Tag: The Warder

Representation and Belonging in SFF

It’s been a busy couple of weeks, firstly taking part in this year’s World Fantasy Convention all the way to Kansas from the comfort of my writing room, because there’s no place like home.

With fabulous authors from all over the globe, reading and speaking on a great range of panels, there’s much to inspire, to share and collaborate. For my part it was a pleasure to sit in on the Magical Healing and Disability Aids in Fantasy panel, discussing representation of disability in the genres, and exploring the added creative options that magic and the fantastical can bring. Thankfully representation of diverse abilities is improving. A recent cinema trip introduced me to the character, Joshua in the film, The Creator, a wonderfully layered character, a double amputee with seriously fancy prosthetics in this world of AI. Still, his disability is kept visible, representation organically woven into the character arc of a hero.

It got me thinking about the book, Noor, by Nnedi Okorafor. Noor is the main character, a young woman born with significant disabilities, further disabled in a car crash as a teen. The story is her journey into cybernetics, rebuilding herself in unique ways, focused on the aim of wanting to move through the world on her own terms. And it’s a wonderful read, as is Broken Places and Outer Places, Nnedi Okorafor’s auto-biographical novella.

Empowered characters pushing back against the ableist view that disability needs to be fixed or cured in order to live a fulfilling life. Professor Xavier didn’t need a cure, and neither did Bran Stark on his journey from childhood underdog to all-powerful three-eyed raven. Just a few more recommendations to add to the conversation:

And last weekend, from Kansas to the New Forest here in the UK, where I joined my lovely publishers for the Play on Words Festival at the wonderfully colourful Forest Arts Centre.

Friday was a gorgeous evening of readings, and among other wonderful authors I was delighted to read from The Warder, a world of gifts and curses, animism and magic, where characters are inextricably bonded, against a backdrop of mysterious dragon mythology. Saturday saw a day of inventive workshops, including one on the subject of young adult fiction, facilitated by myself and Victoria L. Humphreys, author of Not the Work of An Ordinary Boy. What content is too mature for teens? What ways can we approach tough content in books that are inclusive to the younger reader? There’s not much you can’t tackle, it just depends on approach, and, done right, what a wonderful resource books can be, creating space to process difficult stuff, share stories, harbour that all-important sense of belonging. And there’s just so many great YA books out there, too many to name, but here are a few favourites:

      

In the midst of a storm, I was lucky to catch a blue sky and have a moment to contemplate the power of stories, to reflect, give space, inspire, and offer that sense of belonging.

What are you reading?

A Season of SFF

The start of a busy week, following a busy bookish weekend, at a time of year I’ve come to think of as convention season. Saturday saw a day trip to Bristol, for this year’s BristolCon, and what a wonderful day! A great time was had in the dealer’s room, and in particular in our corner of the room alongside inspiring authors and innovative small presses. The lovely Josie Jaffrey, author of The Wolf and the Water, was a pleasure to chat to, as was Max Turner, writer and producer of the diverse press, A Coup of Owls. And of course it was a pleasure to meet and talk with readers at my own book table.

There was chance to give a reading to a roomful of fantasy lovers, swept away with Wanda’s hawk flight over the grasslands of Shendi, from The Warder, Book 2 of Blood Gift Chronicles. And it was great to take part in a panel that kicked off the day, answering that all-important question, how to turn an idea into a novel, or novella, or short story for that matter. It reminded me of my humble beginnings, living in a bedsit that was a beautiful, creative space, with a door that was covered in post-it notes scribbled with characters, settings, scenes, plots… notes that frequently got moved around, repositioned, added to, until a story was slowly taking shape. That story turned into Return of the Mantra, many, many drafts later.

Into this week and I’m looking forward to the coming weekend spent tucked up in my writing room for the four day online convention that is World Fantasy Con, live all the way from Kansas, a place that inspires the word, story. With authors from around the world, I love the international feel, and look forward to taking part in the programme, discussing representation, and in particular, disability.

For now, a moment to savour my current read, The Green Man’s Heir by Juliet E. McKenna, a simply magical read with a whole new contemporary feel to the folklore of Dryads.

