K.R. Gastreich's Blog, page 21

Eolyn: Round Two

The original Hadley Rille Books imprint of EOLYN, featuring cover art by Jesse Smolover, will soon be replaced by a second edition.

Thomas Vandenberg, who did the cover art for High Maga, has started on a new work depicting a scene from my first novel, Eolyn. I wish I could share the preliminary sketch with you, but a premature unveiling would be unfair. So let me just say: It’s phenomenal. My plan is to use this artwork for a second edition of the novel.

Don’t worry, Eolyn purists, I will respect the story you’ve come to love! The second edition will not have any major overhauls. But it is time to go in and clean up a few things. For example, there are some anachronisms that I was too inexperienced to catch the first time around. And I’ve had it in my head for a long time to rework the opening chapters with an eye toward improving the pacing. Most of all, a bit of dusting off and cleaning and polishing here and there never hurts. Also, I want to update the electronic edition with chapter headings and other features that have become popular in the years since Eolyn was first released.

I started going through the opening chapters this past weekend, and have already made changes that I’m excited about, and that I hope will meet with the approval of my writers group, critique partners, and most of all, my readers.

The revamping of Eolyn is a natural consequence of the upcoming release of Daughter of Aithne. As many of you are aware, my first book was written as a stand-alone, with no concrete vision or real strategy for the development of a trilogy. Not necessarily an error in my mind, but now that the reality of Eolyn’s journey has changed – encompassing three full volumes that are closely related to each other – the task of marketing her journey must be adjusted accordingly.

I still don’t have dates set, either for the relaunch of Eolyn or the launch of Daughter of Aithne. But from here to the end of the year, there will be some big news regarding both, so please stay tuned. In the meantime, be aware that the original Hadley Rille Books imprint of Eolyn, featuring the lovely cover art of Jesse Smolover, will not be around for much longer. If you’ve ever considered gifting this edition to a friend, or would like a print copy for your own shelf, now is the time to purchase it.

Sunset on the north shore of Oahu. Photo by Julie Anne Duay.

Last week, I was at a conference in Hawaii that kept me away from the internet. Hence, no posts until now. This week, I’ll be starting a 10-day road trip to the Badlands, the Black Hills, and Yellowstone National Park. Once again, internet access may be unreliable.  Still, I’d like to share some of that trip with you (and it’ll be vacation, not a conference), so I’ll try to post as often as I can while we’re on the road.

I also have some guest authors scheduled for the coming weeks. Jamie Marchant will be here on July 29 to talk about her new novel, The Soul Stone. (What a great title!) After that, look for sister-at-Hadley Rille Books, Vanessa MacLellan, who will be debuting her historical fantasy Three Great Lies in early August. Three Great Lies is set in ancient Egypt, and also features cover art by Thomas Vandenberg.

Wow. I just realized that after that, summer will be almost over.

But let’s not think about that right now. Let’s enjoy a little more fun in the sun…

50 Years of Dune

There were many reasons to celebrate this past Fourth of July weekend. One that caught me by surprise was the 50th anniversary of the publication of Frank Herbert’s DUNE.

I first read DUNE in high school. While I often sing praises of Tolkien and Martin, if I’m to be honest with myself I’d have to say Herbert was perhaps the single most influential author in my long journey toward writing speculative fiction.

Herbert’s story brought together two major elements that excited my imagination at the time: a medieval-style feudal society coupled with the advanced technology of interstellar travel. There was also love, war, family, betrayal, and bloodshed. Strategic manipulation of deep spiritual desires. Space ships and giant sand worms, and a knock-out drug, spice melange, that facilitated interplanetary travel while turning your eyes blue. Women were not only important part of history, they dared to challenge the men at controlling it. Herbert’s novel absorbed me in a way that no other had before and that few have done since.

My favorite character of Dune, as you might guess, was Jessica, wife to Leto Atreides and mother to Paul. I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but Jessica was unusual in the then male-dominated milieu of science fiction literature. Few authors had granted women the kind of agency and power Jessica would exercise over the realization of her son’s fate.

