A drizzly grey day brings the promise of Autumn, and with Halloween approaching, I’m thinking ghosts and ghouls and fantastical monsters on the reading list.
Fledgling by Octavia Butler
Tag: fantasy books
FantasyCon 2021
Nearing the end of September and the month has flown by. Last weekend involved a trip to Birmingham to join FantasyCon 2021, an annual convention celebrating the weird and wonderful worlds of SFF.
Firebird Book Award
I’m delighted to share the news that Return of the Mantra has won a Firebird Book Award!! It’s wonderful to have recognition for the story. Affiliated with Speak Up Talk Radio in the USA, it’s an inspiring initiative linking the awards with a charity supporting women and children in homeless shelters: while books receive recognition, shelters receive gifts – win win.
I had the opportunity to be interviewed by radio host, Pat Rullo. To listen to the interview download, click here.
And to check out my author page, click here.
It was wonderful to speak with Pat yesterday, who got me thinking about various aspects of the book, my writing journey, and my creative life in general. From the African inspired landscapes in Return of the Mantra, the motivation behind the inspired mythology, to issues around representation and marginalisation in characterisation. The main character just happens to fall in love with another woman. It’s not what the story is about, it’s just part of her backstory, encompassing coming-of-age love. The story backdrop focuses on exploitation of the natural world, while along the way, exploitation of people is revealed, in particular, women and children, as well as the marginalisation of beliefs. Moving forward with the series, it interests me to see what societies go through when systems are overthrown and oppression is challenged. I hope you’ll agree that The Warder offers some insight into how characters evolve and change amid new freedoms and surrounding upheaval.
Overall, the interview got me thinking about the power of stories. Because of the charity that the awards are linked to, it seemed apt to expand on the themes of exploitation in the book, including domestic abuse and sexual exploitation. Having worked with women in various roles, in particular in a women’s refuge here in the UK, it was important for me from the beginning to have a broad range of women’s experiences represented. These are issues often not spoken about, which can leave those effected feeling marginalised. In the book I represent these issues in a non-graphic way, while focusing on messages of empowerment, and the bonds formed from people supporting one another. Together with challenging stereotypes (including different forms of love, complex women, hero underdogs, men who nurture and feel fear as well as courage…) and reflecting society, I was left with the thought of how stories can help harbour feelings of self-worth, affirmation and empowerment.
What are you reading?
Women In SFF
Over at The Fantasy Hive, July has been the month to celebrate women in sci-fi/fantasy. I was delighted to get a slot for my book, The Warder, in which I shared an excerpt of Chapter One. One of the things I enjoyed about writing this book was the different age ranges of the three protagonists: 30(ish)-yr-old Suni, 18-yr-old Wanda, and 10-yr-old Luna; each with their own unique flaws, personality and agency. The excerpt is Chapter One, and Luna makes an unusual entrance…
Click here for my post on The Fantasy Hive.
Click here for last year’s interview with The Fantasy Hive.
The Fantasy Hive have also run this month-long event on Twitter, with a different prompt each day for readers to share favourite titles. I’ve enjoyed joining in, championing books that have stood out to me. I confess I missed the odd day, but read on for highlights of my selections. Some have already featured on my For the Love of Books posts, in which I give a more in-depth review; some are still to come. But for now, here’s an overview of my selection of great titles for #WomenInSFF month.
Starting big, with Lifetime Achievement Award for most influential SFF writer. I have a special place for Ursula Le Guin, her worlds and characters that continue to inspire, and her sheer range of titles that lead me to see her as a pioneer for women in the genre.
All-time favourite fantasy character? Hands down it’s Onye in the magical, realistic, dystopian fantasy, Who Fears Death. I adored her grit, her fight, her flaws, her love and loyalty, and her magic. She’s a character I would love to meet in real life. Onyesonwu, meaning Who Fears Death.
All-time favourite sci-fi character? Phoenix in The book of Phoenix. She is a genetic experiment, a Specimen in Tower 7, Manhattan. After discovering everything she has ever known is a lie, she goes to battle for justice and transformation. It’s a journey that spans America, Africa and beyond, literally to the stars. An awesome read.
Sisters are doing it for themselves – favourite self-reliant protagonists? Tenar from Tombs of Atuan, priestess to the earth’s nameless ones, is the epitome of self-reliant. For so long she had no one, and still she made it out. One of my all-time favourite stories, so haunting and memorable.
Witches, sorceresses, magicians – favourite magic users? I adore Sybel in The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, the sorceress, at home on a remote island in the company of a wise boar, a black swan, a black cat and a dragon.
Most Intelligent – favourite scholarly or academic characters? Lauren in Parable of the Sower. When society collapses, she develops the philosophy ‘Earthseed’ and leads by embracing change. If we consider intelligence as linked to flexibility and adaptability, this character has it in bucket loads.
Someone to look up to – favourite older character? Rabbit, in The Empress of Salt and Fortune. She is an elderly woman, a storyteller, and former handmaiden to In-Yo, Empress of the North. ‘Do you understand?’ she says at frequent intervals, as she tells her magical tale to the cleric, Chih. ‘Angry mothers raise daughters fierce enough to fight wolves.’