What are you reading?

Wishing everyone a great week ahead…

Stories, Writing and Comic Fun

A busy weekend gone by at Comic Con, surrounded by stories old and new that have inspired through the ages, demonstrated by those who fully embrace the characters they love, with impressive cosplay and fun encounters. The craftmanship and animatronics is always awe inspiring, from clockwork owls, giant centaurs, a transformer or two, many more, and of course, Darth Vadar and his army of storm troopers. The Star Wars franchise is always a favourite of mine, not least because the time span of the series demonstrates the progress made for equality. The evolution of female characters is a subject in its own right, but oh, I do love Rey – maybe one day I will see her make an appearance there… In the meantime…

It was of course also great to discover new readers, and to chat with those who have read or are reading my own Blood Gift Chronicles. Accompanied by my artwork, and self-made props, it was great to be able to offer more immersion into my world, from the crystal mines of Shendi and the lost mountain lions, through the changing landscapes and the faces of those who carry us through, to tales of dragons, and real-life colonies of flying lizards. The geography and wildlife that inhabits the various land and waterscapes is as real in my mind’s eye as a blackbird’s song, and it’s lovely to share that vision with others. This is what stories are made of.

And of course some readers are writers, and with a fair few years under my belt, with various ups and downs along the way, I’m always happy share, to inspire, and of course in turn be inspired. And so for any budding writers out there, a few points that came up in conversation amid comic fun:

Find your routine, your groove, your working motivators whether that’s allocated time or word counts, and Just Write. Procrastination is the enemy. Talking about writing is not writing. Wanting to be a writer is not writing. Just write. Don’t get caught in edits, just get the story down. Beware of rabbit holes, maintain perspective, you’re the writer not a player, so Just Write. Writing is rewriting is rewriting… that’s how you build, that’s how you discover, that’s how you finish… And then you start all over again. Just Write. If you’re looking for an easy way through, you’ll be disappointed: there is no easy way, there’s just you. Are you a writer? Then Just Write.

Have a wonderful week…

FantasyCon 2023

A thoughtful pause following a recent trip to Birmingham for FantasyCon 2023. And another great convention exploring the depth and breadth of this fascinating genre. With such a diverse range of books and authors represented, perspectives gave illuminating insights and reflective interpretations on life and the stories they inspire.

As an author focused on creating colourful worlds filled with flora, fauna and a touch of magic, woven into plots that reflect and inspire, told by characters across a range of complexities, it was great to join in with some panel discussions.

Feminism in fantasy is an ongoing conversation, challenging gender stereotypes and subverting expectation, exploring the intersections, and discussing the range of ways stories can reflect the past and the present, and imagine futures to warn, foretell and/or inspire. It’s a discussion that inevitably leads to differing perspectives and motivations stemming from our own uniqueness, but for me there is one immutable truth: without diverse representation in the authors, we can expect no representation in the characters, and that without widespread cultural representation, the conversation falls flat. Feminism is of course not a monolith. And there’s such a wealth of work out there, spanning the globe. Personal favourite authors include Nnedi Okorafor, Eugen Bacon, Nghi Vo, N.K. Jemison, Gabriela Houston, Rivers Solomon… A couple of personal highlights from the convention: meeting Guest of Honour, Tasha Suri, whose work I love. And having breakfast with the wonderful Juliet McKenna, sharing fascinating conversation on all things representation. Not to mention spying the lovely Joanne Harris, who forever leaves the taste of Chocolat.

Another panel highlight was on the subject of nature and ecology, a conversation that only tipped the surface on all the weird and wonderful wild life. Where do we draw our inspiration from? My work encompasses traditional inspiration in the form of fire-breathing dragons, as well as invention: a magical hybrid that readers of my first book, Return of the Mantra, would recognise; and the hybrids of Book 2, The Warder, trapped in that in-between place. There’s a danger of going with something too familiar, tired tropes can make for dull reading. Which is why my dragons are my own unique take, derived from the storyline, inextricably linked to their human counterpart. Their creation and subsequent properties are fully fitting with the environment, their biology is as clear to me as the long-toed monkey in the sacred forest of my first book. Book 3, my work in progress is the origin story of their creation, and leads us to the water dragons, or at least my own new take. Magic, the world, and all that lives there, has to make sense to its own rules, to the plotlines, and, to a greater or less degree, to science. Magic might give some colourful flexibility, but I look for immutable truths. Writers know way more about their worlds than whatever makes the page, and the same is true for me with my wildlife. The camouflage properties of dragons may not be explained in the story, but biology has explained it to me, and so I know, I know, that my dragons can be as real as a blackbird’s song.

