Eugie was the 2009 Nebula Award winning author of Best Novelette for the work Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast. She was also the 2011 Drabblecast People’s Choice Award for Best Story winner for The Wish of the Demon Achtromagk. Her work Mortal Clay, Stone Heart won the 2011 Aurora Award for Best English Related Work. She attended many conventions over the years, and was no stranger to JordanCon where she was a frequent panelist who discussed short stories, writing for contents, and of course, Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time, a series we shared common ground with.

Few people could write short stories the way that Eugie Foster could. It was a gift; I have always admired the finesse, style and depth of her short stories and frequently wished I could emulate her success. As of this writing, she had published over 100 short stories, which is 100 more than I have ever published, and yet she remains relatively unknown among most of the greater fantasy names of the age.  In Returning My Sister’s Face: And Other Far Eastern Tales of Whimsy and Malice Eugie elegantly created characters drawn from Asian folklore and laced it all together with complexity, beautiful thematic elements and touches of humor that shine like starlight; hers is a loss that will be felt in the fantasy community for many years to come. I strongly recommend her works to anyone who enjoys a different point of worldview than their own. She wrote with grace and a certain sense of self-awareness, but it made her works all the more charming and appealing because of it.

Photo of the author from blackgate.com

On Foster’s blog, her husband Matthew wrote that memorial service arrangements would be announced soon, but more importantly:

“We do not need flowers.  In lieu of flowers, please buy her books and read them.  Buy them for others to read until everyone on the planet knows how amazing she was.”

Thank you, Eugie Foster, for all of your wonderful short stories, your advice on succeeding in the writing business, and for just being yourself.  I may have known you only peripherally, but your common sense approach to writing will always be with me. It was an honor to have met you, and I will not forget your many words of wisdom.

To my readers: Please read her books.  Celebrate the life of this wonderful, talented, and special person who made a mark on the fantasy community, and so many others, through her words.  You can find her works on her website, EugieFoster.com, and through Amazon.com.

The post In Memoriam: Eugie Foster first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

What is historical context? Historical context is the elements that permeate the lives of every living person; the local history of where they were born, the events that may have shaped their lives, and the living conditions that often can provide some measure of explanation about who they were as people. For example, if you know in advance that the local county courthouse burned down and that many records were destroyed, you will know that you will have to find other avenues to locate records and documents that you might need.

So how do you situate your ancestors in historical context? Start with your local public library. Many public libraries keep reference materials about the location in which they are found that can include history, prominent citizens, city directories, genealogy books about first families in the area, and many other tidbits that can be of use to your research. Don’t forget to keep records of what sources you have looked at as you go! Make notes of where you found the book(s) so you can always retrace your steps should the unthinkable happen and your research gets lost or destroyed.

If you don’t have access to the public library in the area you are researching, try the local historical societies. These treasure troves of information can lead to resources you never knew existed! A simple Google search can reveal numerous historical societies. Do not be afraid to reach out to them for assistance, especially if you are working in the South. The United States South can prove to be quite difficult to conduct research in beyond a certain point. Due to the widespread destruction caused by the American Civil War, many sources of records were lost. This can be quite a frustrating experience, but by using local historical societies you can begin to piece together the history of the area. Many small historical societies are run by individuals with direct connections to the people, places, and things that you may want to know, so do not be afraid to ask questions. You never know when someone will tell you that they knew so-and-so who happened to know your grandfather. This happened to me during my own genealogical research, and the resulting information proved to be quite useful indeed. Genealogy research is a lot like detective work—you have to piece together the past in order to understand the motives and actions of your ancestors. While this can be a painstaking process, the rewards are worth it.

In my next article, we will be looking at the United States Census records including what they show, how to read them and where to find them. Keep researching—the answers are out there!

The post Historical Context for Genealogy Research: What Your Ancestor’s Surroundings Say About Them first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Let’s begin with the basics.

You may not know it, but your home is filled with historically valuable genealogical evidence and items. From scrapbooks to photographs, to family bibles to legal records, there are scores of information waiting to be found and collected lying about in your closets, offices and safes. The first step in any genealogical research project is to gather what you already have or know. You will want to purchase some clear sheet protectors and a three-ring binder; this will help you keep all of the relevant information easily at your fingertips. As you find an item, it is important to keep track of what you have already seen, and to place it in a sheet protector in the three-ring binder. Keep a sheet of paper and write or type out what kind of document it is, who it pertains to, and the date that you examined the item.. Keep this sheet of paper with your research: it will help keep you from running in circles wondering if you’ve already seen an item and it can save time when conducting research down the line. We will discuss citation formats later on in the series, but for now just keep a simple list of items that you have already reviewed.

Next, you will want to begin creating your immediate family tree. This includes you, your children if you have any, your parents, your siblings and their families. You need not worry too much about the younger children just yet; the important thing is to get all of the important information down on paper. Write down as much as you know about each person including dates of birth, death, marriage (not just the current, but all marriages) and any other information you may come across during your sweep of your personal items.

Once you have all this information assembled, you will begin to to see where there are holes. Say, for example, you don’t have a birth or death certificate for your parents. How do you find it? For your parents, it’s simply a matter of contacting the Office of Vital Statistics in the state where the person was born or died. Most states have a form to fill out, and in some cases, you will have to prove who you are in relation to the person you are requesting. There is usually a nominal fee (in my personal experience it can range from ten dollars to twenty-five dollars) for processing your request, and it varies by state. Marriage certificates can be located in the Clerk’s Office of the county where the marriage took place in most cases, though there are exceptions (we will look at possible exceptions in future posts).

This is just the beginning of your genealogical journey through the past. In future posts, we will discuss other types of documents, places you can look for hard to find items, and challenges that come about when conducting research. In our next article, we will discuss the importance of historical context and what it can tell you about your family.

The post Introduction to Genealogy for Librarians and Patrons first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Mordant’s Need tells the story of Teresa Morgan, a rich girl who is neglected by her parents and is living  a semi-existence working for a small, penniless church. She lives in a high-rise apartment alone, her only companion  a room full of mirrors which remind her that she exists. One particularly dreary day, a man, Geraden,  literally falls out of one of the mirrors.He whisks her away to the land of Mordant,  thinking that she is the prophesied champion he has been seeking.

Mordant is an alien country to Teresa, who finds herself not wanted by the Imagers, the magic- users of the land who have learned how to use mirrors to channel magic, and essentially dismissed by the Royal Court. Only sly Master Eremis, whose sexual charms are constantly evident, takes any interest in Teresa, aside from Geraden. Geraden is considered a failure as an apprentice by the other Imagers. He is much older than the others, is clumsy, and sometimes seemingly half-witted. He wants nothing more than to be an Imager himself.

