The Adventures of Jaguar Jack didn't start out as a visionary novel. In fact, there was no "visionary 
fiction" category back then. I was writing attempting the romance novel genre, but as it turned out, I couldn't stay "in the box." My muse was too independent.
I remember the day the manuscript turned "visionary." There's a scene with Jaguar Jack and Maggie boating down a jungle river when a sudden storm squalls up. Caught in a deluge, they struggle to stay afloat. Lightning flashes. They catch a glimpse of a huge cat-like creature standing on hind feet on the shore. After the storm abates, Maggie says, "Holy shit? What was that?" (Read excerpt here)
Maggie expresses exactly what I was thinking as the scene unfolded in my mind. Holy shit, what was that? The Beast from Revelation emerged out of the collective higher consciousness. Somewhere along the line, I picked up an unseen "collaborator" for Jaguar Jack. The manuscript went from being a romance to a Hero's Journey, with all the classic elements, though I didn't realize it until after finishing it.
The four main characters are at once human beings, but also Biblical archetypes. There were times I was guided to open my Bible to Revelation to certain passages that revealed the spiritual significance of my characters. It was a bit spooky, but also intriguing.
I followed my "collaborator" for the thread of the story and hoped it would all make sense at the end. It did, but the completed manuscript also seemed to be outside of any defined genre. When I originally published the story in 2012, I didn't know how to market it. It didn't fit anywhere. While it has Christian elements, it's too psychic and sexy for that market. The closest was "paranormal," but that was really the realm of ghosts, vampires, and shapeshifters. So, I didn't give it much of a push.
In the intervening years, the Visionary Fiction Alliance has been formed. Amazon now has a "metaphysical and visionary" category that's on the rise. Visionary author Theresa Crater shares several examples in this recent article, Higher Consciousness and Visionary Fiction. I'm meeting and reading more of these kindred spirit authors all the time.
So, I'm hoping the time has come for Jaguar Jack's day in the sun. This summer I readied the manuscript for the paperback version and was struck by a certain "power" in the piece, which I think comes more from the "collaborator" than me. I'll take credit for the snappy dialog between Jack and Maggie.
So with a fresh cover and a new genre the book is ready to find its audience. I invite you to enjoy The Adventures of Jaguar Jack.
Paperback and Ebook versions available at Amazon
(Posting a customer review would be greatly appreciated.)
Bright blessings,
Dana Taylor
I'm finding more and more that action drama seems to be filled with visionary and mystical themes these days. I guess people are gobbling it up like they are chasing Harry Potter. I somehow love killing the undead (over and over and over again). Still, I think that the best stories are based in fact and don't contain any fantasy so they could actually happen to anyone in that situation. There's action, mystery and adventure a plenty in real life. But, as you wrote, our muse sometimes gets away on us.
Ron