Andrew J. Peters's Blog, page 7
May 31, 2017
The Jaguar of the Backward Glance
Chavin stirrup-spouted jar from the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. Image retrieved from Ancient History Encyclopedia http://www.ancient.eu/Chavin_Civiliza...
I discovered this intriguing bit of werecat mythology while doing research for the forthcoming, final installment of my Werecat series: The Sim Ru Prophecy. In Chavin culture, a pre-Incan civilization that resided in the region of modern day Peru, potters made clay jars shaped like seated, curled cats. Like ancient Amerindian artwork elsewhere, the cat’s head is exaggerated, almost cartoonish, but the rosette spots are suggestive of the jaguar, which thrived in the region at the time.
According to archeologist Alana Cordy-Collins, a scholar of Peruvian pre-history, these unique jars are also an artifact of an ancient folk belief in human-feline hybrid creatures. In her essay titled: “The jaguar of the backward glance,” published in Nicolas Saunders’ Icons of Power: Feline Symbolism in the Americas, Cordy-Collins states that the jars represent shaman who possess dual souls and have the ability to take the form of jaguars. To the Chavin, a jaguar who is spotted looking over its shoulder is not a big cat but rather a shape-shifting shaman. They preserved that magical secret on their decorative wares.
When I read about that, I was reminded of the anthropomorphic world of Gregory Maguire’s Wicked saga.
“Are you a cat? Or a Cat?”
Jinns by the Ottoman Artist Mehmet Siyah Kalem, retrieved from Islam and Science Fiction http://www.islamscifi.com/jinns-in-is...
Werecat mythology is not so common in European cultures (to the benefit of werewolves), but there are imaginative werecat storytelling traditions pretty much everywhere else where cats can be found in the world. For example, in the Middle East, there’s the wonderful folk belief in the jinn, which can take the form of the cat, as well as other animals.
If you have dug into my Werecat series, you know that I took a lot of inspiration from ancient Mesoamerican beliefs and most especially the Olmecs. A lot about the Olmecs remains ‘unpacked,’ which makes their history and religion fertile ground for a fantasy author. Archeologists have yet to even understand their language. But their stone monuments, sculptures and glyphs include representations of human/feline hybrids, which has led to the theory that they worshipped a werejaguar god.
That was plenty enough for me as a departure point for creating the mythology behind Werecat. The main character Jacks learns that werecat ‘rearing’ originated from an Olmec king who sacrificed a jaguar cub at the altar of a feline god and then plunged the sacrificial blade into his own heart. The feline god was pleased and allowed the king to return to the material world as a hybrid creature with the power to shift from man to cat.
In the saga’s final installment: The Sim Ru Prophecy, Jacks must decode an ancient codex called The Bastet in order to appeal to an aboriginal feline deity before the codex’s secrets fall into the hands of werecat insurgents, or equally disastrously, humans, who would eliminate Jacks’ kind completely.
As a promotion for the release, you can get started on the series for free. Just sign up for my mailing list at the top of my sidebar, and I’ll send you a copy of The Rearing (Werecat, Book 1).
May 15, 2017
#MondayMotivation
So I was tagged in this Facebook post by a Barnes & Noble store in Oregon, and it made my day. That’s my book The Seventh Pleiade in the center of the display case for LGBTQ+ Science Fiction/Fantasy!
Folks may not realize what a big deal that is for a small press book. Display space in bookstores is pretty much eaten up by the big five publishing houses, who according to Flavorwire make up over a third of the book market, They pay big money to have their new releases prominently displayed at sellers like Barnes & Noble, and adding to that competitive factor, bookstores are getting smaller and many are closing shop. In these conditions, small press authors like me are lucky to have their books in stock at brick-and-mortar retailers, let alone in prominent places like the special dsplay case above.
I’m frequently asked by friends and family members: They didn’t have your book at so-and-so bookstore in my neighborhood. What’s up with that?
The answer is a couple of things. First, the shrinking number of bookstores, which are also shrinking in size, means that bookstores are buying fewer books to sell generally since they don’t have the space to stock them. Second, the people who decide which books to sell (bookstore buyers) give preference to books published by the big five since those corporations have more marketing dollars. Third, bookstores are buying smaller quantities of new titles, and unless a book has amazing sales, they’re unlikely to order more to have on display once their first order runs out. I did a check of three of my books at BN.com using their Check Store Availability link, and I was saddened to find that none of them show as in stock at any of their stores in my zip code region – the NYC metro area, one of their biggest markets in the country.
