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October 1, 2025

Literary Judging and Book Review: Binding the Cuckoo

Last month, I promised that I’d share a little about my experience judging this year’s British Fantasy Award for Best Independent Press. I also have a review for an enchanting new romantasy novel, so let’s start with that, and I’ll say more about judging later.

Binding the Cuckoo Review

Binding the Cuckoo is the first foray into independent publishing from Gabriela Houston, author of The Bone Roots and several other novels rooted in Slavic mythology. Well, perhaps it counts as the second, since I got to know Gabriela as the editor for the Kickstarter-backed, beautifully illustrated anthology Whispers in the Earth: World Folklore Reimagined, to which I contributed a Canadian ghost ship story.

Gabriela kindly sent me a review copy of Binding the Cuckoo. As a fan of her previous work, I was excited to see what her historical fantasy romance had in store.

Here’s the blurb:

1899: A fay grifter seeks fortune and security.

Love was never the plan.

In the late Victorian era, a technological marvel allows scientists to open rifts into the realms of legend. Powerful creatures, weakened and stripped of their memories, are brought to serve the whims of the wealthy elite…

Hare, a young woman with a mythical secret finds herself trapped, facing an unenviable future.

When an equally desperate schoolmistress, Miss Anne Bonningham offers her a chance at freedom, they embark on a daring plan. Disguised as “Miss Edwina Walker,” Hare navigates the treacherous waters of London high society, solely focused on securing a marriage and escaping her past.

However, amidst the glittering balls and intricate social games, as hidden agendas surface and a vengeful figure from her past threatens to expose her true identity, Hare must make a choice: embrace a life of comfort and security or choose freedom and a love that could shatter the very foundation of her world.

If you like your fantasy light, but heavy on the sexual tension, this one’s for you. Hare is an outsider protagonist with few options, and I sympathized with her right away.

In the alternate history, “mythics” are otherworldly beings (mostly fairies) brought into our world, where their magic weakens and memories fade, to serve humans. Hare was betrayed by someone she trusted, and has little idea of who she was before. When offered freedom through an alliance with a somewhat unsavory character, there’s little else she can do.

So, we’re off to London, where Hare poses as Miss Anne Bonningham’s American relative seeking a match. If she can secure a good marriage, both she and her “matchmaker” will have their currently dire futures secured.

Cue the high-society socializing, the kind (if a bit silly and arrogant) duke who takes a shine to Hare, and his lawyer friend who clashes with her again and again, with sparks flying. You could call it a love triangle, but where one option represents security and the other a deeper connection, it’s pretty clear how things are going to turn out. The fun is in getting there.

Along the way, we encounter a variety of mythics who can’t pass as human like Hare can, and struggle to get work. Their interactions are nuanced, as they can magically recognize each other but humans can’t recognize them in the same way. I’d love to know more about them and their world, which is only lightly sketched out. Maybe in a future book?

Binding the Cuckoo is an easy, elegant read. It comes out on October 15, and you can pre-order it now.

Literary Judging: What’s It Really Like?

Any writer reading this is probably intimately familiar with the process of being judged. You sent a piece or pitch to a publication, or a manuscript to an editor or publisher, you wait, and most of the time, you get another rejection letter to add to your growing collection.

I’ve been on both sides of the desk. Along with writing, I used to edit and read submissions for literary magazines. Several years ago, I sat on a panel judging a magazine grant for a Canadian province I’ve never lived in. And this year, I was one of five judges for the British Fantasy Award for Best Independent Press.

The winners of this year’s British Fantasy Awards will be announced at the World Fantasy Convention in Brighton, which takes place from October 30-November 2. So I won’t be sharing any spoilers here, but I have some insights into the process of judging a literary award.

How do you judge something as subjective as the quality of written work? You start by assembling a panel of judges, who all bring different experiences and opinions. Our group had some degree of consensus around quality, strengths, and weaknesses after reading the material – and it was a lot of material. I read a sample of books from each press, for a total of (I think) 20, and there are more in a box if I want to dive into them later.

Some judging panels agree on criteria and give scores to the material. With others, it’s a more fluid discussion – more of an art than a science.

Both panels I’ve been on have been very respectful groups. I imagine the rest of the British Fantasy Awards were similar, with thoughtful, generous debates and discussions of each work’s respective merits. There were differences of opinion, but everyone had fair input. It came down to a nail-biter, and I got to be the deciding vote.

What I witnessed from award judging was just how many good books, publishers, and works might not win awards, but offer high quality, unique perspectives, and valuable contributions to their genres. That’s something I found when reading submissions for magazines, as well. There’s so much good stuff out there! There aren’t spaces or awards for all of it, and not being “chosen” doesn’t make a work any less worthy.

Someone else winning an award, or a rejection of your story, is not a rejection of you.

