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I’m a bit busy. Then I have some stuff to do. Then I’ve got a couple of projects in the works. Also, I’ve got plans. So, here’s a Bubble & Squeek for you.

eBay: Decluttering and eBaying continues with a set of vintage Gerber steak knives.

Event: I will be in conversation Mira Grant (aka Seanan McGuire) for her novel, Overgrowth, at Third Place Books (Seward Park), 7pm on May 13. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP is highly recommended in advance.

Pre-Order: The pre-order UBL for Augment, issue 2, Summer 2083, is live! Get your cyberpunk with magic magazine right here!

Pre-Order: Surprise! Single author collection. Tales from the Hucked Tankard by me is up for pre-order! Brawls happen. No blades. No magic. You pay for what you break. Pre-orders are love. Release date: May 15.

Seminar: LEVEL UP: The Business of Writing. Four weeks of workshops and talks to level up your writing career. I am teaching 7 Steps to Better Self-Editing on Jun 3.

Signed Books: If you would like signed books from me, we now have them up on eBay. This will remain on eBay until all of my books are gone. All money goes to me.

Social Media: Sometimes, your favorite authors do your work for you (or are better at social media than you are). For example, here’s Marie Bilodeau talking all fabulous things she’s doing with Shadowrun, that I happen to be involved in, too.

Vaccines: A rare TikTok recommendation. This one is on vaccines from a smart, erudite man, definace13.

Support: As always… if you appreciate my work and would like to support me, I love coffee. I am made of caffeine. This is the quickest way to brighten my day.

Today, Christy Climenhage tells me why, while we might be able to do a thing, that does not mean we should do the thing. More importantly, how “the consequences of certain technologies can long outlast the people who invent them.”

Of Dire Wolves, Heirloom Wolves, and Tentacles

When news broke a few weeks ago about extinct dire wolves being resurrected by a biotech start-up with some very cool genetic engineering science, I was not delighted. I did not happily envision a way to bring back lost species and otherwise re-populate our ecosystems under threat. I did not see a way we could now stop trying to save ecosystems and threatened species because we can just bank their DNA now, no harm no foul. I did not see “all the potential” in the newfangled gadgetry of bringing back the dead from fossils a la Jurassic Park. When I set out to write The Midnight Project, a science fiction thriller that explores genetic engineering gone wrong in a near-future when global agriculture is collapsing and ecosystems dying, I did my research. My book is intended to be a cautionary tale. For folks in the back, this means: Do Not Do This, It Is Bad. Like, Capital B Bad.

Let me explain. By combining a few strands of genetic code salvaged from a fossil with a modern wolf, they have not, in fact, resurrected a dire wolf. They have created a new hybrid wolf. So nothing has actually been saved or resurrected. Something new has been created. In The Midnight Project, there are many genetically engineered hybrids. The hoppers, for example, are a hybrid that combines human, frog, and predator, and let me tell you, it does not go well for the hoppers or the communities they live in. Creating hybrids and introducing them into ecosystems that have not evolved to support them, is incredibly risky. What happens when they release the cute little dire wolf-hybrids into a national park? They might out-compete the existing wolf population (threatening their survival), or interbreed with them (destroying their unique genetic makeup), and then over-consume whatever they prey on (threatening those species), because they’re genetically inclined to eat woolly mammoths and we don’t have those anymore. There is a scenario where a hybrid dire-style wolf and an “heirloom” wolf both exist at once.

It’s easy to see where scientists may have very good intentions in this. The Midnight Project scientists certainly do–they want to save humanity by genetically altering humans to live in the ocean depths and escape the bee catastrophe on land. But good intentions are only intentions, and the consequences of certain technologies can long outlast the people who invent them. At least in my pre-apocalyptic near-future, there have been a few decades for the law, regulations and ethics on genetic engineering to evolve. The commodification of science is still horrifying but there are more guardrails than we have today. This does not, in fact, prevent our heroes from getting into trouble. But it wouldn’t be a good story without some trouble, would it? Of course, in The Midnight Project, there are no wolves, but there are lots of tentacles.