Things are terribly wrong in Mordant. There is the constant threat of rogue Imagers, including the Arch Imager Vagel;  the king of Mordant is a doddering old fool who plays checkers with the mad Imager Havelock all day; the King’s daughters are on the outs with one another, as is the Queen who has moved out of the Palace and into the countryside; andpolitical forces are vying for control of the Kingdom. Chief among these is the imager Eremis who tries increasingly harder to gain notoriety by acting heroic in moments of need. During all of this, an army begins to lay siege to the city.

Few books have stuck with me longer than these two. I was furious when Donaldson ended the first book on a major cliff hanger. I searched what seemed like forever to find the second book in the series (in the days before Amazon.com, Kindles, and even the Internet) at as many bookstores as I could reach. I finally found it, totally by accident, at a place in a nearby town. To say that I devoured the story’s conclusion would be an understatement. I tore through the pages like a whirlwind. When I finished the second book, I read the entire thing again from the beginning to find the things I missed.

I highly recommend this series to readers who enjoy politics, plotting, an interesting and exciting magical system, romance, adventure and surprises Some critics might say that the character of Teresa Morgan is a caricature of women and that she was weak and self-conscious throughout the series. I don’t see it that way at all. I see a strong woman who thought she was weak, but later proved to herself she was not what she thought. Her character constantly evolves through the plots twists and turns, and by the end, she is who she needs to be. In my book, she counts as a strong female character. If you are a fan of epic fantasy, don’t miss Mordant’s Need. 

Until next time: Keep reading, and may all your stories be epic.

The post Epic Fantasy Spotlight: Mordant’s Need first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

PL Online: How did you get your start as a writer?
RN: It all started when I was in the second grade. What happened was there was a class assignment where we were split up into groups of 3, and the assignment was to both illustrate and retell a classic children’s story. The story that my group had was the three little kittens that lost their mittens.  So we worked on it, we drew pictures, and we came up with our own way of telling the story. At least in my mind, in my memory – it might be very selective – it was a real hit in the class. It was pretty much at that moment that I knew I wanted to be a writer, and all because of the three little kittens that lost their mittens.

PL Online: Who are your favorite authors?
RN: What I do is I read outside of my genre, and the reason for that is that I don’t want to be influenced by other fantasy writers or other science fiction writers, because I do write both. I read mostly mystery thrillers, I would say my favorite writer is Harlan Coben, that’s because he’s not only known, he’s known mostly as the master of the twist and turn, and his novels are really unpredictable. But the reason I really like him, is I think he does a great job of creating characters that feel like people I would really like to hang out with in real life. A lot of that boils down to basic human decency, people who are aware of other people, and aware of their own actions and how their actions can impact other people. What I tend to do is pick an author and try to read as much as I can if not everything, A couple of years ago I had a Dennis Lehane year, and this year has been Gillian Flynn. I’ve really been loving Gillian Flynn’s Work.

PL Online: How do you feel as an author about the value of the public library in today’s society?
RN: I think there is no place like a public library. When I was a kid I spent so much time, just scads of time, there. I think for kids especially who may not feel like they fit in, the library can be an extraordinary safe place. I think that’s important for kids. I remember when I was really little, my hometown library was like this huge stone building, probably built in 1900. The children’s section was in the basement, and it was extremely scary, which made it all that much more wonderful. So I’d go into the basement into the children’s section, and it felt like a scary maze. It was almost as much fun as going to an amusement part. Then I would just wander through the book stacks and look for treasures everywhere. To some extent you can do that online, but there is nothing like being there. It’s a sensory experience. It’s musty, and you can smell the books around you, and you can reach out and feel them. Some feel old, and when you open them the pages almost fall apart, and others are new and they crack when they open because no one has read it yet.

PL Online: In your About the Author section of The Dragonslayer’s Sword, you discussed some of the work that went into research for your book. What made you decide to learn blacksmithing and sword work?
RN: I thought “How can I write about a woman who is a blacksmith if I don’t know how to do it” and I thought “I’ll go learn how to blacksmith.” I was the only woman, and of course all of my classmates were these big, gigantic burly men, and they had no problem picking it up, but for me it was hard. A woman, physiologically, a woman doesn’t have the same upper body strength unless she takes steroids. So I had to figure out how to keep up with the men. So, first I talked to my teacher about it, and I talked to my classmates about it. My feeling was that I wanted input. I’m interested in everyone’s opinion; you never know where the good advice will come from.  I did 3 things: I found the smallest hammer that felt comfortable in my hand, and I picked up dozens until I found one that felt good. Then, I decided to choke up on it the way you choke up on a baseball bat. That helped me have more control over it, and then I decided to become ambidextrous. What was happening was I would hammer – the thing is the course, it met once a week for like 3.5 to 4 hours – spending all that time in front of anvil, after the first 5 minutes it felt like my arm would fall off. So in the beginning, it was not easy. But, after one or two classes, I got pretty good at it. By the end of the course I was keeping up with the men. I was very, very happy about that.

PL Online: Some authors are totally against the rise of e-books, while others have sung their praises. How do you feel about e-books?
RN: I think e-books are fabulous. There is always going to be room for every format whether it is a hardback book a paperback book an e-book, audio book, whatever, because I think that different people have different needs and wants. I don’t think everyone can be put into one basket. I think there is room for everything.

PL Online: What would you say is the toughest lesson you had to learn as a starting writer?
I think the most difficult lesson was that I had to learn that there is no magic bullet for learning how to write, and that every writer has to find their own path, every writer has to figure out how to learn, how to write and what works for them and what doesn’t work for them. Once I understood that, I kinda went “oh, okay” and everything made sense after that. A lot of people who want to be writers get tripped up by “if I just learn how to do this” but no, writing is like learning how to swim. My parents decided that the one thing I had to learn how to do was to swim, because it was the one sport that could save my life and they wanted me to have that ability. I failed my first year of swimming lessons, and I had never failed at anything, but the next year I just decided to take the course again, do my best, and what was so hard for me was the fact that you have to learn all these different skills, like how to use your arms and your legs and you have to learn how to breathe. You have to learn how to twist your torso, and then you have to learn how to coordinate all those things so that they work together.

The thing that really helped me, in order to learn the American crawl, I would lie face down on my bed and I would practice all those things individually, then practice them together. By practicing on dry land, I could actually do it. And writing is like that. You have to learn how to write characters, how to write dialogue, how to create a plot, have to learn how to build a world. All of these different things, then you have to learn to do them all at the same time. It’s exactly like swimming. No one can really tell you how you can do that successfully. You have to figure out your own path and your own way and to me that’s like lying face down on dry land.

PL Online: Do you have any advice for a would-be author that you would like to share?
RN: It boils down to a couple of things. If you want to be an author, you really have to learn your craft and work at your craft. That’s exactly what writing is, a craft. It’s not some kind of special gift you are born with. It’s something you go out and learn how to do, like blacksmithing. You learn all these different things and you practice over and over and over again and one thing that I do is to read people who I think do it really well, and I think “okay, how did they do that? How did they achieve that” so I constantly work at my craft. I don’t think I’ll learn everything in my lifetime, there will always be something to learn.