Jessica was an initiate of a powerful sisterhood called the Bene Gesserit, who wove their own schemes inside a decidedly patriarchal galactic order. The Bene Gesserit had plans for Jessica and her offspring as part of their eugenics-inspired effort to breed a savior who could topple the evil galactic emperor. Jessica defied these plans by giving Leto a son, but she also came to believe Paul could be the savior the Bene Gesserit had been waiting for. Thus began her long journey at Paul’s side to see that prophecy fulfilled.

I don’t think I’d seen anything quite like the Bene Gesserit sisterhood when I first read DUNE. The idea that a sisterhood could be so much more than a cloistered group of humble women was entirely new to me. Their internal mythology, their psychological and physical control, their cunning intervention in galactic politics, and their mysterious powers that verged on magic provided a fascinating subtext for the larger story. Even today, I find myself reciting their litany against fear in moments of duress:

Lady Jessica, interpreted by actress Francesca Annis in the 1984 film DUNE.

I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear.

I will permit it to pass over me and through me.

And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.

Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.

Only I will remain.

It’s safe to say that the Bene Gesserit were the earliest inspiration for the Magas of Eolyn’s world, though the Magas are not nearly as well organized or entrenched in their loyalties. A maga, while she loves and serves her sisters, is essentially a free spirit and will always be respected as such. The Bene Gesserit, on the other hand, keep their members under very tight rein.

That being said, there are echoes of Jessica’s story in the journey of Eolyn and her predecessor, Briana of East Selen. Both Eolyn and Briana love a king who their sisters insist should not be loved. Both struggle with the decision to give that king a son. Both in their own way defy the teachings of their sisters and pay a heavy price to see their own dreams fulfilled.

Of course, the context in which Eolyn and Briana make their choices is very different from the circumstances faced by Jessica. Partly as a result of this, their motivations are also worlds apart. (Pun intended.) But if we were to throw Eolyn and Briana into the world of DUNE, I have no doubt they would both become Bene Gesserits. And if Jessica had been born in the Kingdom of Moisehén, she would almost certainly have been a Maga.

I’m curious to know whether there are other fans of DUNE among my followers. If you read and loved Herbert’s epic tale, what about the novel resonated with you? And for my writerly friends: Do you think Herbert’s world has had any influence on your own stories? If yes, tell me more.

On Summer, Magic, and Dance

This is the first full summer I’ve spent in Kansas City since…Well, since high school. I’m enjoying it immensely, in a way I probably wouldn’t if I’d been here every year from the age of eighteen. Long days and warm nights. Fireflies at dusk. Intense storms that build over the plains, unleash their fury, and then fade toward the east.

Summer break magnifies the sense of leisure. While I have work to do, I have very few schedules to keep. No alarm clock going off in the morning. No class to get to by 9am. No exams to grade by next week.

An added bonus of staying in Kansas City this summer has been the opportunity to participate in flamenco workshops organized by my teacher, Tamara Carson. We’ve had two over the past month. The first focused on bulerias por fiesta, taught by Juan Paredes. The second took us into the more intense but equally lovely caña, taught by Vida Peral.

Dance has meant so much to me all my life, and at times I think it’s remarkable that even now I continue to practice and discover it as an art form. Dance brings me the opportunity for renewal, like a flower that constantly blossoms with new colors and fresh possibilities. Flamenco in particular, with its passionate celebration of everything raw and painful and beautiful in the human experience, has given me many blessings in recent years.

A friend of mine once made the observation that I am never happier than when I dance. I don’t think I would have noticed that on my own, but now that it’s been pointed out to me, I believe it’s true. Though “happy” might not be the right word. Connected, perhaps. To other dancers, to music and rhythm, to something greater than the sum of its parts. I’m never alone when I dance, even if I dance when nobody’s around.

Should that sense of companionship be surprising? Dance in so many ways is a language of the universe, a ritual that builds bridges between us and everything else out there. Through our movement we create patterns reflected in the natural world, from the spinning of atoms to the stately swirl of galaxies. We speak to all of those wonders, and through dance those wonders can speak to us.

