The Okal Rel Universe in evolution and in the world.

 


Couldn't resist snapping a picture of this poster of the cover of Okal Rel Saga Part 2: Righteous Anger, on the door Rob van Adrichem's office. Rob is the director of Media/Public Relations at UNBC. The poster replaces Horth's face, on the cover, with Rob's picture. Chuckle. Better not tell the Nersallians or they may be gunning for the jokester who created this chimera.

Labels: Righteous Anger, UNBC

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

 

I'm not sure what this means, but I was intrigued by the "import" bit. The prize certainly suggests shipping would be involved!

Labels: Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 07:43   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Righteous Anger has been nominated for the Carl Brandon Society Award. Must be in the second category "The Carl Brandon Kindred Award is given to any work of speculative fiction dealing with issues of race and ethnicity; nominees may be of any racial or ethnic group. This Award includes a $1000 cash prize." In any case, a great honor.

Labels: Carl Brandon Society Award, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 08:22   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
In the department of "isn't it amazing how things get around on the web", google alert recently led me to a site called Science Fiction Awards Watch that has got the nomination for Part 2: Righteous Anger of the ORU Saga's 2007 Aurora entanglement listed. It was short listed. Always a bridesmaid and never a bride. Keeps me humble.

Labels: Aurora Award, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 08:16   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

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

posted by Lynda at 07:04   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
Nice to see Edge books getting into circulation for reviewing. This clip is from Garth Spencer's fan publication BCSFAzine.

Labels: Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, Garth Spencer, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 21:55   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
Pleased to see Righteous Anger mentioned by Stewart Savard, Teacher-Librarian Courtenay Middle School, in his article for the Virtual Bookmark, a supplement to the BCTLA's professional journal.

Labels: librarian, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 07:45   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
I am interviewed by Marie Bilodeau on this week's On the EDGE. There'll be more coming in the podcast realm from the ORU, so sign up to the EDGE podcast using your favorite podcast aggregator. In this interview I talk about the origins of Okal Rel in my disgust at the cold war mentality, the character Horth Nersal, and the theme of opportunism vs. integrity in Righteous Anger.

Labels: Horth Nersal, Justyn Perry, Lynda Williams, okal rel, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 14:23   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Below is how Dave Anderson explained the Golden Duck nomination to EDGE publicist Justyn Perry. The award is given out at Duckon June 13-15, 2008.

"Righteous Anger is being considered for Hal Clement (Young Adult Award) This award is named after Hal Clement, the pen name of Harry Stubbs, who was a well known science fiction writer and science teacher. He helped children's science fiction programming wherever he went and was an all-round nice guy. The award is for science fiction books of grades 6-12 that have a young adult protagonist. The science should be as correct as possible, but still a good story. - DGA Feb 08"

The excitement in Horth's life spans his teenage years, starting at eleven years of age, although he is physically an eighteen-year-old at that age being as Vrellish as he is. The Vrellish grow up fast, physically. I guess a lot of kids these days feel they've grown up fast, too, where sex and violence are concerned.

Labels: David Glenn Anderson, Golden Duck Award, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 08:05   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 


Last but not least, click the picture for a link to a page of picture taken by my husband David Lott at the Prince George launch for Okal Rel Universe Anthology 2, Jan 29 2008. He didn't put up all the shots he took! So I've added this one from the set, here, to feature Stephen St. Laurent and Michelle Cry-Whiting who spiced up the proceedings with their media presence. Big thank-you, as well, to Citizen reporter Paul Strickland for coming out. Betsy Trumpener put in an appearance with family as a member of the audience. I was also delighted to have fellow SF author Nathalie Mallet in the audience.


Big thank you, as well, to the readers: Krysia Anderson (who did a great job of reading from her story "Ladylike" in the 2nd Anthology), Paul Strickland (who read the Horth as a child at Amel's genotyping reception scene from Righteous Anger), Hal Friesen (who read from his forthcoming story for the 3rd anthology featuring a run in with Di Mon), and Gareth of the UNBC Fencing Club (who read the lead up to the fight in the arena on SanHome from Righteous Anger).


