Meet Morgen le Fey from my latest novel

Join hostess Jean Marie Ward  for this March’s Woman Power collection of short readings from women writing across the realm of
speculative fiction. Listen here.

March is Women’s History Month, and this month’s talented women writers spotlight many aspects of Woman Power—and powerful women:

Charged with treason, Gail Z. Martin’s  pregnant queen Kiera must wage a war of words to save herself, her friends, and her unborn child.

In Larissa N. Niec’s selection, the goddess Rhianna’s high priestess embarks on a dangerous spirit quest to seek help for her dying
land.

Theresa Crater  introduces her heroine—and us—to the legendary Morgan le Fey in the land beneath the hallowed hill.

Then journey with Diane Whiteside  to present-day Virginia, where a psychically gifted homicide detective learns just how powerful a woman working for the FBI can be.

Finally, soar into the future with Danielle Ackley-McPhail  and a squadron of hell-raising women fighter pilots led by the infamous Scarlet Jay.Sit back. Enjoy. But don’t expect to relax—not around these women.

The Broad Pod is sponsored by Broad Universe, an international, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, honoring, and celebrating women writers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find out more about our organization, including new fiction released by women, more podcasts, and information about writing and publishing for women, at our website.

Please listen.

Edits

Suddenly everything got busy. I just finished edits for the new edition of Under the Stone Paw, which will be published by Double Dragon in April.

I’m in the middle of finishing edits for Beneath the Hallowed Hill, also due out in April from Eternal Press. The cover art for Hill is just fantastic. I’ll show you as soon as I can. I’ve also written some promotional material for The Aether Age:  Helios.

 On top of all this writing stuff, I just found a second cousin who’s living in Denver and a friend is in from out of town. Then there’s work, full of papers and exams to grade and curriculum packets to read. Plus all the regular work of just life.

Not to mention all those revolutions to keep up with. Must be all those planets moving into Aries. Are you busy, too?

Guest Blog

I’m a guest blogger at Clarion. The topic is “Does It Matter If It’s Been Done Before,” thoughts on a panel I moderated at COSine.

COSine first day

For the Theology Building panel, Carol Berg had some great questions for Sharon Shinn, Cynthia Felice and me. Carol said that religion or metaphysics became a way to deepen her characters and world. Sharon commented that in an early novel, she’d had no religion at all and it had been hard to come up with ways for her characters to swear. Cynthia agreed her focus is more on developing the character, and how that person relates to religion reveals much about them. Religion, metaphysics, magic are all sources of tension and conflict, the essence of storytelling.

The dangers? Offending people, of course, but none of us has ended up with a fatwa on our heads. No cult followings either, although Sharon Shinn admitted to trying one of the rituals she’d created just for fun. She did not have a great revelation or see God face to face—or didn’t admit to it, anyway.

I mentioned a concept that I’d heard about at Denvention 3—soft vs. hard fantasy. Similar to soft vs. hard science fiction. Soft being making up your own religion or magic, which is what many people do. Hard being using traditions that exist in the world. Which is the best? That’s like asking if it’s better to plot a book first or use the discovery method. It just depends on what works for you.

Classes Starting and Books Cooking

Back to work, beginning on Friday with the annual Martin Luther King Breakfast at Metro State. Always inspiring. Classes start next week. No creative writing courses this semester, but a Native American lit class which is always fun. Two books being edited now. Looking forward to seeing the suggestions. My mystery is cooking.