When I’m feeling down, I turn to Dance for healing. When I’m feeling up, I use Dance to celebrate. Wherever I go, Dance is with me. When I can’t dance with my body, I dance inside my mind. Even in my dreams I dance; and in dreams it’s more fun because the rules of gravity don’t apply. When time came to build a system of magic for Eolyn’s world, Dance earned a place of honor as an ancient and powerful form of magic.

Do you have an art form, hobby, or past time that keeps you company, that helps you heal and celebrate in equal measure? Would you also dare to call it “magic”? If so, tell me more…

 

This week’s treat: A video of caña, the dance form that I had a look at in last weekend’s flamenco work shop. We didn’t use the shawls or the long skirts, but this will give you an idea of the music, the passion, and the movement. Enjoy!

 

Musings of a Wayward Catholic

Those of you who follow my blog know that every so often I come back to issues of Church and faith. Over the years I’ve developed my own eclectic brand of spirituality, but my Catholic roots remain strong. In many ways I continue to take pride in what I consider the best of the Catholic tradition: service to those in need, commitment to establishing a just and peaceful society, compassion and love for one’s neighbor, and openness to an evolving understanding of scripture, which the Catholic Church aptly calls the Living Word of God. 

As a young girl attending Catholic grade school, I tried to be flawless in my devotion even though I was decidedly progressive in my thoughts. I entertained many fantasies about the future of my beloved Church. For example, I dared to imagine that one day I would witness the ordination of women into the priesthood. While women have become ministers in other denominations, the Catholic male hierarchy remains as entrenched as it was in my youth, committed to its millennial, decidedly sexist choke-hold on religious authority.

But I digress. The point is, as a girl I had some crazy ideas as to what Catholicism might look like at the beginning of the third millennium (crazy in the sense of innocent, not unreasonable). Yet I never never imagined that one day I might find myself defending the Pope against conservative members of the Republican Party. Catholicism and Republicanism went hand-in-hand in my family. You simply couldn’t have one without the other. And that they would ever be in disagreement was inconceivable.

Last week, that reality was turned upside down. Pope Francis released his much-anticipated encyclical Laudato si’.  Suddenly the conservative movement, which has been digging themselves into a hole through blind insistence on stamping down the science behind our understanding of climate change, felt like they’d been hung out to dry by one of the most important figures of religious moral authority in the world.

I must say, that was a refreshing change.

I fear, though, that in the race to declare themselves “for” or “against” the Pope’s encyclical, very few people actually read what he wrote. And as often happens, the core message was misrepresented by people on both sides of the debate.

Laudato si’ is not really about global climate change. True, Pope Francis mentions this along with a long (and rather depressing) list of maladies affecting our planet.  But his true message runs so much deeper than a single environmental challenge or the politics that plague it.

Pope Francis’s message is about the moral dimensions of human activity. He urges us to remember our compassion for each other and for the planet on which we depend. He invites us to a dialogue across every imaginable – and imaginary – boundary we have created: political, economic, religious, environmental, social, technological, even artistic.

Throughout the encyclical, the Pope painstakingly demonstrates how his arguments are firmly grounded in the faith and theological traditions of the Church. There is nothing new here. He simply brings a rich body of teaching together in one document, and invites us to reflect and act upon the consequences of our most fundamental responsibilities toward all of Creation.

It’s hard for me to imagine that anyone who spoke out against the encyclical last week actually read it. There may be some points of argument that certain readers would take issue with, but to claim the Pope doesn’t know what he’s talking about, or has no authority to speak on these matters, indicates ignorance regarding the contents of the encyclical, or worse, a complete lack of moral sensibility and compassion. Certainly anyone who holds the fundamental tenets of Christianity and the Catholic tradition dear cannot turn his or her back on the central message so eloquently delivered in Laudato si’. 

Before you listen any further to the media debates, I encourage you to read the Pope’s encyclical for yourself. I believe it may be the single most important religious document of this century, and it deserves everyone’s attention.

