The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit, Wraeththu #1 by Storm Constantine

I won't lie. I miss Storm Constantine something fierce. She was an incredible and largely underrated force as an author, editor, and publisher, and it was an incredible experience for me to have been able to work with her on many stories for her Wraeththu mythos. (The only thing that would top this for me is if I could embark on a spot of necromancy and raise JRR Tolkien from the dead, or if I ever had the chance to work with Neil Gaiman.) I miss talking to Storm about writing, about her worlds, and miss the insights she had in my own, and I guess that's why I've picked up the Wraeththu books again, specifically because I've yet to reread the ones that she revised since she initially published them after their rights reverted to her. I wish I could talk to her again, so revisiting her writing is the only way I'll be able to have any form of dialogue with her again.

The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit is the first book in her Wraeththu mythos, and for those who are new to the setting, I'll give the *very* brief introduction: Humanity has failed and a new species is rising out of its demise – the androgynous Wraeththu, who combine both male and female traits in one body, are completely gender-fluid, and who unlike humans, can wield magic. In that regards, the story, when it first came out in 1987, was ahead of its time if we consider some of the fantasy that we see today.

We start book one with Pell, who is a very human young man, working on his family's farm somewhere on the American continent. His world is narrow and sheltered, and while he's aware that things are not so great beyond the fields where he works, and that the Wraeththu stalking the ruined cities are something to fear, he is much loved. 

And perhaps, if Cal – one of the fabled Wraeththu – had not stumbled upon Pell's home when he did, it would have been another Wraeththu. Perhaps one not quite as kind as Cal. Though calling Cal kind is a bit of a stretch – he has ulterior motives and can be rather self-centred. So, in a tale as old as time, Pell runs away with the fey creature, and discovers what it is like to be incepted into the Wraeththu, who divide themselves into tribes, and whose development as individuals is arranged along a caste system as they become more magically adept.

We discover a world made anew out of the bones of the old, and the Wraeththu are still trying to figure things out – some more successfully than others, who appear to be doomed to repeat the same mistakes humankind made. With an edgy, almost punk-ish, post-apocalyptic and trans-human flavour, this tale is divided into two sections. I won't go into too much detail to spare you the spoilers, suffice to say that the first half is more travelogue and origin story for Pell's coming into being, while the second is a somewhat bitter acceptance of an inescapable fate caught up in another's machinations. So very much a bildungsroman for Pell and a suitable introduction to the setting for those with the stamina to tackle further books. 

I'll be honest. The Wraeththu mythos is not for everyone. I've always maintained that Storm is more an author concerned with painting mood, texture, and atmosphere rather than meticulously plotting and executing a perfect story. If you are looking for stock-standard romances, rather look elsewhere. Yes, there is sensuality at times, and love often fierce, but sentimentality has no place here. This story is about Storm exploring her world and the characters who populate it – so in that regard her work does bear a passing similarity to JRR Tolkien's in terms of motivation for writing. But knowing her as I do, she'd probably be a bit annoyed by the comparison to Tolkien's Middle-Earth.

I love Storm's writing for the moods she evokes, the often otherworldly, ethereal landscapes she paints, and the lush, often narcotic descriptions that add substance to her tales that underpin a keen understanding of magic and the mythologies that often underpin it.

Blood, The Phoenix and a Rose by Storm Constantine

Blood, the Phoenix and a Rose: An Alchymical Triptych by Storm Constantine is, as the name suggests, a collection of three loosely interwoven stories that are set in her Wraeththu mythos. And yes, there is an alchemical theme. For those who're not in the know, this setting is one of her enduring (and endearing) worlds that offer us the tales of the Wraeththu – androgynous beings who are mankind's heirs after humanity is pretty much wiped out by its own efforts. In this setting, fantasy and science fiction blend to offer us an alternate future, where those who would name themselves hara have a second chance to do better.

"The Song of the Cannibals" begins at the mansion of Sallow Gandaloi, where the arrival of a stranger upsets the careful balance of the household. One of the hallmarks of Storm's writing is her love of architecture and how those who reside within the walls interact. This is a story about a har who hides a heart of darkness within, and those hara who do not tread carefully around he who is known as Gavensel.

"Half Sick of Shadows" continues with Gavensel's attempts to delve into his mysterious past, but this time it's told from his point of view as he strives to peel pack the shroud. He is mired in darkness, which is a danger to those who don't handle him with care.

"A Pyramid of Lions" provides us with a window into the world of Vashti, a har who grew up on the breeding farms of the infamous Varr tribe familiar to those who've read the primary books in the mythos. He is pragmatic in approach, and while at first it's not entirely clear how far his story tangles with Gavensel's, this will become clearer later.

I can't truly look at the stories as separate entities, and I'm going to be straight here – if you've not already read the other books in the series, it's probably best to wait with this one until you've done so, as there is a lot of backstory that is referenced that will make no sense to you otherwise.

To those, who like me are lore junkies, this triptych will fill in a lot of blanks, and especially offer insights into the world of the Varr tribe under the rule of Ponclast. The revelations are uncomfortable and deeply frightening as well, because they show how close the Wraeththu as a whole came to falling into darkness, stagnation and destruction as the human race.