Some people like to imagine rivalries in the writing world. Maybe they exist, but that hasn’t been my experience. With speculative fiction especially, I see a bunch of geeks getting excited over each other’s books. With publishing more broadly, when one book does well, that can create space for others, and excited readers are more likely to read something else.

There are unkind people and poor behavior in every industry. But my experience judging an award was one of respect and collegiality. From what I’ve seen, the future of independent publishing in British SFF looks hopeful.

September 2, 2025

Book Review: Better Living Through Alchemy

I’ve been meaning to finish and review Evan J. Peterson’s occult detective novella Better Living Through Alchemy since it came out last year. Better late than never, right?

Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of books in order to judge the Best Independent Press award for the British Fantasy Awards. There are a few of us judging each award, and next month, I’ll tell you more about what the experience of judging a literary award is like.

Once I finished that stack of books, I looked at my TBR and there it was, waiting for me – Better Living Through Alchemy, which Evan (who I met through a Clarion West writing group) had kindly given me a review copy for.

At 166 pages, this is a slim but satisfying read, a fast-paced page turner. It’s also not your typical detective novel.

Private investigator Kelly Munn uses her magical and psychic abilities to investigate cases in Seattle along with her cousin and assistant, Critter. One day a client comes in with an equally strange mystery for her to look into. A drug called bardo has appeared on the streets. It’s killing people and leaving their bodies mutated in bizarre ways. It’s a compelling case – and paycheck – that Kelly and Critter can’t refuse.

The characters are charming, with the banter between detectives and clients reading as entertaining and the caring bickering between the two cousins as believable. I enjoyed how the story low-key has a mostly queer cast. Kelly is bi or pan, and Critter is trans and some variety of queer as well.

While Critter and some of the other characters use magical techniques like tarot and dowsing to investigate the mystery, Kelly’s abilities are the most interesting aspect of the heroes’ magic. She has clairolfaction – she can smell feelings and images, which help her intuit leads for the cases she investigates. (Her ability doesn’t seem too far off from synesthesia, just a bit more magical.) Her third-person point of view is peppered with experiences like smelling lies, “green words,” and a mixture of “rightness and wrongness” that smells like “wood smoke and rain mingled.”

Like her colleagues, she supplements her natural abilities with an interesting sort of magical technology. She free-associates words to come up with insights and, at one point, uses something called a “Dreamachine” that once belonged to William Burroughs. I think I want one.

The plot drives the storytelling forward, with one thing leading to another. Resurrection! Demons! Tree-people! Lost gods! The appearance of the drug itself! The tension ramps up, backstories are revealed, twists and turns appear, and everything feels engrossing. By the end of the story, things are… mostly explained, and maybe some of them don’t need to be.

All I can say is, it took me too long to read this book. Don’t be like me – read it now.

Author Interview and UK “Speed Walk”

My friend Mikey Belcher is a fellow American-Canadian transplant to the UK. We went to grad school together, and now he has a fantastic Substack newsletter where he writes about art, architecture, and more. I was delighted to do an author interview with him recently.

He asked me thoughtful questions about my new poetry book, The Heart Decided to Move, we share our experiences of moving to the UK on ancestry visas, and the interview ends with a “speed walk” around some of my favorite places in the UK.

It was fun to be asked what building I’d most like to build out of Lego! Portmeirion, in Wales, of course (see below). Read the full interview here.

More Synesthesia Shenanigans

I’m taking part in a research study at the University of Sussex on synesthesia in families. My mom’s participating too. It’s looking at both synesthetes and their non-synesthetic first-degree relatives. They’re still looking for direct relatives of synesthetes to participate, so if this applies to you or someone you know, you can learn more below or click here to sign up. It’s a paid study that involves color matching and memory tests.

Now I have consistency tests confirming my synesthesia. It felt exciting to have evidence that this was real, that I wasn’t making it all up.

I’ve also signed up for a workshop with the documentary In My Mind’s Eye – Unlocking Synaesthesia. The co-hosts, who run the Let’s Talk Synaesthesia podcast, will be leading sessions on neurodivergent wellbeing, music, and art-making. It’s taking place on October 18 in London, and interested synesthetes can sign up on Eventbrite (space is limited).

This past weekend, I went to an art installation at the Barbican called Feel the Sound. I thought the “multi-sensory installations” sounded both interesting and synesthetic. The exhibit had a lot of cool concepts, such as instruments that use light or sense indirect touch, and AI-generated, light-up melodies that match participants’ descriptions of their experiences with music. There was a lot of AI use in this contemporary exhibit, and I’m not sure how I feel about the infusion of that bland AI-generated writing style in the art world.

As I expected, a lot of the exhibit mixed senses in interesting ways, and that stirred up my mixed senses. I suppose I should have expected that something called “Feel the Sound” would have a lot of what, to me, felt like “weird noises.” Some of them were red or green or shaped like triangles. It felt a bit chaotic in some of the rooms, and calmer in others where the sonic atmosphere was more closely controlled. The choir of trans voices in a room where listeners could rest on body pillows was a highlight, along with screens of visuals synced to music and platforms that vibrate along with sounds. Overall, the experience was a blend of hit and miss for me.