So, to summarize:

• Inventing brand-new species by combining genetic code from an extinct animal with existing animals is A Very Bad Idea.
• Protecting ecosystems and our own existing “heirloom” species is a Very Good Idea.
• If any of this is interesting to you, you might enjoy the story of Raina and Cedric, two disgraced genetic engineers who find themselves facing a lot of similar ethical dilemmas along with tentacles, lots of tentacles.

—

Christy Climenhage was born in southern Ontario, Canada, and currently lives in a forest north of Ottawa. In between, she has lived on four continents. She holds a PhD from Cambridge University in Political and Social Sciences, and Masters’ degrees from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University (International Political Economy) and the College of Europe (European Politics and Administration). She loves writing science fiction that pushes the boundaries of our current society, politics and technology. When she is not writing, you can find her walking her dogs, hiking or cross-country skiing.

As per usual, many things are happening in my life. I’m getting good at lining up my ducks and knocking them down. So, here’s a Bubble & Squeek for you. Events, publications, and pre-orders, oh my!

Event: I will be in conversation Mira Grant (aka Seanan McGuire) for her novel, Overgrowth, at
Third Place Books (Seward Park), 7pm on May 13. This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance.

Podcast Publication: “Not Birds of a Feather” has been released on , narrated by Elizabeth Guizzetti of The Paper Flower Consortium podcast.

Pre-Order: The pre-order UBL for Augment, issue 2, Summer 2083, is live! Get your cyberpunk with magic magazine right here!

Recommendation: Marie Bilodeau is a smart author. Rights Reversion – A Checklist

Seminar: LEVEL UP: The Business of Writing. Four weeks of workshops and talks to level up your writing career. I am teaching 7 Steps to Better Self-Editing on Jun 3.

Video: Trans rights are human rights. I am in this video, loud and proud.

Support: As always… if you appreciate my work and would like to support me, I love coffee. I am made of caffeine. This is the quickest way to brighten my day.

I am so pleased to see that I have been nominated for the Best Editor, Short Form Hugo award. It is such an honor to be nominated. This is my second time for the Hugo award, and I have to say, at least in my eyes, the second nomination for any award is the best nomination. Not gonna lie: I burst into tears when I read the email telling me that I was a finalist again.

Like many creatives, I sometimes have imposter syndrome that can be hard on the ego and the creative soul (for example, in this last week I had 3 short story rejections). The first time I was a finalist for an award, I was shocked. I wondered if someone had made a mistake. The first time I was nominated for one of the big awards, the Hugo, I had all kinds of feelings. The next time I was nominated for another big award, the Bram Stoker, I had even more feelings.

But, the second time I was a finalist for the Scribe, the Bram Stoker, and the ENnie, there was a sense of “it’s not a mistake/I’m not a hack/I know what I’m doing/let me enjoy this moment.” Complicated feelings to say the least. Now, after ten years, I am a finalist for the Best Editor, Short Form Hugo award again. I have a certain sense of terror and relief. Relief because I was nominated again. Terror because, maybe, just maybe, I might win.

At this point in my publishing career, I have edited (or co-edited) 25 published anthologies, 2 magazines (including the currently ongoing Augment magazine), become an editor-at-large for Catalyst Game Labs, edited numerous short stories, novellas, and novels for CGL, owned my own small press, Apocalypse Ink Productions, that produced a dozen+ novels for myself and other authors, and the list goes on. Being a decent editor in the publishing industry is one that has kept my kitties in kibble.

I think I have earned some of my professional confidence. My editing has earned me nominations for the British Fantasy Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the Hugo Award—now multiple Hugo Awards. Also, I’m the only American (that I know of) who has won the Australian Shadows Award for Best Edited Publication for the Grants Pass anthology that I co-edited with the ever-talented Aussie, Amanda Pillar.

Thank you to everyone who has already wished me congratulations. I sincerely appreciate it. I’m so chuffed at who my competition is. I mean, look at them: Scott H. Andrews, Neil Clarke, Jonathan Strahan, Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, and Sheila Williams! It makes me so proud to be in such good company.

There you go. I’m a Hugo Award finalist again. I’m honored and pleased beyond words. I won’t lie. I want to win. If you have any questions about my work, please let me know.

Here is a list of ALL the finalists.

Back at the beginning of the year, I set three specific desires for 2025: Decluttering, less time online, and to finish reading a bunch of unfinished books. We’ve just completed the first quarter of the year, and it’s been interesting.