PL Online: For my readers who may be interested in a book signing, can you tell them where you will be appearing at any conventions or other gatherings in the near future?
RN: There isn’t anything scheduled for the near future. I typically go to three Sci-Fi conventions in the Boston Area: Arisia in January, BosKone in February and Readercon in July.

For more information about Resa Nelson, you can visit her website here.  Be sure to check out her novels: The Dragonslayer’s Sword, The Iron Maiden, The Stone of Darkness, and The Dragon’s Egg, from the Dragonslayer’s series as well as her standalone book Our Lady of the Absolute. You can also follow Resa on Twitter @ResaNelson.

The post Face Down on Dry Land: An Interview with Resa Nelson first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Norton had attended Western Reserve University to become a teacher. In 1932, she left the university due to the Great Depression and started working for the Cleveland Library System, where she would stay for 8 years. From 1940 – 1941, Norton worked as a special librarian in the cataloging department of the Library of Congress, and after a failed attempt at a bookstore in Maryland, returned to the Cleveland Public Library until 1950. The High Hallack Library, in which Norton was a major influence and organizer, was conceived as a research facility for genre writers and scholars of popular literature. Named after one of the continents in Norton’s Witch World series, it was once home to 10,000 texts, videos and other media. Opened in February 1999, the facility closed a short 4 years later in 2004 due to Norton’s declining health.

Some of Norton’s best known fantasy works are The Halfblood Chronicles with Mercedes Lackey.  This series consists of 3 published books, The Elvenbane, Elvenblood, and Elvenborn, with a fourth book that has yet to be published due to unknown reasons.  Another major Norton series is Witch World,  consisting of 25 books and several omnibus editions.  The Series is divided into 3 Cycles: the Estcarp Cycle; the High Hallack Cycle, and the Turning. The first book in the series, Witch World was first published in 1963.

Norton’s diverse career in science fiction, fantasy, and young adult literature ultimately led to the creation of the Andre Norton Award, which is given each year by the SFWA, for an outstanding work of fantasy or science fiction for the young adult literature market, beginning with publications from 2005. The Norton Award doesn’t count as an official Nebula Award, but it does share the Nebula ballot and is voted on by SFWA members. The Norton award is decided by a jury whose role is to expand the ballot beyond the six books with most nominations by members of the SFWA. This year’s winner of the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy was Fair Coin by E.C. Myers.

Norton wrote novels for 70 years, an amazing stretch of time for any writer. Her influence and touch on the genre has been felt by many readers and writers during that time, and has served as a starting point to four generations of science fiction and fantasy readers and writers.  No matter where the genre may go in the future, Andre Alice Norton’s influence will continue to be felt by new generations of readers, and serve as inspiration for new generations of writers for many years to come.  Andre Norton passed away in 2005 at the age of 93 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

The post Andre Norton: Librarian, Writer, and Fantasy Grande Dame first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Resa Nelson has been selling fiction as a professional since 1988, and is a longtime member of the SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America). She is also a graduate of the Clarion SF Workshop. Previously Nelson has been the TV/Movie Columnist for Realms of Fantasy magazine (for 13 years) and has been a contributor to SCI FI magazine. She has sold 200 articles to various magazines in the United States and the United Kingdom.  Her first novel was The Dragonslayer’s Sword, and it was recommended for the Nebula Award. It was also a Finalist for the EPPIE Award.  In The Dragonslayer’s Sword, Astrid is a blacksmith who makes swords for dragonslayers. When a strange gemstone emerges from her body, it sets in motion a calamitous chain of events that threatens to destroy her life. As the story progresses, Astrid learns the truth about the people she knows and loves as well as those she has disdained, and the ultimate secret of her mysterious past and the family from which she was separated comes to light. Throughout the story, Astrid is constantly confronted with who she thinks she is and the person that she truly is beneath all the layers she has created to keep herself safe.

In the final pages of her book The Dragonslayer’s Sword, Nelson’s About the Author section discusses some of what went into the writing of the novel, and her methods of preparation are quite intense. While conducting research on The Dragonslayer’s Sword, Nelson took a course in blacksmithing, where she learned how to build a fire and forge iron and steel, and she also took a course at the Higgins Armory in Worcester, Massachusetts in how to use a medieval sword, which led to her joining the Armory Guild. She also studied foil fencing for a year. Nelson participates in the guild’s study of fight manuals from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and participates in demonstration of historically accurate sword techniques. The swordwork in her novel is based on her studies in these techniques.

There are four novels in the Dragonslayer series: The Dragonslayer’s Sword, The Iron Maiden, The Stone of Darkness and The Dragon’s Egg. In addition, Nelson is the author of Our Lady of the Absolute, a fantasy tale of ancient Egypt. You can follow Resa Nelson on twitter @ResaNelson, and check out her books by following the links provided above.

Join me next time as I sit down with Resa Nelson to talk about public libraries, her writing, and the preparation she goes through in writing a novel.

Until then: Keep reading, and may all your stories be epic.

The post Enter The Dragonslayer – A Look at Resa Nelson first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

PL Online: From an author’s perspective, how do you feel about public libraries?

SM: I love libraries.  I grew up miles below the poverty line, and one of my biggest concerns as we move into this brave new world of e-publishing and dwindling print runs is getting people across the digital divide.  I could not exist as the person I am today if I had not had cheap and easy access to books, despite my economic disadvantages in childhood.  Libraries are one of the great equalizers of our society, and we need them desperately.

PL Online: Do you have any stories from or special memories about a public library from your past?

SM: My local public library was two stories high, with very little in-library supervision for well behaved young girls who didn’t shout or damage the books.  I used to spend entire days there, reading the books I wasn’t allowed to check out yet, hiding away in the stacks where no one could find me.  This resulted in my reading a lot of early British horror, and then remembering them as “that book with the killer mushrooms” or “the one about the spiders.”  Even now, I sometimes find those books, put a title and author to the story, and rejoice.

PL Online: How do you feel about the rise of electronic books? Do you prefer e-books over print books?

SM: Absolutely not.  I do not read e-books.  If I’m looking at a computer screen, I’m either writing, or reading something by one of my friends with the express intent of offering edits and critique.  I love my physical books.  More, I love the fact that if I don’t like a book, I can give it away.  I have become a source of used books for several financially disadvantaged teenagers, and that is a wonderful thing.  I love that we keep coming up with new ways to get stories out into the world, but I am a print girl all the way, and I will be right up until the point where I’m in my nineties and need to be able to increase the font size with the click of an e-reader button.

PL Online: There is something that I must ask, just because I thought it was hilarious, about something you discussed at JordanCon 2013: that you have been bitten by “unusual” animals. In fact, I think you said, “I’m willing to bet that, in this entire room, I’ve been bitten by the strangest animal.” So, for everyone who wasn’t at JordanCon, could you tell my readers a story about the Komodo dragon, the King Cobra, or both?