I found a lot of connectivity in the discussions I was involved in: worlds built around nature and magic, overturning patriarchal systems of control and returning to our roots, strands of magic and the individuals they are gifted to… Characterisation is dependent on perspectives, and once we understand how those perspectives can fit together, there is no telling what might be accomplished. My characters save themselves, save each other, and work to unpick damaging systems of control. They have magical gifts which connect them to the land and each other. And in my reading, I shared insight into the three leading characters of Book 2, The Warder, revealing gifts that unchecked, could leave them disconnected, but with knowledge, can lead to magical ends.

Last but not least, I’ll leave you with a few sights of Birmingham, spots of nature that gave a wonderful breath of fresh air…

Nature’s Magic

Summer is upon us and the weather is warm warm warm. Still, no excuse for not sitting indoors writing! And the writing is flowing, for an array of shorts, and for the novel. Inspiration is a common theme, and I don’t have to look far to be inspired, by nature, by colour, by stories both personal and fictional.

A recent trip to the river Otter gave a glorious fix of wildlife, or at least a tantalising reminder of those special moments of hope. Following Devon Wildlife Trust’s successful reintroduction of beavers into the area, I had hoped that maybe, just maybe, I might see one. Alas, it was not meant to be, but special in any case to see gnawed trees and an impressive dam. Given a chance, these industrious creatures are fighting back against flooding, while bringing a whole host of species back into area – the magic of nature. And so we looked, scouring the riverbank, soaking up the wild atmosphere.

(Click here for more about the river Otter in a previous blogpost – #lovedevon)

Nature is a prominent theme in my series, Blood Gift Chronicles. In Return of the Mantra, I explore the cost of exploitation; in The Warder, it’s the fight to preserve wildlife; and in Book 3, there’s a personal connection with the natural world, so personal we might actually merge. Like its predecessors, Book 3 is bringing a personal arc that is out of this world, transformational, and colourful.

Colour…

At home, flowers are starting to bloom…

The bikes are out…

There’s art in the cathedral on the theme of nature…

And my own art is slowly taking shape.

Colour, nature, magic…

What’s your inspiration?

Layers

Graced by warmer weather, I recently visited wisteria tunnel, lucky to catch it in full bloom. Eye-catching from a distance, intriguing up close, with a heady floral aroma that brings a hazy shift in time, fluctuating shades of purple that are mesmerising to the eye, and criss-crossing, weaving, winding branches with pathways to everywhere and nowhere… Combined with the surrounding parkland flora and fauna, and the human traffic strolling by with all of what we carry, and it’s a complex, layered scene. It’s an analogy I recently thought of, akin to storytelling.

Talk of worldbuilding to a SFF writer is like bread and butter. I deal in worlds, and within those worlds, different lives, perspectives, roads travelled, survival and future aspirations. There may be a thread I’m primed to process, a theme that motivates, but ultimately it starts with a world I’m keen to explore. Plots, characters, themes are common to all stories, but imaginative worlds are the reason we return. Once we have an idea of the world, we can build in elements of friction, stumbling blocks to weave stories around.

But first comes the world, underpinned by layers to forge a social, political, cultural identity. The identity of the aforementioned wisteria tunnel was the size, the majesty, the colour, the heady aroma, the movement, the interplay with its surroundings and visitors… The identity of a fictional world relies on a similar scope: beliefs, habits, communication, trade, language, love, laws… If you build a world with enough layers, it becomes immersive: a place that feels real, where you can visit. People don’t return to middle earth to see Frodo and Gollum battling over a ring at Mount Doom. They return for the colour, for the magic, for the sense of adventure contrasting with cosy feasts by enormous fires.