Laudato si’ can be read on line or downloaded for free from the Vatican web site. I’ve seen it mentioned that the encyclical runs 200 pages; but my pdf copy is only 84 pages long. (I don’t know where the 200 number comes from, but I worry that the reputed length has discouraged a lot of people from going to the original source material and forming an educated opinion of their own.) The encyclical is very well written; the language very accessible. It inspires us, in the way that only the best of sermons can, by calling everyone to a higher standard for living as a community on this beautiful and unique planet we come home.

Read it. Think about it. And then, let’s talk. Just as Pope Francis has invited us to do.

 

On the Relentless Erosion of Hope

Me on the Iron Throne at ConQuesT in Kansas City, Missouri. My color scheme was inspired by my new favorite book, “The Night Circus.”

A lot of people are talking about Game of Thrones right now, so I guess I’ll add my voice to the clamor.

Heads up: there will be NO spoilers in this blog post. At least, no season five spoilers. Everything season one through four is fair game.

I’ve found myself going through the same transition during season five that I went through when I read book four of A Song of Ice and Fire. The story has ceased to surprise me. For several episodes now, everything that has happened I’ve seen coming. This despite the fact that I never read book five. And by all accounts, the HBO series is beginning to diverge from the book series anyway.

Yet there is one thing the HBO and book series hold in common: the hopelessness of hope. As the story progresses, the formula becomes increasingly clear and rigid. The heroic, noble, innocent, and likable are destined to be corrupted or, failing that, will die terrible and often demeaning deaths. The perverse, self-centered, cruel, and ruthless will survive and triumph. This is why for the past several episodes, pretty much every time something “terrible” has happened, I’ve just rolled my eyes and said, “Yup, I saw that coming too.”

I ran up against the same wall in book four. I realized I knew well ahead of time who was going to die or suffer, because by then I understood the profile of Martin’s victims, and he never altered that profile. If he had let one – just one – of those characters live, then I could have said, “Wow! That was a surprise.”

Now, I don’t want to come down on George R.R. Martin. I have great admiration for his work, and nothing, nothing can take away the amazing experience of reading those first three books in this classic series. He will forever be an icon in my eyes. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from reflecting on Martin’s legacy, it’s the importance of wrapping up a series before the reader figures out the formula. Or, if you’re going to continue a series indefinitely, try to switch out the formula once in a while, just to shake things up a bit.

I’ve also learned about the importance of hope, love, and compassion in story telling. All of these are in scarce supply in Martin’s world, and yet they are essential threads for any epic tale. Hope is what drives us to work toward a better future, to demand more of ourselves and others when confronting difficult times. Love and compassion are tools of transformation, capable of breaking down barriers and bridging any abyss that divides us. Hope, love, and compassion are what fuel our sense of agency in this world, the conviction that through individual actions and a sense of community, we can make a positive difference.

In Westeros, love and compassion have minimal significance. As a result, hope is inexorably eroded as the story progresses. There is a perverse genius behind this vision, a genius that can hold the reader’s attention for a long time. To the point where I suspect that what has kept most of us going into season five is not any hope inherent to the world of Westeros, but our own stubborn belief that somehow this whole mess will be turned on its head and the honorable will, at last, inherit the kingdom.

In all honesty, I don’t see that happening, simply because I don’t see any evidence that Martin is interested in or willing to switch up his formula. So here are my predictions as to where it will all lead. We can come back in a few years to see if I was right:

All of our favorite characters who are still standing are destined for miserable and demeaning deaths. Dany will be eaten by her dragons (it’s been clear for a long time she has no control over them anyway), but not before she’s been brought down from her pedestal as a woman of power and degraded under someone else’s whims. I don’t know what’s in store for Tyrion, but I’m certain he will die and that it will be an awful death. Sansa and Arya will go the same route as their parents and brother(s), and knowing HBO, we will likely be subjected to multiple rape and/or torture scenes before they are at last released from their misery. And so on. Sam, Gilly, Brienne, and everyone else you might label as basically a nice person is headed for the chopping block.

Once everyone we actually care about is dead, the White Walkers will sweep down from the north and kill all the perverts and torturers who remain. Then Dany’s dragons, having no humans left to eat, will roast the White Walkers and their undead army. The final scene will be three dragons, alone and triumphant over the snow-covered ruins of King’s Landing.