SM: Nope.  Can’t tell either.  These are convention stories, and if you want to hear them, you’ll need to catch me at a convention!

PL Online: You mentioned your background in Herpetology at JordanCon 2013.  How has your work in Herpetology informed your writing? What did you learn from Herpetology that you use in your writing?

SM: How to do research.  I don’t really write about snakes as much as I might like to, but being in the sciences, even for a while, really taught me how to do research and follow my concepts through to their logical conclusions.

PL Online: You’ve discussed in the past that you have done extensive research for your novels, like your time working with the CDC for example. Do you think that research is an important factor in writing fantasy and science fiction, or do you think it only matters in specific instances, like discussing the realities of virology and pathogens, or should it be a starting point for all authors?

SM: A certain amount of research, or at least consideration, is vital for anything longer than about 5,000 words, because you’re going to start needing to answer the all-mighty “Why?”  I think a lot of second books demonstrate a lack of pre-composition research and world-building.  Things fall apart because deep down, very few of us believe we’ll actually get to write that second book.  You need to know what you’re doing, and have a solid foundation, even if your readers will never see anything but the barest edges of your hard work.

PL Online: In your novel Feed you focused the story on the political intrigues of Senator Ryman’s Presidential Campaign and made the zombies more of a background feature.  What led you to this particular approach?

SM: I love zombies, but zombie stories are essentially human stories, and I wanted to write about the humans for a change.  I can go anywhere for carnage.  I figured it was time to look at the other aspects of the zombie apocalypse.

PL Online: Georgia Mason is a fantastic character, definitely one of the best strong women characters in recent times that I can recall. Do you see any of yourself in Georgia, or, if not yourself, any real world inspirations for the character, or is she completely a fictional construction?

SM: I never put myself in any of my protagonists, or anyone else, for that matter.  I sometimes base side characters off of real people–there’s a practice called “Tuckerization” that allows an author to put someone real into their fiction, and I periodically donate these cameo roles to charity auctions–but my protagonists are always entirely themselves.  It’s the only way to make them work for me.  And I have never based a character off of myself.  I spend enough time with me as it is.

PL Online: You are also the author of the six books in the October Daye series, with a seventh book called Chimes at Midnight releasing in September. For people who may not be familiar with these works, could you explain the premise behind the series?

SM: Faerie is real.  All the fairy tales, all the legends, they’re all based on grains of truth.  It’s just that we got a lot of the details wrong.  October “Toby” Daye is a changeling, a fae/human hybrid, serving as a knight errant in one of the secret fae kingdoms hidden alongside the mortal world, and she’s trying not to die.  She’s trying very, very hard.  The Toby Daye books are dark urban fantasy, very much in the vein of Jim Butcher or Carrie Vaughn.

PL Online: Your new book under your pen name Mira Grant, Parasite, is being released in October. Would you explain to my readers what the concept is for the story and where you got the idea?

SM: I think in this case that the concept is pretty self-explanatory: it’s about parasites, and how they interact with us, and how we interact with them.  It’s also about body horror and the hygiene hypothesis.  You know, fun times.

PL Online: What is currently holding your interest in the fiction world? Are there any new books or authors that you are excited over that you think people should be reading?

SM: I love, love, love Peter Clines, whose first book, Ex-Heroes, was recently reprinted in a lovely trade paperback edition, and whose novel 14 was one of the most beautifully upsetting things I read last year.  I’m also really excited about Alex Bledsoe’s Tufa books, the second of which, Wisp of a Thing, comes out later this year.

(Interviewer note: Alex Bledsoe was also an attendee at JordanCon 2013)

PL Online: How does it feel to be the first person, and the first woman, nominated five times in a single year for a Hugo award?

SM: Petrifying.  I’m proud of myself, and thrilled to be the first woman to set a “number of…” record in the Hugos, but it’s also terrifying.  I get test anxiety from awards.

PL Online: Finally, what advice would you give to an aspiring writer who is considering self-publishing as opposed to the more traditional methods of publication?

SM: Be sure you’re ready.  Look, whatever you just wrote, whatever you’re looking at and thinking “this is the best thing I have ever done,” that thing is not the best thing you will ever do.  If self-publishing had been an option when I was getting my first agency rejections, I would have jumped on it, and my career would be over by now, because I was not ready.  Solicit opinions that aren’t from family or close friends.  Try to get an agent, try for traditional publishing, if only to mark the point where the rejections turn personal, or even into acceptances.  There’s this huge temptation to get your work out into the world NOW NOW NOW, and that can hurt you if your work is not as solid as it could be without more time and effort.  I am genuinely glad I didn’t have the self-pub option.  It forced me to improve before throwing my babies to the wolves.

***

It’s really a shame she didn’t tell the Komodo dragon or cobra story. I had hopes that she would, but you can’t win them all. If you do get the chance to see her at a convention, make sure you ask about the stories I mentioned: it’s totally worth it to hear them from her own mouth.  You can follow McGuire on twitter @seananmcguire and you can check out the authors she mentioned (Peter Clines and Alex Bledsoe) in bookstores now. Her book Parasite (as Mira Grant) will be available in October 2013, and book 7 of the October Daye series arrives in September. Best of luck to you, Seanan, on your Hugo Awards in September, your fans are rooting for you (and secretly hoping you will dress as a Disney Princess for the awards show.)

The post Thirteen Questions with Seanan McGuire first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

For readers not familiar with Seanan McGuire (or her pen name, Mira Grant), you are really missing out. As I mentioned, she is a five-time Hugo award nominee this year for Best Novel (Blackout – sequel to Deadline), Best Novella for San Diego 2014: The Last Stand of the California Browncoats (As Mira Grant), Twice for Best Novelette(In Sea-Salt Tears and Rat-Catcher), and Best Fancast (SF Squeecast).  She previously has won five Pegasus Awards, was a 2012 inductee into the 2012 Darrell Awards Hall of Fame for her contributions to Mid-south science fiction and her novel Feed (as Mira Grant) was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of their best books of 2010.  McGuire is the author of the October Daye series of books (Six are currently available, Book 7: Chimes at Midnight is expected in September), the Newsflesh series under her pen name Mira Grant (Feed, Deadline, Blackout) and the forthcoming Parasite (October 2013).

Eugie Foster, the 2009 Nebula Award winning author of Best Novelette (Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast) and 2011 Drabblecast People’s Choice Award for Best Story writer (The Wish of the Demon Achtromagk) lives in Atlanta, Georgia and was a recent attendee and panelist for JordanCon 2013 where she discussed short stories and writing for contests.  Her short story collection, Returning My Sister’s Face and Other Far Eastern Tales of Whimsy and Malice, was published in 2009 and has seen use as a textbook at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of California-Davis.  Even though Foster is primarily a short story author, that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t contribute to the vastness of Fantasy and should be overlooked by the casual reader.

