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The cyborg manufacturing facility in Breathing Vapor is set on Tau Ceti, a fictional Earth-like planet. This is a nod to the real Tau Ceti, a star, and its surrounding planets — Tau Ceti b, Tau Ceti c, Tau Ceti d, Tau Ceti e and Tau Ceti f.
In Breathing Vapor, I simply called the inhabited planet in the system Tau Ceti. My thinking is that this is how beings would casually refer to it. No being would be living on the other Tau Ceti planets so there would be no reason to distinguish it from the others.
The (real life) Tau Ceti system belongs to the constellation Cetus, situated less than 12 light years from our solar system. Its star is similar to our sun yet smaller. Of the five planets orbiting its star, two are in the habitable zone. These planets are of extreme interest to SETI. They might, just might, contain life.
In Breathing Vapor, the locals are humanoids. Before development, the terrain was mostly grassland. The locals evolved with striped green and brown skin, assisting them in blending into this terrain (similarly to how an Earth zebra has stripes to assist it in blending into its terrain).
The Tau Cetians believe that white represents death, as it would on a grassland planet. That color would draw the eye of predators. White is also the color of sun bleached bones. This belief causes problems with the newly arrived Humanoid Alliance female. White is the color of prestige for them. One species believes the color means one thing. The other species believes the color means something else. This escalates the culture clash.
We’ll be returning to Tau Ceti in Crash And Burn (releasing in February), learning more about the culture and the planet.
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Vapor is the most advanced cyborg the Humanoid Alliance has ever developed. He’s a finely honed weapon, a warrior without parallel, half man and half machine. No lock can contain him. No being can stop him. Whatever he wants, he takes.
He wants Mira Breazeal, the Designer’s daughter.
She’s his one temptation, his sexy target. Vapor shouldn’t crave her caresses, steal her kisses, make her scream with ecstasy. The cyborgs want her dead and they would question his loyalty if he didn’t kill her. The humans would shoot him on sight if he dared to touch her.
Their love is forbidden. Their desire could be lethal. One human and one cyborg will risk everything for a moment of passion.
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You’ve done a great job with your world-building. Good conflict. Should be a great story.
Love the Tau Ceti info. The thing about colours reminds me of some Chinese mythology books by Barry Hughart that I loved to read. I think white symbolized grief to them.
I like the idea of Tau Ceti and the cultural differences.
I look forward to reading your world build. I’m always fascinated by terraformed constructs. Looking forward to reading the rest of the story.
it’s always interesting to read about world-building. Wonder what they’d make of Earth’s white weddings.
I am so looking forward to reading this series, Cynthia. 🙂
I love reading how other authors do their world building!
I love how you’ve used the symbolism of colors.
The world building details were fascinating, love the uses of color! The premise for this one is very promising too – forbidden love always gets me!