Hello, friends! Happy to see you again, and much thanks to Shara for covering for me while I was out and about chasing down the myths of Japan! I headed off to Shimane Prefecture to visit the stomping grounds of the kami: Susanoo, the trickster god of storms and sea; Amaterasu, one of Shinto’s most important kami and the renowned sun goddess; Ōkuninushi, Susanoo’s descendent and ruler of Izumo, god of nation-building, farming, business, and medicine; and Izanami, the goddess who birthed Japan and many of the kami, who now resides in the Underworld, Yomi. It has been a great dream of mine to visit the settings of some of the most interesting and ancient of Japan’s stories, and it was such a fulfilling trip! And now I get to rejoin my journey with all of you, dear readers. It’s time for the Weekly Roundup!
Monday
Stopping by the MFT this week is author Ian Rogers, and we’re celebrating his latest short story collection, Every House is Haunted, available now! So what are a few of his favorite things? How about some seasonal inspiration, a crime drama that stretches into surreal territory, a show that searches to find if the truth is out there, a pinnacle forerunner of the found-footage horror genre, and something sweet to sip on? You know you want more, so find it here!
Tuesday
J.L. continues full steam ahead with her 2019 Resolution Project: to read all the books in the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews! J.L. hits new territory with Iron and Magic, the 9th+ offering for Kate Daniels, while being a brand-new trilogy in and of itself — The Iron Covenant. In this offering, magic and technology are at odds with each other; Iron Dog warrior Hugh D’Ambray is considering an alliance with the abomination known as The White Lady; and Kentucky could be completely destroyed amid all the chaos. There’s a lot going on — can the next entry in the series pull it all off? Check out J.L.’s verdict here.
Wednesday
Kelly reviews T. Kingfisher’s horror novel The Twisted Ones, hailed as “one of the scariest books of the year” and plugged as “The Blair Witch Project meets The Andy Griffith Show.” Never thought I’d see that comparison in writing ever, so you know this has to be intriguing! Centered on a young woman tasked with cleaning the home of her late hoarder grandmother, she finds a gruesome discovery awaiting her in her step-grandfather’s journal. What gruesome discoveries awaited Kelly when she read this book? Click here for the answers!
We’ve also got a special post from author Sara Wolf, who’s sharing with us “those special and sometimes dark things that spark ideas and result in great stories.” Yes, we’re talking You’re My Inspiration, and we’re celebrating the release of her newest YA novel, Find Me Their Bones. What sort of things went into the making of this magic work? How about the alchemical arts, the serpent that devours its tail, and the mysteries and histories of religious belief? For a fascinating peek at Wolf’s influences, look no further.
Thursday
Nicole dives into reviewing D.N. Bryn’s latest fantasy, Our Bloody Pearl. Pirate Captain Kian has invented a device that immobilizes sirens for capture, and the siren Perle is the first victim to be taken. Unlike the other sirens, who suffered unfortunate fates, Kian keeps Perle alive as a prisoner, albeit muted and paralyzed. When another pirate seizes Kian’s ship, is he Perle’s rescuer, or captor? Nicole loves a good siren story, so did this live up to her expectations, or was it all sink and no swim? Check out her take here.
Friday
Sherry continues her Resolution Project in a galaxy long ago and far away — she’s watching every cinematic offering in the Star Wars franchise! We’re up to Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, the second offering in the Star Wars sequels that came out in 2017. More than just a critique of the film, Sherry’s analyzing what the Force actually means, and how family plays a role in fate (or does it?). Kylo Ren, son of heroes Han Solo and Leia Organa, is anything but; Rey’s parentage continues to be a mystery, but does that affect her role in the grand scheme of things? There’s a lot to unpack here, and it’s perfect prep for when Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker comes out next month. Read on!
We also have Erica Cameron as a special guest sharing with us a Blast From the Past in honor of the release of her romantic thriller space opera Pax Novis. Blast From the Past is a cousin column to My Favorite Things in that it covers enduring genre loves, but with more of a bang: we’re talking the formative stuff that sticks with us over time. In this episode, we’re taking a look at Star Trek: The Next Generation and how it shaped Cameron’s love of sci fi and space exploration. What are you waiting for? Engage!
Book Club
In case you missed it, we made a very special announcement here at Speculative Chic: we’re completely rebooting our Book Club starting in 2020! It’s never too early to get cracking on our selections: In January, Shara‘s hosting This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone. Then in February, I’m hosting Jeremy C. Shipp’s The Atrocities, and for March, Kendra‘s heading up Cate Glass’s An Illusion of Thieves. We look forward to seeing you for some awesome discussions! Stay tuned!
As you can see by the nature of my latest trip, I’m interested in how myths have shaped the histories of countries and cultures today. Myth very much shapes my own interests and creativity as well, so whenever I get to visit the places where the stories are supposed to take place, it makes the stories more tangible for me. What do you do to make stories more real to you? What are the myths that are near and dear to your heart? Feel free to share in the comments. And we’ll see you next week!
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