Finally author Mary Robinette Kowal, a puppeteer, writer, Regency fashion enthusiast and panelist on Writing Excuses, is the 2008 Campbell Award winner for Best New Writer, the 2011 Hugo Award winner for her short story For Want of a Nail, and a 2011 Nebular Award nominee for Best Novel. Her novels, Shades of Milk and Honey, Glamour in Glass, and Without a Summer, have been described by her as “Jane Austen with magic” but the real magic here is in the way the story unfolds from page to page. For fans of classical literature and fantasy, there is much to keep you enticed. The language is time-period appropriate, the magic is unobtrusive, and the overall story is truly engaging. Fans of Austen will find little, if any fault, with Kowal’s presentation of Austen’s style, and for those looking for light fantasy with great characters, you need look no further than Shades of Milk and Honey, the first in the series.

Be sure to check in next time as I interview Hugo Nominee and Bestselling Author Seanan McGuire! As always – keep reading – and may all your stories be epic.

The post Women of Fantasy Fiction, Part 4: Seanan McGuire, Eugie Foster, and Mary Robinette Kowa first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

J.K. Rowling has, in a few short years, become a standard in the genre. You’d have to live under a rock to not know that the Harry Potter Series has spawned eight movies, a theme park, a website, and a franchise that has made the author very rich. Rowling has come a very long way from writing the origins of Harry Potter on a train, or living out of her car with her children and having to accept welfare. She is the ultimate success story of rags to riches all because of one stoic, lightning bolt scarred teenager who, with the help of his friends, fights off evil in the form of a Dark Lord named Voldemort. While some might argue that her works are geared toward children, I would argue that they haven’t read the last three books in the series, where the story takes a dark turn that clearly diverges from typical children-oriented fantasy one might find elsewhere in the genre.

Nora Roberts brings to mind many things, but rarely that of fantasy fiction. I have always been a fan of crossovers; that is, authors that transcend and blend genres in their writing. Roberts does this with style and effectiveness in two fantasy-themed trilogies The Circle and Three Sisters Island. In The Circle trilogy (Morrigan’s Cross, Dance of the Gods, Valley of Silence), sorcerer Hoyt Mac Cionaoith battles a centuries-old vampire named Lilith and his now-vampire twin brother Cian. After a bitter defeat, Hoyt is visited by the Goddess of Battles, Morrigan, and charged with the task of leading a battle against the vampire Lilith with the help of a witch, a scholar, a warrior, one of many forms and one he has lost. Hoyt then travels to present-day New York City where the quest truly begins.  In Three Sisters Island trilogy (Dance Upon the Air, Heaven and Earth, Face the Fire) a trio of witches must come to terms with themselves, their gifts, and an ages-old curse that threatens the very existence of their home. Readers should be aware: since Nora Roberts is a romance writer, some scenes can get racy. I wouldn’t describe this as a must-read for die-hard epic fantasy fans, but for those who enjoy light fantasy with a blending of romance, then this is a great place to start.

Our final author, Laurell K. Hamilton, is a very well-known name in contemporary fantasy. Her Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series has spawned numerous landings on the best-seller lists. The series follows the exploits of Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter, professional zombie raiser, and supernatural consultant for the police, as Anita gains in power and learns to deal with the unseen creatures of the supernatural world.  There are currently 23 novels in the Anita Blake series, beginning with Guilty Pleasures (1993) with a new release forthcoming in July 2013, entitled Affliction.

Stay tuned for the final installment in my four part series on women writers of fantasy fiction in my next post. As always: Keep reading, and may all your stories be epic.

The post Women of Fantasy Fiction – Part Three: J.K. Rowling, Nora Roberts, and Laurell K. Hamilton first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

One panel that I attended was from Tor/Forge Books presented by Paul Stevens, and was an hour-long overview of what has recently released and what fantasy readers can expect in the coming months. There are several major trends that I noted from this overview. The first is that Alternate History is on the rise. The list contained numerous offerings of different historical events reimagined by authors such as Marie Brennan, Michele Lang, Jo Walton and Mary Robinette Kowal. Secondly, many books in the review were sequels, or were only one part of a multi-part book series. The list provided by the publisher was extensive, so for the sake of brevity, I’m providing a couple of pared-down lists. The first is a list of best bets for libraries looking to expand their fantasy/science fiction collections. The second list is books that I predict will be most popular based on author. The lists are further divided between adult fantasy fiction and young adult fantasy fiction:

BEST BETS

Young Adult

The Rithmatist, by Brandon Sanderson (This is Sanderson’s first young adult work) May 2013

Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card (This is the movie tie-in edition) June 2013

Solstice, by P.J. Hoover June 2013

Extremities, by David Lubar July 2013

Adult Fantasy

A Natural History of Dragons, by Marie Brennan April 2013

Without a Summer, by Mary Robinette Kowal April 2013

Trio of Sorcery, by Mercedes Lackey (New Cover Art) April 2013

Antiagon Fire, by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. May 2013

Earth Afire, by Orson Scott Card and Aaron Johnston June 2013

Night Pilgrims, by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro July 2013

Words of Radiance, by Brandon Sanderson November 2013

Most Popular Predictions

Young Adult Fantasy

The Rithmatist, by Brandon Sanderson

Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card

Sacrifices (A Shadow Grail Novel), by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill

The Eye of the World Graphic Novel, Volume 1, by Robert Jordan, Chuck Dixon and Chase Conley

Adult Fantasy

Night Pilgrims (A St. Germaine novel), by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Without a Summer, by Mary Robinette Kowal

The Gate Thief, by Orson Scott Card

Rebel Angels, by Michele Lang

Hellhole Awakening, by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

Words of Radiance, by Brandon Sanderson

Join me next time as I finish off my discussion of Women of Fantasy Fiction with Hugo Nominee Seanan McGuire, Eugie Foster and Mary Robinette Kowal. As always – Keep Reading! – and may all your stories be epic.

The post Live from JordanCon: What’s New From Tor Books For 2013 first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Ursula LeGuin’s so-called Earthsea Cycle (A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, Tehanu, The Other Wind) takes place in the fictional archipelago of Earthsea. The series tells the story of Ged, a young magic user, under the apprenticeship of his Aunt.  Throughout the series, Ged faces many challenges on the road to becoming a Wizard – at one point he is turned into a falcon and attacked by an ancient shadow creature he inadvertently summoned – before he comes to understand himself completely.  A Wizard of Earthsea has won many literary awards, including the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1979, as well as being consistently ranked in the top ten of best all-time fantasy fiction. In 2005, the first two books of the series were adapted into a Sci-Fi channel mini-series (Legend of Earthsea), but LeGuin was more than a little displeased with the ultimate result, saying that she felt the entire mini-series had “white washed” her story. She was also displeased with the Studio Ghibli release Tales of Earthsea (2006), an animated feature film based loosely on the first, third and fourth books in the series.