Para Animalia: Creatures of Wraeththu

Right, so this is not a review, but I still feel like I should talk about the anthology even though I have two stories in it. Those who know me have an idea how much I love Storm Constantine's Wraeththu mythos. The premise is simple: Mankind bollocksed up one last time and through a genetic mutation the hermaphrodite Wraeththu race came into being – heirs to a ravaged earth. They are magical beings who have the power to both great good and ill, and it's clear that they are near and dear to Storm's heart.

However Storm's done what few other creators of worlds have done: She's opened her mythos to other writers to explore, and this anthology, Para Animalia: Creatures of Wraeththu is but one of a number of existing collections of short fiction that involve other authors. The theme here is self-evident – exploring the relationship between har and creature (har/hara being the term Wraeththu refer to themselves).

Storm's fans will be glad to know that she has two stories here, as well as two offerings from her long-time editor Wendy Darling. Other regulars, such as Martina Bellovicova, Maria J Leel, and ES Wynn are also present (and whose stories I adore). This time I had the wherewithal to write not one but two tales, which gave me such joy.

Fabulous beasts that feature include snakes, dragons, dogs, wolves and owls, among others. I explored my love for owls by writing an owl companion (that I admit I tend to do often in my writing, and I blame Jareth the Goblin King for that), as well as a tale exploring the bond between a har and his pack of African wild dogs. I'm grateful that Storm has given me free rein to play in my conception of Africa, but the other stories take place all over.

As always, the quality of writing is of a high standard, with some stories standing out more for me than others. A particular favourite for me was "Medium Brown Dog", mainly because of the dog's pragmatic and (unintentionally) humorous observations of hara. You don't necessarily need to have read previous Wraeththu mythos novels to understand what goes on in the setting and, if you still have to, then this is a wonderful opportunity for you to dip your toes into mythos as there is a broad range to give you little slices. This collection will especially appeal to fantasy readers who love animals.

Q&A with Storm Constantine - on the release of Blood, the Phoenix and a Rose

Regulars to my blog will know that Storm Constantine's name crops up regularly. I am a huge fan of her Wraeththu Mythos – a world to which I've had the privilege of contributing stories. This past week she's seen the release of her next offering in the setting: Blood, the Phoenix and a Rose.

Nerine Dorman (ND): One thing that can be said about your Wraeththu mythos is its longevity – the first book came out in 1987 and it’s now on the cusp of 30 years later. What makes the Mythos so vital, in your mind?

Storm Constantine (SC): Plenty of authors invent thorough histories and geographies for their imagined worlds, and populate them with detailed flora and fauna, and established sentient races. They might write several novels set in these worlds, but there has to be something different about a mythos for it to endure – to captivate. This includes when readers are so into a fictional world, they’ll be inspired to write within it themselves, producing what’s known as fan fiction. As to what exactly makes a mythos endure (and expand) this way I’m not sure. I think part of it has to be down to the authors’ ability to create characters that readers love and who feel real. If an author creates a fabulous new world, rich in detail and imagery, but can’t give it a beating heart through the people and creatures who live in it, it won’t capture the interest and loyalty of readers in the same way that a vivid, living mythos will. When I’m writing my characters they do feel real to me, as if I know them in reality. I know the facets of their personalities, their weaknesses, their strengths. Some of them I’m a little in love with! I’m sure these feelings permeate the work and rub off on certain readers – like a kind of psychic communication through the written word. So I suppose, in a nutshell, what makes a mythos endure is integrity and love. The Wraeththu mythos isn’t anywhere near as big as those of Harry Potter, Star Wars, LOTR and so on, but is part of the same phenomenon.

ND: From what I can see, part of why the Mythos has endured so long is because it has a core small but incredibly loyal following of fans. I often find myself foisting the first of the books on unsuspecting individuals, and because this interview itself will no doubt be reaching many such potential readers, how would you (briefly) explain to a new reader what your milieu is all about?

SC: Wraeththu are simply how the human race would be if I could design it myself: androgynous, beautiful (mostly), magical and housed in a more efficient vehicle of flesh and blood. Yet Wraeththu hara are not stainless; they are flawed. What makes them different from humanity – apart from their androgyny and improved physical/psychic being – is that they have a clean slate to start anew. Longevity helps them; humans, being frail creatures, become infirm and die just as they reach the threshold to real wisdom. Hara might have risen from a brutal start, but have a greater capacity to rise above it, to reach their potential. A world without villains and conflict, from a fictional point of view, would be pretty dull, so the mythos has to include those aspects. Wraeththu aren’t perfect, but to me they are better than what came before.

ND: This month you’re celebrating the release of Blood, the Phoenix and a Rose: An Alchymical Triptych – which you describe as a trio of interconnected novellas. Now I’ve yet to plunge into this one, can you share how (and if) this one ties in with the previous tales? From what I can gather of what you’ve mentioned online, the creation of this work took a few unexpected turns.

