...unless I gave her a bevy of other issues.

So yes, my darling Vivi knows how to start fires and make skis and hunt and track. She also doesn't know who she is or her own name, is insanely shy, and, well, she's saddled with Skarr.

I don't know if you can tell, but this was a really fun book to write.

Oh! And once I decided one of the splices was ssethri (the alien 'lizardman' race) I became fascinated with giving Skarr all of the lizardy trappings, right down to the crocodile-like tail and, well, the hemi-penises that tuck inside his body. I cannot tell you how many times I had to google "reptile penis" while working on this book, and I should point out that at no time ever did it present me with anything good. Ever. Like, just don't do it. It'll ruin the fantasy.

Another random inspiration for this story came to me via my backyard. As a kid, I grew up in a tight suburban neighborhood that had no wildlife, and I dreamed of one day having a house where I could see all the squirrels and feed all the birds. We have a few acres now and while I don't feed the birds (because it would be an owl-and-coyote buffet), we do get a lot of deer crossing through our yard. Being a city kid did not prepare me for what happens when injured deer wander through your yard. This last fall, a buck with a broken leg came through and drank and ate some grass, and stopped outside of my office window. His front one was bent at an odd angle and he limped as he moved through the yard.

I am the most tenderhearted SOB and was absolutely crushed to see this. I had to do something! So I checked with the local wildlife rescues and found out that they wouldn't help. They would just put him down. Yet here he was, wandering in my yard and eating like it was no big deal. Did he deserve to be put down when he was still walking?  A lot of googling told me that it was best to actually do nothing for a deer with a broken leg. It would either survive and the leg would mend, or it wouldn't survive and circle of life and all that.

I cried about it, talked with my husband, and decided that we wouldn't do anything about it. We wouldn't interfere. I saw him twice and then didn't see him again...for six months. When he returned, he was just fine, his leg healed (but still at a weird angle, the only way I recognized him) and he moved only slightly slower than the rest of the deer that wander through. I was happy that he ended up making it through but it also made me think about bone-setting and wild animals on the ice planet, where things heal quicker than they should thanks to the khui. What happens if a bone gets set wrong? Should the animal be put down? What the hell do you do?

(Vivi does all the things I wish I could do, because she's a do-er and I'm just a writer.)

I hope you enjoyed this more clone-centric story! R'jaal and Rosalind's story ended up being more focused on the Ancestors due to their situation, and this story is almost the opposite. In the next book, the Ancestors will feature a lot more than the clones will. Tia will finally get a mate! The Ancestor questions will be answered (well, some of them). People will be horny! Someone will be called a tater! Good times all around!

Much love,

Ruby Dixon

People of Not-Hoth

Icehome

Mated Couples and their kits

_______

Liz – Raahosh’s mate and huntress.

Raahosh (Ra-hosh) – Her mate. A hunter and brother to Rukh. Co-leader of Icehome beach with R’jaal.

Raashel (Rah-shel) – Their oldest daughter.

Aayla (Ay-lah) – Their second daughter

Ahsoka (Ah-so-kah) – Their third daughter.

_______

Angie – Adult female at the beach camp. Pregnant with mystery baby when awoken. Gives birth to Glory (a clone female). Resonated to Vordis.

Vordis (Vohr-DISS rhymes with Floor-Miss) – One of the red “twins,” ex-gladiators of a race called a’ani. Longtime friends/brothers with Thrand, another clone. The really devoted one. Hot sauce. Resonates to Angie.

Glory – A qura’aki clone baby, implanted in Angie. Cute as hell.

Violet – Younger daughter of Angie and Vordis.

_______

Veronica – Healer to the Icehome Beach tribe. Resonated to Ashtar upon arrival. Bit of a klutz. Has enlisted Hannah to be her assistant. Mom to Katamneas and Varukhal.

Ashtar (Ash-TARR) – Flirty golden ex-gladiator and former slave. Drakoni male who can shapeshift to a “battle form” as a dragon and has the ability to communicate telepathically. Resonates immediately to Veronica upon arrival to Icehome. Stud. Doting dad to Katamneas and Varukhal.

Katamneas (Ka-TAHM-nee-us) – Older son to Veronica and Ashtar.

Varukhal (Var-oo-call) – Younger son to Veronica and Ashtar.

_______

Willa – Adult female with a southern twang. Lo’s friend. Gren’s most ardent defender. Resonated to Gren. Mom to Shade. She and Gren are currently trying for another child.

Gren (rhymes with HEN) – Beastly, feral ex-gladiator male. Attacks on sight. Resonates to Willa. Soft and fuzzy, according to Aayla. Father to Shade.

Shade – Small, fuzzy son to Willa and Gren.

_______

Thrand (rhymes with “bland”—no one tell him this) – One of the red “twins,” ex-gladiators of a race called a’ani. Longtime friends/brothers with Vordis. The hotheaded, competitive one. Ketchup. Resonated to Nadine. Father to daughter Deeni.

Nadine – One of the adult females at the beach camp. Huntress and go-getter. Resonated to Thrand. Mother to Deeni.

Deeni (Dee-nee) – Daughter to Nadine and Thrand, is being spoiled silly by her doting father.

_______

Steph – One of the adult females at the beach camp. Former psychology student. Neolithic bisexual therapist. Resonated to Juth. Mom to (adoptive) son Pak and (biological) daughter Jethani.

Juth (Joooth) – Outcast male who snagged Raven in exchange for goods. Adoptive father of Pak. Eventually joined the tribe at Icehome Beach and resonated to Steph.

Pak (Pack) – Littlest outcast! Adoptive son of Juth and Steph, big brother to Jethani

Jethani (Jeth-ann-ee, rhymes with Bethany) – Daughter to Juth and Steph, has the same stub tail as her dad. It’s cute.

_______

Samantha – One of the adult females at the beach camp. Quiet. Secretive. Former barista back on Earth and loves caffeine. Really fucking loves being on the ice planet, which no one else can figure out. Resonates to Sessah.

Sessah (Ses-uh) – Youngest son to Sevvah and Oshen. Grown into a big, hulking hunter like Aehako but with his father’s quiet personality. Resonates to Sam.

_______

K’thar (Kuh-THARR) – Hunter, de-facto leader of Strong Arm, resonates to Lauren/Lo. Owner of Kki/Fat One.

Lauren/Lo – Adult female at the beach camp. Once had glasses. Likes to be a problem solver. Resonates to K’thar, is pregnant for a second time. Friend to Marisol.

Fat One/Kki (KUH-kee) – Nightflyer pet of the clan

K’then (Kuh-THENN) – Their young son.

_____

J’shel (Juh-SHELL) – Young hunter of Strong Arm, resonates to Hannah. Very cheerful. Long braid. Dirty talker.

Hannah – Resonates to J’shel when the island tribes arrive. Resident busybody. Now assistant to Veronica and in charge of herbal stores.

J’hann (Juh-HANN) – Their young son.