Excerpt: Tam Warren Tales

Tam was an infant in the womb when Raccoon decided she would be his next favorite. It was not always that Raccoon could find a likely candidate that he knew would be ideal. Often it ended in infructuous results. One was too timid, the other too bland, one too eccentric, one too wise. It took careful research (and sometimes years of planning) to get it right. It was hard work, being a god. And humans too often took him for granted; which was why this candidate would not have it easy. Before he had always introduced himself and stated outright if the person was his favorite. This one would not have him there at birth to salute her and brand her as his; and this time, she was the one who would have to come to him. Until then he was going on holiday – even gods need a break.

So it was that nine months passed and a baby was born (with the usual amount of toes and the obligatory nose) and Raccoon was not there to announce it as god-touched. The family did not notice; after all people chosen by a god do not have a silvery handprint so that one can tell them apart.