SC: I have around a dozen Wraeththu stories that I began writing but never finished. These are mostly short pieces. Recently, I decided I should complete them all and release them as a collection, and began work on that early in 2016. I didn’t get further than one story – ‘Song of the Cannibals’. After I’d finished writing it, I wanted to carry on with its characters, because there was so much more to say, not just about what happened afterwards, but what happened before. So one story became three. The novellas are layered tales, folding upon one another. They are told by three narrators, who bring their own viewpoint and biases to their stories. The novellas aren’t the same tale told three times over – they expand upon the first story both forward and backward in time – but they do overlap. A couple of scenes are described more than once, simply to show how a witness influences what is ‘truth’.

There are certain aspects of the Wraeththu mythos, or historic episodes within it, that I’m drawn back to, like probing a sore tooth with your tongue! One of these is the Varr tribe, their archon Ponclast and the fortress city of Fulminir. This dark citadel hid many secrets, most of which haven’t yet been revealed. The Varrs were created by fear and ignorance – hara who didn’t like, or couldn’t accept, what it meant to be Wraeththu. They – or rather the leaders of this tribe – wanted to remain human and to impose this condition on others. They feared the change, refused to adapt to it, and became vicious in protecting their beliefs. These novellas take the reader right into Fulminir, and from a Varr’s point of view. Previously, only more ‘virtuous’ narrators have described what they found in this place. They never had to live there. Going back to Fulminir has allowed me to explore through fiction flaws within our own world; bigotry, intolerance, terror, oppression. And it’s been interesting to examine how when a faction is opposed to such brutality, and wishes to install what they perceive as a more ‘correct’ way to live and think, they in some ways become what they resist. The imposition of their world views can be almost as oppressive as the tyrannical regime they seek to overthrow.

ND: I do want to touch on The Moonshawl which to my utter shame is still on my virtual bedside TBR pile – it’s a standalone novel set within your Mythos, and also one that at a glance appears to be a combination of coming-of-age and the laying to rest of a great evil. What were some of the story seeds that came to fruit with this story?

SC: I wanted to write a ghost story, because I love them – those old-fashioned ghost stories set in crumbling mansions, where more is implied than shown. In a film, sound and light and shadow do much to conjure the atmosphere. I wanted to do this in a book, in the same vein as some classic novels I love, such as The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, and the equally captivating, yet far lesser known, The Uninvited by Dorothy Macardle, which happily has just been re-released after many years of being out of print. Both of these novels became wonderfully atmospheric films. (By The Uninvited I don’t mean the couple of more recent movies. The original was black and white and – I believe – made in the 50s.) I also wanted to finish the sequence of Wraeththu novels I set in Alba Sulh (once the British Isles), in particular Wales, which I find to be a wonderfully mystical landscape. The Moonshawl is a stand-alone novel, even though its protagonist, Ysobi, features in the previous two books set in that country. Ysobi is estranged from his tribe because of past misdemeanours, and takes work in an isolated spot to – I suppose – ‘find himself’. He finds rather more than himself. The book did grow from its original simple premise, and I ended up showing more than I originally intended, but that was just the way the novel developed. It needed a few frights, not just implications or mild inexplicable events.

ND: Unlike some authors who hold tightly onto their ideas and worlds, you’ve done the opposite, which has been to open the Mythos to other writers to not only contribute shorter-form fiction to anthologies but novels as well. Certainly there must be some sort of biofeedback or alchemy that takes place. Can you offer a little more on this?

SC: Around twenty years ago, it was brought to my attention that a small community had arisen devoted to writing Wraeththu fanfic. The main reason these writers had turned to my Mythos was because they’d been hounded out of another one by a famous writer who strongly objected to their activities, and in short, regarded the tales as criminal infringement of their intellectual property. A fanfic writer mailed me about this and asked for my opinion, and what I felt about fan fiction set in a world I’d invented and about which I still continued to write. I thought about it for some time, and realised that I didn’t feel offended at all. Should I be? As far as I could see, it was similar to a time in my childhood when I’d also invented make-believe worlds – avidly – and the more friends I could get to share in that make-believe and play in my world, the better. This to me was the same. People were coming to play in my garden with me. Why should that be offensive? Could I ever stop people imagining these stories? No. Hadn’t I myself begun my writing life as a fanfic author – albeit writing ‘sequels’ to Greek and Roman myths as a child rather than an established author’s work? I understood the impulse to add to an invented world, to want to play in it when the author had closed the gates for the night.

I could only suppose the offended author was concerned more about copyright and threats to their work and their income. If I recall correctly the trouble started when a fanfic writer claimed that a story this writer published was actually based on one of their fanfics and complained about it. I can imagine how that could be provocative to say the least. So I did have some sympathy with that writer. But as long as fanfic writers play by the rules and accept the intellectual property of the Wraeththu mythos is mine, and I own everything within it, that’s fine. Once I learned about the fanfic, I read some of it and realised several stories – and authors – were good enough to be published professionally. Once I set up Immanion Press in 2003, I had the means to publish these authors. So the Mythos opened up officially for people to come and play, and also end up with a published book in their hands. There are some among my readers who’d like more fiction from me than I have the time to write, so the mythos writers help me in that respect!

