Worldcon: Pre-Convention Dragons

Two days to go and I will be at Worldcon, the 80th World Science Fiction Convention which this year is being held in Chicago. Thanks to the wonders of technology, I’ll be tuning in from the comfort of my writing room. As well as being an avid spectator, I’m joining in with the programme, which involves taking the time to consider my work and perspectives.

And this Tuesday morning it’s all about dragons… which feature in my series Blood Gift Chronicles. Prior to the books, in the planning stages, I didn’t start out with the intention of writing dragons, although it’s possible that there was something happening in the sub-conscious. I mean who doesn’t love dragons? I remember the decision-making process, whether to go with something as familiar and perhaps obvious, or go for invention. Ultimately, I was drawn to dragons, or at least versions of them – as familiar as dragons are, I’m definitely going for a whole new angle.

I was thinking about the quote by Ursula Le Guin: “I do not care what comes after; I have seen dragons dancing on the morning winds.”

They are creatures that reveal an awe-inspiring feeling of other-worldly magic. They are the ultimate strength, the lesson in humility, the fact that there are things bigger than us, out of our control. But rather than the idea of going up against a dragon, trying to beat a dragon, the story develops into becoming a dragon, what that reflects in us, storylines analogous to loss, love, loyalty, grief and empowerment – the idea of ‘beyond this place, there be dragons’ – rather than an outer journey, thinking about an inner journey that someone might go through in transforming.

Back to Blood Gift Chronicles, and dragons don’t actually feature until the third book. Stories are told of them in the second book and the magic is alluded to, but it’s not until the third that we discover the big mystery of the dragons.

A final thought for now, the idea of dragons comes with a kind of melancholy, that idea of bordering on extinction – extinction of magic, and the fantastical, and creature extinction. That fits with some of the themes in the books, around wildlife and the environment. There are storylines around the interplay of capitalism and corruption and impacts on nature, and just generally, wildlife is a very visible backdrop throughout the books, almost with an identity of character in lots of ways. In fact, in book one it does take the form of a fantastical creature character.

Have you met the Mantra yet?

    

For the Love of Books #18

Thinking along the lines of complex characters, non-conforming women with agency, and sapphic romance in the fantasy genre, I thought I’d stop by with a recent read:

The Jasmine Throne; by Tasha Suri

Read more →

For the Love of Books #17

There’s a summer heatwave here in the UK, which begs the question of recommendations to while away sunny afternoons lounging in the sun, or taking shelter in the shade. I’ve gone for two epics, something to get your teeth into, both great reads in their own right.

An Unkindness of Ghosts, by Rivers Solomon

For generations, World ship HSS Matilda has ferried the last of humanity through space to a mythical Promised Land. With a society organised like the antebellum South, led by brutal leaders, it is a system built on racism and misogyny, attacking the dignity of sharecroppers like Aster. While the ruling sovereign enjoy comfort in the upper decks, the lower class are effectively slaves, forced to occupy the uninhabitable lower decks. It is a story of survival, where brutal losses are not shied away from, making it at times a difficult read, but also an important one.

It is sci-fi, with a world that feels so real, driven by characters that reflect a range of human experiences, including neurodivergence, and representation of LGBTQ+ exploring sexuality and gender. The protagonist, Aster, is flawed, self-effacing, astonishingly courageous, with a huge heart and fierce hope despite what most would think are hopeless odds. I adored her. Each step of the way her journey is a lesson in working with what you’ve got, never giving up, appreciating that no matter what, there are always choices to be found. She actively looks for those choices, never stops fighting, never relents to the iron fist of the perpetrators. There’s so much depth in the writing, and in Aster’s character that it’s impossible not to root for her from the beginning. As the reader I found myself in her point of view, searching for the clues her mother left, cheering her on as she pieces together scraps of evidence, desperately hoping that she may find that infamous way off the ship. But first she must sow the seeds of civil war.