In costume for the event, we had Mel and Kailey as Di Mon and Ranar, and Tegan as a Golden Demish princess. I wore my red velvet cloak which I think of as Vretla Vrel's "dress up" attire for Demish receptions. On the table at the back of the roome, for show and tell, we had samples of braid worked in thread which a few members of the audience had fun playing with after the main event. I am in the debt of helpers Angela, Tegan, Mel and Kailey for helping with set up. And, of course, my husband David Lott too the pictures and helped with nearly everything from picking up treats to driving us to the event. Angela Lott made me the little sign behind the chocolates which read "Do not eat if you are Vrellish". Mel Farrow created the braid worn by herself (as Di Mon) and by Tegan (as a Demish princess). The chart explaining which colors went with which house was also created by Mel for the event. Art for the third anthology, by Richard Bartrop, was on display as a poster. I also gave away a commemorative postcard, to readers and others doing presentations, which featured the 3rd anthology artwork. Also on display was the ORU plaque given to me for Xmas by Lisa O. After the readings and costume presentations we had a fencing demonstration by the UNBC Freeblades Fencing Club, MC'd by their president Gareth Hopkins.

Much thanks to all participants and attendees! And if you weren't there this time, plan to do something for the next launch (Book #3: Pretenders in the fall) or to come out and see what other people come up with.

Labels: Book Launch, Gareth Hopkins, Hal Friesen, Krysia, Mel, Michelle Cyr-Whiting, Nathalie Mallet, Okal Rel Universe Anthology 2, Paul Strickland, Righteous Anger, Stephen St. Laurent

posted by Lynda at 06:46   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
So much to report about the launch at the Sentry Box in Calgary Nov 10, I haven't been able to figure out where to start, so picked my best group shot of the event. At the front are myself, Sandra Fitzpatrick and Randy McCharles on the panel. John Preet was up there too, but took this shot. I stayed with my publisher Brian Hades who came out to the event, as well. I have pictures of Brian and other interesting members of the audience, which I will dole out here and on the ORU website. It was grand. Much thanks to the Sentry Box (wish it was in Prince George, what a store!) and to Sandra, John and Randy for the big parts they played in making it happen. John Preet is editor of the 2nd anthology. Authors Randy McCharles and Sandra Fitzpatrick appear in it.

Labels: anthology, Brian Hades, John Preet, Okal Rel Universe Anthology 2, Randy McCharles, Righteous Anger, Sandra Fitzpatrick, Sentry Box

posted by Lynda at 08:07   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Righteous Anger didn't win the Prix Aurora 2007 for best SF novel, but it was rather exciting to be in the line up illustrated above. My book was also the only one from a middle-sized press, which is sort of cool. Heaps of thanks to those who voted for Righteous Anger!

Here's the winner, Dave Duncan, accepting the Aurora for his book Children of Chaos. I have read and enjoyed many of Dave's books. He has always been gracious to new-comers like me, also. So I was pleased to hear Children of Chaos was a book he particularly liked and had been wanting to see in print for a long time.

Labels: Dave Duncan, Prix Aurora, Righteous Anger, VCON

posted by Lynda at 20:57   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
The Political Is Personal, September 30, 2007
By D. Horne (Prince George, B.C.) - See all my reviews


RIGHTEOUS ANGER, the second book in Lynda Williams' Okal Rel Universe, highlights tensions between father and son. As we follow the son, Horth, on his journey we are drawn into a universe where Nesaks want to unite with Nersallians, English is a dead language, Amel is mind-raped by Reetions, soul-theft and man-rape occur. As always, Williams depicts duels convincingly and illustrates how tensions between houses are mirrored on the home front. The personal is political and the political is, in the end, personal as Horth has to decide what is really righteous anger and at what cost. The author maintains suspense and tension not only in each scene but also within and between characters. Like all good science fiction/fantasy authors, Williams gives us a lens to re-examine our world: "... he did not see how they could ever teach the Reetions to live within the limitations set by Okal Rel if they started by breaking their own laws to conquer them!" (292). Throughout the book, there are frequent reminders that there is a need to move beyond differences and determine what unites diverse groups.

Labels: Review, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 08:53   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 


Much thanks to those responsible for Righteous Anger making it to the finalists for the novel category, in English, for the 2007 Aurora Awards, and to my webmaster David Lott for bringing this page to my attention and making sure the entry had links.

Labels: Aurora Award, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 07:41   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

received by Janice of Edge Sept 3/07 with the following message:

>Dear Janice: > I'm very pleased to announce that the September 2007 issue of our > online book review magazine "California Bookwatch" features a > review of "Righteous Anger". > > Here is the review: > > California Bookwatch: September 2007 > James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief > Diane C. Donovan, Editor > Midwest Book Review > 278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575 > > The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf > > Righteous Anger > Lynda Williams > EDGE Science Fiction & Fantasy Publishing > Box 1714, Calgary, Alberta T2P 217 Canada > 1894063384, $22.95 www.edgewebsite.com > > In the Rel universe life and land are precious and warring is > against accepted practice ? differences are solved by duels fought > by a single champion- and RIGHTEOUS ANGER provides the story of > champion Horth, never accepted by either side of two warring > houses. A fast-paced fantasy of action results.