Beauty Queens – judging books by their gorgeous covers. Straight in with the sequel, When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain. Beautiful art to complement a colourful and lush story.
More Pride Less Prejudice – celebrating LGBTQA+ authors and stories. While mentioning the sapphic storyline in my own, Return of the Mantra, my vote went to Fire Logic: epic war fantasy fought in the farmsteads by characters that tick boxes for equality in the broadest sense.
In the name of love – favourite couples, favourite romance? Mehr and Amun in Empire of Sand. The whole story felt like reading an evocative dance, heightened by the unfolding of this relationship which encompasses respect, tenderness, friendship and sacrifice.
Favourite female friendships? Thinking Zelie and Amari in Children of Blood and Bone (such a great read!). Throughout all the ups and downs there is real feeling between them, which gives a great example of friendship beyond boundaries.
Most dynamic character, having gone through the biggest changes? Celka in Weave the Lightning stands out to me. Against a Russian inspired backdrop she is a tightrope artist in a travelling circus, storm-blessed, working to help the resistance. She must come to understand the depth of her magic, while her identity is challenged by the arrival of Gerrit, who threatens to expose everything she is fighting to protect.
Most travelled – who gets the biggest adventure? Toni, in Threading the Labyrinth. She’s an American owner of a failing gallery, forced to leave the New Mexico desert behind when she is unexpectedly called to Hertfordshire, after inheriting an old manor house. Filled with haunting and peculiar magic, the gardens of the house change in the twilight, and Toni encounters lives carried across centuries.
The Royal – favourite women in positions of power? Sinai in Daughters of Nri, especially since she’s not always comfortable with her power. I loved her reserved nature and stealth, and the complex relationships with supporting characters, in particular with the Namibian cook, Meekulu.
Starship Trooper – favourite sci-fi character? Aster, in An Unkindness of Ghosts. Set on a generation spaceship organised like the antebellum south, transporting the last of humanity to a supposed promise land, Aster gives us all a lesson on being industrious, working with what you’ve got, never giving up, and appreciating that there’s always choices to be found. Such an inspiring and memorable character.
Historic Retellings – Alternative histories? A random find in my local library, and glad to have discovered this trilogy. Morgan offers a new angle to the well-loved Arthurian legends.
Debut newbies. My current read, The Third Magpie, a 2020 debut. A page-turning dystopian romance, chilling and gripping, challenging gender norms, while looking at the consequences of ‘othering’ in an insular world.
Independent Women – favourite self-published author? Kit Mallory, with this great dystopian read, Blackout. The UK has been split in two by the Wall. Skyler’s survival as an illegal Northern refugee in the South has been a relentless knife-edge balance between evading the corrupt Board and maintaining her reputation as the South’s best hacker. Until she gets the chance to enact revenge on the regime that destroyed her home and family…
Antihero – favourite morally grey characters? Assuming we can class vampires as morally grey – Shori in this vampire thriller, Fledging; a fifty-three-year-old vampire attempting to discover the reason for her amnesia. Who slaughtered her entire family and left her for dead? As we might expect from this great author, vampire society is complex and richly described, exploring power dynamics and imbalances analogous to contemporary issues.
Femme Fatales – favourite villain? I don’t know if I can call her a favourite anything, but Aunt Lydia in The Handmaids Tale is up there with most stomach-churning, ghastly and complex villains.
And last but by no means least, Queen of Fantasy, and, Queen of Sci-fi, one author gets my vote for both – Nnedi Okorafor.
What are you reading?
New Horizons
I’ve returned to Blood Gift Chronicles Book 3 and it’s good to be back. In the midst of a revisit to early drafts, I’m no stranger to heavy-handed deleting, as I incorporate ideas I’ve been mulling over for a while. I plan and plot, dig deep for depth and meaning, while leaving space for the story to evolve and the characters to grow.
I’m excited for this story that will once again work as a standalone, but really, why wouldn’t you read the whole series! Each book is a story in itself, but they’re all connected by an overarching theme. The background mystery we’ve seen unfold so far, comes to a finale in Book 3, and as the world expands, new characters arrive, intermingled with familiar faces. As before there is grit and magic, mythology and drama, love and survival, and dragons… all driven by intriguing characters and spellbinding landscapes.
Like I said, it’s good to be back…
The Warder: Review
I often think there are two pillars we seek to accomplish as published writers. The first is to see our work in print. That moment of finally holding a copy of a book you wrote is pure joy. In my case, the writing journey takes years and many sleepless nights, especially in the planning stage. I am no stranger to scribbling ideas at 1am, getting thoughts down before they escape me, resolving those sticky plot holes. The sentences flow, some days a trickle, others a downpour, fleshing out the characters and the world, bringing it to life until it really does take on a life of its own. And just when you think you’re there, there are edits and more edits, and always more edits. So yes, years later, bound in its signature cover, holding that book for the first time is joy.
