In this fast-paced science fiction thrill ride, gravely ill Shannon Kendricks, attorney and seaquarium volunteer, must return the alien child Essi to her world, while trying to free a captive beluga Juneau, and combat a pair of ancient aliens set on destroying Earth. Her friends can help, but not everyone will survive. On the upside, with the arrival of the alien child, Shannon’s physical appearance changes dramatically and she now possesses useful, near-magical traits to help her with barriers that appear insurmountable. Will Shannon succeed in her quests before it is too late, or run out of time? Find the answers in POWER OF THREE, a thrilling novel from Cathy Parker.
Like her protagonist Shannon Kendricks, Cathy Parker is an attorney. She volunteered as a zoo keeper's aide for eight years and did have a very special beluga buddy, Mauyak, just as Shannon Kendricks has. As to encounters with alien children, as in the trilogy, she is not saying. She was also a radio and print journalist and once was the 'Jill of all trades' for a small satellite paper in Wyoming. She did everything from taking to the photos to writing the articles and op-ed pieces to helping with layout and hauling the newspapers through blizzards once a week. As a result, she saw lambs being born and went on a cattle drive and ate her first (and last) Rocky Mountain Oyster. She has seen mountain gorillas in the wild in Rwanda and orangutans in Borneo and even rocked an orphaned baby orangutan to sleep on her chest. She has volunteered with a chimpanzee sanctuary for former research subjects. So you can see where her heart lies. Currently she lives in Costa Rica with her black cat. All similarities between her cat and the trilogy's Narcissus are purely and probably coincidental.
I've had personal experiences with belugas and with humpback whales, as I have mentioned in past bubbles. I also have had an encounter with Kieko, a.k.a. Free Willy, an orca. I have another orca tale for you. Make of it what you will. I took my daughter to Sea World when she was about five as a special treat. I told her she could pick one thing from the gift shop and she picked a big stuffed toy orca. She carried the toy with us as we made the rounds, including the show at the orca enclosure. After the show, we walked down to see Nemu through the underwater glass. He swam right up to us and appeared to eye the toy orca very carefully. And as we walked up the side of the enclosure on our way out, he followed my daughter every step of the way. I think he recognized that stuffed animal in my daughter's arms and was puzzling out its mystery. Was it alive? Why did she have it? Was it supposed to be him? I don't know why else he would be attracted to her, why he followed her. I'll never know for sure, but the experience left me feeling an odd connection with him that I will never forget.
Book Excerpt
Power of Three
Juneau swam to greet her, the whale’s snow-white, plump body gliding through the water. The beluga raised her head, with the broad, unmarked forehead, ebony button eyes set well back on each side, short soft curving nostrum, and the mouth that reached so far around each side she always appeared to smile. Beautiful as ever.
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