The Seeds of Love

By Kari Kilgore

Virginia Evans and her best friend Maggie grew up together. From shy girl and wriggly puppy to confident woman and gentle old soul.

Now Maggie must go where Virginia can't follow.

Unless a strange visitor holds the key.

A touching tale of woman's best friend.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Spiral Publishing, Ltd
• Release date: Jun 25, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386157908

Kari Kilgore

Kari Kilgore started her first published novel Until Death in Transylvania, Romania, and finished it in Room 217 at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, where Stephen King got the idea for The Shining. That’s just one example of how real world inspiration drives her fiction. Kari’s first published novel Until Death was included on the Preliminary Ballot for the Bram Stoker Award for Outstanding Achievement in a First Novel in 2016. It was also a finalist for the Golden Stake Award at the Vampire Arts Festival in 2018. Recent professional short story sales include three to Fiction River anthology magazine, with the first due out in the September issue. Kari also has two stories in a holiday-themed anthology project with Kristine Kathryn Rusch due out over the holidays in 2019. Kari writes fantasy, science fiction, horror, and contemporary fiction, and she’s happiest when she surprises herself. She lives at the end of a long dirt road in the middle of the woods with her husband Jason Adams, various house critters, and wildlife they’re better off not knowing more about. Kari’s novels, novellas, and short stories are available at www.spiralpublishing.net, which also publishes books by Frank Kilgore and Jason Adams. For more information about Kari, upcoming publications, her travels and adventures, and random cool things that catch her attention, visit www.karikilgore.com.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Virginia Evans sat cross-legged on the cold white-tiled floor, trying to ignore the ache in her heart and her backside. Her sweet dog Maggie, an unknown mix with a blocky head, floppy ears, and shaggy red hair that nearly matched Virginia’s, lay curled up on her thick, green corduroy dog bed that went everywhere with her now. Despite the permanent coating of hair and doggie smell that defied washing, Virginia wished she could share the orthopedic padding.

And she didn’t dare nudge her girl. She shifted to a less floor-bruised spot and stared into Maggie’s cloudy brown eyes, hoping for a miracle she knew wouldn’t be coming.

Even with the door closed, she heard the familiar din of human, canine, and feline conversation from the treatment area at the end of the hall. Virginia’s family had been bringing pets to this veterinary hospital longer than she’d been alive. Her own history with Maggie stretched back seventeen years to when Virginia was a shy teenager trying to contain a wriggly puppy, one who outgrew her lap way too soon.

The diagnostic tools and equipment had changed faster than she could keep up with over the years, especially with so many innovations coming from off-world technology. Still, the pale blue walls, angular black chairs, and huge selection of pet toys out front were exactly the same.

Maggie had gone through more than her fair share of the squeaky stuffed animals. She’d finally started keeping keeping her favorites over the last few years rather than shredding them to fuzz in a matter of minutes.

You silly old girl, Virginia said, leaning down and touching Maggie’s broad forehead with her own. I wish I could put you in my heart and keep you forever. She jumped when a woman spoke behind her.

"Ms. Evans, I’m Doctor Rosa Martinez. Didn’t mean to sneak up on you like