That’s how I’d probably describe my engagement with contemporary art in general, as well as my experiences with synesthesia. I recently tried closing my eyes by a busy highway and watching the colors and shapes that the car noises made in my mind’s eye. It was cool that I could do that… but I quickly lost interest in that little game. I’m the kind of curious person who smells all the roses in the rose garden. But some experiences, it turns out, can be both synesthetic and boring.

Onward, September!

August 5, 2025

Embracing Our Colors and Facing Our Demons

I’m writing this fresh from Brighton Pride celebrations this weekend.

And I’m grappling with difficult feelings. It’s hard to lose a parent. And while I was traveling back and forth across continents to visit my father in the hospital, I didn’t have the bandwidth to process other emotions which I’m feeling now.

A lot of people have found themselves on neurodivergent journeys recently. Mine looks a little different from what you see on TikTok videos. I’ve shared a little about it elsewhere, and now I’ll share more about it here.

I used to be in a neurodiverse relationship. That’s how I got involved with a local autism support group, a decade or so before the neurodiversity-affirming movement really took off.

I’m not autistic. I also don’t have ADHD, the other type of neurodivergence that’s gained visibility recently. But years ago, I read about dyspraxia (sometimes called Developmental Coordination Disorder) and thought, “Oh.”

My skill set has always been wildly asymmetrical. I was that kid who couldn’t catch a ball but was reading (and understanding) my mom’s psychology books at age 9. My brain can struggle to process motion. Sense of direction? I’ve barely got one. Dyspraxia made sense – until I attended a dyspraxia conference, and realized I didn’t experience 70% of the challenges the speakers were talking about.

A few years ago, I contacted an expert and we looked at various forms of neurodivergence. I’d thought I had a disability – but I don’t, and my attempts to find accommodations for my challenges had only made me feel worse. I found out instead that I’d been struggling with anxiety symptoms, and had “some sensory things” (not a diagnosis) and a high IQ. I learned some anxiety management techniques, joined Mensa, and got on with things.

There was still a piece missing. And this year, I found it.

Synesthesia, aka the “Sensory Things”

It turns out my brain has another weird thing going on – synesthesia. This is when input to one sense results in an additional sensory experience. Think colors for letters, tastes for sounds, feeling touch when someone else is touched, visualizing sequences in space, etc. It’s a diverse spectrum of traits, and multiple forms often coexist in the same person.

I read about synesthesia as a teenager and found it relatable. It struck a chord, given my colored weekdays (the most common form of synesthesia found in a population study) and the poem I wrote as a child about the colors and personalities of certain numbers. But surely I didn’t really have synesthesia, since I wasn’t actually “seeing” anything.

There’s more information and research on it now. As it happens, most synesthetes are like me, with the extra sensory input experienced in the mind’s eye (associative synesthesia) rather than in the external world (projective synesthesia).

My main forms of synesthesia have to do with color related to physical sensations and music. I experience other forms, too, including some that happen occasionally. I’m still figuring out what things are “normal” for me that aren’t experienced by everyone. Yep, I was 37 years old when I learned that most people don’t ever visualize moving, colored shapes in their minds when music plays.

It’s common for synesthetes to have some of the challenges I do, such as a poor sense of direction, some challenges processing movement, and left-right confusion (which I used to have, but it went away after going on a bunch of hikes). My strengths in memory and creativity are also common with the profile.

Synesthesia has an interesting place in the neurodiversity conversation. It’s one of few “neurodivergent conditions” that’s not typically disabling. There’s less stigma around it at this time, though if you try to articulate your experiences, they sure can sound weird! Some people experience debilitating or distracting versions of synesthesia. Others embrace the “superpower” narrative, with versions of synesthesia that help with remembering information, spotting patterns, or creating spellbinding art of things they see that no one else can.

I’ve had frightening synesthetic moments and stunningly beautiful ones. On the whole, though, my synesthesia is like background noise that I’ve spent most of my life tuning out. I gave it other names – “my wild imagination,” “weird or spiritual experiences,” and “did this really happen or did I make it up?” No wonder I gravitate toward fantasy fiction, where some characters see things that most people can’t. I realize now there’s a synesthetic character in one of my short stories in Dream Signs, and while there’s no “seeing music” in my music-focused novel Chasing Harmony, it has some synesthetic moments too.

I don’t have to “do anything” about my synesthesia, really. But I’m curiously exploring how it works, and trying to figure out how I feel about it. I think this will take a while.

A mediocre painting of a song I heard. Well, it gets the point across…

Magnetospheres and Demon Hunters

A movie just came out that struck a deep chord with me. Magnetosphere, directed by Nicola Rose, is a coming-of-age story about a girl with synesthesia set in Ontario during my own childhood. For me, it couldn’t have been released at a better time.