On the decluttering front, things are going well. Slow and steady. We aren’t getting to a project a week like I had hoped, but we are getting enough things decluttered that I’m not stressing about it. On the Year of Unfinished Books, again, slow and steady. Books read for work: 4. New books read: 3 (I’m not going to not read new books—I get arcs from some of my favorite authors). Unfinished books finished: 4. A pretty good chunk of reading, all things considered. I think this is because of my goal: less time online.

I also decided that I would not work on Sundays (caveat1*), if I could help it. More than that, I was not going to be online at all (caveat2*). As soon as I made that decision, I told the people that I worked with most that this new boundary was in place. If it wasn’t on literal fire, and if I wasn’t the only one who could put it out, I wasn’t available on Sundays. No one pushed back. As a long-time full-time freelancer, this was nice.

Caveat1: Two Sundays a month, I need to be on a recorded zoom call for Dear Penpal, Belgium 1980 to read letters to the audience and answer questions. That is about a 30 minute event. I do not do anything else computer-wise while it is happening. I close and lock my computer as soon as it is done.

Caveat2: I have Discord on my phone. If I am messaged directly, I look to see if it is something that needs immediate attention. If it does not, I dismiss the notification “unread” and continue on. I’ll get to it on Monday. My friends can still contact me as needed. Also, I have YouTube on my TV. I can watch videos if I want.

I think the most interesting thing about taking Sundays off-off (not just sorta-off) is that I can really feel my brain relax and my shoulders untense. I have no schedule or requirements. I read. I do puzzles. I play with kittens. I play PokemonGO. I sit and do nothing, staring out at the backyard. I need this rest. I am so busy these days, that the mental rest is vital to my wellbeing and to the quality of my work.

An offshoot to doing this is that I feel refreshed on Monday. Actually ready to work. Also, despite my daily workload being (currently) heavier than I’d like, I can look at it and think, One task at a time, Jenn. Pick the task. Work on it alone. The rest will follow. Do not worry about them right now.

Y’all have no idea just how freeing it is to be able to think that and mean it. I haven’t always said “multitasking is doing many things badly.” I say it now. Unequivocally. Over time, I have learned to trust myself when I schedule things. I have my systems in place if tasks need to be pushed.

I think about my mortality these days. Dad died at 73. Mom died just before her 75th birthday. I am 54. If statistics are right, I have about 20 decent years left. How do I want to spend that time? I still have stories to tell. I have a husband I adore above all. I value my time. More to the point, I respect my time. I want others to respect it, too. If they do not, well, I’ll keep that in mind for all future interactions.

These boundaries and respect started with me. It’s a lesson I’ve had to learn. I’m glad I’ve learned that I am worthy of that kind of love and respect from myself. It tells me I am still growing as a person. I think that’s all I can ask for right now.

For my 150th “Tell Me” blog post, Joseph Brassey tells me how breaking narrative consistency can enhance a story even when it breaks your heart.

Everything is not going to be okay, and that is okay, because there is still a future yet to be seen. This is the statement that I’ve been using to describe the third book in my Drifting Lands series, Prince of Clay.

I did not set out to write a book with that tone. When my first publisher opted not to continue the series, the conventional wisdom I’d encountered most places in the industry that was trilogies were how a series ended, but I had never written the second book, Dragon Road, with that in mind. the Drifting Lands was originally conceived of as an episodic story about the crew of the skyship Elysium, journeying through an endless heaven dotted with floating islands. Sure, there were overarching plots, a slowly-manifesting myth-arc, but when I started the story in Skyfarer I hadn’t really taken into account that I was starting something without a pre-determined ending.

I’ll leave aside whether that was a mistake, because I’m not really convinced that anything in art is actually an error. There are industry conceits and there are ‘rules’ that are sort of commonly accepted, but sometimes a story just doesn’t follow the ones you want it to, and trying to force it into a box it doesn’t fit in will just make it less than it should be. When John Hartness decided to acquire Prince of Clay, the third book of the series, I was tempted to try and end things. Wrap them up with a neat little bow, but I very rapidly realized as I started writing the book that while Prince of Clay was an end—it wraps up many plot threads started in Skyfarer and closes a few character arcs—it was not the end. That was still a ways off, and I had something much bigger on my hands than I had initially anticipated.

