Hello all! Thank you so much for joining me on the Rise & Fall blog tour celebrating the release of the fourth book in the THIRDS series.

I get many reader questions about the THIRDS world, and they’re always such fun to answer. It also helps me add information to my THIRDS story bible. The THIRDS world is huge, so not every detail can make it into the books. I love it when readers continue thinking about the world after they’ve read the book, wondering about specifics beyond what’s in the stories. One of my fabulous proofreaders and fellow THIRDS Nerd emails me questions about the THIRDS world which is all information I hope to get into a THIRDS Wiki at some point.

Since the shifters in the THIRDS world—or Therians as they’re referred to—are a part of society rather than hidden, society has had to change and adapt in a big way. The questions I most often receive are in regards to Therians and the roles they play in this rapidly changing world where Humans are no longer the dominant species. Everything had to be taken into consideration, from new laws to medicine. I thought I’d share a few facts about Therians.

Shifting and the law: In the THIRDS world, it’s considered a misdemeanor to shift in public. It’s right up there with public indecency, since a Therian has to get naked to shift. It isn’t illegal for Therians to be out in public in their Therian form, though they’ll certainly get shifty looks and some hostility from the more narrow-minded Humans. Any behavior deemed as “disturbing the peace” will most likely be reported to the THIRDS. Agents receive a lot of these calls, a good portion from intolerant Humans. These callouts are handled by Units Beta and Omega. If there is a genuine threat, Unit Alpha will be called in.

The need to shift: Therians will feel an instinctive need to shift to their Therian form. It can be suppressed, but not permanently. Therians feel very deeply, and their feral halves feel everything ten times stronger, which is why First Shift tends to happen for many Therians when they hit puberty. There are a few early bloomers, like Cael who shifted when he was seven years old. If a situation or emotion is traumatizing or fierce enough, a shift can be triggered. While in Human form, Therians remember what they did in Therian form and vice versa.

Remaining in Therian form: When a Therian shifts into animal form, Humanity is neurologically present and in control, though feral instincts are at their strongest. A Therian can choose to remain in Therian form for extended periods of time, but their Humanity will slowly fade away until there is nothing left but their feral half. While in Therian form, the more unstable the Therian in their Human form, the more feral in their Therian form.

In Hell & High Water, the team goes to Green Point in search of a potential murder suspect. Green Point is a very dangerous place where few venture in. The city has decided (for now) to ignore Green Point and the feral Therians who hide within the dilapidated buildings, seeing as how those Therians haven’t ventured out into the rest of Brooklyn, preferring to keep to themselves and away from Humans. The majority of the Therians here have lost either a large portion of their Humanity or all of it.

Hostility and segregation: Unfortunately, in the THIRDS world, segregation still exists. There are many schools—mostly private or religious—which are segregated into Human only or Therian only. There is no law against it, though there are many who are fighting against this. There are also a few hospitals and clinics who are Human only, prompting the need for some Therian hospitals and clinics.

Therians have only been around forty-odd years, and in that time society has been stumbling along, attempting to catch up with this new species. Equality is on the horizon but still out of reach. In the eighties, new laws were passed and a Therian branch of legislation opened in the government. Eventually the THIRDS opened its doors with agents working toward a brighter future for both Humans and Therians.

Do you have your own questions about the THIRDS World? Check out THIRDS 101 and find out everything from Therian genetics to Therian markings and more.