It was a delight to hear the Canadian accents and to be reminded of watching Comet Hale-Bopp and the girl power era. While my experiences aren’t the same as the protagonist’s, I do see sounds, hear colors, and see feelings on occasion, and like Maggie, I was and am creative and emotional. There were so many things I related to that I cried a few times during the movie, especially when Maggie was singing about being confused by her synesthetic experiences. I also loved her argument with her friend over the colour of Tuesday – some subtle synesthesia in someone else that wasn’t singled out. That’s not to mention the queer subplot, and the comical one where Maggie’s dad is directing a theatrical production where everything goes wrong. Memories from Joan: The Musical were triggered!

I recommend Magnetosphere without reservation, especially if you’re curious to get a sense of what (some types of) synesthesia can be like. The Pharell Williams Lego movie, Piece by Piece, is another great watch for visualizing music-to-color synesthesia. And, like many people right now, I’ve gotten into Netflix’s animated musical KPop Demon Hunters. I’ve been binge listening to the songs. If you’ve seen it, you’ll know that demonic patterns figure heavily in the plot, so it’s interesting that the riff at the beginning and end of “Golden” evokes a compelling visual pattern for me.

I relate to the main character Rumi’s secrecy and shame. The movie struck a chord because I’ve drafted a novel with overlapping themes – music magic, demons, and secrets brought into the open. Oh, and a version of synesthesia, before I realized that’s what I was experiencing. Once I revise my current WIP, I’m going to get back to work on that one.

To quote the movie’s final song:

Why did I cover up the colors stuck inside my head?
I should’ve let the jagged edges meet the light instead
Show me what’s underneath
I’ll find your harmony
The song we couldn’t write
This is what it sounds like

Writing News

Next week, I’ll be in Cardiff for EMAG, Mensa’s European annual gathering. I’m on the organizing committee and will be leading a workshop on Creative Writing as part of the program.

Creative Writing

Saturday, 9 August, 9-10 am

Looking for a fun new way to express your thoughts, feelings, and ideas? Have you always wanted to write but not been sure how to get started? In this workshop, you’ll explore a variety of facilitated creative writing exercises, with opportunities to share with the group and get feedback if you wish. Let’s bring our imagination to the page!

—

I have two story publications forthcoming this year, and a future poetry event in the works with Custom House Bookshop in London.

I did an author interview recently with fellow writer Christina Consolino, who asked lovely, thoughtful questions.

I’m having fun contributing to the British Fantasy Society’s monthly blogs and judging for the British Fantasy Awards (Best Independent Press means reading a lot of books).

And my publisher Read Furiously’s summer book sale is ongoing, including my The Heart Decided to Move. and the rest of their One ‘n Done series.

Onward and upward! Embrace your colors!

April 9, 2025

Happy Book Birthday!

My poetry collection The Heart Decided to Move is out in the world now!

“A poignant exploration of self-discovery, The Heart Decided to Move captures the author’s transformative journey as she takes the life-changing step of relocating to a new country. Through letters, poetry, and reflective prose, the work weaves together a tapestry of language, emotion, and identity. Each piece invites readers to explore the complexity of what it means to leave behind one’s homeland in search of a true sense of belonging. Follow Melanie Bell as she experiences moments of culture shock, surviving a pandemic in her new home, and joyful moments of worldly travel, all told in snapshots filled with humor and heart.”

You can order your copy here or wherever books are sold!

Or, if you’re in Brighton, come along to the book launch on April 19!

Poetry Book Launch: The Heart Decided to Move

April 19, 6-8 pm, The Queery

In 2017, Canadian author Melanie Bell moved to the UK on an ancestry visa. Her new poetry collection, The Heart Decided to Move, shares the story of that journey, from moments of culture shock and cross-cultural delight to surviving a pandemic in an unfamiliar place. The book incorporates illustrations, prose, and travel poems from far and wide.

Join us to celebrate the launch of this collection and pick up a signed copy!

Tickets here

In further news, the Whispers in the Earth: World Folklore Reimagined anthology is out, featuring my Prince Edward Island ghost ship story, among a collection of 20 tales inspired by myths and legends from around the world, and illustrated with beautiful linocut prints!

The editor, Gabriela Houston, is also a prolific fantasy author. Her latest novel, The Bone Roots, is a haunting, beautiful read featuring Slavic folklore, motherhood, fox thieves, and gods. I read an ARC and thought, “I wish I could have written that!” So, if you’re looking for something new to read, check it out!

Rehearsals for Joan: The Musical continue in preparation for performance in the Brighton Fringe on 3 and 4 May. My co-writer Hannah Doyle and lead actress Geraldine Afifi just did an interview about the show on The Brighton Babbler podcast which also includes a song from the show, “Little Bird.” You can listen to it here!

If you’re local, come join us and see it live next month!