So, like I had with Skyfarer and Dragon Road after it, I decided to tell the story that was both satisfying for me to tell, and that moved the arcs of the characters forward. And that meant that it wasn’t so much the conclusion of the series, but the end of its first movement. And that meant that it needed to be different. That it had to contain an element that the first two books had lacked. That element ended up being cost. The stakes of the first two Drifting Lands are high, and there are sacrifices and there are losses, but thus far they did not directly touch the core cast. I had not taken away the irreplaceable, permanently broken something, and given way for a new status quo.

And the thing about a good story is that the mid-point is generally when that really happens. I didn’t want to do that at first. I worried it would drive away people who were coming for something specific and would be angry if that something changed.

But as a dear friend is fond of saying, “that’s coward talk.”

So, if you’ve read the previous two Drifting Lands books, that means that I sort of preemptively owe you an apology. This is the book that changes things. That breaks what has been consistent up until now, and gives way to a broadening scope where the transience of everything from politics to personal relationships to life itself is laid bare. This is the book where consequences fly home to roost, plots culminate, and some stories close, even as others begin. It’s the dusk and the dawn, and it’s not the end of the Drifting Lands, though it is the end of the first movement in the symphony, like the prophet says in Dragon Road. There’s more to come, and while there are goodbyes and there are conclusions, the next day still comes.

Everything is not going to be okay, and that is okay, because there is still a future yet to be seen. In these times, that sentence has been giving me a lot of comfort. I hope it helps you too, and I hope you like the book.

Because there’s more to come, and to meet the future, we have to say farewell to the past. It’s not a perfect answer, but it is mine.

And so, we move forward. I hope you’ll come with me, for what’s next. We’ll make it, so long as we’re together. I truly believe that.

—

Joseph Brassey lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, two children, and two cats. In his spare time he trains in and teaches Historical European Martial Arts in his native Tacoma. He has worked everywhere from a local newspaper to the frame-shop of a crafts store to the smoke-belching interior of a house-siding factory with very questionable safety policies.

Today is my mom’s birthday and I’m missing her. So, have a Bubble & Squeek. Fun fact, the term “Bubble & Squeek” came from my mom whenever we asked “What’s for dinner?” and it was leftovers repackaged in a new form. I don’t know how she did it, but she always made leftovers taste really, really good.

Augment magazine: Augment is Shadowrun’s official magazine. This is a fully in-universe publication, and can be used in Shadowrun games as well as enjoyed by the casual reader. Augment your life with Augment magazine! Available as an ebook or as a POD digest magazine. And, as you can see it is BEAUTIFUL!

Free Fiction: There’s a new piece of free BattleTech and Shadowrun fiction on the Cat Labs website on the 1st of every month. Shadowrun’s free fiction for this month is “Shadowbytes” by me! This story is the origin story of a mysterious person who appeared in Shadowrun: Elfin Black.

Interview: I was interviewed by CGL’s Tuesday Newsday about Augment magazine along with my Art Director, Kathleen Hardy. YT Link.

Interview: I was interviewed by CGL’s Tuesday Newsday along with author Christine York about the BattleTech romance novel Hungry Like the Wolf. It’s a hoot. YT link.

Kickstarter: Science Fiction & Fantasy Pirate-Themed Anthology! ZBM presents: SKULL X BONES! It’s an SF&F themed anthology about pirates, and it is already funded! I get to write my Mythos pirate story! Lemme tell you, there’s gonna be blood in the water! Lots of goodies in the stretch goals.

Recommendation: How To Actually Achieve Your Goals in 2025. It’s been long enough since the new year for me to feel safe to recommend this time management video. YT link.

Recommendation: If you’re ambitious but lazy. Short video talking about how starting is the hardest part. YT link.

Support: As always… if you appreciate my work and would like to support me, I love coffee. I am made of caffeine. This is the quickest way to brighten my day.

Awards Season is fraught with danger for some of us—imposter syndrome, guilt, and the general malaise of everything *waves to the world at large*… and all of it stops us for putting our creative works out there. However, it is these creative works that keep the world going—even while it is on fire. It is not a sin to say “Hey, I did a thing last year and it was good. Please consider it!”

