Here’s a tease of the cover of THE SORCERESS QUEEN AND THE PIRATE ROGUE, out April 19, 2021. This is Book #2 in Heirs of Magic, Book #1 being THE GOLDEN GRYPHON AND THE BEAR PRINCE, with a prequel novella, THE LONG NIGHT OF THE CRYSTALLINE MOON, in the UNDER A WINTER SKY anthology. The cover isn’t quite final, so some elements here may change, but it’s getting close! Look for a full reveal soon. 🙂
Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is “That Old Tyme RELIGION: Does Religion Change the Course of a Story?” Come on over for my tale.
Join SFWA board members and staff to learn about the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, touching on some of the many programs and services it offers to traditional, hybrid, and indie writers.
Friday August 16, 2019
Autographs: Friday at 13:00
01:00 PM to 01:50 PM (50 minutes)
Introduction to SFF romance
03:00 PM to 03:50 PM (50 minutes)
SFF romance is as varied and creative as the speculative genre as a whole but, along with other romantic subgenres, has often been dismissed and undervalued. From shapeshifting billionaires to far future secret agents, vampire brides to Highland flings, this panel will provide a broad introduction to SFF romance in all its glory as well as providing a range of reading recommendations.
Monday August 19, 2019
Shifts in Irish mythology across the diaspora
01:30 PM to 02:20 PM (50 minutes)
Since 1700, more than 9 million Irish people have emigrated to other parts of the world, taking their stories with them. Do those stories change in the telling the farther they travel? Are the myths shared in Australia or the Americas different to those told in Ireland? The panel will examine Irish mythology across the diaspora and whether distance causes a romanticisation of the source material.
This week we’re asking the question: What’s the Greatest Myth or Legend You Wish Were True & Why?
My reply to this sort of thing, deep in the still idealistic abyss of my heart – which I’ve carried surprisingly untainted by collisions with reality since my childhood – is “what makes you think they’re not true?”
A serendipitous shot as the setting sun sent rays of light across my desk and lit up the globe that Kensington gave me with the cover of THE MARK OF THE TALA inside. If I’d been thinking, I would have turned it around to show the flip side, with the cover of last week’s release and the sequel, THE TEARS OF THE ROSE. The glow lasted barely long enough for me to grab my phone and snap. Ah well, so goes serendipity.
One of my favorite bits of feedback lately on THE TEARS OF THE ROSE, was when my longtime friend, Kev, commented this on my release day post:
There was an absolutely gorgeous sunrise today. I looked West and the mountains were this perfectly lovely shade of pink against a slightly lighter pink sky. I felt strongly compelled to sketch some circles in the air, but my Lutheran upbringing wouldn’t quite allow it.
If you haven’t read the book yet, that’s a reference to the observances of the goddess Glorianna, which occur ritually at sunrise and sunset, when her circle is drawn in the air. And her color is pink.
There’s something wonderfully invigorating about hearing comments like this, knowing that something you wrote went into another person’s mind deeply enough to invoke this impulse. Even if it wasn’t enough to overcome that childhood programming, alas! Inventing this mythology of the three goddesses came about organically as part of writing the story. I hadn’t anticipated that would even be a factor of the world as I began writing Andi’s story in THE MARK OF THE TALA. While all three goddesses – Glorianna, Moranu and Danu – make an appearance in the first book, in the sequel, THE TEARS OF THE ROSE, part of Ami’s journey is finding her place as an avatar of Glorianna. So I ended up exploring the mysticism and influence of the goddesses much more. I even wrote an entire myth!
(As if you have nothing better to do with your life… but the option is there!)
At any rate, playing with this mythology was so fun that I even wrote an extra bit for Jen Twimom’s holiday Mistletoe Madness event on That’s What I’m Talking About. The post is here and is told from Ami’s point of view about their observation of the Feast of Moranu on the winter solstice. That was a kick to write also. I’m sure it contains many familiar elements that you all will recognize, but it still felt special to me.