The Seventh Pleiade was pretty widely in stock when it first came out in November 2013, and Banished Sons of Poseidon got into a respectable number of stores back in 2014. Sadly, few B&Ns and independent bookstores stocked The City of Seven Gods, probably because it’s not young adult as well as the modest sales from my earlier two books.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can’t buy those books. You will just have to order them from your bookseller, have them home delivered or pick them up from the store. And, if lots and lots of people ask for them, some stores might start stocking them again. 
May 7, 2017
The Big Werecat Bonanza!
I’ve been dropping hints about this, and the release date is getting close. The final installment of my Werecat series, a 2016 Readers’ Choice favorite, comes out this summer!! Right now, I’m working through the final proofreading of the manuscript and awaiting cover art. To celebrate the upcoming release, I’ve got two promotions going on that can give you a free jumpstart on the series.
First, a little info about Werecat #4. The title is The Sim Ru Prophecy, and it’s a novel-length book that brings the series to a globe-trekking, action-packed finish.
Jacks Cherokee sets off for South America to negotiate a truce with the dissident werecat leader Tepe who has declared war on mankind. Jacks has in his possession an arcane codex called The Bastet, that preserves the secrets of werecat magic, and he’s joined by his loyal boyfriend Farzan, their werelion ally Kwame, and his tiger-stripe tabby familiar Bella.
But a passage in The Bastet known as The Sim Ru Prophecy contains a doomsday riddle that attracts new enemies who are desperate to exterminate the werecat threat. Tepe himself would use it to avenge centuries of werecat persecution once and for all. Caught between worlds, Jacks finds himself as both the chaser and the chased, saddled with an impossible choice: relinquish werecat magic to a covert organization that will destroy his kind, or unleash the great Sim Ru who will restore a pre-historic era when big cats reigned supreme.
Now, the promotions!
I’ve set up a giveaway at LibraryThing where you can enter a drawing for a copy of The Rearing (Werecat, Book 1). That contest is open from May 1st to May 15th. Just follow this link to the book listing, and look at the upper right hand corner to get to the LibraryThing Member Giveaway site. (It takes some scrolling down to find the book, but this ‘shortcut’ was the only way I could figure out how to get to it).
Next, if you’re more of a Goodreads person, I have a giveaway going on there as well from May 7th to May 16th. You can enter a drawing for a copy of The Trilogy, (Werecat, Books 1-3). Here’s the handy widget where you can get in on that:
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px;
font-style: normal; background: white; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; }
.goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink {
display: inline-block;
color: #181818;
background-color: #F6F6EE;
border: 1px solid #9D8A78;
border-radius: 3px;
font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
font-weight: bold;
text-decoration: none;
outline: none;
font-size: 13px;
padding: 8px 12px;
}
.goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover {
color: #181818;
background-color: #F7F2ED;
border: 1px solid #AFAFAF;
text-decoration: none;
}
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Werecat
by Andrew J. Peters
Giveaway ends May 16, 2017.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
I can’t wait to share the cover art for the upcoming book, which is in production! Stay tuned for more details.
April 20, 2017
NYC Rainbow Book Fair!!
The Ninth Annual New York City Rainbow Book Fair is coming up: Saturday, April 29th 12:00 – 6:00 PM at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (524 W. 59th Street). I’ve booked a spot on the 3:30 PM Reading Panel, and I’ll be around and about Bold Strokes Books’ exhibit table, talking up The City of Seven Gods, which is a 2016 Foreword INDIES finalist, in case you hadn’t heard.
March 22, 2017
Come on out to Saints & Sinners!
Collage of images from past SAS Fests, retrieved from SASFEST.org
The time has arrived! The Saints and Sinners Literary Festival is happening this weekend: March 24th – 26th, and I am headed down to New Orleans to take part in the fun.
If you’re in the area, come on over to the Hotel Monteleone (214 Royal Street) in the French Quarter to see a great line-up of authors and celebrities including, among others, Dorothy Allison, Justin Torres, Dick Cavett, Robert Wagner, Jill St. John, Wally Lamb, Andrew Holleran, Felice Picano, Michael Thomas Ford, Jake Shears, and Kyan Douglas.
And after that bit of high powered name-dropping, I have the nerve to mention there’s a place for me in the program, with a reading and Q&A from The City of Seven Gods on Saturday, March 25th 1:00 PM in Hotel Monteleone’s Cabildo Room.