72-year-old Joan has it all. A glittering past as a West End dancer, a chocolate-box maisonette in Seven Dials, and fantastic hair. There’s one thing she doesn’t have, though: the power of self-belief.

Bruised and scorned by her ex-husband’s wayward ways, Joan tumbles down a rabbit hole that brings her face to face with her tattered confidence. Can Joan find her way back to the surface? Or is she destined to languish in the depths of self-care hell?

Joan: The Musical will take the stage at The Actors in Brighton on 3 and 4 May, at 1.30pm. You can get your tickets here!

December 16, 2024

Celebrating 2024

2024 was the year, I decided: the year I was going to commit to my writing. I made a schedule and put in the hours. Now I’m looking back on the results and feeling just a little bit proud.

Things I Finished

I’ve had a few anthology publications.

Early in the year, my story “Like Mother, Like Son” was published in House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature, Vol. 4. My poem “Directions to the Underworld” appeared in Augur Magazine, and my story “Picking Hazelnuts With the Devil” was published in the Brighton NightWriters’ anthology Echoes of Light.

My story based on Prince Edward Island ghost ship folklore, “Ghost Ships Passing in the Night,” was selected for a beautiful illustrated anthology, Whispers in the Earth: World Folklore Reimagined. I’ve connected with a lovely community of writers through this project, including a Kickstarter launch event and meeting several participants in Glasgow at Worldcon. The ebook is out for the original backers, and the print edition will be out sometime in the new year.

I’ve also enjoyed some success writing scripts. Morley College Radio recorded a performance of my short radio drama Plan A. I participated in the Liverpool Fringe’s 24 Hour Play Fest, co-creating a play called Between Brighton Rock and a Hard Place with a talented team. It was a fun, adrenaline-fueled event where I wrote the script into the night, and the director and actors practiced and performed the play the following day.

I reworked my website and social media presence.

I also republished a second edition of my short story collection, Dream Signs, which had gone out of print.

Things I Participated in

Networking and events have been a big part of my writing year, too.

I attended New Writing South’s Playwrights Industry Day, my first Worldcon, the London Festival of Writing, a London Songwriters retreat in the Peak District, and a writers’ retreat in Kenya. I joined writing-related online communities and the British Fantasy Society, and continued connecting with writing communities both online and off.

I read at the Echoes of Light launch, at Strong Women, Strange Worlds’ QuickRead event and Holiday Extravaganza.

I had a thoughtful interview with Gabriela Blandy about my book on the Enneagram personality model and hosted a creative writing workshop to raise money for Survivors’ Network.

I got more involved with the local queer community, donating books to the Ledward Centre and selling them at the Queery.

I’ll be doing more writing workshops and events in the new year.

Projects in Progress

I’ve had a few pieces of good book news.

My poetry collection The Heart Decided to Move is forthcoming from Read Furiously in April 2025. It focuses on my experiences moving to the UK and incorporates prose pieces and illustrations.

My novella Worth Working For is forthcoming in 2026, so I have two new books lined up!

I’m in the process of casting a short musical I co-wrote with a talented collaborator, for performance in the Brighton Fringe in May 2025. Stay tuned for more about it!

I also finished multiple drafts of a cozy fantasy novel. Stay tuned for more about that, too!

Prioritizing my writing (while maintaining my professional job) has been a good move. I had no idea what I’d be able to do in a year. I’m surprised by how much it turned out to be, and how much confidence I’ve found in the process of focusing my time on what I love.

It’s been a good year. May 2025 be another one!

October 7, 2024

My Book Is Back!

A few people may get lucky in the writing world. For most of us who look successful, good luck and bad luck whirl around in a sort of tango.

In 2021, a small press called Lost Fox Publishing published my short story collection, Dream Signs. They were a nice team and presented the book with a beautiful cover (thanks to Rob Chandler for the design).

Shortly after publication, Lost Fox closed. The other book I’d contracted with them is still sitting, unpublished, on my computer. Dream Signs, for a while, was nearly unavailable, with just a few copies online and on my shelf at home.

Now, I’m delighted to say that Dream Signs is back! I’ve published a second edition of the collection, which I read from last Friday at Strong Women, Strange Worlds’ QuickReads event. You can pick up an ebook or paperback copy here. Feel free to share – my book is available again, and hopefully will find new readers!

Anthologies and Events

I’ve had a bunch of publications at once. First, the e-books from the world folklore anthology Whispers in the Earth have been sent out to people who pledged in the Kickstarter. Below is Gabriela Houston’s beautiful linocut illustration for my story, “Ghost Ships Passing in the Night.” There’s an illustration for every story, and the book looks gorgeous. The hard copies will ship in December!

Second, my poem “Directions to the Underworld” has been published in Augur magazine, issue 7.2. You can read a few of the pieces (though not my poem) or get your copy here.

Third, my short story “Picking Hazelnuts with the Devil,” inspired by British tree folklore, has been published in the Brighton NightWriters anthology Echoes of Light. You can purchase a copy here, and there will be a launch party in Brighton on November 1.

