180-Degree Turn

About the only thing Dr. Sarah Davis’ two forays into fiction have in common is that well – both are fictional tales.

Davis’ (’01) first book, Inside Voices, was a young adult fiction thriller that saw the main character move from witnessing a massacre in high school to working at the edge of the Arctic where her foreboding premonitions coincide with a rising number of murders in an Alaskan community.

Davis’ latest book, They Had Eyes of Silver, is a 180-degree turn from Inside Voices.

“Yes, THEOS is an entirely different genre,” Davis said. “My main goal in writing, aside from writing a story I’m excited to read and tell, is to incorporate veterinary medicine into the plot.”

Davis describes They Had Eyes of Silver as a steamy, paranormal romance. The book is aimed at mature readers and as such, she wrote the book as S.E. Davis.

The plot follows veterinarian Reina Kirke as she takes a break from her hectic work life to visit Europe and look into her family’s roots. Discovering supernatural roots in her lineage, Reina begins skirting closer and closer to danger after meeting the handsome Blaine Woodward and finds herself drawn into a passionate love affair.

Davis says she first started to consider a Dracula/Outlander story line with a veterinarian getting transported back in time. Over time, the story morphed into veterinarian meeting an extended family of wolf shifters.

Her research led to an actual story of a German serial killer who during the late 1900s claimed to turn into a werewolf by wearing a leather belt.

“That got me thinking, what if there was such a strap and if so, where or how would it have gotten its magic,” Davis said. “That lead to They Had Eyes of Silver.”

Published by Valkyrie Books, the book was released in June 2022. It is the part one of a four-book series Davis says will include They Had Eyes of Gold, set in Minnesota and North Dakota; They Had Eyes of Fire, set in North Dakota and Iceland; and the finale, They Had Eyes of Ice, which will again take place in Iceland.

“I did not have a series in mind when I started out with this book,” Davis said, “but the characters decided differently. I’m excited to introduce new characters with each book, shifting spotlights as the story unfolds, and weaving in lesser-known elements of Norse mythology.

“I can also include random stuff I make up; this is fiction after all!”

There is a possibility Davis could write prequels to the series as well. She is also working on Grandma Birdie’s How to Crochet for Vampires, a paranormal fantasy/magical realism story.

“When I find time to write, unless I have a specific goal, I’ll bounce between stories,” Davis said. “Birdie’s vampire hunting skills are second to her crocheting and cooking and provide a fun distraction from the wulfin.”

September 2022