to hide” or to “cover over”. Interestingly enough, two scientific disciplines that I’m aware of come directly out of the occult; astronomy, which comes from astrology and chemistry which was born from alchemy.

The Occult, from my own experience and many years of observations, leads ultimately, to darkness and despair. One must not dabble or dwell there. That doesn’t mean that some good has not come out of it. Science, which is an excellent thing, has come out of it. After all, it is a search for knowledge, and born from it, science too, is the search for knowledge and knowing the world around us. I suppose this is the part where one walks the gray areas of life when you ponder it. That sliver of life where you look beyond Good and Evil to the third way. But that way in my mind is a short and narrow path and only to be walked under extenuating circumstances.

My story deals with alchemy, both in regards to the proto-science idea and the psychological, that second arm of alchemy being related to Gnosticism. Jonas has a friend who actually practiced alchemy in when he created his various drug paraphernalia and this is very much dealt with in the second book that I am now writing, The Red Book of Ralston. In the acquired dust, Ralston hides his true work with it and makes his own version of the drug to experiment with higher consciousness and knowledge and personal power; an attempt to take the human body and mind past known the known physical boundaries. The main character in the book, Jonas Johnson, throughout the entire series will go through the seven steps of alchemical change in his life, or at least that is my idea. Sometimes ideas change in the writing but I’ve had this idea about my character going through this process for a long time now. So, Jonas will have to go through these steps and acquire a greater well of self-knowledge, a greater knowledge of not only who he really is and wants to be but what is his true place in the world; in the universe? The seven steps will burn away the dross and rebuild him into a new man with clarity of purpose. In that sense, the occultic trappings of alchemy are a positive thing, not just for a story character but also for the living human being. In the alchemical sense, Jonas is on the road to an enlightenment, no longer in the dark, on the outside, if physically, than at least not in a spiritual sense. He will not only reach physical strengthening and power but also “see the light” in regards to his attitude and spiritual practice, which right now is non-existent. He will also help others see the light where they are lost in darkness, especially going near the end of the series. Stay tuned for the next post in this series.

The Red World Trilogy revision

The Red World trilogy is getting a cover refresh! It took a long time for me to decide on this because I love the current covers. Well, I love the art, anyway but the design and typeface, which was done by me, needs a change. I studied graphic design many years ago in college and, well, my skills ain’t what they used to be. I found the artist Ferdinand Ladera on DeviantArt years ago. He is a freelance artist and you can find him on Art Station.

However, it was time for a change. A modern update, if you will. I am also working on getting these out as audiobooks in the next few months. The new covers were created by a designer that I’ve used in the past. His name is James from Go On Write (GoonWrite.com). So, I’ll give you a preview of one of the new book covers. I think its fabulous! I love it!

You can find the Red World trilogy on Amazon and other major book retailers!

Folio Society Book Sets

I have my eye on another beautiful Folio Society set of books. The first one is Dan Jones’s The Templars. I already have his book on audio and it’s excellent and one of quite a few books about the Templar knights that I’m reading right now. I have a future series in mind about Knights of the Northern Star, futuristic knights who live in a fortress-like space station near the star Polaris. They are a distant Brother Order of the long gone Templars and Hospitallers. I’ll have to dig deep into my pockets but I think it’s worth it. They are also ideas that are linked to the current series I’m writing, Message At The Deep, a noir sciFi series linked to the knights.

Not only beautiful but an excellent read!

The next book I want to get is a collection of Edgar Allan Poe. He was one of my favorite authors as a teenager and still is. He was instrumental in helping form the current mystery story as we know it, and he influenced horror, science fiction and fantasy. He was also a poet. I have a collection of his short stories but the pages are as yellow as butter and are falling out of the binding! It’s time for a library replacement.

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Prophecies Of Dune, Part 2

The syncretism of religions, Catholicism and Islam and Buddhism, that I remember off the top of my head, in the series had import, I feel, too. But I may leave that for a part three of this blog series.