Don’t let me be the only one in the room while everyone else is fighting to chat up Dick Cavett.
March 15, 2017
The City of Seven Gods is a 2016 Foreword Indies Finalist!
I received some great news today that I’m mighty proud to share. The City of Seven Gods was chosen as a finalist for Foreword Indies Awards’ 2016 Best Book of the Year in the fantasy category. That’s a real nice honor for a little author like me. Over 2,000 titles were entered for competition, and the fantasy shortlist includes just fifteen. I’ve never received recognition from Foreword before, and it’s kind of cool that The City of Seven Gods qualified for both their fantasy and LGBT categories and was singled out for fantasy, bring a little queer into the fantasy “mainstream.”
I wouldn’t have minded if the book got a finalist spot in both categories, though that would have been greedy.
February 7, 2017
Some upcoming appearances and other news
Hello again friends! I had to sneak away for a while due to some personal travel (Happy B’day Jurgen!!), and on the return, I received the edits for Werecat #4, which kept me busy for some time. That manuscript is off to the next stage of production. I’m excited, and, having gotten a bit of a rep for leaving loose ends in my books, I’m quite satisfied to say that this installment brings the Werecat saga to a close.
Saying that out loud–or I should say typing that out loud–I’m a little sad as well. Jacks has been a part of my life for five years, and now I’m finally saying goodbye to him. At least for the near future. It’s possible I suppose that a totally different adventure lays ahead of him, though I’ve queued up a good bit of work to do continuing my other series (Poseidon & Cleito and The Lost Histories) before I can think about expanding his story. Don’t forget: For a limited time, I’m providing new mailing list subscribers with a free copy of Werecat #1 as a thank you and a special promotion for the upcoming release of the final book. Just fill out the form up the page a little and to the right.
Meanwhile, I wanted to let folks know about two upcoming events I’ll be participating in.
First, I will be at the 2017 Saints and Sinners Literary Festival from March 24th – March 26th. This is an event I’ve been wanting to go to for several years. It was created to celebrate LGBT literature while bringing attention to HIV/AIDS specifically. That’s completely up my alley, and the festival takes place in New Orleans, which I’ve always wanted to visit. So, just a few days into the New Year, I decided to clear out my schedule and pony up the money for a flight and lodging because this is the year for me to go. The festival program will be released soon, so stay tuned for information on the panels, the workshops, and the special guests. They have already announced a terrific list of headliners: Dorothy Allison, Justin Torres, and Felice Picano, among others. I expect to be on an author panel where I’ll be talking about The City of Seven Gods. Here’s the festival website for preliminary information about this year’s event.
Next, the ninth annual New York City Rainbow Book Fair is on, and I’ll be there along with fellow Bold Strokes Books authors including my good pals Daniel W. Kelly and Eric Andrews-Katz. The fair has an expanded venue at John Jay College and will take place Saturday, April 29th. Programming for that event is also in progress, and you can find out more about it here.
January 25, 2017
Winter sale: Poseidon and Cleito
Didn’t get a chance to pick up Poseidon and Cleito yet? The time might be right, as this month it’s on sale for just $2.99 at Amazon, Kobo, iTunes and BN.com.
Here’s some recent reviews of the book:
“Poseidon is a mighty barbarian leader, and Cleito’s a commendably strong woman with a ruthless streak. Alternating between Poseidon’s and Cleito’s points of view…gives the story a wonderful counterpoint while illuminating two very separate cultures…. A fresh twist on an old sea myth, complete with magic, intrigue, and plenty of old-school adventures.” ~ Kirkus Review
“Recommended for lovers of myth and historical fiction.” ~ Author Carol Holland March
“The story is well written and the cast interesting, while the complexity of the political relationships…are quite well drawn.” ~ Author Margaret McGaffey Fisk
“I enjoy hearing the “other side” of classic stories and found it interesting to hear more about a character I knew next to nothing about.” ~ Author Suzanne Blaney
“Highly recommended for fans of Greek mythology and vivid storytelling.” ~ Kindle reviewer YouThere
Meanwhile, I thought I’d get another plug in about a promotion running for another one of my books. For a limited time, sign up for my mailing list above and get an e-book copy of The Rearing (Werecat, Book 1). You can get started on the series before the final installment comes out later this year.
January 20, 2017
Writers Resist: Some FAQs
A peaceful transition of power?
Hell, no!
Normalizing the new presidential administration?
Hell, no!
