Issue #97

Blog #10-2019

Section: Demons of the Jungle

Blogger: Joseph Clay

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I’m excited about the third edition of Demons of the Jungle!

This edition is packed with more action, more death and of course more demons and characters.

The rewrite is scheduled to be complete by the end of April October. Then it will head over the great pond to the editors.

The protagonists and the plot remain the same, but how they journey from the opening sentence to the final chapter has evolved from the first edition to this; the third edition.

Why a third rewrite?

Clare at Human Voices handled the edits and is the editor of record of Witch’s Dilemma. During that process she gained my trust with her insight and outstanding work. I felt that the second edition of Demons of the Jungle needed the expertise of Human Voices to make it the best book it could be; so I sent them the manuscript.

The changes that are being made are the suggestions from that manuscript review. The biggest set of revisions will be in the expedition chapters that the main Protagonists are ordered to participate in.

Below are the suggested changes to be made to the chapters mentioned above.

Part 8: I would break the elephant expedition up into 2, 3, perhaps 4 chapters. At the moment we meet a lot of new characters all at once (some of whom we never see again, e.g. Cain), and Paula tells them everything straightaway and they don’t really react to it. Instead, this trip should last several days. We need more time to get to know all these new characters, for Debra and Trish to earn Paula’s trust and hear her story away from the main group (and to establish that she is suicidal), to introduce the tribesmen, and to have Debra formulate her plan to steal a radio. There should also be more time after Paula’s death for everyone to be shocked – it’s a little too sudden to see a character squashed to death, and then almost immediately have another character start seductively drying herself. Essentially, Debra and Trish need time to think about and react to everything that happens on this trip, rather than accepting it and coming up with a plan without hesitation.

Excerpt from Human Voices Manuscript Review – Demons of the Jungle 2nd Edition.

That brings us to the reason for this blog, introducing the characters that were mentioned above. They will play a bigger roll in the third edition. These characters are in the same boat as our protagonists Debra Wright and Patricia Mitchell.

The Volunteers

When the STRFAA Volunteers get to the jungle they are assigned a group number which is the year of their arrival followed by a number that represents the order they came in. The below group has the designation of 2010-2.

Once the group is there they are divided into, two person teams and assigned a zone to work. Those that came together stay together, but on occasion an individual will need to be teamed with another.

Team 1- Doug Riggs/Geneva Jackson. R-3 Zones 25-29

These two came to STRFAA as individuals and were teamed up upon their arrival.

Doug Riggs is an ex-military man who earned the purple heart then was released from the military a month later.

Doug determined that since he was a loner that over the road trucking was a great career change. Plus from what he had read trucking would help feed his greed for the almighty dollar.

Using a VA loan he bought a Tractor and refrigerated trailer. He was set to see the country while hauling any type of cargo. He soon learned that large amounts money could be made by hauling special cargo. The type of freight that required the driver to ask no questions and that could get from the pick up location to the destination in a hurry without mishaps.

Doug’s bank account was growing until that fateful day on I-40 in the mid-west. Doug’s head dropped as he dozed at the wheel, when he looked back up his truck was about to plow into a line of stopped cars. After the smoke cleared three people were dead and Doug’s cargo was spread all over the interstate.

Doug went on the run. He volunteered with STRFAA to avoid prosecution.

Geneva Jackson was a 10,000 dollar a night lady of the evening and the madam of a stable of high priced call girls in New York, New York. Her client list was filled with politicians, priests, preachers and other religious leaders as well as movie stars and wealthy businessmen and women.

Once arrested the FBI struck a deal, if she turned over the names of the clients, they would give her immunity. When others got wind of her arrest a hit was put out on Geneva to make sure the list was never revealed.

After Geneva made bail she did what any smart person would do. Geneva volunteered with STRFAA for protection from the assassins who wanted her dead and to avoid prosecution by the FBI.

Team 2 – Steve Tacks/Angie Stamps R-3 Zones 30 – 34

Steve and Angie are boyfriend and girlfriend, although you wouldn’t know it from their actions. Although Steve is a hired and trained killer, he takes all sorts of mental and physical abuse from Angie.