GoT will either end this way, or it won’t end at all.

In truth, I expect the latter is more likely. As the series goes on, our heroes become more scattered, more weakened, and depressingly, more dead. Perhaps in his evil genius, Martin has created a world that is simply an endless cycle of hopeless cruelty. Perhaps he has no intention of crafting the classic denouement or bringing any of it to a final resolution. Given the history, the pattern, and the formula, I can totally see this happening.

But, man. Wouldn’t it be nice if Martin could surprise us just one more time?

HIGH MAGA Audio Book Giveaway and Blog Tour

Artwork by Thomas Vandenberg.

Summer has begun and so has the fun! Today I’m starting a month-long blog tour to celebrate the release of the audio edition of High Maga, narrated by Darla Middlebrook. We have many great stops planned on this tour. The full itinerary is below. AND I’m running a giveaway. Winners will receive their choice of the ebook, paperback, or audio edition of High Maga, PLUS a $5 Amazon gift certificate. It’s easy to enter – just scroll down to the bottom of this post for the link.

About High Maga

Sisters in magic, Eolyn and Adiana seek to revive a craft once forbidden to women. When war strikes at the heart of the kingdom, their fledgling community of magas is destroyed; its members killed, captured or scattered.

In hopes of defending her people, Eolyn tries to escape the occupied province and deliver to King Akmael a weapon that might secure their victory. Trapped by the invading army, Adiana is taken prisoner and placed at the mercy of the ruthless Prince Mechnes.

Even as their world is torn asunder, Eolyn and Adiana cling to a common dream. Courage and perseverance guide them toward a future where the Daughters of Aithne will flourish in a world set free from the violence of men.

“War propels the book forward, and the characters are at their best when the events engulfing them are at their worst.” –Publishers Weekly

Purchase Links:

Amazon (audio book) † Barnes and Noble † Kobo

Tour Schedule

May 20 – On Making an Audio Book. Interested in the behind-the-scenes process of making an audio book? Stop by for my interview with author DelSheree Gladden! I’ll give you the inside scoop on audio book production, and respond to any questions you have.

May 22 – Adiana Confronts Prince Mechnes. Adiana lays down the gauntlet against the nefarious villain of the novel, Mechnes. Read this sneak preview from one of my favorite chapters in the novel on Heroines of Fantasy. 

May 23 – Ghemena Plans Her Escape.  Eolyn’s youngest student, Ghemena, plots her escape from the imprisonment by Syrnte invaders.  Another sneak preview available on author Linda Ulleseit’s blog Books, Books, Books. 

May 25 – Women and War. Sparks fly when author Will Hahn and I face off on the question of women and medieval warfare.  Join the debate at The Independent Bookworm. 

May 27 – Swords and Staves. Enough about war! Let’s talk about LUV. When the going gets rough, who do you want at your side: a brave knight or a cunning mage? Eolyn has both! Meet the men of High Maga, and choose your favorite, at Marsha A. Moore’s blog Illusions of Intimacy. 

May 29 – How to Make a Naether Demon. What’s that beast on the cover of High Maga? It’s a Naether Demon! Find out how to bake your own Underworld monster on author Christopher Gerrib’s Livejournal blog.

May 30 – The People Behind the Story. Meet me! and narrator Darla Middlebrook as we make another stop at Books, Books, Books. 

June 2 – The Villains of HIGH MAGA. Sexy. Passionate. Ruthless. Queen Rishona and Prince Mechnes light up the stage every time they appear in High Maga. Find out why on author Jeanne Bannon’s blog Beyond Words. 

June 3 – When Readers Write Back. What does it feel like to hear from people who have read your work? Honesty is the name of the game when I talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of reader feedback. I also invite you to share your own experiences and insights at Tracy Falbe’s blog Her Ladyship’s Quest. 

June 6 – Eolyn and Adiana Tell It Like It Is.   Sisters in magic, Eolyn and Adiana, share the challenges, triumphs, joys and heartbreak of rebuilding women’s magic. Be the first to read this exclusive interview with Medieval Times correspondent Ian McFae, on Linda Ulleseit’s blog Books, Books, Books.  Eolyn and Adiana will be available on this stop to answer your questions, too!