Herbert also had a keen interest in the ecology of the earth. He studied the sand dunes on the Oregon coast and how scientists battled with nature; against the slow creep of the sand dunes in the early part of the 20th century which nearly took over a town on the Oregon coast. They planted European beach grass was planted to halt the progression of the sand dunes which was engulfing roads, the cars and homes. It is interesting how in such cases sand dunes can continue to take over the land until there is nothing but desert. This phenomenon has happened in other lands around the world, like certain parts of Africa and the Middle East. I’ve heard that the Saharan desert, aeons ago, was significantly smaller than it is today and that many areas in the Middle East, places that encompassed ancient Biblical lands, were once garden-like and green, flowing with water. The desert has overtaken these places today. The role of water scarcity and ecology were important themes in the Dune series, as well as religion and politics. As they are today and even more-so than in the past. A.I. will become a major problem for us all in regards to access to clean, drinkable water, because the type of chips that were pursued use enormous amounts of energy and need fresh water to keep the massive data centers they inhabit from over heating.

https://conceptartworld.com/?p=16354

(Spoiler alert!) Then, there is the question of the role of Woman. I speak of the frightening concept of the civilization of Ix. There is the mystery of the axlotl tanks throughout the series. The axlotl tanks of Ix and recurrent views on women’s roles in society among some internet communities seem similar in a certain way. The resurgence in primitive attitudes towards women in certain internet communities - the idea that all a woman is good for is having babies has roots in other things that I can write about in another post - one about fear of the future and the decay of a major civilization, which is a cycle the human family repeats throughout time. But, I digress.

That She, Woman, has no other value to her man or to society other than to give birth. And in the most primitive, give birth to sons. We can see the results if this attitude in China today. Too many young Chinese men cannot find a mate. While one can say that they can find other women outside the culture, and that has been done throughout time, that over time, radically changes culture which can create other issues that natalists don’t talk about. Or at least I don’t see them talking about them. That issue is people who grow up existing in two cultures and some may not align themselves with the father’s culture. They may choose to identify with the mother instead.

While I have traditional views on quite a few things this is not true on everything. One thing I will never support, as a woman, is this idea that I have no value beyond my womb. God would never have gifted me or other women with intelligent minds if this was the case. He would have approved of the idea of females simply being turned into axlotl tanks to simply breed, nothing but machine and flesh, a womb and a vagina that has no sentience nor even a mind. It reminds me of the Ixian civilization where the males have turned the females into breeding tanks, quite literally, machined tanks waiting to be inseminated. While this is not literally happening to woman today the idea that what you think or what is on your mind has no importance to a man was always ever present in every culture. The constant question of motherhood, or lack thereof brings attention to this theme in Herbert’s work. The attitude that women should love and take care of their families is Godly, a fine thing. It respects the traditional ideal of Womanhood. But the idea that all we are good for is to stay in the home and remain pregnant is ignorant. It’s the attitude behind the idea that can be the problem. Such disrespectful attitudes towards women in a culture usually signals that that culture is moving backwards, not towards traditional values but towards ignorance and darkness. Womankind was created as a helper by God for Man. Not a mule. When Adam first saw Eve he exclaimed his delight in poetry. At Genesis 2:23 he said:

Then the man said:

“This is at last bone of my bones.

And flesh of my flesh.

This one will be called Woman,

Because from man she was taken.”

Of course, things fell apart afterwards, but that’s gristle for another post. I would add that the Apostle Paul made it clear that one could find blessings from either marriage (and children) or singleness and this was true for both men and women. Woman has a purpose in God’s family, and birthing children is but one of those paths - not the only path.

This subject also reminds me of what happens in a society when machines are allowed to have too much influence over daily life. People are no longer human but numbers or objects. There seems to be a correlation here. The Ixian males saw one half of their planet’s population as nothing more than machine wombs, there to give birth and nothing more. They had no personhood, so they turned their females into grotesque, unsentient baby-making machines. Ixian females no longer had heads, chests, arms or legs, only abdomens, thighs and the necessary reproductive organs. The realization of it, when I first read it as a girl, was frightening. And it has always stayed with me. I don’t think this was shown in any of the films made about the series over the years, not even the latest ones. I think I understand. Such a thing would have been too much for people. But it’s something to ponder, as we all sit on the edge and watch the fall of Western Civilization.

Check out my Red World trilogy, very much inspired by the Dune series. An audiobook version is in the works.

Happy reading!

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The Prophecies Of Frank Herbert And The Dune Novels

My favorite cover!

It may seem like I’m over stating my opinion. And Frank Herbert wasn’t trying to be a prophet. He, like any writer, was writing what was in his heart and on his mind. But I really have the belief that quite a few of the science fiction authors of old were secular prophets, and in my opinion, Frank Herbert was one of the foremost “prophets”. In fact, one of the “major” prophets of science fiction, like a Jeremiah, an Ezekiel or a Daniel.