I’ve had an exciting weekend of writing events, reading with Strong Women, Strange Worlds on Friday. Check out their events here, featuring women and nonbinary writers of speculative fiction! They include book giveaways and are always fabulous.

Saturday was the local Creative Writing workshop I hosted as a fundraiser for Survivors’ Network, supporting survivors of sexual violence and abuse in Sussex. We had a lively and engaged group participating in writing exercises and sharing best practices for getting that project started or finished. I loved doing the workshop and learned from everyone there. Thanks for coming, and for supporting a good cause! East Brighton Trust, the CIC that provided space for us, will post more about the event this week, and I’ll share their photos and blog on social media.

Now I’m catching my breath and basking in the quiet. Here are my intentions for October – a slower, more reflective time to do deep work on projects.

October is cozy.
This month, I'll get things done slowly.
October is pumpkins, coffee, and wine.
October is easy, and everything's fine.

What does your October have in store?

August 26, 2024

Book Review: The Phoenix Keeper by S. A. MacLean

Plus a meal fit for a phoenix

I was given an ARC of The Phoenix Keeper, and here’s my honest review, plus some recipes the characters might like.

I loved this book. It was the perfect thing to read while recovering from illness, and the anxiety rep hit home. I was swept away into a world of magical zoo animals that, while fanciful, felt grounded in reality.

Aila Macbhairan is a phoenix keeper at the San Tamculo Zoo, living out the dream she’s had since she was 8 years old. She works with an endangered Silimalo phoenix in a zoo that hasn’t had an active breeding program for a while, but her fortunes reverse when a nearby facility has some of its phoenixes stolen. Aila must rush to get her facility ready and care for a new bird. What could go wrong? (So. Much.)

Aila has a staunch friend in fellow zookeeper Tanya, and an enemy (initially) in Luciana, who runs the zoo’s griffin show. She resents the show for its cheesy commercialism, and holds a grudge against Luciana based on incidents from their time at university together.

I found the queer rep in this story to be well done. Aila is bi, Tanya is trans, and there’s an adorable sapphic romance that weaves in around the animal shenanigans. Aila’s parents, far more extroverted than her, are also fun characters with their fusion-food pub.

But it’s Aila’s inner journey that got me. Her personality is familiar – bookish, skittish, and socially awkward. She’s as uncomfortable around most people as she is at home around the animals she works with. There’s a bit of mental health advice in the book, and I appreciated reading Aila’s experiences of being underestimated, belittled (especially when she tries to date dragon keeper Connor), and having a rough start with a therapist who didn’t get her, not because I want others to live through these things but because it’s nice to have fictional mirroring. Aila is especially terrified of public speaking. There’s a nice arc where she grows into a sense of purpose that helps her transcend her fears and live as if she’s enough (because of course she is).

One thing I appreciate about the rise in cozy fantasy is the opportunity to read about work in a fantastical world. All kinds of work, not just the world-saving kind. S. A. MacLean works in conservation, and it shows. Aila’s care for her phoenixes ends up carrying the day.

The magical animals feel real; they’re vivid characters, written with attention to the daily details of zoo life. At the same time, they’re wonderfully inventive. We get to read about creatures like peacock griffins, vanishing ducks, and pet carbuncles. (The book has a few illustrations, so we get to see some of them, too.) The world is modern, with phones and plastic souvenirs, and in many ways similar to our own. Yet thoughtfulness permeates the details, geography, and ecology.

The Phoenix Keeper’s writing flows smoothly and is well crafted. It takes effort to create something this engaging to read. I was a little sad to leave Aila’s world, and hope we get a sequel so I can spend more time there.

How can I thank the author? How about with some food fit for a phoenix (keeper)?

Phoenix Food: Awesome Slaw

Silimalo phoenixes eat a lot of veggies, and I think they’d enjoy this salad. I certainly do. I adapted the recipe from Kayti Peschke’s in Caboodle magazine.

Ingredients

1 head of cabbage

1 head of broccoli

2 carrots

a few dill pickles

For the dressing:

4 tbsp mayonnaise

4 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp mustard

sea salt and ground black pepper

Method

Chop the vegetables and mix them in a bowl.
Mix the dressing ingredients in another bowl.
Toss the dressing with the salad and enjoy!

Zookeeper Chow: Aubergine Gochujang Noodles

Aila has a hard time with spice, but I think even she’d enjoy these noodles that match her phoenixes’ fire just a little bit. Recipe from Mob 6: Tasty 6-Ingredient Meals.