June 9 – Eolyn Battles the Naether Demons.  Read the scene that inspired the cover art of High Maga, and learn what it’s like to confront these beasts up-close and personal, on author Jamie Marchant’s blog.

June 11 – The Accidental Trilogy. High Maga is the sequel to Eolyn, originally intended as a stand-alone novel. Now a third book in the sequence is on the way: Daughter of Aithne. How did one book morph into three? Learn about my very special journey with Eolyn and her world on L. Blankenship’s blog, Notes from the Jovian Frontier. 

June 13 – How to Make Your Characters Believable. Some salient tips for aspiring writers on crafting characters that have a life of their own. Read my final post for the tour on Linda Ulleseit’s Books, Books, Books. 

June 15 – Tour Wrap Up. Join me back here at krgastreich.com for a wrap-up and final reflection on High Maga’s Audio Book Tour and Giveaway. June 15 will be your LAST CHANCE to register to win a copy of High Maga and a $5 Amazon gift certificate.

Special Announcement!

For the duration of the audio book tour, ebook editions of High Maga’s companion novel, Eolyn, will be on sale for $2.99 (regular price $5.99) at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Take advantage of this price reduction and start the adventure today!

About the Author:

KARIN RITA GASTREICH writes tales of ordinary women and the extraordinary paths they choose. Inspired by a lifetime of exploring lush forests and breathtaking landscapes, Karin’s stories blend elements of epic fantasy, historical fiction, and romance. The worlds she creates are a strange amalgamation of medieval Europe and colonial Central America, with misty forests, vast savannas, and steamy jungles. They are populated by brave heroines, noble heroes, and twisted villains. From ancient woodlands to uncharted seas, readers will experience gripping battle scenes, heart wrenching loss, hard-won triumphs, and the ultimate magic of love. Karin’s fantasy novels Eolyn and High Maga are available from Hadley Rille Books. Her short stories have appeared in Zahir, 69 Flavors of Paranoia, and World Jumping. She runs an on-line discussion forum about women in genre fiction at Heroines of Fantasy. Follow Karin’s adventures into fantastic worlds, both real and imagined, at krgastreich.com.

You can also visit Karin at: Heroines of Fantasy † Facebook

Twitter: @EolynChronicles

About the Narrator:

Darla’s voice is a versatile instrument used with skill. It is a voice filled with intelligence and warmth. Her sound can range from mature to youthful female, and she can also produce convincing male timbres. Narrative is presented in a conversational, down to earth, matter-of-fact manner and also displays a broad emotional range across a large repertoire of characters (female, male, young, old and “creature”). All of that while still conveying a sense of wonder when telling the story.

With experience of 34+ years as a Speech-Language Pathologist, more than 20 years as a stage & film actor and over 20 years as a trained singer with knowledge and insight into the mechanics of the voice and speech, Darla Middlebrook brings a wealth of experience to bear to develop character voices (male, female, mature, extremely elderly, creepy, bright exotic, etc) with an impressive emotional range.

Currently, Darla is one of many voice actors who narrate podcasts for AIRS-LA (an audio internet service for individuals with visual challenges) in addition to narrating audio books.

Narrator Web Links:

Website: http://www.darlasvoice.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/damiddlebrook

Twitter: @GypsyCatVoice

 

Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for your chance to win a FREE copy of HIGH MAGA!

Click the link below to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Magic

The sky’s the limit when it comes to envisioning your next story.

Needless to say, I had a wonderful time in Virginia Beach last week. Every year I go back, I’m awed at the amount of inspiration packed into those seven days. It’s the perfect storm for creativity: a community of amazing, supportive, and inspiring women; great food and conversation; wine and chocolate; the beach just off our back porch; and significant stretches of quiet time to think, meditate, and write.