Steve Tacks is also military, but still active. As a sniper he caught the eye of the government. They recruited him to become an assassin for them.

He was fired and decommissioned after several incidents with him taking bribes from the marks he was to eliminate. Steve fought back telling the government to either reinstate him or suffer the consequences that a tell all book would bring to them.

The government responded by putting a hit out on Steve, who was now freelancing his services. Steve snuffed out the three assassins that were sent to do him in. However the last one was a close call as it was a female who was sent to do the job. She had gained Steve’s trust and he almost didn’t see the attack coming.

After that he knew that he needed to go into hiding.

Angie Stamps like Doug is ex-military. A strong willed woman with anger issues which are due to her struggling with PTSD. These acts of violence that Angie demonstrates when her rage takes over has the law searching for her. The charges against her range from, attempted murder to domestic violence along with destruction of private property to acts of terrorism.

After several days on the run the two decided, not without an argument, that volunteering with STRFFA was the solution they were looking for. Steve would be protected from those out to end his life and Angie would escape prosecution and stay out of out of prison.

Team 3 – Bo Peterson/Carol Henn. R-3 Zones 40 – 44

A brother and sister team.

Bo Peterson has been in and out of trouble all his life. He believes that he can take anything he desires, even if it doesn’t belong to him. This includes women. He also loves to flash his junk, as he is proud of it. Bo is on the Sex Offender list in several states and is a convicted rapist. While on parole he continued raping. His last victim had three brothers who caught Bo in the act.

Carol Henn suffered a brutal attack at the hands of those brothers. The injuries and burns she sustained brought her close to death. She met a STRFAA representative at a burn clinic. The rep promised to relieve her pain and heal all her injuries, including the burns. Carol would be whole again. Carol was tired of suffering and begging for death so she volunteered with STRFAA.

Since Carols injuries were due to his actions Bo decided he would escort Carol on her adventure.

STRFAA informed Bo they could offer him protection from prosecution as he was now linked to several new rapes. Since Bo knew he was guilty of the rapes that STRFAA detailed and along with the parole violation he would be in prison for life. To avoid prosecution Bo decided he would also volunteer with STRFAA.

Team 4 – Sandra/Tiffany Coleman. R-3 Zones 45 – 49

Sandra and Tiffany Coleman are a sister team. They come from the hills of California where they lived in the lap of luxury and are worth millions.

However that money has not kept the authorities from suspecting them of murdering both parents along with their stepdad.

One of the two is guilty of one of those murders, but is keeping it from the other. Both have been molested by a family member but are also keeping that from each other. One has the power of Telekinesis, the other discourages her from using that power.

After being on the run one wants to turn them in and answer the questions about the death of their stepdad in Texas, then return to California and answer the questions there as she assumes they are innocent. The other knowing she is guilty wants to stay on run.

Refusing to be separated they fled Texas. When introduced to STRFFA, it sounded good to them but the youngest was only 17, the minimum age to volunteer for STRFAA was 18.

Sandra and Tiffany put their heads together and their money to good use and purchased an almost undetectable fake ID. This allowed them to take advantage of STRFAA’s plan that guaranteed they would not be found or prosecuted.

Team 5 – Debra Wright/Patricia Mitchell R-3 Zones 50 – 54 .

Here is a recap on Debra and Patricia. Debra came from the streets of Detroit. Patricia is from a religious up bringing from the south. They are wanted for questioning in the murder of a fellow actor in a Texas play they were in. The victim fell to the stage as Debra and Patricia fired the prop guns. Like the others they were introduced to STRFAA and volunteered seeking protection from the law.

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That covers all the volunteers. Which teams will survive their encounter in the jungle? Which ones will advance with STRFFA? Will any of the teams band together and wage a war against STRFAA? Will any of them escape the hell they have been led to? Which team or two individuals are the Divine Pair.

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The next will blog will cover how STRFAA came to existence and the STRFAA Staff.

Till next time,

-JC-