That’s why I’m joining with thousands of writers across the country and around the world in the Writers Resist: #WriteOurDemocracy campaign. I believe we have truly reached a critical moment in U.S. history, and I know that expression gets overused, but this is what I mean.
The incoming president and vice president fought their way into office through the ugliest, most deceptive, most misogynistic, most anti-environment, anti-democratic, most fear-mongering, most-anti-press, most Islamophobic, and most racist campaign we have ever seen (I probably left something out there, so feel free to help fill in the blanks). Our incoming Republican congress has vowed to aggressively dismantle universal access to health care, turn back tax reform that promotes economic equality, criminalize women’s reproductive freedom, weaken voting rights and ethical accountability for elected officials, and reverse legal rights and protections for LGBTs. (I probably left some things out there as well).
So here’s the critical moment: we can call it a “popular mandate,” or “all’s fair in war and politics,” and fall back in a conference room to analyze what went wrong with the campaigns of fair-minded, progressive candidates in hopes of doing better in the midterm elections in two years. Or, we can raise our voices to decry the incendiary rhetoric, tactics and ideas of the present administration, and demand a better way, right now.
Here’s the statement of purpose from Write Our Democracy’s website:
Write Our Democracy is an initiative to gather writers in response to the growing public cynicism and the alarming disdain for truthfulness threatening to erode our most dearly held democratic principles. Originally launched as Writers Resist, the movement inspired nearly 100 worldwide events on January 15th, 2017, which mobilized writers and focused public attention on the ideals of a free, just, and compassionate democracy. These events will remain an important facet of our mission.
Our country was founded on brilliant writing. As writers, we have tremendous power to influence hearts and minds and impact policy. Together we can leverage that power in non-partisan, highly targeted ways to renew and amplify the core values of liberty, justice and respect that were written into the source code of our democracy.
Our nation was intended to evolve, not devolve. To best protect and defend against further erosion of social justice and democratic process, we believe there are three essential arenas in which writers can best exert influence and inspiration: we must elevate the narrative surrounding democracy; better educate young future citizens; and mobilize writers who want to put their pens into political practice.
Our democracy is at risk, but its renaissance is within our grasp. The founders of our nation conjured and codified their magnificent political experiment using the very same tool that every writer alive today uses in their craft — language. We are equally capable of using finely wrought phrases to inflame a renewed love for the principles that we hold dear in our quest for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.The time is at hand for us to put our skills to the test to Write Our Democracy.
I wrote my first resistance article about a month back. For this dispatch, in support of #WriteOurDemocracy, I thought I’d write a piece answering some FAQs that I’ve heard in RL and social media.
Aren’t you protesters just sore losers because Hillary Clinton lost the election?
No. First, you should understand that the protests since the November presidential election have been multifarious. Some have focused on protecting the rights and dignity of immigrants. Some, such as the Women’s March on Washington, have been organized broadly around human rights. Some are concerned specifically with preserving health care for Americans of all incomes.
The protesters themselves are diverse in terms of political affiliation. Certainly, based on the inclusion of these issues in the 2016 Democratic National Convention’s platform, it is not surprising that many democrats are protesting, as many of them did in response to Trump’s inflamatory rallies, speeches and tweets prior to the election. Some protesters are registered independents. Some are Green Party or socialists. Some are republican, and some voted for Trump and are alarmed by the direction of his administration since the election (e.g. dismantling health care insurance). Some did not vote at all.
As for me, yes I voted for Hillary Clinton. I voted for Barry Sanders in the democratic primary. But neither of those candidates are why I am protesting Trump’s inaugaration. I am protesting his dangerous propagandizing, what he has pledged to do when in office, as well as the agenda of the Republican congress which is already underway.
If you’re not sore losers, why are you using #NotMyPresident as a slogan?
I can’t speak for every person who is expressing themselves with #NotMyPresident, but from the people I have talked to and seen interviewed in the media, their goal is to show their rejection of the values and direction Trump stands for rather than to uplift Hillary Clinton. They want to show that the election results do not validate and endorse the hateful treatment of Muslims, Mexicans, sexual assault survivors, and disabled people, which was a principle rallying tactic by Trump; and they want to stand apart from the racist and xenophobic individuals and groups (e.g. White nationalists) who exalted in his election.
Here’s a personal essay by writer Debra Lobel that addresses this issue really well.
Shouldn’t people like you and Meryl Streep stick to entertaining people rather than waging political rants?
