Eve Vennell began writing 'Awakened' in 2012 after having a dream about the two main characters. It is set on another planet that is more advanced than Earth. The beings on Klyos remember their past lives and attempt to make contact with other species in the galaxy. Here is an excerpt... The Elder returned to his seat. He leaned forward and placed his fingertips together, looking at me over them. "Arwin, do you remember what makes our planet different to all the other planets in the cosmos?" I looked up in surprise. The Elders were the ones responsible for overseeing the Balance, so I was pretty sure he knew the answer himself. I started to twist a piece of my hair around my finger before answering. "Yes. We have achieved a state of awareness of ourselves and the universe. We are no longer confined to the life/death cycle and we have gained a sense of balance which allows us to live with our planet instead of trying to control and destroy it." I paused and the Elder nodded at me to continue. I could feel a gentle curiosity radiating from him. I rarely felt anything other than contentment from the Elders. They were like rocks that had been worn smooth with the river of time and were no longer affected by the ebb and flow of ordinary life. "We don't 'need' for anything. We each have our purpose and we find happiness in performing it. Also, we don't engage in destructive actions for no reason." "Very good, Arwin. I can see that you have a good understanding of our culture and who we are." He paused. "You have found your life's work, haven't you, Arwin?" "Yes, Elder. I believe my work lies in the field of Earth. They are quite an evolved species, are they not?" "Yes, child, they are. In some areas very advanced and yet in others, dangerously ignorant. We had hoped that they would be ready for contact by now, but the most recent mission still detects an aggressiveness and superstition that would destroy our attempts to help them. This is largely based on their own fear and inability to act as a united whole. They are so fragmented and consumed with power amongst themselves, that they are actually in danger of destroying each other and the whole planet for no purpose at all." I thought this over. "So someone needs to find out why they do this and how we can make contact with them in such a way so as to not create mass hysteria..." The Elder smiled. "You are Awakening rapidly and are ready to continue your life's work. You have always been one of the brightest in the field, which is why you are the one to handle Earth."