Twelve days ago, I didn’t know what my next writing project would be. Now I’m 15,000 words into a new urban fantasy idea that promises to deliver a dark, sexy, and thoroughly entertaining story. How did that happen? I think it’s magic. Followed by blood, sweat, and tears of course, to make the entire manuscript a reality. But the moment of inception, when an idea takes root and suddenly bursts forth, is sheer magic.

My writing of course has slowed down this week as I settle back into life in Kansas City. I have many mundane tasks to take care of. End-of-the-year reports for Avila. (No, unfortunately, the sabbatical does not render me exempt from that!) Follow-up on presentations that we’re preparing for the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation meetings this summer. (I’m excited about this but still, it’s work waiting to be done.) Tax returns. (Aaagh!) I was granted an extension due to being out of the country, so now I have to get those done by June 15. Taking the car into the shop for routine maintenance. (That alone sucked up my entire day yesterday.)

And then there’s FUN stuff like getting back out in the garden, seeing my friends and colleagues again, Mother’s Day brunch with my family, and simply enjoying the lovely spring weather were having in Kansas City.

Women who inspire: this year’s Virginia Beach Dollbabies.

Next week, my blog tour for the audio edition of High Maga starts. Hooray!  I’m very excited about this tour. It will include some great interviews on topics as varied as producing an audio book and portraying women in war. I’ve got about fifteen stops lined up all in all; I will post the full schedule on Monday. And as part of the tour, I will be hosting a giveaway in which winners can choose between the audio edition, print edition, or ebook edition of High Maga. Be sure to stop by next week to find out more. 

We are also in the countdown to ConQuesT. Just 10 days left. I have my schedule of panels and readings now, and I will be posting that closer to the dates of the con. If you’re in the Kansas City area, please join us for the fun, August 22-24 at the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City. On-line registration is now closed, but you can still register at the door. We have lots of great guests this year, including the incomparable George R.R. Martin. Find out more by visiting ConQuesT’s web site.

Here’s some music to brighten your week: “Magic” by Coldplay.

Life After Epic

I won’t be getting this close to the dolphins, but it’s fun to imagine their smiling faces from afar.

Today the dolphins are dancing in the deep blue waters outside our beach house. Somehow the stay at Virginia Beach never seems complete until they appear. While I always expect to see them, that first (and second and third) sighting never ceases to inspire a sense of awe and privilege.

This is my third stay with the Dollbabies, an incredible group of women writers from all genres and walks of life, who come together once a year to dedicate a week to the craft, and to each other. When we aren’t writing, we eat amazing food, drink wine, walk on the beach, converse, read, and rest.

My situation is rather unique this time around. Usually this week falls at the end of a very busy spring semester. After weeks of students and classes and grading and committee meetings, I arrive worn out and starved for quality writing time.

This year I’ve been on sabbatical. I’m well rested, and I’ve dedicated more time than ever to writing in the past few months. When I arrived on Saturday, I had no pending projects, as I’d just wrapped up the final book of the Eolyn trilogy. (As an aside, you might like to know that the last time I was in Virginia Beach two years ago, I was just getting started on the first chapters of Daughter of Aithne.)

My main goal for this week has been to figure out what to do next. Eolyn has been my priority for so long, it’s really a very strange feeling not to have anything pressing left in her world. Not that I won’t ever go back. I have it in my head to write a prequel someday. And wouldn’t it be fun to dive into the world of the Syrnte or the realm of Galia for a new set of epic tales? Plus, there are the generations to come, Eolyn’s children and grandchildren, and all the challenges they will face. But Eolyn’s journey, for the moment, is complete. I must say, it is a great pleasure to savor that sense of completion.

I have for a while now wanted to go back to my short story Creatures of Light and build a larger tale around that world. My anti-heroine Selenia is demanding her own novel. (Demanding because she never begs.)  Yet Creatures of Light will be decidedly epic, a new and complex fantasy world set in a post-Renaissance Age of Discovery, probably involving multiple books to complete the series. It will be amazing, but having just finished with Eolyn, I am keenly aware of how much work it’s going to take.

The Country Club Plaza will be one of many Kansas City landmarks featured in my new urban fantasy.

