I think one reason I got so choked up in those final scenes is that this story marks the end of an era that deeply affected me as a writer. As I have just sacrificed my savings, am turning down assignments to spend every waking hour when I’m not writing for a living, finishing my first novel — the first in my own trilogy of books — I just pray that my characters touch people the way Stephanie’s incredible books and characters have touched me, and changed so many other lives.

We writers live with our characters. We love them. We admonish them. We let them play in traffic. We cry when they die. We cheer when they succeed. We mourn when they don’t make the final cut, or we have to change their names, or have to cause them to part ways with their own loved ones.

I have jokingly said several times that my characters bang on the inside of my head to get out, to be birthed, to be given life. In some ways, their lives are not mine to give, as they will live on to have lives of their own in the pages and hopefully on the screens they will occupy, much like the incredibly well-written characters in the Twilight series.

Every day my characters call to me, and every word I type is an open call for new characters to spring forth. Stephanie Meyer’s characters have been part of my life for years now, and it’s obvious she has loved them well into the pages of her stories. I hope someday my characters will become part of your life as Stephanie’s characters have become part of mine. And that my characters will find a place in your hearts to earn your love, scorn, concern, contempt, longing, and empathy.

Thank you Stephanie Meyer, for your gift of these characters and your wonderful stories.

The Story of the Rabbit Princess… dedicated to my beloved Blossom, my very own angel.

Once upon a time in a magical forest, creatures great and small gathered nightly around a fallen tree limb to hear the wisdom of a mystical rabbit. The rabbit had magical powers and used them for the good of the forest. She was called the Beautiful Beloved Baby Angel Bunny Princess of the Forest by all who knew her. She was forever young and spent her days tending flower blossoms that grew throughout the forest. At dusk, the Rabbit Princess would hop up onto the largest knot, and spin tales of gallant bunnies and fields of gold and green meadows. When a creature was sad, she created a smile. When someone was hurt, she dried their tears with bunny kisses. When someone was tired, she nuzzled them to sleep. And when someone was angry, she chased their fears away with mighty kindness.

As the years went by, the Rabbit Princess was often called upon to help humans too. Stars above would send postcards by way of moonbeams, and off she’d go to heal someone’s tired or broken spirit. One especially starry night, the Rabbit Prophet came to the wood.

“Gather ye things Rabbit Princess,” he said, “for we are off to the real world. There is much goodness to be done.” The Rabbit Princess hopped from cloud to cloud until she landed in a little town called Murrell’s Inlet, South Carolina. Like the Mary Poppins of bunnies, she arrived at the Animal Odyssey Pet Store.

That very same weekend, a little girl (okay, she was 29 at the time) was recovering from the flu just a few miles up the road. She looked up at her companion and asked quite out of the blue, “why not get a bunny rabbit for a pet?” He agreed, and off they went in search of bunnies. To pet stores they went, finding bunnies, but not THE bunny. Then, there she was… the very last store they visited, the very last bunny left. The girl squealed with delight at the fur ball in the bin and named her Blossom, because the girl liked flowers. With so much in common, the girl and the bunny became inseparable.

In the next several years, the bunny would witness heartache and sorrow, joy and success in the girl’s life. The girl and the boy would separate; life was hard, and work demanding. People grew old and others died too young. But the girl’s one constant source of happiness was Blossom Bunny. And as the time passed, Blossom’s magical powers helped the girl, the girl’s friends and family and the boy. Even strangers were touched by the Rabbit Princess who lived among us as Blossom Bunny. Blossom and the girl had many adventures together, and Blossom deeply loved the many people the girl brought into her life. Both in the magical forest and in the real world, Blossom’s powers were put to good use. Tears were met with compassionate bunny kisses, and successes were celebrated with the sharing of carrots and snuggling. Loneliness was no where to be found. No one could feel lonely with the magical Rabbit Princess/Blossom Bunny around.

 Anyone who came in contact with the Beautiful Beloved Baby Angel Bunny Princess was indeed fortunate. Those who met her for one moment fell in love on site. Those who knew her well, loved her ferocious, playful spirit. As for the girl, well, she was luckiest of all to have been selected to care for Blossom Bunny. The Rabbit Princess spent nearly a decade with the girl as her pet Blossom Bunny, until an even bigger job opportunity came along for Blossom. Her time in the real world was limited. On one warm summer’s evening, the Rabbit Prophet called Blossom back to her Rabbit Princess duties in the Magical Forest. Blossom didn’t want to leave the girl, but the Prophet assured that she would be with the girl forever in spirit, even if she returned to the magical forest. And in the blink of an eye, Blossom hopped back to the Magical Forest, where she could watch over the girl for all the days of her life. ~

My precious Blossom Bunny’s time on earth ended on August 21, 2007. I was honored to be Blossom’s caregiver and companion for nearly ten years… a labor of love I would not trade for all the words in the world. I loved Blossom with all my heart and soul and she was every bit my child, my family. She lowered my blood pressure when I wanted to scream, snorggled (a special way bunnies show affection via a combination of snuggling and nuzzling) with me when I felt alone and calmed my nerves with a single glance. Don’t forget to tell your own animal companion how much you love them today, and thank them for the wonderful ways they selflessly, joyfully make your life better.  Kelly Merritt (c) 2012

Blossom, captured in this beautiful photo by amazing pet photographer Berta-O, was my most special friend, and I can’t wait until the Rainbow Bridge reunites us once again!