The Fifth Season, by N.K. Jemisin

The world is ending, again, for an unstable Earth where geological disasters lead to apocalyptic events that happen every hundred years or so; little wonder the population regard Earth as the enemy, and value survival above all else. This most recent apocalypse sees a great red rift tearing across the heart of the continent known as the Stillness, spewing ash that will darken the sky for years if not centuries. Against this deadly backdrop, a complex society exists, with various human races, and another sentient species, Orogenes, those with power over the earth itself. Orogenes are feared, hated and exploited by humans, since the Orogene’s powers are deadly, but they can also protect civilisations.

The story follows three distinct and haunting voices. Young Damaya is a powerful Orogene, kept locked away because of her dangerous curse. Syenite is so powerful she is able to raise an obelisk, something not seen in over 3000 years, exposing mysterious ruins of the many civilisations that came before. And Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, who comes home to find her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. A powerful Orogene, Essun sets out across the dying lands in pursuit of her wrecked family, prepared to tear the world apart to save her daughter.

I was invested in the main characters from the start, in particular Essen’s emotionally charged opening storyline. Through Essun we explore those shades of grey: emotionally closed off, she cares only about finding her daughter, and will kill anyone who gets in her way. I also appreciated the diversity of characters, and the ease with with LGBTQ+ relationships are introduced, as is the case with other works by this author. Overall, with its intricately built world and highly complex cast, this is an in-depth, imaginative and inventive story.

What are you reading?

Summer Days

A moment to reflect on summer days, which have been a riot of colour for one reason or another. During Pride month, it would be remiss not to mention Exeter Pride, as colourful as ever and such a great thing to be back after so long. An eclectic gay day filled with love, laughter, and a public display of respect and tolerance; it’s always interesting to compare with the more political marches of ‘back in the day’, and a sombre reminder of all those still fighting for their rights. Usually, I get a gazillion snaps of the parade, but this year it was the faces of friends. Perhaps it still feels like a novelty, being out on mass. All ending with a stage of rap, beat boxing, poetry and drag. Such a great day!

 

Another local treasure that I was introduced to only recently came when I went to see a friend, Peter Farrie, perform at the glorious gardens of Studio 36. Prepare to feast your eyes on a wild and colourful spectacle that is a hidden garden here in Exeter, largely unknown but a favourite among art lovers. (Peter was also brilliant. Click here to check out his website of mellow sounds, catchy lyrics, and poignant snapshots of life.)

And last, but by no means least, a visit to Torre Abbey in Torquay, in time for a wonderful exhibition featuring Nigerian-born British artist, Chinwe Russell and her prominent women in history collection.

She said, and I quote: “In my usual bold style, I seek to remind us of the powerful powerhouse that women represent around the world. I am a huge admirer of women, who despite the many atrocities committed against them around the world, remain strong and steadfast to assure the next generation in perpetuity.”

Wangari Maathai was a particular favourite of mine, a woman who inspired a few lines in my climate change poem:

“Meanwhile, for inspiration look ahead of the curve,

Africa…

Mass reforestation and the great green wall, an aptly ambitious reserve.”

The art, gardens, building, and history perfectly capture a brilliant fusion of old meets new meets colourful.

All topped off with a view of the sea, and a lone swan beneath a bright blue sky.

Hope everyone’s having a great week… xx

For the Love of Books #16

Some stories come along that remind you of the extraordinary scope of SFF. Everfair is one of them. I was fortunate enough to ‘meet’ the author on a panel at last year’s online World Fantasy Convention. After hearing her mention her own book, I was quick to look up the title, and was instantly intrigued by what sounded like an important story. I wasn’t wrong.

Everfair, by Nisi Shawl

Everfair is an extraordinary book, that delivers what the concise blurb suggests, which is no mean feat within the realms of 381 pages. Beginning in the era of King Leopold of Belgium, and the atrocious horrors he wrought in Congo, this speculative masterpiece upends history and carves out an alternate version, giving voice and power to those historically silenced. Using steampunk technology, the native populations of the Congo forge an independent identity and the utopia of Everfair. I adored the inventiveness that perfectly blends with the backdrop: the weaponised air balloons that cover miles of African landscape, and the high-tech prosthetic limbs highlighting the realities of colonial crimes and empowering the victims of those crimes.