(Ahem: Jennifer Brozek for Best Editor, Short Form for 99 Fleeting Fantasies; Magic, Machines, & Mayhem; and Through the Decades anthologies. Or Shadowrun: The Mosaic Run by Jennifer Brozek [Catalyst Game Labs] for the Lodestone award.)

It also behooves us to point to people we believe deserve some recognition. So, I have some other Hugo nomination recommendations for you. This is, by no means, an exhaustive list.

Best Novel

• Magic Breaker by Marie Bilodeau, SNG Publishing
• Dragon Road by Joseph Brassey, Falstaff
• The Siege of Burning Grass by Premee Mohamed, Solaris

Best Novella

• Duskmourn by Seanan McGuire, WotC
• Shadowrun: Off Beat by Marie Bilodeau, Catalyst Game Labs
• The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler, MacMillian

Best Novelette

• Encore by Wole Talabi, Deep Dream
• In the Arena by Amanda Cherry, Afoul & Affairs

Best Series

• The Gray Assassin Trilogy by Greg Wilson, Heretic
• Incryptid series by Seanan McGuire, Backpacking Through Bedlam
• Ruby Killingsworth series by Amanda Cherry, Time and Again
• Drifting Lands series by Joseph Brassey, Dragon Road

Best Related Work

• Voices Carry: A Story of Teaching, Transitions, & Truths by Raven Oak, Grey Suns Press
• The 2023 Hugo Awards: A Report on Censorship by Jason Sanford, Genre Grapevine & File770

Best Editor, Short Form (My competition.)

• John Helfers (Magic, Machines, & Mayhem; and Through the Decades anthologies)

Best Fan Writer

• Jason Sanford, Genre Grapevine
• Trish Matson, Skiffy and Fanty

Best Fan Artist

• Geek Calligraphy, https://geekcalligraphy.com/blog/2024/12/30/fanart-dump

Best Poem

• Ever Noir, Mari Ness, Haven Spec
• Text Messages From Myself, Beth Cato, Daikaijuzine
• What Giants Read, Mary Soon Lee, Strange Horizons

There you have it. Some other recommendations of people you may or may not have heard of—but should get to know. Go forth and nominate for the Hugo awards—nominations close March 14, 2025. (You can leave your own recommendations in the comments.)

Today, fabulous author and podcaster, Elizabeth Guizzetti, talks about how she turns prose stories into entertaining audio delights.

Thank you for having me today, Jennifer. I’d like to share some ins and outs of crafting a podcast specifically in regards to recording and editing

Recording:

Every podcaster has different preferences in recording equipment. When I first started in 2020, I used a Blue Yeti. However, it got knocked off my recording table and never sounded the same. That led me to test every display microphone at Guitar Center.  This experience helped me better hear the nuances of my voice.

A Sterling Audio ST155 connected to my desk via a boom arm provides the sound quality I want within my budget. I’ve also recorded other voice actors and been happy with the results—although certain baritones, in particular, can produce an unintentional whistle.  Lip gloss reduces this.

I’ve done my best to create a controlled recording studio in my closet. Voice actors do not have to look at my clothes, but they must walk through my bedroom to get inside. My setup includes a windscreen, a pop filter, a thick shield around the microphone, and foam lined walls and a quilt set up behind the actor over my bookcases. That being said, it’s more important to get started than to have the best setup. If all you have is the microphone on your phone, then put a blanket over your head and start recording!

After EVERY recording session, I save a version of the file entitled PROJECTTITLE_RAW_DATE

Editing Process:

Just like editing a story is about creating enjoyment for the reader, editing a podcast is about creating an enjoyable experience for the listener. This requires patience and attention to detail. I use Logic Pro X, but some people like Audacity, Garage Band, or Adobe Audition. The important thing is that you find what works for you and your setup. I started with Garage Band, so upgrading to Logic Pro X made perfect sense.