Ingredients

1 aubergine (or eggplant), cut into 2cm chunks

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp peanut butter

2 packets of vegan instant ramen

1 spring onion, thinly sliced

Method

Preheat the oven to 180° C with fan.
Line a baking tray with baking paper. Toss the aubergines in a bowl with the oil, spread out on the baking tray and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour over the soy sauce, tossing well to coat. Return to the oven for 15 minutes until the aubergine is tender, sticky and caramelised. If it looks a little dry and overdone, add a splash of water to the tray to help you get it saucy and coated again.
In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, peanut butter and ramen seasoning packets with 3 tbsp of water. Set aside.
Set a large saucepan of water over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook the ramen for 3-4 minutes until tender. Drain in a colander, then add back to the pan and pour in the gochujang mixture. Stir well to combine.
Serve the noodles topped with the sticky soy saubergine and spring onion to garnish.

Rubra the Phoenix’s Hot Apple Toddy

So, I kind of made this up. I was sick, OK? I think this is what I put in there. Feel free to experiment with your own ingredients and portions!

Ingredients

1 part whisk(e)y (with U.S. and U.K. sources, the spelling in this post is all over the place)

3 parts apple juice

a little hot water

a dash of cinnamon

a dash of honey

a dash of lemon juice

1 lemon slice

1 clementine slice

another clementine slice + a raspberry for garnish

Method

Heat the liquids with the cinnamon and honey.
Add the fruit slices.
Add the garnishes to the rim and eat them after you finish drinking.

Happy eating, drinking, and reading! Don’t hesitate to check out this wonderful book!

July 1, 2024

What the London Festival of Writing Was Like

I’m back from another busy weekend, in London this time. It was my first time attending an event from Jericho Writers, which offers writing conferences and courses in the UK. I went to the weekend-long London Festival of Writing.

If you’ve been to a conference, you know a bit of what to expect: talks, buffet lines, networking. This one stood out because it featured a writing competition and a chance to meet one on one with literary agents.

On Saturday morning, I arrived to this view of the Tower of London flanked by shining modern towers looming over the Thames.

The keynote was delivered by bestselling crime novelist Vaseem Khan, who spoke about the “ingredients” that make a bestseller and shared his journey. He found success after working in India and writing about a setting that was fresh and unique for his audience. He also researched and created videos and a PDF guide about writing cultural diversity in fiction, which may interest some of you.

I met with two literary agents who had reviewed my query package and offered valuable feedback on what’s working well and what to improve. The first evening ended with a gala dinner and a competition called Friday Night Live (but on Saturday), where the finalists read the opening scenes of their novels to the room and attendees voted to choose a winner. Agents gave each finalist brief feedback onstage, and a few of them wanted to see the rest of the manuscript.

I attended sessions on crafting effective opening chapters in fantasy and science fiction, self-editing your novel, writing for children, juggling writing and a day job, and more.

Here’s some of my favorite advice from them.

Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson’s advice on opening chapters included moving from the norm of the world to the change that happens in it, identifying what the character stands to lose or gain (and there are effective stories where a protagonist starts off with little left to lose!), and planning your character’s emotional arc. I picked up a copy of her epic science fantasy novel, The Principle of Moments, and can’t wait to read it!

Holly Seddon’s talk on the writer/day job juggle offered practical tips for managing your time when working in both capacities. She encouraged us to think of ourselves as fitting our job around writing, rather than vice versa. My favorite ideas include finding ways to write in available slots of time (write on your phone, think about your story, etc.), making sure to schedule time for rest, and dividing your word count by available days to give yourself a deadline. Holly and fellow author Gillian McAllister have a fun and insightful podcast called the Honest Authors’ Podcast, which I’d recommend if you’re looking for something new to listen to.

Children’s author Eve Ainsworth offered a warm-hearted talk on writing for young readers. Write what you know, she advised; write what you love; and write what you want to see more of, whether it be a social issue or a niche topic of interest. For children, it’s often characters that grab and hold their attention. Eve sent off her first submission to Penguin at age 7 and it actually went into an acquisition meeting(!), though it took her many more years to find a path to publication. Keep writing, she encouraged us, and keep reading.

Marve Michael Anson, who has a forthcoming epic fantasy trilogy inspired by her Yoruba culture, gave a fantastic workshop on fantasy and science fiction worldbuilding with a long list of questions to think about: your world’s cosmology and metaphysics, ecology and biology, culture, the consequences of any changes you make, and more. We did an exercise using a picture as a springboard for making up a world, and found that our ideas were all different. Keep that in mind if you’re worried about someone “stealing your idea,” or about your concept being derivative.

Marve also gave the closing keynote along with her agent, Kesia Lupo. Hers is the kind of success story that rarely happens but can be inspiring to hear about. She attended several Jericho events over the years and was in the running for some of the awards. After self-publishing a thriller, she found an agent for her fantasy novel and got a 6-figure, 3-book deal!

The payments for these deals are spread out over the years, so it’s not as huge of a pot of money up front as it sounds, but her whole story is epic, with the acquiring editor going from “I love it and will take it to the meeting” to an offer of that scale in 48 hours. Her book is called Firstborn of the Sun and I hope to attend the launch event this fall, which will be a big Yoruba-style party.

