Marie Bilodeau will be starting work, in Jan 2009, on an Okal Rel Legacies title containing a collection of interviews with Friends of the Okal Rel Universe and other interesting people whose paths have intersected the saga's growing foot print in the world. Marie and I met at World Fantasy Con in Calgary and hit it off. In responding to my great pleasure at her decision, she also let slip that she will be appearing in the Absolute XPress line up as an author of her own, unrelated work of fiction, Princess of Light. She said it in such a lovely way I couldn't repress the itch to cite her word for word:

My turn to be melodramatic, but you are an inspiration to me. Book 1 of my trilogy (Princess of Light) is coming out from Absolute XPress in march, and I'm thrilled to be sharing space with some Okal Rel books. Speaks highly, I find. (Marie Bilodeau, e-mail message, Nov 30, 2008)

Labels: Marie Bilodeau

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David Lott, my husband and web master, was honored by a nomination in the "Youth Initiative of the Year" category for the Northern BC "A Healthier You" Awards, Nov 7 2008 at the Civic Centre. That's my seat beside him, empty, because I'm taking the picture. David was nominated along with Sandra Jandric and DP Todd Secondary School for their committee work in introducing healthier snacks on school premises.

Labels: David Lott

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Here's the latest ETAs for title in the Okal Rel Legacies line of Absolute XPress. Got a call this morning from Quill & Quire reporter Stuart Woods about Absolute Xpress, in connection with an article they are doing on Edge.

Labels: Absolute XPress, ORU Legacies

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I particularly loved this piece by Michelle Milburn, titled Seeking Solace. It was one of the works she created for the Deviant Art "100 theme" challenge. Not only is it lovely, but it struck a resonance for me with the streets of Demora. I'm writing about Demora right now in Part 6: Avim's Oath. Michelle is working on her MFA degree if I'm not mistaken. Right Michelle? And in addition to being an artist, she writes.

Labels: Michelle Milburn

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Google alerts snagged a couple of echoes of recent events: A LisWire article about Brian Hades, my good friend and intrepid publisher, and an news item about the SF Creatives meetings by Prince George friend of literature of all kinds, Paul Strickland. Looks like the Captain Fantasy title is going to stick for Brian Hades. And hope Anita found her sleeping bag! She put up a whole tribe of us at her house for World Fantasy Con in Calgary - definitely above and beyond the call of duty.

Labels: Brian Hades, Liswire, Paul Strickland, SF Creatives

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Last Saturday, November 8, Betsy Trumpener launched her book, The Butcher of Penetang, to a capacity crowd at Books and Company in downtown Prince George. Also on the program were Laisha Rosnau, Al Rempel, Shelia Peters and Leanne Boschman. The event was hosted by Gillian Wigmore and attended by many local literati I recognized, such as poet Jacklyn Baldwin and Dr. Dee Horne of UNBC and Scroll Press, Michelle, Brenda and others. I enjoyed the readings and was pleased to see Harbour Publishing had recognized Betsy for the literary powerhouse she is: something I have known since her story Skin Condition appeared in the online journal I published for many years, called Reflections on Water.

Labels: Betsy Trumpener, Books and Company, Caitlan Press

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Had a fun time at the SF Creatives night at Books & Co in Prince George, on Wednesday night Nov 12. We had readings from Nathalie Mallet's book
Princes of the Golden Cage, Righteous Anger by myself, creative writing from Nicole and a first taste of the tooth fairy "Fay'dora" ... I'm probably not spelling that right! I read a pogo stick piece from the second volume of the Medicine Show books from RedJack Press. Michelle Milburn brought some gorgeous art work undertaken as a challenge to do work on 100 different themes. I should have got permission to share one of them here! Should have kept notes, too. Grr. We got no picture of Paul Strickland or our Books & Co. attendee who we are very happy to have sit in. Holly evades the camera as well, I discovered, and we captured only the back of Mel’s head. David Lott dropped in, as well, before the end. A nice group, growing comfortably. We have time for lots of socializing between and after the show-and-tell segments.
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Part 1: Courtesan Prince makes a new friend! Always love it when people tell me they've made contact with the ORU. :-) Thank you Margaret.

Labels: Courtesan Prince, Margaret Curelas, World Fantasy Convention

posted by Lynda at 07:28   permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments

 

Nina Munteanu posted a nice medley of pictures from World Fantasy Con on her blog, The Alien Next Door.

Labels: Nina Munteanu, World Fantasy Convention

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KP, the woman who brings us the pleasure of new ORU buttons each time I add a new book to the saga, and is one of those inspiring people of integrity, energy and mission who makes me proud to be a librarian (in some of my past lives), posted about Part 3: Pretenders on her blog. She's in charge of the library of the College of New Caledonia.

Labels: Kathy Plett, Pretenders

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News from editor Richard Janzen, on Part 5: Far Arena progress. Meanwhile, I am working on first draft of Part 6: Avim's Oath, which I share just a bit of the rough-draft-in-progress from, below, as a GIF. It's sooo hard to wait until the book's out to get the fun of imagining people reading bits! Bad, bad leaky author.

Labels: Avim's Oath, Far Arena, Richard Janzen

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Author Deborah Jackson wrote this review of Righteous Anger in Jan 2008. I found it this morning tidying up backlogged e-mail. I expect we are all having interesting relationships with our e-mail these days. :-( But at least it is wonderful to find nuggests like this when one rummages in the treasure trove. Deborah is a Canadian Science Fiction author. Her latest book, called The Time Meddlers, is rooted in Canadian history. It's a children's book but I read it with pleasure.

Labels: Deborah Jackson, Review, Righteous Anger

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Honored to appear in such wonderful company, with other Canadian SF authors, as featured author. The woman behind these displays, which feature different authors at different times, is Jessica Strider. Jessica is the author of the Sci-Fi Fan Letter and in charge of the sci fi section of her store. Many thanks and best wishes to her in her own creative work, now and in the future. The interview with me, displayed here on the flanking pages, can be read at her blog: Interview with Lynda Williams.

Labels: Jessica Strider, Toronto, World's Biggest Bookstore

posted by Lynda at 09:36   permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments

 
> I saw Pretenders came out!  The bit that's up online is very good.
> Poor Amel.  (I guess a large portion of Okal Rel can be summed up
> as "Poor Amel" - haha.)  The Golden Demish prince  speaking with
> great emotion about bashing people's heads in is priceless.  I'll
> get the book at Christmas.

Shades of Mel's elevator speech! But I have promised Amel he'll "man up" (as Hal Friesen put it) in the second half of the series. Just a bit! And have a few good days. :-)

Labels: Jennifer Lott, Pretenders, Shannon Rae

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Back from World Con with a cold (grumble) and good memories. ONLY books were welcome in the dealer's room. There was a lovely art display next door, too, but it was nice to be in the company of fellow bibliophiles instead of feeling like an inconvenience to the gaming gang by getting underfoot. (Some of my near and dear are gamers! Just not my thing these days.) This is one of many pictures I'll be sharing as I can. The big banner used here as a backdrop for featuring Anita Hades and Justyn Perry of Edge was unfurled at the Wednesday night bash, and contains the covers of all the Hades Publications titles. The four titles of the Okal Rel Saga are there, all in a row, off to the left of this picture but you can see a bit of the Throne Price stack on the lower right.

Labels: Anita Hades, Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, Justyn Perry, World Fantasy Convention

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