Wendy Darling and I have compiled four anthologies of Wraeththu mythos stories, including pieces from ourselves and other writers. The new one, for which I’ll be announcing a call for submissions soon harks back to my love of ghosts. Stories must have a ghostly theme, and the working title for the anthology is Para Spectral. Potential contributors can contact me at editorial@immanion-press.com. Details of all other anthologies and mythos novels are at the end of this interview.

ND: Magic is the breath of life that runs through your Mythos, but I feel I also need to mention that you’ve compiled the (now two) Grimoire Dehara – systems of magic that are companions to your Mythos. Can you share a little of your process for those who are drawn towards contemporary magical systems?

SC: The Deharan system is Pop Culture magic. This ‘genre’ of magic grew from what originally was termed Chaos Magic, in that practitioners turned to icons and imagery within modern society, literature, film, TV and so on, to use in a magical context. The idea behind it was that just because a system is new doesn’t mean it’s less effective than one that’s existed for centuries. I believe the most popular Pagan belief system, Wicca, grew from a similar idea. It was based on ancient practices but was in fact a reinterpretation. The ‘stage props’ of a belief system – its gods, goddesses and rituals – are simply a means for people to access spirituality. The props might change but the core remains; if not the same, then similar.

People often asked me to expand upon the magical system in the Wraeththu books, as in the first trilogy I didn’t give too much detail of its practices. Eventually I decided to go the whole way and write the manual! The third book in the series, Grimoire Dehara: Nahir Nuri will be started in the new year. As with the second book Grimoire Dehara: Ulani, I’ll be writing it with my Immanion Press colleague, Taylor Ellwood. We hope to release it late next year.

ND: I’ve read some of your blog posts where you’ve been quite reflective about your career and what it means to be a creative, about being true to the kinds of stories you need to tell. Looking back now, what is there that you’d tell those who’re only at the start of their journey? A turn of phrase that often catches me up short, and which has become a bit of a mantra for me is Neil Gaiman’s 2012 keynote speech where he uses the phrase “Make good art” to highlight the kind of care and devotion to integrity that sustains. Do you have any thoughts along this line?

SC: To me, the most important thing is to write with love. I often tell people, who want to be authors, and who ask the best way to begin, that their first novel should be the book they’ve always wanted to read but have never found. They should love their work, because if they do, readers are more likely to love it too. There are many people who are able to write prolifically, simply for money, and who do it very well, but when you read their novels you can feel they’re distanced from their work, no matter how accomplished it is. I’m not one of those people. It sounds pretentious to say ‘my work is art’, so I’d prefer to say ‘my work is my heart.’

USEFUL LINKS

http://www.immanion-press.com
http://www.stormconstantine.co.uk

Storm's Facebook page
Wraeththu mythos page
Immanion Press Facebook page

Storm's blog
Wendy Darling’s Wraeththu fanfic blog
Another of Wendy’s sites she set up for fans

Guest post: Storm on Para Kindred

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The Wraeththu Chronicles
The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit
The Bewitchments of Love and Hate
The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire
The Wraeththu Chronicles (omnibus of trilogy)

The Wraeththu Histories
The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure
The Shades of Time and Memory
The Ghosts of Blood and Innocence

The Alba Sulh Sequence (Wraeththu Mythos)
The Hienama
Student of Kyme
The Moonshawl

Blood, the Phoenix and a Rose

Wraeththu Mythos Collections
(co-edited with Wendy Darling, including stories by the editors and other writers)
Paragenesis
Para Imminence
Para Kindred
Para Animalia

Mythos Novels by Other Writers
Breeding Discontent by Wendy Darling & Bridgette Parker
Terzah’s Sons by Victoria Copus
Song of the Sulh by Maria Leel
Whispers of the World That Was by E. S. Wynn

Whispers of the World that Was by ES Wynn (Storm Constantine's Wraeththu Mythos) #review #fantasy

Title: Whispers of the World that Was (Storm Constantine’s Wraeththu Mythos)
Author: ES Wynn
Publisher: Immanion Press, 2015

Those who’re into the gothic beauty of Storm Constantine’s creations may well recall the world of the Wraeththu with great fondness. Constantine was initially responsible for two trilogies, The Wraeththu Chronicles and The Wraeththu Histories, which were pretty much required reading among lovers of dark fantasy. Subsequently Constantine has gone on to release other titles in the same setting, but has also breathed new life into her mythos by opening it to select authors, of which ES Wynn is one.

In my mind, the Wraeththu fall somewhere between vampire and angel – beings that inherited the Earth in Constantine’s post-apocalyptic, post-technological vision. Neither male nor female, the Wraeththu express qualities of both in addition to possessing the ability to shape reality magically. Naturally, a world in upheaval provides prime fodder for storytelling, as characters transition from the old to the new.

ES Wynn has more than done justice to the setting by telling the tale of Tyse who, when we meet him, works as a salvager aboard a vessel crewed by other Wraeththu. They sift through the debris of humanity for any useful items, which they then trade for their necessities. Things take a turn for the worse, however, when Tyse salvages a meteorite that has unusual properties. His discovery brings down the unwanted attention of a mysterious foe hellbent on destroying Wraeththu culture before it has had a chance to pick itself up out of the ashes of humankind.