Author C.J. Cherryh (1942 – ) is a Hugo and Locus Award winning writer for her Science Fiction novels and short stories Cassandra (1979) and her two novels Downbelow Station (1982) and Cyteen (1989).  Her fantasy series Fortress (Fortress in the Eye of Time, Fortress of Eagles, Fortress of Owls, Fortress of Dragons, Fortress of Ice) is a prime example of the sub-genre we have previously discussed called High/Epic Fantasy.  Her series features a medieval fantasy world with a 15^th Century feel, where magic exists alongside sorcery, politics and medieval warfare. This series is different in that its main protagonist, Tristan, is not born of a mortal mother, but rather is created from a spell cast by an ancient wizard named Mauryl Gestaurien.  While Tristan is physically formed to look like a human, he is incomplete; he has no memory, knowledge of the world or personal history. The first books in the series describe Tristan’s coming of age, as well as his developing relationship with the Prince, Cefwyn, heir to the Marhannen throne. Fortress in the Eye of Time was short-listed for a Locus award in 1996, as was Fortress of Eagles and Fortress of Owls.

Join me next time as we continue our discussion of the women writers of Fantasy Fiction that have had a lasting impact on the genre with J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame, Laurel K. Hamilton, author of the Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series and a surprise addition of Nora Roberts, who many readers may know from her work in the Romance genre.

As always: Keep reading, and may all your stories be epic.

The post Women of Fantasy Fiction, Part 2: Ursula K. LeGuin and C.J. Cherryh first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Most readers of fantasy are at least passingly familiar with Marion Zimmer Bradley (1930 – 1999), even if they’ve never read her works. Bradley was a prolific author – 67 novels at the time of her death with 3 in production, not including short stories, omnibus or other works – and literary parent to many fantasy writers of the modern age. Several female authors got their start from Bradley’s work as editor of the Sword and Sorceress anthologies, with Mercedes Lackey being a rather famous example. Her Tarma and Kethry stories first appeared in Sword and Sorceress and were later adapted into stand-alone novels. Bradley is perhaps best known for her Mists of Avalon series, an Arthurian legend retelling from the point of view of Morgaine and Gwenhyfar, and the Darkover series. Bradley is also well known for her co-founding of the Society for Creative Anachronism,an international living history group that studies and recreates mainly Medieval European cultures and their associated histories before the 17^th century.

The Mists of Avalon, first published in 1979, provides a vast and different view of Arthurian legend with a distinct and welcomed feminist feel to the story. Not just a story about King Arthur, religious conflict plays an important role in the story. The main character, Morgaine (known by readers of Arthurian legend as Morgan Le Fey) a priestess of a matriarchal Celtic religion, fights to save her culture in a country where patriarchal Christianity is taking hold and threatening to destroy their pagan way of life. King Arthur, Lancelot, and other members of the round table find themselves taking a back seat in this re-envisioned, captivating story about politics, love and betrayal in a time of great cultural change. TNT made a mini-series adaptation in 2001 out of the book starring Julianna Margulies as Morgaine, Anjelica Huston as Vivianne, and Samantha Mathis as Gwenhyfar.As far as made-for-TV mini-series go, this production warrants a look for those interested in the visual adaptation to the much-loved story.

The Darkover series, consisting of 40 books and short stories, are typically more science-fiction than fantasy. The series begins during the early years of space exploration. Earth-based humans, en route to a new colony, crash land on Darkover, a planet that revolves around a red giant star. Unable to repair their ship or re-establish communications with Earth, the colonists set about to create a new way of life on Darkover. The stories develop over six distinct time periods, and at the time of her death, Bradley had three Darkover novels in the works. Since then, these have either been published posthumously or have been reported as planned for publication. Marion Zimmer Bradley suggested that the books be read in the order of publication, since her writing style evolved so greatly over the years, but many readers prefer to start chronologically with Darkover Landfall.

Join me next time for Part 2 of my Women of Fantasy series where I will be discussing Ursula K. LeGuin, and C.J. Cherryh.

As always: Keep reading, and may all your stories be epic.

The post The Women of Fantasy Fiction Part 1: Marion Zimmer Bradley first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman, is a trilogy of books (The Golden Compass also known as Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass) that take place in alternate realities that are contemporary to (and includes) our own.Young Lyra Belaqua,an urchin who roams Jordan College of Oxford University, finds herself thrust into the midst of a diabolical scheme when her best friend Roger is kidnapped by so-called Gobblers.With her daemon,Pantaliamon,she sets out to rescue her friend from the cold, arctic reaches of Svalbard.This story is rife with fantasy elements: witches, talking ice bears, myths and prophecies, and a completely new imagining of our world. One of the most interesting features of this series is the daemons: the soul of an individual that exists outside the body in the form of an animal.Until a child hits puberty, the daemon can change shape into almost any animalform, but after, it settles on only one. Much of the story revolves around the connection between person, daemon, and the mysterious dust Lyra hears many adults speaking about.Beware,however, this series has raised the ire of several religious groups (Read more about it here – may contain spoilers!) for content and plotlines in the last two books. If you are not particularly sensitive, this is a truly fantastic series that deserves to be read and reacted to on its own merits. In 2007, a film was released of the first book in the series, The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig.  It  is currently available on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files takes place in our world, but with a difference: magic exists in this world in a very real way. Centered on Wizard-for-hire Harry Dresden, who protects the ignorant citizenry from ghouls, vampires, ghosts, witches, and other mythological and fantasy creatures, he also does consultation work for the Los Angeles Police Department. The series has spawned a collection of graphic novels, as well as a short-lived Syfy television series in 2007 that only survived one season (much to my disappointment). The series follows several of the first books almost exactly, but does branch away at times in the ways that television shows often do (see HBO’s True Blood for another example of tinkering with storylines by television executives).

Both His Dark Materials and The Dresden Files are available in print and in e-book formats for your reading pleasure. Join me next time as I take a long, hard look at the women of fantasy and we explore what impacts they have made on the genre as a whole.

As always: Keep reading, and may all your stories be epic.

The post Our World With Magic – Modern/Contemporary Fantasy first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Anne Rice is most notable for her vampire book series that began with Interview with the Vampire in 1970. And while I enjoy this series of books, I’ve recently sworn off vampires considering the over-abundance of them in the genres of late. Anne Rice is a prolific writer whose works span a variety of dark fantasy/horror types, including the aforementioned vampires, witches (Lives of the Mayfair Witches), Werewolves (The Wolf Gift) and other elements of the supernatural. Though lately she has had a very public battle with religion, her most recent book The Wolf Gift sees Rice returning to her original dark fantasy/horror roots with great success.

Merely saying the name Stephen King conjures images of horror for many. Few authors have so consistently frightened readers with their stories as King has done for years. Some of his greatest known stories of horror include: The Shining, The Stand, Carrie, It, The Dark Tower series, The Langoliers, The Green Mile and many, many others. King’s work runs the gamut of horror and dark fantasy elements, including monsters, the supernatural and epic storytelling. He has also written under the nom de plume of Richard Bachman, with stories like The Running Man and The Regulators.

