Okal Rel Universe NEWS (Aug 23 / 03)
| CONVERSION (Aug 03) Even the photo developer was impressed
by this one, taken in the con suite after a couple of beer and a lot
of running around tables and laughing. All Edge people or friends
of same. Names are withheld to protect the guilty. |
CONS et al
recent and upcoming |
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Although unable to make Torcon in Toronto this summer, Lynda contributed
materials to Julie E. Czenada's "Readers for the Future"
disk, for teachers interested in using Science Fiction in their
classrooms.
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At the same table pictured above, a dynamic
spin-doctor team of namers (Brian, Lynda, Alison, David, Jennifer were
there the whole time as I recall, and Marie and Kim might have been in
and out of the huddle as well as a couple of friends met at the con) intrepidly
tackled the task of picking names for the Okal Rel Universe "main
line" novel series ... that people would not have to take ORU 101
to understand.
- Courtesan Prince - The status
quo is shaken up when egalitarian Rire discovers the Sevolite Empire
and exposes all to irrefutable proof that a commoner sword dancer is
actually racist Sevildom's long lost crown prince, Amel. Relationships
destined to influence history are forged, and the stage set for power
struggles in Amel's name. (ETA 2004)
- Righteous Anger - Sevildom reacts
with the threat of a crusade against Rire, pitting father against son
in the influential House of Nersal and straining the moral authority
of Okal Rel to keep conflict within bounds compatible with life
in the empire.
- Pretenders - In the wake of
tragic set backs, progressive leaders find the strength, through friendships,
to establish a new order at court, negotiated by the apparently powerless
Amel. One of them is the legendary Ameron, returned from time slip.
- Throne
Price - Erien's returns to his homeworld to champion his Reetion
foster father, and causes the collapse of the uneasy truce among Sevildom's
leadership in a series of shocks that end in sordid horror for some
but overall affirms the power of Okal Rel to keep the peace for
all (published 2003)
- Far Arena - Rire resists diplomatic
relations with Sevildom by claiming the moral high ground, thus straining
the patience of House Nersal and dragging Amel through intense public
interest in him as a victim of Sevildom.
- Avim's Oath - Two unlikely princes
of Sevildom, Erien and Amel, come to terms with each other and wielding
power in the interests of reform
- Healer's Sword - Social change
within Sevildom is demonstrated through the life of Ilse Marin, a middle
class Demish Sevolite for whom social mobility and non-traditional female
roles become available thorough the work and friendship of Amel and
Erien ... and an even more surprising romantic interest.
- Gathering Storm - Nesak aggression
and Silver Demish inertia threaten the new order, pushing Amel's diplomacy
to the breaking point in the effort to understand and mediate. While
at court, progress loosens the old fashioned moral code, leading to
changes in directions its proponents find uncomfortable.
- Holy War - Staved off for twenty
years, a Nesak War finally plunges Sevildom into horrors that Okal
Rel can no longer prevent, separating families and racking up a
demoralizing death toll that undermines Erien's will to fight. Can a
Nesak visionary inspired by Amel, revitalize Okal Rel in time
to make a difference.
- Unholy Science - Power exerted
through bioscience was the greatest evil known to Okal Rel for
a thousand years. Now medicine is honorable once more. But just when
a war weary Sevildom least expects it, the past lashes out from the
Reach of Luverthan. Can the tired and disillusioned leaders of change
keep their heads? Or will history revert to righteous anger once again.
 Edge
books (including Throne Price) in Coteau Books catalog
The wall sized poster of Throne Price at the Edge booth, at conversion,
was one nice surprise. Another was seeing Throne Price and other
Edge books in the Autumn 2003 edition of the Coteau Books catalog.
Edge publisher Brian Hades is happy to be working with Coteau as distributors
for his growing line of Science Fiction and Fantasy novels.
Mekan'stan
and Kath
are forthcoming from Windstorm
Creative in February 2004. Both novellas feature Amel's adventures,
and are set either in his courtesan youth or his Royal Envoy period in
the interval between Pretenders and Throne Price.
Lynda hopes and expects to produce at
least one short novel a year, with Windstorm Creative, chronically the
many stories about main characters and supporting cast which do not fit
in the main line series of the saga.
 Circlet
Anthology
Lynda was surprised and pleased that Cecilia Tan decided
to include "Bride's Story" in her Best of Circlet Press 1992-2002
anthology, Erotic
Fantastic.
This story originally appeared in the ninties, and was
Amel's first appearance in print. The story is set during his courtesan
period. (This sale to Circlet pre-dated contracts with Edge and Windstorm.)
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