Wynn’s writing is lush and detailed, and he effortlessly evokes a post-apocalyptic setting so vividly, that it’s possible to taste the dogwood berry wine, so to speak. If I dare to compare his style to another’s, I think back to the sensual textures I encountered in vintage Poppy Z Brite, and leave it at that. Readers with particular tastes will understand. Ghost and Steve. Um, Hello.

While those who’ve read the Chronicles and Histories will certainly get some of the more obscure canon references in Whispers of the World that Was, this knowledge is not a prerequisite, primarily because Tyse himself is largely ignorant of what it entails to be Wraeththu. All in all, this is a satisfying read, and a worthy addition to an established fantasy mythos that deviates from standard visions involving dragons, mages and elves.

Wraiths of Will and Pleasure (Wraeththu Histories #1)

Title: The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure (The Wraeththu Histories #1)
Author: Storm Constantine
Publisher: Immanion Press, 2012

I am possibly the worst Storm Constantine fan ever, because I have to admit that I’m yet to read all her books (at time of writing).This is mostly due to the fact that it’s only during the past few years (thanks to the advent of digital publishing) that it has become easy to lay hands on her work all the way out here in South Africa. But I admit my consumption of the Wraeththu Mythos books has been gradual; not only do I not want to rush to get to the end, but I also wish to revisit some of the other authors who had such a massive impact on me during my formative years.

Anyhoo, The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure is the first of the second trilogy, and it is exactly as the name suggests – a somewhat historical account of all the events that occurred behind the scenes in the first trilogy. Also, the biggest difference is that Storm abandons her expected first-person account in exchange for a third-person viewpoint that occasionally flirts with third-person omniscient. Under normal circumstances omniscient storytelling annoys the everloving crap out of me, but Storm is happily one of the few authors I’ve encountered who understands how to employ this narrative style well.

If you’re yet to encounter any of Storm’s Wraeththu stories, do yourself a favour and read in chronological order. The Wraiths of Will and Pleasure is jam-packed to the gills with spoilers.

However, if you wondered about certain key secondary characters, like Seel, Ulaume, Flick, and a number of others who make brief but enigmatic appearances in the first trilogy, you’ll have so much backstory that explains just about everything. Granted, the storytelling is condensed, and Storm does engage in a fair amount of narrative summary, and so long as you keep in mind that this book is intended to fill in the gaps behind the scenes that took place around about the time of Pell and Cal’s catastrophic separation, Orien’s fate and Cal’s eventual arrival in Roselane, you’ll be good.

For me, this book is a veritable goldmine, since I write for the expanded Wraeththu Mythos – so these chunks of history are vital knowledge for me, even if this is more a collection of key individual experiences fleshing out what is in actuality an extended travelogue. And, if you wanted to know more about the Kamagrian, you’re in the right place.

But hush now… I’ve said enough already...

Siren Song - a Para Kindred #flash

This is instalment that's part of the Immanion Press blog hop, a short piece that's a prequel to my story, The River Flows, which appears in the Para Kindred anthology. See the Immanion Press Facebook page for more details. Also, I'll post my secret question below, so if you visit the Facebook page, you'll see details about a prize to be won (valid for June 2014).

SIREN SONG

I followed Zenith south. It seemed the best thing to do after we barely survived the bomb blast in Rotterdam that took so many of our friends.

“Europe’s gone for shit,” he told me. “We must make like rats.”

Zenith was nothing like a rat. Tall and whiplash thin, he had skin like burnt sugar and large, expressive eyes – brown, like a doe’s – but there was nothing soft about his nature.

The voyage was beyond awful, and we scuttled about the ship’s hold, eluding capture. Zenith turned it into something of a game. All I wanted was to feel sold ground beneath my feet again, and to put distance between ourselves and the humans, whose stink contaminated the vessel.

Perhaps it was the combination of seasickness and what bad food we stole, but my dreams were troubled. A siren voice tugged at the edges of my awareness, and gave me no rest, so that I tossed and muttered when I was sleeping. Calling me south.

When I told Zenith about this, and that I feared that our quest was ill starred, and that perhaps we should disembark before we made port at the Cape of Storms, he only laughed at me.

“I should call you Ulysses and tie you to the mast,” he said.

“Who’s Ulysses?” I asked, puzzled.

“Never you mind,” he told me.

The cargo ship docked in the early hours of the morning, and all I could make out of the city was the dark bulk of a flat-topped mountain with a scattering of lights like lost stars at its feet.

We slipped between the dockworkers unloading crates and had one bad moment when four off-duty workers tailed us as we departed from the quay.

“Hey, pretty boys with the long hair. Are you girlies?”

“Moffies!” another brayed.

Zenith kept his arm around me as we hurried from these rough men.

“I don’t see how this place is better,” I muttered.

“Hush now.” He kissed my cheek. “You’ll see. There are no others here who call themselves Wraeththu. Things will be better.”