The second pillar is to discover that your story connects with readers. I love my characters and it means the world to me that others do too. It’s always wonderful to hear that these worlds I create are understood and embraced, and that a character’s hopes, dreams, struggles and aspirations touch on emotion and affect readers on a personal level. Stories have always been a form of communication, and I love to hear what messages readers take from mine.
As someone who deals in words, it can be surprisingly difficult to take a step back and give a succinct response to the common question, ‘What is the book about?’ Thank you to all those who take the time to share their thoughts. One book reviewer recently published a review of The Warder, which made my day!
‘This book was worth the wait and more. The Warder is the sequel to one of my favourite books of 2018, Return of the Mantra.’
Phew! The Warder has a different vibe to Return of the Mantra, and with that comes nerves on how it might be received. I introduce a new character, Luna, a complex girl through which hidden powers are revealed.
‘I wasn’t sure Susie would be able to increase the enthusiasm I had for her characters, and her world. However, she left me reeling after a couple of pages as I was drawn back into this African inspired fantasy. The way Susie was able to expand her world without slowing down the narrative was a masterclass in worldbuilding.’
And on Luna – ‘The development of her powers during the narrative is handled with a sensitivity I haven’t read in fantasy before.’
‘This book is a charming story of loss, love and finding yourself in the most unexpected places. It is epic fantasy with a heart that will leave you scarred, but begging for more.’
Fortunately, there will be more with Blood Gift Chronicles Book 3.
Click here for full review – The Warder
Click here for full review – Return of the Mantra
Happy Reading!
For the Love of Books #8
It’s the month of Pride, and for the second year running, colourful parades are cancelled. To mark the occasion, I have two SFF book reviews with references to the Pride community.
Curiosity Cafe
It’s been a busy few weeks, spreading word of my new release, The Warder. Last week brought me close to home, with an invite to the Curiosity Café. One of the things I love most about where I live is the feel of community, and all those marvellous individuals working tirelessly to maintain the sense of a community hub. Not to be thwarted by lockdowns, the Curiosity Café sprouted last year. A virtual meet up, with invited guests from the local community, delivering talks and giving insights into a whole host of weird and wonderful topics that occupy their lives.
The Warder – one month on
It’s approaching a month since the release of The Warder, and it has been a busy, few weeks, chatting with Devon Book Club, and appearing as a guest on Sarah Ash’s blogsite. Easter weekend was spent attending a virtual SFF convention from the comfort of my writing room. Convention days go by in a flurry, with the chance to meet writers and readers, be introduced to new work, and chat through an eclectic mix of topics that exposes what a fascinating and wide-ranging genre this is. At the end we are all left tired and inspired.
The Warder: A Sequel is Born
***News flash*** The Warder is here!!!
It is Monday morning following a busy few days. There’s nothing quite like answering a knock at the door, to find a box of long-awaited books. Needless to say, I am as pleased as punch!
Like its predecessor, The Warder has been a labour of love, with the writing, editing, thinking process spanning almost 10 years. I’m thrilled with the end result, and to see Books 1 and 2 proudly standing side by side
Available to buy from: Stairwell Books, Waterstones, Book Depository or Amazon
For anyone just joining us, The Warder is Book 2 in my fantasy series, Blood Gift Chronicles. It is the sequel to Return of the Mantra, though can also be read as a standalone. For a reminder of Return of the Mantra, click here for a full review.
(NB: Return of the Mantra is now also available on Kindle)
The Warder is told by three characters, who each have unique gifts that connect them to the land and each other. Suni and Wanda are back, ten years on, and are joined by Luna, a troubled girl. As each grapples to comprehend the gifts and curses that bind them, a new world is introduced…
Expect character-driven, fantasy adventure, with themes of wildlife and the environment, animism, magic, dragons and being true to oneself.
Blurb
What would you sacrifice for the ones you love? In a land of gifts and curses, is anything what it seems to be?
The King has been defeated and the spirit of the Mantra has been restored, Suni has been reunited with her father and all is – not quite right.
Wanda and his cousin Luna are living in the valley beyond the mountains: Luna is possessed and dreams of dragons while Wanda, gifted with the ability to communicate with animals, struggles with the curse of Orag. Ntombi blames Wanda for her daughter Luna’s condition.
Meanwhile, in the town by the sea, Suni fears for Wanda, and watches over him using her gift for dreamwalking. Many, including Suni’s father, suffer from a strange affliction and the townspeople are blaming the Mantra.
Then strangers arrive from the sea bringing hope for the town: but in this land of gifts and curses, is anything what it seems to be?
***
Of course, it’s a strange time to be publishing new work: with lockdowns we are missing the celebrations, and I look forward to a time when we can get out and about again. Thanks to everyone who has supported me this far on my writing journey: all those who follow me on social media, who take the time to offer words of encouragement, who read, buy, lend, review, share my work. I hope you enjoy. And particularly in light of the ups and downs over the last few years: despite everything I kept The Warder firmly in my sights, and thank those who stayed by my side.
Not forgetting Mia the cat. Last week was her eleventh birthday. She joined me on my writing journey as a kitten, and would like you to know she takes full credit.
Happy Reading!