Roomtone:

The most important tool in your editing arsenal is roomtone – the ambient sound of your recording environment. It captures the subtle, unique noises, such as the hum of lights, a fridge, or distant traffic. Without changing the gain on the microphone, my dog and I leave the closet. I shut all the doors and then go into the living room and count to 100. This audio becomes invaluable during editing—it smooths transitions, masks cuts, and even helps when I flub a word and need to stitch a sentence together.    I make a few different lengths: 1 beat, 2 beats, 4 beats, etc. My first step is to remove awkward pauses and distractions, like sirens, door slams, or other interruptions. Long mistakes are deleted and roomtone of an appropriate length is added. Between sentences there is 3-4 beats. To make it sound natural, listen to your own pause and make your roomtone that length. It sounds natural and unique to you.

Next, I listen to the entire recording and balance the audio levels. This ensures my voice sounds clear while leaving room for atmospheric background sounds. This phase includes EQ adjustments, compressing the audio to eliminate harsh peaks, and sometimes re-recording sections. I save another version of the file at this point. It is entitled PROJECTTITLE _Edit_DATE

Sound Effects and Music

For sound effects, I occasionally create my own, but often, I purchase licensed tracks from Pond5 or Storyblocks. Most editing software also offers handy patches for effects. For instance, to create the effect of someone speaking over a telephone or radio, I use Library > Voice > Telephone. For ghost voices, I use Library > Voice > Chorus and fine-tune it further under Section-Based Processes.

I save another version at this point entitled PROJECTTITLE _Sounds_DATE

Mastering:

Mastering the final track ensures consistent sound quality across different episodes and listening devices. My goal is for my podcast to sound great, however, every speaker system is different, so I focus on consistency rather than chasing perfection.

I save another version of the file at this point entitled PROJECTTITLE _Mastered_DATE

After bouncing the project, I listen to it in a few different places: headphones, monitors, car speakers.  I readjust for large mistakes, but little things I let lie. I may notice tiny clicks or imperfect fades, most listeners won’t. Mistakes are inevitable. Over-editing drains the joy from the creative process, and ultimately, I need to move to the next episode to keep the stories coming.

Thanks for having me; I hope this is helpful to your readers!

—

Elizabeth Guizzetti is a podcaster, illustrator, and author passionate about the eerie and the macabre. She is the creative mind behind the brand new podcast: Scary Stories Whispers in the Rain, a bi-weekly horror podcast where listeners enjoy haunting narratives and her thoughts on books she recently read.  In addition, Elizabeth writes and performs as Loretta, a 300-year-old vampire historian on Vampires of the Paper Flower Consortium. Whether crafting her own tales or amplifying other horror authors’ voices, Elizabeth’s goal is to create podcasts where fans can indulge in the mysterious, eerie, and sometimes terrifying. She exists with her husband and dog in Seattle, WA.

Today, Rigel Ailur talks about her love of history despite a history of bias, amnesia, and erasure of women inventors, warriors, teachers, and scientists.

I absolutely love and adore history.

Even more than I love history, I loathe and despise sexism and the patriarchy. (I know, right? Not the least bit shocking to anyone even slightly acquainted with me.)

It makes for an ironic combination, but perhaps not quite as contradictory as one might think. Plus, the former can be an excellent antidote for the latter if/when people pay attention.

Students of history can’t help but taint the past with the present. Some people try much more diligently than others to remain scientific, scholarly, and objective, but the degree of effort and of success varies wildly. Others—dating all the way back to ancient Egypt’s pharaohs—try to erase and rewrite history. Sometimes malice motivates them. Other times, genuine ignorance—and/or a lack of open-mindedness, perhaps—causes myriad false assumptions. The more we learn, the more we need to revise accepted historical “fact.” Archeological/anthropological news (how’s that for an oxymoron?) constantly reminds us that we need to review our assumptions and reject false conclusions.

Recent discoveries show us that prehistoric hunter-gatherers did not have what we considered the ‘natural’ division of labor, with men doing all the hunting and women all the gathering. It now appears than plenty of women joined in the hunting.

Graves with weapons and other martial artifacts automatically indicated a male decedent. Closer studies now show us otherwise. We now know that Vikings in Scandinavia, Samurai in Japan, and warriors of the Russian steppes—to name just a few examples—included plenty of women. According to some accounts, Mulan led the emperor’s army for over a decade. The Agojie, the women warriors of the Kingdom of Dahomey, likely inspired the Dora Milaje in the Black Panther. Artemisia I of Caria, Queen of Halicarnassus, Kos, Kalymnos, and Nisyros, commanded a fleet of five ships in the Battle of Salamis.

