Why there are giraffes in this epic fantasy novel

Dear ,

If you look at most epic fantasy novels...

They're often Celtic-inspired. Or based on some version of medieval England.

You know… castles, knights, and misty forests.

You've probably read some version of that place forty-seven times.

When I started building the world of Moniah, I wanted to go somewhere different.

So I studied African landscapes and cultures.

I dug into Igbo, Afrikaans, and Swahili as I named my characters. Each name means something specific.

Then there were the giraffes. I actually tracked down giraffe experts. I wanted to know what a giraffe sounds like when it's afraid. How it behaves when it trusts someone. How it communicates. Because in my world, certain humans share a telepathic bond with giraffes.

The magic works differently too. No wands. No potions. No wizard throwing fireballs. Magic runs through the senses: sight, touch, sound, smell, and taste.

Oh, and I watched a lot of videos of boars being killed. For research. (My YouTube recommendations have never fully recovered.)

All of that became The Watchers of Moniah.

It follows Princess Adana, a trained Watcher warrior who suddenly finds herself pulled out of the life she knows and dropped into a political fight for the future of her kingdom.

Her mother dies. A traitor returns. War threatens.

And instead of being allowed to fight the way she was trained, Adana is sent away to an allied court, separated from her weapons, her role, and even the giraffe she shares a telepathic bond with.

She's constantly being forced into unfamiliar territory and asked to figure out who she is when everything familiar gets stripped away.

If you're ready for an epic fantasy that takes you somewhere different… take a trip to Moniah here.

Whatever you do, DON'T get caught with your eyes closed!

Barbara V. Evers

PS: Already read The Watchers of Moniah? I'd love to know your thoughts about the giraffes and the story. Just reply to this email.

________________________________________________________________

Did You Know?

I didn't go to DragonCon this year. Instead, I attended the first ever IW Con. Never heard of it? That's okay. IW Con focused on a select audience: adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The caring staff at JF&CS wanted to offer their clients a taste of the con experience without the sensory overload. I participated on a Power of Creativity panel with two other creatives: songwriter and singer Ansley Stewart and artist Jared Isenberg. All of the participants and staff did a great job with their cosplay, and we had a very attentive audience with great questions.

It was a great day. I hope they'll invite me back next year. (Photos provided by JF&CS with permission to share.)

But that's not all I've been up to. Readers & Writers Columbia invited me to share some of my author journey during their September meeting.

I enjoyed chatting during lunch and then shared a LOT about giraffes and why they're in my fantasy trilogy. Are you surprised I talked about giraffes? Have you met me?

Thank you to Chris Maw for inviting me and feeding me. Also, thank you to Bonnie Stanard who took this photo.

Have You Been Playing Giraffe Trivia Tuesday?

What's Giraffe Trivia Tuesday?

I'm glad you asked!

Each Tuesday, I post a multiple-choice giraffe trivia question on my Facebook and Instagram pages. Comment with your guess on the Tuesday post to earn an entry into the prize drawing to be awarded in October. Check back on Thursday to discover the correct answer to that week's question. If your answer on Tuesday's post is correct, you earn a second entry into the contest! It's that simple.

You've got ONE MORE WEEK before the drawing, so jump over to Facebook and Instagram and comment with your answer! It's fun AND you just might learn something fascinating about giraffes.

PS: The prizes this time are, of course, giraffe-related and pretty cool (at least I think so).

Upcoming Events

Conjuration, Atlanta, GA, Nov. 6-8
A LOT More to come in 2027

Do You Have a Club or Event in Search of a Speaker?

I'm trying to do more events like the two groups I visited in September. If you're local, that's great, but not necessary. I'm available to speak in-person or via Zoom to your:

Book Club
Fan or Writing Conference
Writing Retreat
School
Writing Group
OR ???

Reading Groups: Receive Book Discounts, Cool SWAG, Fun Puzzles, and Discussion Guides.

Writing Groups: Invite me to be your Keynote Speaker, Workshop Leader, or Panelist.

Check out my List of Workshops.

Build Your Library!!

Who doesn't love free eBooks? How about discovering new authors? Just click on the image below to find your next read. Fantasy and Sci-Fi Mania starts October 1, and you'll find several free eBooks including The Gifted Ones, the Watchers' origin story. This story has only been offered in eBook promos, so if you've been curious about how the Watchers got their enhanced sight from the Creator, now's your chance! Feel free to share the link with your friends who might enjoy free eBooks, too.

October 1-31, 2026

___________________________________________________________

Thanks for being part of the Watchers Tribe! I appreciate each and every one of you. Click on the image below to find all of my social media, books, and website links in one place!