All of this is achieved through history told and re-imagined, with invention, political intrigue, unconventional families, diverse love, drama and heroics, power and compromise, delivered through multiple viewpoints that give wonderful depth to a complex era retold.

Beginning in 1889, Lisette Toutournier dreams of a world beyond her small town – and boy does she get that! Meanwhile, in the Congo, ivory has been replaced by rubber, and Reverend Lieutenant Thomas Jefferson Wilson witnesses the horrors that Africans are put through to get it. Fearing for the future of all those suffering abominations in the Congolese Free State, he sets out to speak up against the atrocities. He travels to the UK and implores crowds to write and petition to parliament, calling for abolitionism. But Jackie Owen, a member of the socialist Fabian Society, has a better idea.

In 1893, in Kisangani, Congo, King Mwenda wonders whether his decision to ban all whites from the country was a mistake. He is guided by his spirit father, advice revealed in pictures shown upon Shongo blades. He publicly declares his intention for his people to abandon their lands and disperse. In tune with the timings of the sun’s movements, it is a calculated approach, designed for his intelligence to be underestimated by the whites. Therefore concealing his true intention.

All this, and we’re approaching the first world war.

With Mwenda guided by the shine of his blade, and a multitude of viewpoints expertly delivered through a wonderfully diverse cast, this hard-hitting, magically inventive, and extraordinary tale is told, one that shines a light on history, truth, and the human condition to invent, re-invent, and ultimately take the reins of our own destiny.

What are you reading?

 

The Magic of Fantasy

It’s been a week of furniture building and the house being upside down, including, shock horror, my writing room being out of action, and bookshelves out of reach. Among plenty of sorting and cleaning, I made progress on a latest painting project, more on that another time. And for solace, I thought of some of my favourite characters from fantasy fiction.

Any here that you recognise?

 

Rooted in the imagination, the inventive genre of fantasy knows no bounds. And soon, soon I’ll be back on Book 3 of Blood Gift Chronicles. And I’m looking forward to it, seeing how the world further expands bringing new landscapes, new people, new vivid sensory images to delight, appal, and offer up a spot of virtual travelling. We all have some favourite story places. I would gladly visit the lands of Patricia McKillip’s The Forgotten Beasts of Eld, and share a meal with Sybel in her cottage on Eld Mountain, watched by her weird and wonderful menagerie called by wizardry. Or a visit to the remote deserts of apocalyptic Sudan, in Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death, and meet with Onye, a powerful, gifted, flawed, steadfast young woman. I can still hear the sound of her singing voice communing with the desert.

George R.R. Martin said, ‘We read fantasy to find the colours again, I think. To taste strong spices and hear the songs sirens sang.’

Yes to all of the above, and to learn, reflect, challenge, escape, have fun, and flex that all important muscle – the imagination. Fantasy shines a new light, and creates a different edge. It redefines boundaries and allows for reclamation of landscapes. It offers up worlds filled with adventure, to inspire, offer hope, and teach us that anything really is possible. It shines a light on our identities, letting us know we are valid and valued, despite our strengths and flaws. It emboldens us to demonstrate we can tackle our demons, fight for our cause, and realise a state of peace and empowerment. And so much more.

So there is no shortage of inspiration, in a genre that can extend to the reach of your imagination. I look back fondly on scenes from the first two books in Blood Gift Chronicles: some of the stark environments thrust on Suni in Return of the Mantra, where she discovers what she is made of, contrasted with a mountaintop view where her view of the world will be forever changed. And in The Warder, as the dominoes fall, squeezing characters and revealing timeless bonds, the world extends into new lands where old and new, the mundane and the fantastical, coexist. If I close my eyes I’m transported to the islands and the musty air in the cavernous temple, with the sound of footsteps crossing the mosaic-tiled floor; in contrast to the warm desert winds of Shendi, carrying spells and curses that touch all those with the gift to hear…

Finally, I’m happy to report I’m back in my writing room, ready to explore new worlds.

Have a great weekend!