Even recently, women’s names are frequently left off the research papers they contributed to—and restored only after they loudly complain. Plenty more examples of erasure exist. Hedy Lamar is known for her beauty, not for inventing the science that makes the internet possible. Dr. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, a revolutionary astronomer and astrophysicist, received no credit at the time for her groundbreaking work on hydrogen and the composition of stars—or for breaking glass ceilings in academia as Harvard University’s first woman professor and first woman department chair. The women mathematicians vital to NASA’s Apollo program didn’t get their due respect until decades after the fact—and then, only thanks to a movie.

Speaking of movies, and the sexism and amnesia rampant in Hollywood: Actors such as Kathryn Hepburn, Betty Davis, and Maureen O’Hara led movies in the 30s and 40s. Mary Pickford even founded one of the studios. Yet women never got paid as much as men (and still don’t), and somewhere along the line, the executives decided that ‘women’s films’ didn’t make enough money. Wonder Woman earned over $800 million, yet people claimed Captain Marvel would surely flop. After Captain Marvel made over $1.1 billion, people still claimed ‘no one’ wanted to see the sequel. The Marvels didn’t do as well—sequels rarely do, regardless—but I wonder how much damage the intense sight-unseen criticism did. It doesn’t help that the movie industry is in chaos right now and, in addition, has not recovered from the damage done by Covid. Nevertheless, Barbie pulled in wonderful numbers. Somehow, some people insisted on calling that ‘an exception.’ Funny how many exceptions one can find if one looks.

Which also applies to history in general. Patriarchy notwithstanding, women have always broken the mold and risen above. In every single era and every culture across the world, women defied tradition and overcame mores when they acted as scientists, teachers, and—not least of all—warriors. There are, however, other ways to fight and to influence.

Fatima El-Fihriya founded a university still home to one of the oldest libraries in the world at the University Of Al-Qarawiyyin in Morocco. Recently, Dr. Emily Wilson did another translation of both the Odyssey and the Iliad. Although dozens and dozens preceded hers, men wrote all of them. Not only did her translation return to the meter of verse intended to be read out loud, it restored much nuance that was sometimes lost, as well as not shying from an unflinching depiction of the slavery and class distinctions of that era.

Virtually everyone knows the name Albert Einstein. Few realize that his first wife the brilliant physicist Mileva Marić—arguably even more of a genius than he—worked with him on a number of his papers. Many recognize the names Felix Mendelssohn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Robert Schumann, as well they should. Sad to say, very few know about Fannie Mendelssohn, Maria Anna Mozart, and Clara Schumann.

All these ‘exceptions’ intrigue me and inspire the imagination. So many women throughout history have accomplished so many extraordinary things that the truth truly is stranger than fiction. Still, fiction can draw people’s attention to those examples and many more, hopefully in a way that is every bit as fun and entertaining as it is thought-provoking and challenging.

With only two volumes—so far—the HERitage anthologies barely scratch the surface of the vastness of history. But they are an absolute blast to read, and a joy to write for. Readers thus far are loving them, so here’s hoping their reach continues to expand—preferably exponentially. The more people who delve into the messiness and contradictions of history, the better to acknowledge that the entire population—not just the male half—builds civilizations, and to encourage studying and reviewing history with a much less biased eye.

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The author of twenty-seven novels and more than ninety short stories, Rigel Ailur writes in almost every genre, but predominantly science fiction and fantasy. Her novels include the Vagabonds’ Adventures action thrillers, the Sorcery & Steel fantasy series (with Laura Ware), the science fiction series Tales of Mimion, and the galaxies-spanning A Little Piece of Home. Her short stories appear in the long-running Brave New Girls young adult anthology series and several other anthologies including the IAMTW’s Turning the Tied and Double Trouble: An Anthology of Two-Fisted Team-Ups. She writes for adults, teens and middle grade. In nonfiction, she contributes television reviews to the Outside In series and to the SciFi Bulletin online. Most importantly, she dotes on her astronomically adorable feline kids. For more information visit: https://www.BluetrixBooks.com/