Ask The Author: magic systems, sorta

July 14, 2023

I am implementing an almost-certain-to-be-erratic Friday Blog Post based on reader questions! Today’s question is a very, very old one: “What’s the most difficult part when constructing a system of magic for a world?” That is a Very Good Question. So, like, let’s take the Walker Papers and the Negotiator Trilogy, which are my two longest/best known serieseses. You would not *believe* how many books I read about shamanism, animism, and Native American cultures while preparing to write the Walker Papers. LOTS. MANY. BUNCHES. (I was frankly slightly less concerned…

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Launch Day: POLAR HEART

July 12, 2023

Today POLAR HEART, very long-awaited sequel to my first ever paranormal romance, is finally available! This funny little bit is the moment polar bear shifter Isaiah realizes he *could* have had a Just One Bed scenario with his fated mate Davinda… Wildlife photographer Davinda Jackson thinks she’s seen everything… until the polar bear she’s taking pictures of turns into a man right in front of her. Thrown heart-first into a world of shifters she never imagined existed, in a small town she only meant to visit, Davinda’s livelihood is threatened…

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a memory about AC Crispin

May 15, 2023

The other day there was a “heavens yes, email that author whose books you love and tell them that you loved them!” thing going around on Twitter, and I was reminded that as a teen who wanted to be a writer and loved AC Crispin’s STARBRIDGE books, I wrote her a letter in which I presumably said both of those things. I really don’t remember *what* I said, honestly. What I do remember is that she wrote me back a 4 page handwritten in red ink on yellow legal pad…

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a happy day

May 10, 2023

The past few months–well, years, but I’m just going to focus on the months :p — have been so exhausting and wearying and overwhelming that when I noticed I was happy, I thought I better mention it. Part of it is definitely that a friend I hadn’t seen since before I moved to Ireland was able to visit for a couple of days last week, and it was SO WONDERFUL to see her.

Recent Reads: THE GREAT GODS

March 16, 2023

About twelve years ago, Daniel Keys Moran published a book for the first time in about twenty years. I spent hundreds of dollars to read it–I bought my first ereader to do so–and it was WORTH IT. Last month, Dan published a novel for the first time in about, well, twelve years. This time I didn’t have to pay hundreds to read it because I already had an ereader, and also I subscribe to his Patreon (you can find him @FatSam) where he’d been giving us a chapter at a…

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