I first read Dune many years ago , when I was in high school. It was my second trans-formative experience as a young writer. The first was The Lord of the Rings. Like the Lord of the Rings, this book was foundational in my desire to become a writer. After I’d read it, I wanted more stories in this world. Thankfully, Herbert had written five more books in his dazzling desert world and a few earlier tangential books that later influenced the series. Unfortunately, he died before he could finish the series.

But, that’s not what this post is about. This is about his prescience in what could happen to human civilization when it relies too heavily on machines. It’s moral decay, its decline in knowledge and education within the population towards a primitive way of life. It’s a warning and a theme that can be seen in the Terminator films, but addressed in a very different way; it creates the making of a dystopian, bleak future. One is also reminded of the first Matrix film. In his books humanity eventually fought back. That revolt against the machines was called the Butlerian Jihad.

When men become too dependent on machines to think for them they cease being humans. They become slaves or worst, unthinking beasts, as Reverend Mother Mohaim in Dune, might put it. Today, many years after the author’s death, we have become that very corrupted, decaying society. We have lost our gods, our heroes, our vision of a bright future, our cultural roots and the belief in the good of our society, but, we have our “new” god - The Machine, or as some might put it, the god in the machine. You even have those who truly believe in this new, fey religion; that the human mind and consciousness can be downloaded into the “machine” and exist there and they work feverishly to achieve this for humanity whether the rest of us want to come along or not. This worship of the Machine is a transcendental belief that has stripped off the moss and the bark of the old religions but has retained the idea of customs, rituals and vestigial appendages of the times of old, without the roots, the foundation and the archetypes that made religions what they were - and still are. And what is religion? It is the system of knowledge that necessarily wrestles with and does its best to answer the big questions of: Why? It is the entity that embraces and incorporates philosophy, the ecstatic experience, the mystery of the Supernatural, the spiritual, the holy ritual and it binds humans together within a culture like glue to create and maintain strong families, a strong society and therefore a strong civilization.

What does the Machine do? When not put in its proper place, like anything, and when under the control of those with strange and dark desires, it becomes destructive. We have become so dependent upon machines that often society ceases to function properly when things break apart or go down temporarily. Artificial Intelligence has taken this problem a step further. So many have become so disconnected to reality in the cyber world that they interact with A.I. as if it is a sentient intelligence instead of a thinking tool, which is what it really is. Many young people coming out of primary school and college see A.I. as an all free pass out of work and learning. They don’t want to learn anything because A.I. will do it for them. Why bother with the work of becoming educated when you don’t have to? I’m afraid to say, some years down the line these same young people are going to feel the harsh belt of reality when they can’t think or perform and are relegated to poverty and serfdom because they chose not to be educated. I know this is not true of all of them and the ones wise enough to understand that they need to be able to think critically, be curious about the world, read and use their brains will come out on top.

A.I. is not true intelligence, not in the way that humans understand intelligence. Honestly, we still don’t even know how to define intelligence well or explain where it comes from. We haven’t even been able to create life out of nothing. So, to enslave the human race to what is, in essence, a machine, to put us under the yoke of something we ourselves don’t fully understand how to use responsibly is anathema to human wisdom and survival. Those who are responsible for this problem have made sure they are still in control but they may not understand how precarious their own position is. This is always the way, if one reads history. Life has a habit of turning the tables on the greedy and powerful. This too happens in Dune. A scripture comes to my mind about these very kinds of people. Revelation 6:15-17. Read it sometime. It is a very interesting scripture in light of what is happening today. After all, there are reports that these tech geniuses and captains of new industry are the same ones building underground cities and lavish survival bunkers. What in the world are you doing building such things if the future is so bold and bright, as they try to tell us, if they aren’t gloating about how A.I. will eventually destroy humanity ( and oh, by the way, they’ve made billions of dollars because of it)? Because the one they are building isn’t bright. They are ushering in a new Dark Age and they know it. One where most of the population will be reduced once again, to peasantry, serfdom and slavery. And I have news for them; if the dirty, unwashed masses go, so will you. You don’t get to rid the planet of most of humanity and think that it will go well with you. It won’t. Those underground bunkers are simply fancy tombs. I’m sure Herbert is turning over in his grave over what society has become.

Look for part two if this series next. Also, you can check out my Red World trilogy, very much inspired by the Dune series. An audiobook version is in the works.

Happy reading.

The Sound Of Stories

Explore great new audiobooks!

I am participating in a new audiobook promotion. This is my first audiobook, ever and along with my own there are many awesome audiobooks to choose from in this promotion. Check them out! Add them to your TBR pile today! Click the link below to explore great audiobooks!

The Sound of Stories!

Books On Google! (And Amazon!)

