FULL CIRCLE by alyjude
                                                                            (A trilogy in the Jake Universe)

There are three "stories" contained within the novel and they are, in order:

Cold Case
Three for the Road
In the Name of the Father

I will post at least one part a day on live journal, and when possible, two or three until the entire novel has been posted. This is a huge novel, so will take awhile. But the important thing to remember is that this is NOT a WIP. This is a completed novel of over 400 pages.

Author's Notes: Full Circle picks up a few weeks following Junior Guppy but precedes A Day At The Zoo and The Big Five. The novel brings us almost full circle from Everything's Jake. It includes their first vacation (Three for the Road) and resolves several issues raised in previous stories.

I've had to fiddle with timelines (ours, not theirs), especially in Three for the Road, which takes Jim, Blair and Jake to Disneyland. Full Circle takes place in 2000 (Everything's Jake and We Gather Together took place in 1999, following TSbyBS) and since I wanted Jake to enjoy California Adventure, I moved up its opening. *grin*. There are a few other "time meltings" but you probably won't notice them.

This trilogy has taken me three years to complete and I have to thank two very big "Jake" fans: Terry Kitay and Susan 'Suki' Tavares. Without them, I sincerely doubt this would have been a glimmer in my eye. They're also responsible for the name of Cascade's baseball team. We were discussing this huge opus a few years back at the Laguna Bash for the Pacific Marine Mammal Center (when not drooling over Richard Burgi, who served as the host) and the subject of taking Jake to his first baseball game came up because I couldn't think of the "right" sounding name for Cascade's pro team. I bow to the brilliance of Terry and Suki, who came up with "The Kits". Terry also won story #1 – A Cold Case – two years ago at the Moonridge Online Auction but I should state that there have been a few changes since then.

In addition, I want to thank my Lurker buddies who are responsible for a certain "duck" that will show up in "Three for the Road". While staying with me a couple of years ago, we went to Downtown Disney and they found this particular "odd" duck and had to give it to me since they'd even figured out I should use it in the vacation part of the story -- which I did! ::waves at her Lurker buddies and a certain rabid bunny that sits on computer::

I would be remiss not to thank the Great Gillian Middleton as it was her brilliant "Jamie" series that inspired me to write my Jake series in the first place. If you haven't read them – run, do not walk, to the 852 Prospect and check them out!

I absolutely have to thank an entire group of betas who, many moons ago, beta'd part 1 on Alyjude's Cellar. Input from Starwatcher, PatK, Sheila, DebraC, Sylvette and several others helped make "A Cold Case" much better. Since then, the entire trilogy has been reworked and my beta was the incomparable Delilah, while my alpha was the wonderful DebraC (also one of the Lurkers responsible for the "duck"!). Without their feedback, catches and fixes – this would be junk. 

Author's Note Part 2: During the last Moonridge Auction, Tammy won a very special, one-of-a-kind zine version of this trilogy with illustrations by Lorraine, so I want to thank her for her contribution. She's read the story and is looking forward (as am I) to the lovely and incredible artwork of Lorraine's, who I know will bring Jim, Blair and Jake to life. I hope to post Full Circle – fully illustrated -- in February as an online novel so that everyone can share in Lorraine's talent as directed toward Jake and his fathers.

And finally, to those of you who have followed Jake and his life with Jim and Blair – who have embraced the precocious tyke -- a very special thank you. He means a great deal to me because he is based on my wonderful nephew, Terry (who is now 27) and I consider Jake to be my "cyber child".

I thank you for taking Jake into your heart and loving him – ab-so-lute-leeeee!

Here's hoping you enjoy the novel. Part One of Story One: A Cold Case, will follow in the next journal entry. Thank you again and all kinds of feedback will be welcomed, including raspberries. *grin*

Current Mood: thankful