Season of Renewal

Crocuses provided the inspiration for "rose aethne",
a wildflower in Eolyn's world that is the first
to blossom in spring.

In my 2010 post Names in Eolyn, I talk at length about the origin of Eolyn's and Akmael's names.  Actually, the multiple origins, because like many good names, theirs were inspired by a couple different sources, and can be interpreted in a variety of ways.

In the untold backstory of the novel, Eolyn's mother Kaie chooses 'Eo-' in reference to one of the pagan names for spring equinox, 'Eostar'. Eolyn was born in the springtime, but Kaie was also expressing a hope that her daughter would bring a new 'springtime' -- a renewal of magic -- to her people.   So any time spring rolls around, I am reminded that this is Eolyn's season, one of color and renewed life, of warmer days and shorter nights.

Of course, spring is not all sunlight and butterflies.  In Kansas City, March is also a time of strong winds and violent storms; of unexpected freezes that can kill the new buds and strip delicate flowers from the trees.  Renewal is not always easy; sometimes achieving it involves overcoming great odds.  This is as true in life as it is in fiction; it is certainly true for Eolyn and Akmael.

I'm starting the final stretch now of High Maga, the companion novel to Eolyn, where our beloved maga continues her difficult struggle to restore magic -- particularly women's magic -- to the people of Moisehén.  Will she succeed?

Eolyn's powers are greater; experience has made her wiser.  But the challenges she faces are also much more intense, by a magnitude of order I would say, though I'm looking forward to hearing whether or not you agree when the novel is at last released, probably during the latter part of 2013.

Looking for something to do until then?  We've got some great activities coming up just around the corner. 

April 13th is Down to Earth, a meet-the-author event with Hadley Rille Books, hosted by Jayhawk Ink at the University of Kansas.  Participating authors will include James Gunn, Christopher McKitterick, M.C. Chambers, Eric T. Reynolds and me.  For more information, visit the Facebook event page for Down to Earth.

May is Eolyn's birthday month (for the novel, not the character).  We have some special surprises planned for the birthday celebration; make sure to stop by around mid-April to find out more.

At the end of May, Hadley Rille Books will host several events in and around the dates of ConQuest, Kansas City's own science fiction and fantasy convention, including signings at local bookstores and the launch of Terri-Lynne DeFino's new novel A Time Never Lived.  As dates and times firm up, I will be posting them right here. 

This week, author Kim Vandervort is up on Heroines of Fantasy with a fun post about short skirts and big swords.   Stop by for a read, and please let us know your thoughts.

Most of all, enjoy this season of renewal.  Walk in the rain, smell the flowers, watch a storm roll in, bask in the sun, fly a kite -- whatever you most want to do.

In the meantime, I'll keep writing...