I am finally getting my books on the Google Play store. Putting books on Google always seemed un-intuitive and difficult. But, it wasn’t as hard as I’d thought it would be.

My first audiobook Message At The Deep is live, as of today. For whatever reason, when I try to add the link for people to use to get there, it comes up as blocked. So you may have to actually go there and type the title in the search bar under audiobooks. The ebooks are not there, yet. Look for them later this year. The end of the year is fast approaching! I can’t believe it’s fall already. It seems like it was just yesterday that I had the air- conditioner blowing all night long!

The ebook, Message At The Deep is now on Amazon!

New Books!

Not only have I been busy writing and editing my own book but I bought some new books this month to read.

First up is The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius (which I have also read). Here’s the thing - I have Folio Society taste with dime store money! I love the look and feel of Folio Society but I don’t always have the money. I found this beautiful edition of The Consolation of Philosophy on Ebay. It also comes in a red slip cover. Not only is it full of wisdom but it also works as a small coffee table book. Call me a snob but I don’t believe in buying coffee table books that you haven’t read. Buy it, if it appeals to you but don’t be phony; read it too. That’s what books are for. This YT channel, Pontus Presents, is where I first encountered this edition and decided that I had to have it! The main character in the current series I’m writing, Jonas Johnson, reads philosophy from time to time and he takes comfort, later in the series, from Boethius’s work.

I’m too lazy to flip my own photo! Sorry!

The other book I bought this month I found in a tiny basement level vintage shop. I was in Hood River and ready to leave for home when I happened to be walking down the street and I found the shop and decided to explore it. I went down, inside and looked around, finding quite a few things that I wanted (and didn’t need) and then I came across this vintage beauty. Analog magazine. Vintage science fiction magazines. I love it. In fact, they had quite a few of them but after all of the other things I bought I could only afford one. I paid $6.00 for it. It’s interesting because the original price printed right on the front cover was $1.25. I love vintage science fiction and fantasy and some of my work is very much inspired by it. It will always be inspirational for me.

Another book I’m planning to buy is a version of Beowulf. I’m just trying to find which I prefer. of course, I will buy Tolkien’s version because it’s Tolkien but I may also buy Shippey’s version or a much older one. We will see. I have a major post coming up this week on the themes I will be exploring in my new series. Also, don’t forget, the first book is out now!

Happy reading!

New release!

Download and listen to the first chapter of the audiobook here! Message At The Deep audio (First Chapter).

The first book in my new series that I’ve been blabbing about all year is finally here! I’ll go ahead and put the blurb right here. I have to say, the blurb sometimes is more difficult to write than the actual book. I labored over it more than I labored over the novel. Crazy.

UPDATE: Anyway, it is available on Amazon. It is no longer on the other platforms as it is in Kindle Select right now (Apple, B&N and Smashwords.) It is still in the process of being published on other platforms. Look for the audiobook version on October 31st! UPDATE: audio book is out on Spotify and Google Play now!

Message At The Deep (A Jonas Johnson novel)

From the depths of space, an unknown darkness comes.

Jonas Johnson is a lost soul in a world he doesn’t fit in. His recurring nightmare foretells that something dangerous is coming but he has no idea what it means. Depressed, alone and disaffected, he has lost his purpose in life. He does his best to eke out a living as an under licensed private investigator, staying just beneath the radar of the law.

A distraught young woman comes to him begging for help when a beloved family friend is missing. Not a shock - missing persons are the bread and butter of his business and he’s usually able to find them. But no one is interested in investigating this particular man’s disappearance, especially not the police. Taking on the case, Jonas soon finds that other people don’t want him investigating this case either. Unearthing strange and ominous details surrounding the man’s disappearance, his investigation puts him on the radar of dangerous people he’d rather stay hidden from. Most of all, this young woman is connected to his past in a surprising way and events push him onto a perilous path toward a conflict between dangerous forces that threaten to engulf human society.

First book in the Jonas Johnson series

Tikitty-Boo. . .

Things are going tikitty-boo. They are coming along. editing an audio book actually helps get every last mistake out of the manuscript. I took a break today and went to the Hood River Fall Festival. Things are almost done! I’m excited for this new series and I’m excited for the stories I want to tell in this series! I hope readers do enjoy the Jonas Johnson series. I think it’s going to be a hell of a ride! I would say it is a mix of science fiction and science fantasy. Anyway, look for the release of Message At The Deep in two weeks! I’m hoping the ebook and the audio book can be released on the same day but if not, the ebook will definitely be out on the week of October 22, 2025!