Dean R. Koontz is a very familiar author to me. I once spent an entire summer reading every book he had ever written. In many ways, he was among the first experiences I had with dark fantasy/horror novels, and to this day I often think of many of my favorites whenever I am writing my own works. Koontz is perhaps best known for the Odd Thomas series, though he had much success with earlier books such as Lightning, Phantoms, The Door to December and Strangers. Like Stephen King, Koontz also wrote under a nom de plume, writing several books as Leigh Nichols.

Clive Barker’s deviant mind and stories have kept me awake late into the night many a time in the past.  He is perhaps best known for his movies, though he is a masterful storyteller in his own right.  His works Weaveworld, Imajica and The Books of Blood have given me hours of thrills and chills. For those looking for a more traditional dark fantasy, I highly suggest his book Abarat.

There you have it. Any one of these stories by the masters of dark fantasy/horror is guaranteed to leave you breathless and jumping at every bump and knock in the dead of night. Most of these tales are available in both print and electronic formats from a variety of sources, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble (for you Nook users).

Join me next time as I delve into the world of Modern Fantasy. As always, keep reading, and may all your stories be epic.

The post Dark Fantasy/Horror – Stories To Keep You Up at Night first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

On January 8^th, 2013 the final book in The Wheel of Time series, A Memory of Light, was released to a very hungry legion of fans who have waited for this story for two years since the last book was published. Weighing in at 912 pages and 2.5 pounds, it took me six days to read the entirety of the final story. Within its first week, A Memory of Light became the No. 1 Bestselling book on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Since I would hate to ruin this book for anyone who hasn’t read it yet, this review will contain no spoilers. I ask that you please keep to this rule in your comments so that others may enjoy the story in its entirety, and I invite you to engage me by email or Twitter on the story if you have already read the book.

On to the review!

My first impressions of the story are that it was extremely well crafted, and that Brandon Sanderson has done a masterful job bringing this epic story to its ultimate conclusion utilizing the notes and partial chapters left behind by Robert Jordan after his untimely death in 2007. The book begins immediately following the dramatic conclusion from the 13^th book, Towers of Midnight, where our heroes discover the city of Caemlyn burning from an attack by the Dark One’s forces, while other factions of the Light prepare to meet the Dragon Reborn at the Fields of Merrilor, where he will announce his plans for the Last Battle.  There is no skimping on the battle sequences, which in previous books have left the reader wanting more, and these sequences begin fairly quickly in the book as the assault by the Dark One gears up to overrun the land in permanent shadow. There are surprises waiting around every corner, and each new page brings new revelations. Events from previous books return to have chilling consequences as the story progresses.

Fans of the series, like me, will be pleased with this conclusion to the epic series began 23 years ago by Robert Jordan (The first book, The Eye of the World was released January 17, 1990).  The story is a roller coaster ride from start to finish, and even has moments of intense emotion as characters begin to fall into their place and the battle heats up. I must warn, however, that readers of this series should not expect everything to be explained. Team Jordan have not answered every question that has arisen in the series, and one must wonder if more will be revealed in the forthcoming Encyclopedia of the Wheel of Time. With that said, this is an amazing book from start to end. It is a fitting conclusion to the world of Robert Jordan, though it left me pining for more as a truly great series should.

I am extremely sad to see this series end. As I flipped through the last few pages to the conclusion, I found myself thinking “Now what will I read?” much like I felt at the conclusion of the Harry Potter Series. Few series have captivated my interests or spurred my imagination quite like the Wheel of Time. Ultimately, it is a highly satisfying read, and you leave the series feeling like this epic journey to save the world has come to its logical conclusion. I highly recommend this epic conclusion to all fans of the Wheel of Time, and every library should stock this highly anticipated book on its shelves. It is guaranteed to be much sought-after.

Currently, A Memory of Light is available only in print and audiobook, but you can expect an e-book edition by April 2013.

The post A Memory of Light (Book 14 of the Wheel of Time) by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Mercedes Lackey, best-selling author of the Heralds of Valdemar series and many others, brings to life a magical new world where fairy tale archetypes take unexpected turns with her Tales of the 500 Kingdoms series.  In The Fairy Godmother, the first in the series,  Lackey turns tradition on its head when Elena Klovis, her kingdom’s Cinderella, finds herself without a Prince. Thanks to her own Fairy Godmother, she instead becomes the protector and guide of the Tradition (with a capital T) as a Fairy Godmother, complete with trials and tribulations, haughty princes, and ultimately, true love. One Good Knight, the second in the series of books, finds bookish and bespectacled Princess Andromeda packed off as a sacrifice to a dragon, and along the way, she gets a little help from her own Champion and finds love in the most unusual form of all. There are currently seven books in the 500 Kingdoms series: The Fairy Godmother, One Good Knight, Fortune’s Fool, The Snow Queen, The Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Werewolf, and A Tangled Web.

Neil Gaiman, who some readers will recognize for the film adaptations of his works Coraline (2009) and Stardust (2007), is included in this discussion of fairy tales specifically for the novel Stardust. The book tells the story of Tristran Thorn (called Tristan in the movie version) who leaves the village of Wall for the world of Faerie to capture a fallen star for his dream girl. In the world of Faerie, fallen stars are sentient beings that appear as human, and Tristran soon discovers Yvaine, the fallen star, who throws mud at him and hurls insults. Tristran resolves to bring her to Victoria, and the two set off, but unbeknownst to them both, they are being followed by a Witch-Queen who wants to kill the star and take her heart. Throw in a royal family feuding over a succession for the throne, magic, and air pirates, and you have a truly enjoyable story that is a must read for fairytale fans.  Stardust is available in both print and electronic formats.

My last choice for Fairytale Fantasy is also classified as Contemporary Fantasy and is not based on a fairytale, but a Scottish Ballad. Tam Lin, by Pamela Dean, tells the story of Janet, an English major at fictional Blackstock College in Minnesota, who comes face to face with the realm of Faerie during her studies in the Classics Department. Filled with English literature quotes; classics such as The Iliad, Shakespeare, and Keats; ghosts; and a little magic, this story is a captivating read I recommend to anyone interested in fairy tales. Tam Lin is currently available only in print.

Join me next time as I delve into the world of Dark Fantasy for some spooky good fun. As always, keep reading, and may all your stories be epic.

The post Fairy Tale Fantasy – Don’t Miss These Captivating Reads first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Mary Robinette Kowal, who described her novel Shades of Milk and Honey as Jane Austen with magic, is one such author who is very strict in the manner in which she represents the time period. Kowal strives to be linguistically accurate, eliminating words that were not in use during Austen’s time, and has invested a great deal of personal time in researching the British Regency period (roughly 1795 – 1837). I had the pleasure of meeting Kowal at a writer’s convention last spring, and I have to say, she is as charming and delightful as the characters she writes. Fans of Jane Austen will be delighted in the story Kowal has written, which has now become a series including two follow up books and one in the works (Glamour in Glass and Without a Summer are available now). Her magical system is called glamour, and while it lends a fantasy element to the story, the real focus of the work is the dynamic love story that evolves throughout its pages between the main characters. Shades of Milk and Honey and Glamour in Glass are available in both print and electronic formats.