In my own Blood Gift Chronicles, layers come from cultural and geographical landscapes, with identities intrinsically linked to the natural world. History, mythology and belief bring texture, wildlife brings sound and aroma, art brings colour, and personal motivations bring drive. And there is no shortage of drive. And for the extra vibrancy comes magic in many forms, from the ethereal, the natural, to the apparent hierarchical, and yet nothing is as it seems in a complex world. I am a sucker for origin stories, ones that defy tropes, that are illuminating, enlightening and surprising. Not to mention venturing beyond the mundane with fantastical creatures pushing the boundaries, and providing magical metaphors for the world as we know it. Needless to say, I’m having fun with Book 3.

For now, it’s back to my characters, forging new paths, battling against powers that seem indestructible. And once again I’m reminded of the role stories play in serving as grounding metaphors.

‘We live in capitalism, its power seems inescapable – but then, so did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art. Very often in our art, the art of words.’

Ursula Le Guin

Wild Inspiration

With a rush of book events this spring, I was forced to take a break from the novel writing, though that will begin again soon in earnest. A recent event, Hartland Book Festival, gave food for thought and a big dose of inspiration. It was my first time venturing to Hartland Peninsular, and it was great to meet local authors, network, share ideas, and chat to new readers. It was also great to meet the hosts of the event, The Resurgence Trust, and share thoughts on the connection between social justice, community and environmental concerns, as well as the connection with the arts – core values of the organisation, and themes present in my series, Blood Gift Chronicles.

Thanks to my lovely wife for keeping me company, and after a few bookish hours, also involving coffee and cake, we headed out for some sight-seeing to the dramatic quay coast, with sharp edges and rugged bronze and black rocks, like stepping into the Iron Islands of Game of Thrones. Talking of themes in my books, spot the dragon part-submerged.

It was a perfect day to venture on to Speke’s Mill Mouth Waterfall, and finish up with a drink at the quay with a view of Lundy island. With various information snippets scattered among the old fishing cottages, it’s a comfort to feel the presence of stories.

And like I said, it was a day of inspiration, among jagged cliff edges, wild coastline, and moorland heath, I was reminded of the archipelago of islands in The Warder, and the island of Evren, a place we return to in Book 3. Soon…

 

Eastercon 2023

Reflections of a busy weekend in Birmingham for this year’s Eastercon, an annual convention of all things sci-fi, fantasy and horror. It was great to be there in person, representing Blood Gift Chronicles with readings from The Warder.

And it was a great chance to catch up with my publishers, Stairwell Books, at home with a fabulous book table in the dealer’s room.

As a writer/reader/watcher of these genres, the fact that I love them goes without saying. But it’s conventions like these that give you the deep dive into a world that knows no bounds, and demands that you look harder, root further, for all we bring as writers, and for all we celebrate as readers. I took part in many great panels, which in themselves is revealing, including topics around feminism, LGBTQ+, young adult, older protagonists, and cats – which proved popular for a nation of cat lovers!!! Plus it was great to meet new people, talk with readers, share ideas, support and encouragement, and be inspired by possibility.

It is always interesting to reflect on the power of representation and its role in fuelling liberation, on a personal level with the potential to translating into wider society. Empowered people seek liberation. And then, while standing on the shoulders of giants, (thank you Ursula Le Guin and Octavia Butler, among others) we imagine anew and expand on ideas of possibility. As far as the environment goes, it has never been more urgently needed. Whilst I may expand on some ideas in future blogs, for now, a special mention to the ever-growing young adult market, a genre for all ages, with enormous range, scope and potential. Personally, as far as politics goes, the future depends on young people, as well as an open line of communication across generations. And what better way to share than through stories.

“We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begins in art, and very often in our art, the art of words.” Ursula K. LeGuin

Speaking of the environment, it was a breath of fresh air to appreciate a big pocket of wilding among the urban, from Canada geese at the NEC, to promising bat boxes. And a special injection of art, with lilies on the water, and a sculpture entitled ‘Beyond All Limits’ by Luke Burton, specially commissioned to commemorate the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, and dedicated to Help for Heroes.