Zenith found us lodgings in the garret above a tavern that did double duty as a whorehouse. At night, when he was working in a nearby bar, I lay awake listening to the shrieks of laughter, murmurs of lovemaking, and, occasionally, stifled sobs.

I meant to find work, but the teeming streets frightened me. Besides, the few times I did explore on my own made Zenith anxious. He filled my head with awful tales of outside.

I confined myself to our room, and lost myself in silent contemplation. My only visitors were the pigeons with their beady yellow eyes and metallic-sheened plumage. I never tired of watching them strut and preen, and I flew with them when they stretched their wings and glided between the sullen buildings.

“Be patient,” Zenith told me. “I am saving money so we can rent rooms in a better part of town.”

“How much do you have now?” I asked, suspicious of how long it was taking him to find enough for a deposit.

“All I ask is that you trust me.”

Aruna was my sanctuary, when I allowed myself the abandon of our inner landscapes of starburst passions, and vortexes of power that dragged me into constellations of euphoria. I spread my wings wide and soared to the sun, Zenith my shadow, twined with my soul and consuming me with his hungry flames.

Afterward we’d cling to each other, and my entire existence contracted to the contours of his lips and the small scar on his left brow.

“What are you humming?” he asked me.

I hadn’t even known I had a song until I stopped.

“It makes me sad,” Zenith said.

“Why?”

He wouldn’t say. Instead he brought his mouth down on mine and his breath tasted of sunshine and autumn leaves.

Five weeks in that miserable garret and every time I asked Zenith how much longer, he told me to be patient. All the while the song at the boundary of my dreams grew more insistent. One night I woke with my legs hanging over the edge of the sill. The cobbles gleamed wetly beneath the light of the moon, suspended above. Vertigo almost tilted me over and I pulled back inside, my heart racing.

The melody shivered at the limits of my perception, more felt than heard, and when I pulled down the sash window, a stranger’s face was briefly superimposed over my own – gibbous like the moon.

Zenith slept, lost in whatever dreams had snared him in their silken skeins. A sly smile quirked his lips, and I watched him a while, washed out by the light of a single candle. An impulse led me to his bag, where he kept his money. I had to see it for myself.

There was no promised roll of notes. What I did find was a handful of copper and a few silvers, as well as stubs from a place called Table Bay Taverna. The ink smudged off on my fingers, but I could still make out the words: Bright Fella, Startling Arrow, Grey Mane…

Without turning on the light, I sat there while that single candle guttered, and I traced the words and spoke them under my breath as though they were invocations. I pressed the stubs to my nose and inhaled…

Men sweating crowded around a small flickering screen wreathed in cigarette smoke beer stains on the floor tiny horses running down the straight tickets clutched in oil-stained hands anticipation elation disappointment

I didn’t need to ask Zenith where the money had gone. This time, when the siren song only I could hear bloomed in my soul, I added my voice to its threnody.

Zenith did not wake, even when I shut the door behind me. Nor did he race after me. I became a shadow, headed to the north and this new continent’s arid interior, and for once, I felt no fear.

* * * *

Super secret question: What birds grace Taym's windowsill? 

The Fulfilments of Fate and desire (Wraeththu #3) #review

Title: The Fulfilments of Fate and Desire (Wraeththu #3)
Author: Storm Constantine
Publisher: Immanion Press (First published 1989)

This is the final instalment in Storm Constantine’s trilogy, and is told from Cal’s point of view, ostensibly in the form of his journal keeping while he travels. We join him in Fallsend, as far from the light of Immanion as he can get, surrounded by all the dregs of Wraeththu society, many of whom have run and can get no further. The Cal we meet here is vastly different from the Cal we got to know through Pellaz’s and Swift’s eyes.

Bitter and negative, he has very little purpose, and revels in his outcast status. He hits a nadir we could never have imagined in the preceding books, even when he murdered Orien after being driven mad by Pell’s apparent death. Though it is clear he still has feelings for Pell, he also labours under the assumption that Pell has rejected him. Thiede’s second-rate offer has also been spurned. Cal will have all of Pell, or none.

What follows is a hallmark of Constantine’s writing echoed in Sea Dragon Heir – the protagonist embarks on a quest, that changes him both physical and metaphysical levels. Cal journeys through the territories of various Wraeththu tribes and gradually heals, reclaims his power and discovers purpose, not to mention becoming entrusted with a great secret that rivals the Aghama himself. Such is Cal, an antinomian figure in Wraeththu society, always daring where others fear to tread. As much as Pellaz is the light of Wraeththu, Cal is the dark – but to reveal more is to ruin the story.

As always, Constantine envisions a remarkable setting laden with esoteric meaning and populated with fascinating characters – all combining to lay a feast for those readers who appreciate this sort of thing.

The conclusion was suitably apt, even if I personally felt that the execution came off a bit rushed – there were parts where I wanted Constantine to offer more complex layering. This being said, and when the mythos is viewed as a whole, this issue doesn’t detract from my overall enjoyment. Granted, I do feel that the writing style for book three is a bit choppy compared to the preceding two, and I’m not certain whether this was done on purpose to show how fragmented Cal had become at first.