Labels: Review, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 08:33   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 


Thrilled, this morning, to learning Righteous Anger is a finalist for the Aurora Award--all the more so because I've been so busy at the day job I never even knew the process was taking place! A thousand thank yous, on behalf of everyone engaged with the Okal Rel Universe, to the wonderful person or people who made this happen.

Labels: Aurora Award, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 07:57   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 


"Lynda Williams has crafted a unique coming-of-age journey through an intiricately woven tapestry of political intrigue. What I most liked about Righteous Anger was the author's objective portrayal of characters. All were flawed, all possessed both good and bad qualities, and all were driven by complex, often conflicting, motivations, including the main character, Horth. Young Horth must navigate his way through a clash of cultures and conflicting moralities to discover and prescribe his personal version of honor." -- Nina Munteanu, author of "Darwin's Paradox"

Labels: Nina Munteanu, Review, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 06:41   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
On Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:56:12 -0700, Kathy Plett wrote:
>> Hi Lynda, very neat! I just listened to the interview. Loved it.
>> Did you count how many times one of the guys said "cool"??!! (it
>> hit me at the end when you were talking about the comic book - i'm
>> sure i heard the word cool a whole bunch before that). Nice when
>> you can get other sci fi writers to get excited about your work.
>>
>> Cheers
>> Kathy Plett
>>
>> p.s. i also always like it when you mention all those post-
>> secondary degrees (a promo for all of us!)

Labels: Kathy Plett, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 04:14   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
Had a lovely e-mail from ORU First Expansion member, awesome sports woman and avid reader Lisa O. this morning, sharing her reaction to Righteous Anger with me. See excerpt below:

... I think rugby should at least have a warning label. I'm really wishing I was a Sevolite as I would regenerate! . . . I got RA in the UNBC bookstore saturday. I'd finished it by sunday night, even with eating, sleeping, visiting the beach, playing rugby, and another book for a mental break halfway through. Maybe a total of four hours. It was goooooood! I loved it!

Thank you Lisa!

Labels: Lisa, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 07:16   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
Okal Rel Universe believers everywhere extend thanks to Ronald Hore for his review of Righteous Anger on CM Magazine. Just discovered the review this morning but it came out in the June 2007 edition of CM. CM reviews "Canadiana of interest to children and young adults, including publications produced in Canada, or published elsewhere but of special interest or significance to Canada ... " and the reviewer ranked Righteous Anger as suitable for children over the age of 13. Although written as adult entertainment, I've been delighted to find the books appeal to bright, imaginative young people. It is good to have a reviewer of children's books give Righteous Anger his attention. The best part, for me, was his conclusion: "Warning, it is a complex tale so you will have to pay attention; you can't just skip your way through it. If you do take the time and are a lover of the fantasy/science fiction genre, you will be rewarded." And the RECOMMENDED status he gave it, of course. :-)

Labels: Review, Righteous Anger, Ronald Hore

posted by Lynda at 07:22   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
Righteous Anger interview with Edge's Justyn Perry is featured on Edge Podcasts this week. Be patient after clicking! It might take a moment to load up! In this podcast I answer questions about:

• How much of me is in my characters


• Where do I write


• Mapping Okal Rel to real life religion - in the abstract


• Realism in combat as something more interesting than over-the-top violence


• The ACTION, ACTION, ACTION falacy for books - books as books not as second rate movies or video games


• The question regarding technlogy is not how to get more: We have it, what are we going to do with it? How about social engineering challenges.


• How do you live with the enemy?

Labels: Edge, interview, Justyn Perry, Morality, podcast, Power, Religion, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 08:17   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Review of Righteous Anger on The Harrow by Dru Pagliassotti calls Righteous Anger "a strong, highly readable installment to this ambitious and far-reaching space opera." Much joy! It also says: "One can only hope that book three, the last one needed to bridge the gap between publications, will not take another leap back in time, but will close the timeline and advance the plot." Gulp. Much trepidation.

Because there is some overlap in Pretenders, timewise, with Righteous Anger. Keeping my fingers crossed that it won't prove to be too much. And Pretenders does fill the bill of setting things up the way they stay - more or less - until Throne Price. After Pretenders it is linear, promise, except for the rare-and-well-motivated flashback, very sparingly employed! There are three movements in the symphony of the saga. The first plays out in Courtesan Prince, Righteous Anger and Pretenders and is centered on the chaos stirred up by events in Courtesan Prince. The next three books, starting with Throne Price, deal with Erien and Amel finding their feet as the "ones in charge". The next book, Healer's Sword, stands alone as a view of the new elite from the perspective of a struggling nobleborn empowered, and threatned, by new opportunities. The final three books are the Okal Rel take on the classic big finale, in which first one and then the second of the lurking threats blustered about by one set of characters or another throughout the whole series, are taken on.

