Krista Wallace on Myth & Magic

SF Canada member Krista Wallace was recently interviewed by Neil Mach on his UK podcast Myth & Magic. This podcast is aimed at Fantasy writers and focuses on research into history, mythology, fable and folklore.

In episode 75 of Myth & Magic, Krista talks with Neil about her Gatekeeper series and the struggles related to it, as well as Krista’s own podcast, Totally Fantastic Title.

Krista also recently released the second book in this series, Gatekeeper’s Deception – Deceiver. Like the first in this series, Gatekeeper’s Deception was a finalist in the Colorado Gold Contest.

The Lady Alon Maer, wife of duke Kien Bartheylen, is pregnant and seriously ill. Swordfighter Kyer Halidan, along with her company of friends, takes on the mission to find a cure. If they fail, Alon and her baby will die.

An alluring stranger who calls himself The Guardian appears along the way and gives Kyer timely warnings, earning her trust, and hinting at her true identity. But is he helping her, or serving his own ends?

An uncanny escape, a gift from a dead warrior, a shocking message for Kyer’s ears only, all sow suspicions among her friends that she is not who she claims to be. Even as their faith in her is tainted, her nemesis plots his vengeance: exposing unassailable evidence that it is Kyer who is attempting to murder Alon Maer.

 

Krista Wallace is a writer, singer and actor. She writes short fiction in a variety of genres, and long fiction, primarily in fantasy. Krista sings jazz in a big band called FAT Jazz, and a duo called the Itty Bitty Big Band. She also does audiobook narration, and puts out a weekly podcast. She likes dark chocolate and fine single malt scotch.

Learn more about Krista and explore her work at kristawallace.com.

Purchase Gatekeeper’s Deception at Chirp, Google Play, and other audiobook platforms.

To Well and Truly Serve by Geoffrey W. Cole

Earlier this year, SF Canada member Geoffrey W. Cole had a story appear in Cosmic Horror Monthly.

“To Well and Truly Serve” was originally written as a James Bond story for the Licence Expired anthology and now stars Julie Bonenfant.

Geoffrey W. Cole was born in Ottawa, Ontario, where he learned to swim and to survive 233K (-40 C or F) weather. After this larval stage, he moved to Kingston, Ontario, where he received degrees in Biology, Mechanical Engineering, Beer Slinging, and Rock and/or Roll. Geoff also met his mate in Kingston. After graduating they embarked on a trans-Canada road trip from Newfoundland to Alaska (for you future-bots reading this, from RockScar to The Beaches). After a brief stint in Ontario, Geoff and his mate moved to Vancouver, BC, where they married, started a home, adopted a giant Newfoundland Lab cross, and gave birth to a wonderful son. They spent a year abroad in Rome, Italy, and after the vandemic of 2017 (curse you, sentient minivans!) they moved to SeaBase 4 off the coast of Haida Gwaii to breed orca.

For more about Geoffrey’s work, visit his website at geoffreywcole.wordpress.com.

Read “To Well and Truly Serve” at cosmic-horror.net.

Craig Russell on Stories for Earth

SF Canada member Craig Russell was recently interviewed by Forrest Brown on the podcast Stories For Earth. They discuss Craig’s cli-fi novel Fragment and what motivated him to write the story.

When avalanching glaciers thrust a massive Antarctic ice sheet into the open ocean, the captain of an atomic submarine must risk his vessel to rescue the survivors of a smashed polar research station; in Washington the President’s top advisor scrambles to spin the disaster to suit his master’s political aims; and meanwhile two intrepid newsmen sail south into the storm-lashed Drake Passage to discover the truth. Onboard the submarine, as the colossal ice sheet begins its drift toward South America and the world begins to take notice, scientists uncover a secret that will threaten the future of America’s military power and change the fate of humanity. And beneath the human chaos one brave Blue Whale fights for the survival of his species.

Craig Russell’s YA fantasy novel, Black Bottle Man won a Moonbeam gold medal and was an Aurora Award finalist. His SF novel, Fragment was selected for the Yale University Climate Connections reading list and was shortlisted for the Michael Van Rooy Award. Craig grew up on a prairie farm with nine siblings and is now a retired lawyer living in Winnipeg, MB.

For an extended version of this interview and more information about Stories for Earth, visit storiesforearth.com.

Learn more about Craig at craigrussell.info.

Purchase your copy of Fragment at McNally Robinson, Amazon, and other booksellers.

Cait Gordon Interviews Su J. Sokol

SF Canada member Cait Gordon recently interviewed fellow member Su J. Sokol on her new podcast In the ‘Cosm.

Cait started her a podcast as a way to connect with authors she admires during the pandemic. The latest episode is S1 Ep4: From A (as in seeking asylum) to Zee with Su J. Sokol.

Listen via Spotify below, on YouTube with captions, or visit Cait’s website for a full transcript.

Cait Gordon is a humorist, baker, and Irish-Canadian princess living in the Narnia region of Ottawa’s suburbia. She enjoys reading and writing speculative fiction that celebrates the reality of diversity. In her advocacy work, Cait’s goal is to continue to share and elevate the voices of disabled, Deaf, and/or neurodiverse creatives.

Learn more about Cait at caitgordon.com.

Su J. Sokol is a social rights activist and a writer of speculative, liminal and interstitial fiction. Originally from Brooklyn, xe now makes Montréal xyr home. Xyr short fiction has appeared or is upcoming in The Future Fire, Spark: A Creative Anthology, TFFX 10th Anniversary Anthology, Glittership: an LGBTQ Science Fiction and Fantasy Podcast, Glittership: Year One anthology, After the Orange: Ruin and Recovery, and Amazing Stories.

Learn more about Su at sujsokol.com.

To Push Back the Darkness by Lisa Timpf

SF Canada member Lisa Timpf has just published her first novella with JMS Books LLC. To Push Back the Darkness is a f/f romance/police procedural with science fiction elements.

When the trail goes cold on a string of robberies, Detective Janet Vertran is forced to call on her ex Fiona for help. When Fiona broke things off between them two years earlier, Janet swore she’d keep her distance. But she also knows from past experience how helpful Fiona’s creation, an android named Pat, can be in ferreting out the little details that make all the difference when solving tough crimes.

 

Though the robberies appear to have been conducted by separate individuals, Pat finds an unexpected connection between them. But as Janet, Fiona, and Pat get closer to unearthing the truth, it becomes clear the case is taking an emotional toll on Fiona.

 

As she works with her ex once again, Janet is reminded of old times and familiar feelings begin to stir. Is it possible they’ll get a second chance to make their relationship work? And will Janet find the courage to do what it takes to find out?

Lisa Timpf is a retired human resources and communications professional who lives in Simcoe, Ontario. Her writing has appeared in a number of venues, including Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Very Good, Very Bad Dog, New Myths, Third Flatiron, and Scifaikuest.

A graduate of McMaster University’s Physical Education program, Ms. Timpf also completed course work toward an MSc in Sport History at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. When not writing, Lisa enjoys cycling and bird-watching.

Learn more about Lisa’s writing at lisatimpf.blogspot.com.

Purchase your copy of To Push Back the Darkness on Amazon.

Issue 1 of Polar Starlight Available for Download

The first issue of Polar Starlight, a new magazine devoted to Canadian speculative poetry, is now published and available to download.

Polar Starlight is edited by SF Canada member Rhea E. Rose and published by R. Graeme Cameron.

Discover poetry from fellow members Bernadette Gabay Dyer and Neile Graham along with many other Canadian voices.

Download Issue 1 for free. Visit polarborealis.ca for more information about Polar Starlight and the original Polar Borealis.