I was impressed with my first taste of Jericho Writers’ offerings. They’re practical, business minded, and encouraging. Being published put me in a minority among attendees, but the prevailing feeling was that many others can and will get there. In this challenging industry, it’s wonderful not only to hear that message of “You can do it!” but to see hundreds of people coming together to help and support emerging writers in getting there.

June 3, 2024

Book Review: Centauri’s Shadow by Ross Garner

I was very excited when my colleague Ross Garner published his debut novel Centauri’s Shadow. It’s not every day that someone at work shows up with a thrilling space adventure, so I jumped at the chance to review it.

Centauri’s Shadow is a hard science fiction space opera with two separate storylines, told in two separate timelines that eventually converge.

Here’s what the blurb says:

“‘Eight years ago they sent a single ship to test our defences. Now they’re building an armada.’

Cole grew up in the shadow of grief. Kyoko grew up in the shadow of war. Two pilots, separated by time, set out on parallel journeys to Proxima Centauri. What they find could be the start of something new. What they bring with them could be the end of all we know.

In this sweeping science fiction debut from Ross Garner, readers will find an Earth that is transformed by fear of an imminent invasion; a space station in orbit that acts as a gateway to other worlds; a Martian colony with all of the threat and violence of the Old West; and a distant star where answers can be found.

What is ‘the signal’? A greeting, or a threat?”

Centauri’s Shadow lives up to its promises. There’s war, crime, threat, space accidents, space stations, aliens, and a dramatic twist.

The first chapter sets an exciting pace. Young Cole, one of the two protagonists, is in a spaceship with his family, waiting for his mother to pilot a spaceship around the sun. Then it all goes wrong, leaving Cole (literally and figuratively) scarred for life.

The story alternates between following Cole “before the attack” and a military pilot, Kyoko, “eight years after the attack.” A signal from an alien species has shaped Cole and Kyoko’s lives, in opposite directions. Originally believed to be a message, it resulted in an attack on earth from an alien species, which has shaped Kyoko’s career and leaves the future of all earthly life in doubt.

Readers watch as Cole grows up post-accident, through a troubled childhood, another space voyage, and a stay on a ragtag Mars colony full of crime and vice. Kyoko is a more straightforward character who has made, and is capable of making, hard choices. I enjoyed the story’s emotion and some of the characters’ moral greyness.

The space opera proceeds at a compelling, readable pace and has a surprising twist that makes it well worth reading. The ending satisfies, too. I wouldn’t call this an optimistic narrative, but it closes with a welcome sense of hope.

Give Centauri’s Shadow a try if you fancy a smoothly paced, exciting new science fiction read.

January 2, 2024

Artificial Intelligence: A New Chatbot and Anthology

Advances in artificial intelligence have been key technological developments in 2023. And I’ve been fortunate to be involved in the action in my own small ways.

Mind Tools, the workplace learning company I work for, launched an innovative product called AI Conversations in collaboration with Learning Pool last year. AI Conversations allows managers to practice having difficult workplace conversations with realistic AI-generated “employees” and receive feedback on ways to improve their skills.

I was one of the team who created the characters and prompted ChatGPT to act out one of the scenarios. It reminded me of crafting characters and writing scenes for plays. I laid out parameters for the AI technology and it performed a bit like an actor would, making its own contributions.

It was an exciting skill to learn! I wrote about it in depth on Mind Tools’ blog, including the scenarios our team picked and the steps we went through to get from concept to product.

And I was delighted to see this Mind Tools – Learning Pool collaboration receive Silver in two categories of the Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Awards 2023: “Best Advance in Emerging Learning Technology’ and ‘Best Advance in AI and Machine Learning.”

AI is a topic that I, like many of us, have had a casual interest and curiosity about long before its current, fast-growing iterations.

One of the stories in my short story collection, Dream Signs, was about an AI program who was sentient and regarded his programmer as “Mom” – but she didn’t know about any of that, or about the work that he explored independently. Cue the misunderstandings!

I’m delighted to have that story, “Like Mother, Like Son,” included in a new anthology! House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature, Vol. 4 is the AI Edition, collecting short stories from 22 writers about the many things that artificial intelligence can mean and where it might be going.

“Siri and Alexa write each other love letters…

An AI Nanny is programmed to protect the children at all costs…

An Artificial Intelligence navigates an ocean of data in search of freedom…

A space explorer accidentally merges with their sentient ship…

A young man ponders his existence in a world where human-made art is forbidden…

As Artificial Intelligence becomes more and more embedded in our world, writers are speculating on what this could all mean for humanity. House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature Volume 4 offers readers incredible visions of what our future might look like. From capitalist dystopias to new definitions of love, the writers in this volume deftly examine the impact of Artificial Intelligence on our world, our technology, and on our relationships. Curated and edited by Erika Steeves and Nihls Andersen, this collection shows us the many ways that Artificial Intelligence reflects humanity back to us.”

You can check it out here!