Labels: Dru Pagliassotti, Review, Righteous Anger, The Harrow

posted by Lynda at 17:31   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Many thanks to video maven Stephen St. Laurent for taping the Righteous Anger book launch at the P.G. Public Library and making this video clip for me afterwards. The clip includes a cameo picture of Craig Bowlsby, fencing advisor for Righteous Anger, and footage of the fencing demo put on by Phil Clark and his comrades.

Labels: Book Launch, Craig Bowlsby, Lynda Williams, okal rel, Phil Clark, Righteous Anger, Stephen St. Laurent, Swords

posted by Lynda at 11:38   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Captured from the tag line of a mail out from Edge - a date for the U.S. release of Righteous Anger. Nice to see all the good company listed there, as well.

Labels: Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, Righteous Anger, US release

posted by Lynda at 08:09   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Labels: Anne M. Stickel, Black Petals, Review, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 07:48   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Pleased to see the Righteous Anger page on on the Edge website getting dressed up with commentaries.

Labels: Edge, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 07:55   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
[PDF Version]


EN GARDE - Author Lynda Williams, along with members of the UNBC Re-Enactment Club (Steve James, Ron Mallett, Paul Clark and Phil Clark) kick off the release of Williams' book Righteous Anger, a science fiction novel set in the Okal Rel universe. The book launch was at the Prince George Public Library on Thursday night (March 8, 1007). P.G. Citizen photo by David Mah.

Labels: Book Launch, David Mah, Phil Clark, Righteous Anger, Swords

posted by Lynda at 10:43   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 



P.G. Citizen ran story on community page, today, about the launch, by reporter Bernice Trick.

Labels: Bernice Trick, Book Launch, P.G. Citizen, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 08:23   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 





Just discovered this post on Dr. Robert Budde's Culture Mill, a blog about literary and artsy happenings in Northern B.C. Thank you Rob!

Labels: Book Launch, Righteous Anger, Robert Budde

posted by Lynda at 08:13   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 



Delighted and honored by Elizabeth Woods' review of Righteous Anger, on Amazon.ca. Click title or image above for full review.

Labels: amazon.ca, Elizabeth Woods, Review, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 07:45   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Righteous Anger, slated for a spring release in the U.S., has showed up in the "pre-order" state on amazon.com. (It is already available for ordering on
amazon.ca)

Labels: amazon.com, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 07:39   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Lovely to see Righteous Anger in such good company on the list of books received for consideration for the Endeavour Award -- oh, wait, those are the COMPETITORS. Gulp. Okay, I'm still happy. :-) Ack rel and all that. PS for a complete list of the books on the list click the banner above or the title of this blog entry.

Labels: Endeavour Award, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 17:57   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 




Lovely article on the Okal Rel Universe in the P.G. Free Press last Friday. Just discovered the online version here. (And ack, should have got the hair cut before the picture. Oh well.)

Labels: Book Launch, Prince George Free Press, Righteous Anger, Teresa Mallam

posted by Lynda at 08:30   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Particularly pleased to be the Federation of BC Writers' featured author with my Prince George book launch coming up for Righteous Anger, and by the rather impressive list of collaborators on ORU projects I was able to cite for the feature. Special thanks to those whose names appear!

Labels: Federation of BC Writers, Lynda Williams, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 11:23   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 
Follow the link to a positive reception for Righteous Anger from T.M. Martin of the Yet Another Book Review site. Best of all, he concludes with "Bring on the third volume" which is both exciting and daunting as I struggle with same. Horth was a dream to work with as an author - he's so direct! Di Mon plays a larger role in the third volume, Pretenders, and is anything but straight forward, damn him. Not to mention the multiple story line challenge. But at least I have the theme which is how power (fear of it, desire for it, or the mere fact it exists in the form it does) forces people to "pretend" to be something they aren't; the impact on identity which results; and how people either break or cope.

Labels: Di Mon, Horth, Pretenders, Review, Righteous Anger, T.M. Martin, Yet Another Book Review

posted by Lynda at 09:10   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post

 

Labels: Book Launch, Righteous Anger

posted by Lynda at 17:37   0 comments permalink comment? e-mail lynda@okalrel.org 0 comments links to this post