Author’s Notes:

“The Color of the Wheat Fields” was originally written over a three week period in March 2005 as an entry for a contest held by another Jessica Elwood, another user on Deviant Art. The picture that inspired it can be found here: http://www.deviantart.com/view/29460287/ - unfortunately, you need a deviant art account to see it at the moment, but I’ll update the link if the artist decides to upload it again to a different site.

Like all stories, this one went through about six different iterations before I found one that I liked. Jonathan Hawkins was, at various times (deep breath) a (nobleman/ soldier from a Civil-War era South-like society/ starving artist/ ordinary guy) who (came home from school/ came home from the war/ rented an attic garret/ took over his father’s manor/ inherited a slave girl) and encountered Jessica, an anthropomorphic (maidservant/ slave girl/ former slave/ housekeeper) who proceeded to (test the limits of his honor/ heal him of the guilt he felt over fighting for an ignoble cause/ act as his muse). None of them really appealed.

I finally found some inspiration in “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint Exupery. Anyone who has read the story will take one look at the title and know which scene I’m thinking about: those who haven’t, go out and read it right now (it’s short, and a good read). After that, the story just kinda flowed. From beginning to end, the final iteration of the story was written in about three or four days’ time: all except the “morning from hell” scene in Part 3, which was, actually, the first thing I wrote in the very first iteration, and loved it so much I just had to keep it (with minor edits).

I guess that’s it. As we stand right now, there may be more stories using these characters coming down the pipeline: depends on how the owner of the Jessica fursona feels about it. We shall see.

Send comments and criticism over to albyhys@hotmail.com, or to my deviant art page at mocaw.deviantart.com.

Thanks!

Muse