What Constantine excels in doing is her world building, which is as always incredibly tactile. The story unfolds at a leisurely pace, and I’m pretty sure that I’ll revisit this particular trilogy some time in the future and inevitably discover other elements I did not at first consider.

Meet Ash Corvida, fellow Para Kindred author

A big welcome to Ash Corvida, who's also one of the contributing authors in the Immanion Press Para Kindred anthology, and who's here today to share a little bit in a Q&A. So, Ash, what do you love about Wraeththu Mythos?

Storm's writing style and the imagery she creates around Wraeththu are so deliciously rich and conjure such an intoxicating blend of thought and emotions, that I was instantly hooked. Also her world populated by a species of hermaphrodites, who have grown from human stock but developed far beyond human shortcomings and whose dream it is to evolve and explore the limits of their abilities resonated deeply within me. I feel that she takes a rather accurate account on where the world might go if we don't get a grip, but then she turns this rather dreary scenario into something new and wondrous with Wraeththu rising like a phoenix from the ashes of humanity.

The books offer an inspiration to start thinking on new paths and to search for new options within each individual. Who knows, maybe there is a har hiding deep within us, a beautiful and powerful creature, who can awaken us to our full potential?

Everyone’s story will have that spark that set the wheels spinning? What was yours?

Actually I was going to write a completely different story, something dark and deeply disturbing about some stray Teraghasts. But because I had not been writing for a long time I started out on a practice piece. It was supposed to be just a quick and short one of course. But soon enough I was pulled into the green depth of the jungle sharing the adventure and wondrous discoveries with my protagonists, while the idea for the other story went back to sleep. I might still write that one at a later point though.

Without giving any spoilers, can you share a bit about your story?

Torghyn and Marach are young hara of a hunter tribe, living on the edge of the rainforest. Their leaders believe that the only way to survive is a primitive life abandoning all technological and spiritual advancement and they use the decline of humanity as proof of their convictions. They also claim that there are demons stalking the jungle, fearsome creatures of fire living in the nearby volcano, who will punish any har overstepping their rules. Thorgyn and Marach doubt the truth of those legends and dreaming of a better life one day set out into the jungle to venture far beyond the allowed hunting grounds, where they make some very intriguing discoveries.

Are there any underlying themes you visited?

One I guess is that no matter how great your inborn talent or abilities are, fear and the need for control can reduce any person to either a power hungry tyrant or a little wheel in his machinery.
Also I always wonder about technologies which work with nature instead of against it and like to explore the possibilities.

Then, a little bit about yourself and your influences.

A loner as a child I spent much time outside in nature daydreaming myself into a world of my own peopled with demon-angels and other strange creatures of my imagination. There also was a great urge to capture the impressions of those worlds in art, sculpting, painting, composing and playing music or writing poetry and stories.  Over the years I kept up the dreaming when almost everybody around me "grew up" and lost interest in such fantastic worlds. Later a deep interest in spirituality provided a new layer to the kaleidoscope of inner impressions and discoveries and I found new inspiration in myth and legend.

And of course I was a fan of science fiction and fantasy, from way back in the old days, when in Germany besides the first seasons of Star Trek on the TV, The Lord of the Rings and some books by authors like Heinlein or Asimov, stories of that genre were still mostly sold in dime novels, a kind of literature which I was not allowed to read. But nothing could keep me from it for long, after a friend loaned me her stack of Perry Rhodan and Atlan dime novels, which I read in secret at her house, I was corrupted. I was also deeply inspired by those few fantasy novels which were among the first to be translated in to German, especially Michael Moorcock's Elric and Tanith Lee's Vazkor cycles. These will stay with me forever I think.

Maybe somewhat surprisingly I grew into a rather rational person anyway, currently working in programming and web design. My many interests reach from science and technology to psychology, history, foreign cultures and philosophy.  This part of me is the sceptic, who keeps my feet on the ground and food on the table.

But actually no matter what I do, I am always on the hunt for more inspiration, because art in any form is the core of my life.

More Art and writing by Ash Corvida.
Also see my experimental writing blog.

Meet Martina Bellovičová, fellow Para Kindred author

I'm totally blaming Martina Bellovičová for the fact that I ended up in the Para Kindred anthology. You see, if it wasn't for her, then I'd still be wondering whether I'd give this a bash. So, Martina, a HUGE thank you for your encouragement. It's her turn for a spot of Q&A today. Martina, what do you love about the Wraeththu Mythos?

What's not to love? There are, of course, all those elegant, androgynous creatures, who start out as a kind of subculture and gradually get familiar with their new abilities to become something powerful and amazing. I think the issue of humanity evolving towards a unisex society is very actual and Storm's idea predicted (in an idealized and fantastical way, of course) the challenging of the gender binary and exploring the areas inbetween that is presently beginning to happen in fashion, arts and in the society itself. But, believe me, this is just the top of an iceberg.

Rather than having a main character or two, both trilogies present a wide range of different characters, none of which is boring or shallow, and many of them undergo tremendous development. The characters belong to different tribes, ranging from the desert-dwelling nomads to nordic sea-farers, and every tribe has a distinctive mentality and powers that set them apart from the others. The spirituality, the magic and the system of deities is also thoroughly devised – so thoroughly, in fact, that a separate non-fiction book exists to cover the magic and rituals used.