 

 On a different note, it was a special someone’s birthday on Monday, and since we were in Birmingham, what better way to celebrate than a visit to Cadbury’s World, followed by dinner at TJI Fridays…

Goodnight Birmingham…xxx

Stories to Inspire

Looking back over two years since the release of The Warder, Book 2 of Blood Gift Chronicles, and it’s been a busy time, visiting near and far with a story close to my heart. Continuing Suni’s journey from Return of the Mantra, and it was a joy to write a young woman finding her way and coming into her own, from a girl searching for justice and her own identity, achieving self-determination, and flourishing into a visionary thinker. In this sequel she is joined by Wanda and Luna, two protagonists who delve deep into the human condition. The world comes alive with wildlife, magic, and a new land with an intriguing and dangerous history…oh, and did I mention, dragons…
Like I said, a story close to my heart.
Huge thanks to all of my readers for your continued support, for every review and kind word said, and for every story out there that continues to inspire. Lots to come, and we’re looking forward to tripping to Birmingham very soon with Blood Gift Chronicles.
In the meantime, I’ll leave you with memories of a recent Comic Con here in Devon, brimming with stories to inspire…
 
 
Have a great week everyone!

International Women’s Day 2023

A few reflections on this year’s International Women’s Day, when I had the opportunity to join a wonderful collaboration of women for Dreadnought South West’s Occupy the Airwaves, a day-long extravaganza celebrating women’s voices on radio. AND I was thrilled to share the session with the fabulous Mama Tokus, soul, jazz, blues & gospel singer, whose spirit is contagious, and spoken word creations bring rhyme, tune, & cheeky reflections: perfect snapshots of life as we know it.

For my part, I brought a love of women in SFF, and stories that provide a common language, that help break down barriers, and speak to the social commentary of the times. With a special request from Mama Tokus to chat Afrofuturism, it was a great opportunity to share some of my favourite authors of this genre of reclamation: own voices reclaiming history, land, future aspirations, pushing through glass ceilings, decolonising space, minds and literature. From the pioneering Octavia Butler, interrogating power dynamics of race and gender throughout her range of titles, to the indominable Nnedi Okorafor, writer of the Black Panther comics, whose range of work speaks to colour, invention and empowerment. Her brand is specifically Africanfuturism and Africanjujuism, phrases she coined: speculative fiction based in Africa from the Sudan, to Namibia to Nigeria, and many places between.

Ah, and there wasn’t enough time to mention so many other great names: Eugen Bacon, Renee Sheree Thomas, Rivers Solomon, NK Jemison, and Nisi Shawl (with her insightful and memorable read, Everfair – historical retelling of King Leopold in the Congo, exploring what might have happened if the indigenous Congolese had had access to steam power).

And after wandering through the meanderings of Afro-futurism, my first song choice was Vul’indela by Brenda Fassie – described as the queen of African pop, she was a South African singer who did amazing things raising money for HIV/AIDS. This song, sung in Zulu, is essentially about a mother who is relieved when her son gets married, because she thought he was a player..!

And the second song choice… it has to be Tracey Chapman, a lesbian icon, and her song ‘For my Lover’, about a relationship that nobody approves of, but against all odds, she’ll do it anyway.

Onto my own, Blood Gift Chronicles, a world where many worlds fit, with interconnecting landscapes and societies built around nature and magic. And of course, it’s always a pleasure to talk about Suni’s extraordinary journey: from the patriarchal backdrop of Return of the Mantra, where we see Suni’s frailties and strengths as she survives, loves, fights and learns to stand with her own agency, highlighting empowerment, self-belief, and finding your own inner strength; through the twists and turns of adulthood as the series progresses. Because from the beginning I was motivated to write complex women with agency, to reflect the cost of exploitation and corruption, to challenge stereotypes, subvert expectation, redefine notions of strong, and create diverse character arcs with relatable experiences. We can appreciate our frailties, we can not only survive but we can thrive, we can feel fear but be guided by hope and love. And as a writer and reader, I’m guided by the fact that representation matters. When we see ourselves represented, it’s empowering, validating, and gives that sense of belonging.

Have a great week!