Thanks for putting me in the same sentence with Meryl Streep. But no, I don’t think actors, artists, writers, athletes, and other public figures are beholden to any different standard than any other human being when it comes to standing up for social justice. I have been impacted personally by the threats to LGBTs articulated by the campaign. Trump chose as his running mate a politician who has a proud history of defaming and persecuting my community, and Trump himself changed his position on marriage equality in order to appeal to religious homophobes. Moreover, as bystanders to bigotry, we have a choice to be silent, walk on like nothing happened, or to condemn the perpetrators and to support the targets. I will not ignore attacks against disabled people, Muslims, Mexicans, sexual assault victims, or any other group. They are my friends and my family.
On the contrary, I feel that public figures have an added obligation to speak out on these issues as they have a platform that reaches thousands, even millions of people and are thereby well-positioned to facilitate positive change. When writers such as Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and Anne Rice publicly condemn the president’s actions, they probably have far more impact than elected officals like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, not that we don’t need the voices of our politicians too.
Plenty of people disagreed with President Obama’s positions, but they didn’t take to the streets to protests his election in 2008 and 2012. Why can’t you people respect the political process?
I’m afraid that’s a bit of revisionist history. Trump’s election has spurred unprecedented protest in terms of quantity, but the tradition of post-election protest is hardly owned by one political party. The election of Obama in 2008 in particular saw a rash of White nationalist protest and racist violence, including images of the president hanging from a noose. You may also remember the Birther movement, which sought to discredit Obama’s legitimacy, and the insurgent Tea Party did indeed organize protest rallies across the country.
That’s not to say this election’s protest is tit-for-tat. But we live in a democracy, and free speech and dissent are critical aspects of maintaining that system. Furthermore, the logic for postponing protest until after the inaugaration is faulty. The sooner we can stop the Trump agenda from being enacted into law, the better. It’s far easier to prevent than to dismantle laws and policies that have already been put into place.
But Trump was fairly elected. Aren’t you undermining the democracy you espouse to value so much by protesting his legitimacy?
As I mentioned before, the post-election protests have been multifarious, and in my view, mostly aimed at social justice issues rather than the president’s legitimacy. There certainly has been increased discussion about the fairness of the Electoral College system versus honoring the popular vote (Clinton won that by 3 million+), and some elected officials such as U.S. Representative John Lewis have called Trump illegitimate due to Russian interference in the campaign as well as timed statements by FBI Director James Comey to discredit his opponent.
While I think that position has merit and warrants further investigation, as for me and many of the protestors I know, I’m galvantized to protest Trump based on the issues at stake through his rhetoric and campaign promises. Whether he was legitimately or illegitimately elected, I will stand with those who oppose injustice, irresponsibility and attacks on vulnerable people.
So what good is protesting going to do at this point? Trump’s already in office, as is a bicameral, conservative Republican congress.
There’s a famous expression by Margaret Mead: “Do not doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has.” History bears this out. For example, people will probably ascribe the 2012 Supreme Court decision that made marriage equality the law of the land as the turning point in the LGBT civil rights movement. And the action of the Supreme Court was enormoulsy important, but it never would have happened without the local-level, even street-level protests that changed public opinion and exerted pressure on elected officials, and in this case, politically-appointed officials.
Protests have impact. I would argue that they already have. Mike Pence has publicly dialed back his anti-LGBT positions in reaction to outrage from our community. Republicans are facing enormous pressure from their constituents to handle health care reform responsibly. Trump has shown he is more impervious to challenge, but there can be no doubt that the many voices of dissent have had impact on public opinion, and he will have to govern responsibly if he endeavors to redress his growing unpopularity. Yes we can, folks. Protest and #resist.
January 19, 2017
Visit Prism Book Alliance for a CoSG special feature and giveaway
Just dinging a little media alert about my latest release The City of Seven Gods.
Brandilyn and her staff were kind enough to host a guest post and giveaway over at the LGBT fiction fan site Prism Book Alliance.
My post takes readers behind the story, and inside myself really. It’s titled: “On Writing about Taboo Topics.” I talk about the sources of inspiration for the book, and it’s also a bit of a confessional.
“I’m always excited to have a new release out, but I have to admit, I had some trepidation about reader reactions to my latest title. It’s only hinted at in the blurb, but the co-lead characters are a temple prostitute and a freed slave of a foreign race.”
You can read the full guest post here, and if you drop a comment at PBA, I’ll enter you into a raffle for a free e-book copy of the book.
Good luck, and many thanks to PBA for helping to spread the word!