Susan Cooper, Newberry award winning author of The Dark is Rising Sequence, can be classified as both contemporary fantasy and as historical fantasy. Her series of books centers on the return of King Arthur to modern times and an elaborate battle between The Light and The Dark that has captured the imagination of children and adults alike with her epic-quality storylines since first going to print in 1965. Though the second book in the series, The Dark is Rising, was adapted into a film in 2007 as The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising, the film itself does little justice to this enchanting series of children’s books (and I must confess, even as an adult I still re-read this series). The entire series is available in an omnibus as an eBook in Kindle and ePub formats.

I feel compelled to mention the Steampunk sub-genre here, even though I personally have very little experience with it outside of fantasy films such as Laputa: Castle in the Sky and Wild Wild West. Fantasy Steampunk is generally set in the Victorian or Edwardian era, and features steam powered technology amidst gothic architecture mixed with magic or magical devices. Knowing very little about this type of fantasy, I would like to put a question out to my readers in an attempt to get to know this sub-genre better: Is there a Steampunk book or series that you feel is a great introduction to the genre that I should read? I’m very interested in what you personally think about this sub-genre. Please feel free to tweet me @kdarms, email me directly with your suggestions, or post in the comments section below.

Next time, we will be checking out new takes on classic fairy tales, and the adult fairy tales every library should have on its shelves. As always, keep reading, and may all your stories be epic.

The post Historical Fantasy: Blurring the Lines Between Fiction and Reality first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The Lord of the Rings series

Arguably one of the most recognized Epic Fantasy series in the world, Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings continues to hold immense appeal to today’s fantasy readers. Long considered the standard in Epic Fantasy, the story and characters have enjoyed lasting fame thanks to big budget motion picture renditions in recent years which have brought this story back into the public eye. The series proper consists of four books: The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, with additional writings that deal with the pre-history of Tolkein’s world contained in other volumes. This series is available in electronic formats.

The Wheel of Time series

Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series has captured the imagination of thousands and thousands of readers of Fantasy since 1991. An enormous fan base has spawned conventions, get-togethers, book groups, and some of the most vehement discussions about characters ever seen among fantasy readers. Entire websites are devoted to the books and characters created by Robert Jordan, including Theoryland and Wheel of Time Wiki. The series has even survived the untimely death of its author, and is currently being completed by Brandon Sanderson. The series is composed of fourteen books currently, with the last volume, which will resolve the countless plots, subplots and major events of the series, due out in early January. Books in this series are: New Spring, The Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, The Shadow Rising, The Fires of Heaven, The Lord of Chaos, A Crown of Swords, The Path of Daggers, Winter’s Heart, Crossroads of Twilight, Knife of Dreams, The Gathering Storm, Towers of Midnight and the forthcoming volume is called A Memory of Light. This series is available in electronic formats.

Mistborn Series

Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn Trilogy (The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension, The Hero of Ages) provides a fantastic introduction to the Epic Fantasy sub-genre and is highly representative of the genre in general. With a large cast of characters, an end-of-the-world-as-they-know-it storyline and a well-developed magic system unlike many seen before, The Mistborn Trilogy requires far less invested time on the part of the reader, and yet provides a rich, rewarding experience equal to many lengthier epics by the last book’s final page. Sanderson’s trilogy aptly demonstrates that bigger is not always better when it comes to number of books. There is also a fourth stand-alone book, Alloy of Law, which also takes place in the Mistborn universe, set further along in history from the original three books. This series is available in electronic formats.

These three series are essential in every library’s Epic Fantasy collection. With their enormous appeal to modern audiences, including those discovering them for the first time through television and social media, these books will continue to be high in circulation among patrons who enjoy the genre.

Join me next time as I talk about the burgeoning popularity of Historical Fantasy, and select authors that should be considered standards of the genre.  Thanks for reading and as always, may all your stories be epic.

The post Three Essential Epic Fantasy Series That Every Library Should Own first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Any discussion of fantasy should begin with the basics, and in this case that is the many sub-genres that comprise the whole of the genre itself. I have broken it down into six basic types to start (though some die-hard fans might argue with my choices): Epic, Historical, Fairy Tale, Dark, Modern, and Sword & Sorcery.

Epic/High Fantasy When people think of fantasy, with its casts of thousands, lush locations, and serious attention to detail (sometimes several books worth!), epic fantasy is what they are thinking about. Epic/High fantasy can last for many books, has complicated, in-depth plots and literally thousands of characters. If you love high levels of detail, sweeping storylines, and complicated plots, Epic or High Fantasy is for you. Notable authors in this sub-genre include Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, J.R.R.Tolkien, and Stephen R. Donaldson.

Historical Fantasy Mixing real world history with fantasy, this sub-genre typically takes place prior to the 20th century and can include many elements like alternate timelines, magic, and technology and is closely related to the Sword & Sorcery sub-genre. Important names in the sub-genre include authors like Mary Robinette Kowal, Jean M. Auel, C. J. Cherryh, and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.

Fairy Tales This sub-genre of fantasy deals with many of the traditional aspects of the children’s tales, only written in smart, engaging new ways for adults. Here you will find all the old favorites: Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty, along with a host of fairy tales from hundreds of cultures.  Mercedes Lackey, Pamela Dean, Neil Gaiman, and William Deen are authors to look for.

Dark Fantasy Mixing elements of horror with fantasy, supernatural events, and a dark and brooding atmosphere, this sub-genre contains many names that readers of the horror genre will find familiar, including Stephen King, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, Neil Gaiman, and Anne Rice, as well as new favorites like Poppy Z. Brite and Laurel K. Hamilton.

Modern Fantasy Consisting of stories set in the real world during the modern era, these stories often contain magic, magical creatures, and alternate worlds that exist concurrent with the “real” world of the story. Important names in this sub-genre include Phillip Pullman, Mercedes Lackey, Charles de Lint, Mary Norton, and J. K. Rowling.

Sword and Sorcery (Also called Heroic Fantasy) Unlike Epic Fantasy, this sub-genre has a tendency to avoid end of the world scenarios and focus more on personal conflict. Usually containing a romantic element as well as the supernatural and magic, these stories are often fast paced with many episodes of violent conflict. Major names in this sub-genre include Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, Mercedes Lackey, Andre Norton, and Marion Zimmer Bradley.

There you have it, a brief introduction to fantasy fiction. In the coming weeks I will be discussing each sub-genre in more detail, so be sure to bookmark this site and watch this space for more inside scoops on magic and mayhem from me in the near future! Thanks for reading, and until next time, may all your stories be epic.

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