The truth is, I need something lighter for the moment, a project that will keep me writing even as I recharge my batteries for the next epic journey. So this week, I pulled out an old story that I’d started long ago. An urban fantasy romance thing. There aren’t any vampires or werewolves in this contemporary world, but a host of dark (and sexy) angels promise to keep things interesting. My protagonist lives in my beautiful home town of Kansas City, which means I get to include all my favorite hangouts as scenes and settings. Her name is Helen, and she is about to embark upon a journey that will transform her understanding of the afterlife.

I’m envisioning this as about a 70,000 word novel (2/3 the length of my previous works), with a relatively limited cast of characters. Simpler than epic but still steeped in fantasy. I think it will be a fun break from Eolyn’s weightier (and much loved) medieval world. In looking over what I wrote several years ago, I’ve been able to salvage several workable passages. So far, I’ve accumulated about 8,000 words for the opening chapters. Not bad for a few days work. Now all I have to do is follow wherever it leads…

VAB, here I come!

Off to the beach tomorrow for a writing retreat with some of the most amazing women I know.

Before packing up and heading out, I wanted to share some fun videos that I’ve come across lately.

For all my fellow science geeks, the Taylor Swift Acapella Parody “Science STYLE”:

For a fun and feel-good tune, check out this wonderful interpretation of One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” by the Piano Guys:

Last but not least, what is the beach without Bob Marley? Take a moment to relax and reflect with “War/No More Trouble” by Playing for Change:

Have some good music of your own to share? Send it my way!

I hope everyone is in for a good weekend.

The Road to Recovery

A view from my ‘other’ home town, San Pablo, looking toward the mist-covered mountains of Costa Rica.

Last week was a silent week for me on the internet. No Facebook posts, nothing on Twitter, certainly no WordPress updates. I checked my email twice and managed to send out three messages. I wish I could say my absence was due to some great adventure like hiking into Corcovado National Park. Unfortunately, I was dragged down by a very different sort of tropical challenge: a battle with a nasty stomach virus.

Two trips to the hospital and lots of fluids later, I’m well on the road to recovery. There’s nothing to make you appreciate good health like encountering an intense and debilitating microbe. Thank goodness for modern medicine, and most of all, thank goodness for IV therapy.

Coming off the illness, I had to pack my bags and hop a plane for the United States. My sabbatical isn’t quite finished, but my very long and indulgent stay in Costa Rica has come to a close. [sigh] Returning to my home in Kansas City was definitely bitter sweet. I wonder how many other people out there have lived this experience of leaving home to return home? I do it about every six months, and have done it for many years now. The feeling never changes. Sadness upon leaving home mixed with joy upon returning home. All in the same day, the same moment, the same set of circumstances.

I was a regular commuter on Costa Rica’s intercity train. I’ll miss those train rides. Fortunately, Kansas City’s new trolley service is starting up this year.

I miss the fresh tropical fruits of Costa Rica, its delicious beer, and rich coffee. I miss the mountains and verdant forests and warm beaches. I especially miss the people, their lively chatter and giving nature. I kind of miss the train, too. But I don’t miss the traffic.

In Kansas City, I love my quiet neighborhood, and having the parks and bicycle trails nearby. Last night I binge-watched all my favorite Monday evening TV programs, which I’d been away from for nearly three months. I look forward to working in my garden today, especially with the spring weather so lovely and all the trees leafing out in fresh, pale shades of green. I adore the big skies of the Midwest and the extended twilight as we head into summer.

I have a lot of news and new adventures to share in the coming weeks. ConQuesT is just down the road at the end of May. Shortly after that I’ll be attending the Campbell Conference at the University of Kansas. The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation will hold its annual meeting in Honolulu in July, and once I’m back from that we will be hitting the road to see some of the great National Parks of the U.S. before the summer is out.

In the virtual world, I have a blog tour coming up May 18-June 15, to celebrate the release of the audio edition of High Maga. I’m a little late with this party – the audio book was released last December – but we’ll make it a good one nonetheless. There will be posts  and interviews with the inside story on High Maga and audio book production.  I will also be hosting a giveaway with great prizes.

So stay tuned! It will only get better from here.