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Netherford Hall Series Picked up by Solaris Books Imprint Solaris Nova!
Publishing moves slow, until it doesn’t! I’m so happy to announce that Solaris Books, via their new imprint Solaris Nova, has acquired Netherford Hall and its two sequels (currently titled The Viscount St. Albans and The Game of Hearts). The pitch is fast and furious: a sapphic Bridgerton with witches. And werewolves, vampires, Fae, and a motley crew of characters. It’s light, romantic, silly, sexy, and joyous, with magic, politics, and of course, lots of fashion. So much fashion, in fact, that it’s the book that inspired ThreadTalk in the first place! Yes, indeed. It was Viola’s chintz dress that got me going on my first research project, and look where we are now.…
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The New Cover for QUEEN OF NONE is Here! (Plus Release Info!)
Most books and series don’t get a second chance at life. Indeed, when my publisher closed, not long after I submitted Queen of Fury, I despaired a little. This Arthurian adventure, the family saga, of the Queens of Fate, might never really come to a conclusion. Thankfully, I was lucky and that didn’t happen. Not only that, but I’ve been involved in the discussion of the re-branding of the cover and look of all three books coming out from Solaris next year and in 2024. I wanted something medieval, eye-catching, and representative of the Pre-Raphaelite inspired aesthetic. Thankfully, the publisher was on the same page! So when I got to see…
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May 2023 Class – Writing History In Your Fiction!
Looking to history for inspiration can be fun–and fraught. It’s not a matter of simply copying and pasting, but rather interpreting, interpolating, re-telling, and re-imagining. We’ll dive into places and approaches to sourcing as well as explores some of the pitfalls and minefields inherent in writing historical and history-inspired fiction. Plus, a look at authenticity vs. the myths of history. Are people so different now than they used to be? Or are we informed by our own age? Join me, Natania Barron, a fantasy author, fashion historian, and longtime history nerd, for a hands on class and discussion. 7pm, EST – May 25, 2023! Register Here! (And as a reminder:…
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From the Arthurian Lit Readings: “Sir Palomydes’ Quest” by William Morris
Arthuriana and the Matter of Britain influenced centuries of writers and artists, but many think of the Arts & Crafts movement and Pre-Raphaelites when it comes to the visuals. Few know, however, that William Morris himself was more than a painter–in fact, he was also a fantasy writer and poet (among many other things). During my graduate research, I came upon his poem “The Defense of Guinevere” and, ultimately, more of his Arthurian poetry work. Sir Palomydes has always been one of my favorites, the prince from the Middle East sent to Arthur’s court as a paragon of chivalry–who falls in love with Iseult but never gets her (thanks,…
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Check Me Out on the PopDNA Podcast talking Sir Gawain, the Green Knight, and Queens of Fate
Speaking about one of my favorite subjects of all time: Sir Gawain! It was so lovely getting a chance to nerd out with Rhonda and Erin from the PopDNA podcast. I could go on for a lot longer than I did about the Gawain subject, but getting a chance to gush about my favorite himbo cinnamon roll from Queen of Fury is definitely up there. Likely you’ve already seen how much I loved The Green Knight, too. Big thanks to the PopDNA hosts for having me.
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On Feminism, Fate, and Family in the Queens of Fate Series
As I’m writing the third book in my feminist Arthurian retelling series (this one is Queen of Mercy, while the others are Queen of None and Queen of Fury), I’ve been having quite a lot of thoughts about the overall themes and symbols of them. For context: I started the first book in 2009, and now here we are in 2023. Which is about the same difference in time from the end of the first book to the beginning of the third book. In that time, characters who start out as babies become adults (well, in medievalish terms). People die. Alliances are forged, relationships broken. It’s very much a whole…
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Fumbling Towards Camelot – My Arthurian Stories Find a New Home With Solaris Books
Who can say when a story really starts? Out of the mire of post-Roman Britain, the Arthurian Tales rose to prominence across much of Europe: a motley patchwork of stories, characters, and adventures that remain with us today. It is, I suppose, a great, collaborative tapestry, with new authors adding to the scenes for almost 1500 years. Like many young writers, and especially those of the medieval inclination, I fell head over heels for Arthuriana when I was in college. Though I was acquainted with the stories thanks to Disney and Mary Stewart, discovering the age and breadth of these tales absolutely blew my mind. I felt a kinship, especially,…
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Tending Orchids, Raising Neurodivergent Kids
One of my orchids is blooming for the first time in six years. Another is on its second bloom, a third stalking out to prepare to bloom in a month or so. I’ve always been oddly good at raising orchids and getting them to bloom again. Ironically, I struggle with many other house plants. Sincere apologies to the spider plants, this month. I can’t tell you the exact formula for getting orchids to work. It’s partially leaving them alone, but it’s mostly about finding the right window for them. They’re very particular about light. They don’t like to be moved from one place to another (that six year wait for…
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Kotaku: Vivienne Westwood and Video Game Fashion
When I was approached on Twitter about the opportunity to talk fashion icon Vivienne Westwood, who sadly just passed away, and video games, you better bet I jumped on the opportunity! Westwood’s style is both iconic and everywhere, and the result is an impact that goes far beyond the runway. (As a very invested RuPaul’s Drag Race fan, I can’t tell you how many times she’s been cited as inspiration for their amazing wardrobes.) There are few designers who can compare to Westwood, who pioneered the New Romantic style and then continued to work for decades, dressing stars like Doja cat and influencing anime. Personally, I love the work she…
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Gods of Londinium – A Decade of Reflection
By my reckoning, Gods of Londinium was drafted about eight years ago, finally. What I thought would be a relatively smooth road from draft to publication was not. As so many things in this industry go, the unpredictable and unexpected happened, and years later the book was without a home. Thankfully, we were able to re-release Pilgrim and get Gods into readers’ hands through Falstaff Books. Originally, the novel was called Watcher of the Skies, and it was even longer than it now stands (and it is no short story). I wrote the story because I was grieving, and I have always processed my emotions through the written word. But…
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My Post-Twitter Social Media Landscape: One Month In
With Twitter crashing and burning, I thought I'd share a bit about rebuilding on other platforms and share some of my experiences.
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In the Wake of the Twitterpocalypse: Everywhere You Can Find Me
Where to find me -- a continually updating list.