What I love most, though, is that the books are so thought-provoking and have so many layers. You can revisit them multiple times, and each time find something you haven't discovered before.

Everyone’s story will have that spark that set the wheels spinning? What was yours?

From the call for submissions, I understood that this collection was to explore areas that have not been covered in the previous books; the more obscure individuals or exotic tribes. All the novels and short stories that have been published so far took place in what used to be America or Europe. Being interested in Japanese and Chinese culture, I have always wondered, whether there were any hara in former Asia, and if so, how did their society develop and why did they have so little contact with the others. A Japanese har finally appeared in the sixth book, having been summoned to perform a role of a teacher-guard, adept in martial arts, but the readers didn't get to find out anything about his background. That's why I decided to write a story set in Japan and answer the questions for myself.

I imagined that due to its remote location, Japan could have cut itself off when the global apocalypse hit the Earth, preventing the virus from spreading from the mainland. Being on a superior technological level, the Japanese might have managed to build resilient constructions, in which people would be able to survive. Under such conditions, it would take a long time for the Wraeththu to infiltrate the society and begin to form indigenous tribes. Humans would be strong enough to fight them, while on other continents, they had long ago been subdued. This was to become my main theme in the story.

Without giving any spoilers, can you share a bit about your story?

The story is set in Japan, about fifty years after the apocalypse. Most prefectures have been declared quarantine zones and the majority of the surviving population lives in "neotowns", huge complexes of underwater structures, made to outlast any natural disaster or enemy impact.

Meanwhile, the Wraeththu have formed several small tribes on the islands. They live in unity with nature, dwell in temples, follow ancient rituals and train both their bodies and minds. Despite having all the technology at their disposal, people are slowly dying out due to the ageing of population and low fertility. The fact that the Wraeththu do not seem to grow old doesn't escape them, and quite naturally, they aim to experiment on abducted hara in order to reap benefits for the declining human race.

In my head, I have conceived an extensive background for the Asian hara, drawing from Japanese mythology, but in the end, not much of it has been used, because the story would have expanded into a novel. Instead, I have focused on the tension between the two main characters: Kiyoshi, who is a leader of a Wraeththu tribe, and Satoru, a human scientist that experiments on hara captured by the army. Kiyoshi sacrifices himself for the sake of his tribe, agreeing to help Satoru with his research, but time shows he is much more than a willing victim of torture and has a working plan. During the process, the scientist learns more and more about the Wraeththu, and his beliefs are gradually being challenged. It was interesting for me to follow the slow transition of a human, who initially felt tremendous hostility to the new race, and to play with the question whether or not any kind of relationship could be born in such conditions.

Are there any underlying themes you visited? 

An important theme for me, one that reflected also on my story in the previous collection, is the question whether or not the Wraeththu are making similar mistakes like humans had. I have intentionally made the story quite ambiguous, hoping that people will be on doubts which side to sympathize with. Not sure how much I succeeded in that, though.

Then, a little bit about yourself and your influences.

I am a translator and beginning author from the Czech Republic, an occasional singer and keyboardist, an editor at www.steamzine.cz and life style goth/steampunk. In my free time, I organize subculture events, dance tribal or Irish dances and have lectures at fantasy cons. Yes, I tend to spread myself too thin, because the inner need to be creatively active constantly drives me forward.  Going back to writing, I have published several short stories and a comic so far, all within the fantasy genre, written lyrics for a number of underground bands and I'm currently working on a steampunk novel.

I cannot really specify my influences, because I have read hundreds and hundreds of books in my life, my apartment is bursting with them, and I believe that each book gave me a little bit of inspiration and urge to write. In the fantasy genre, I have always been looking for something more innovative than typical high fantasy or young adult romance novels. The Wraeththu definitely fall in that category, it has been a joy to write about them and I would like to thank Storm Constantine for giving me the chance. My other story that has been published in this universe, "The Bridge", can be found in the in the previous Wraeththu collection, Para Imminence, and I would like to encourage everyone to read it.

For the longest time, I was resisting the temptation to make a personal page, but I have recently decided to place all information regarding my activities at least on Facebook.



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Meet Para Kindred author Suzanne Gabriel

We remain with all things Wraeththu today with Para Kindred author Suzanne Gabriel, who's dropping by to subject herself to a little Q&A. Welcome, Suzanne. Do tell us what you love about the Wraeththu Mythos?

I connected immediately with these stories as I have always been fascinated by how societies see the concepts of male and female. Boys don’t cry and love sports. Girls love pink and shopping. Boys are big and muscular. Girls are petite and graceful. Who makes up these rules?

Growing up I was a tomboy; I rescued earthworms (still do!), got muddy (I still do that too!), but I also loved ballet class, and make-up. When I was very little I decided that our spirits were not male or female and that gender/gender-identity must be something that was on a sliding scale; something fluid.

I also love that fact that the post-apocalyptic world is the result of the slow decay of humanity rather than zombies, or aliens.

Everyone’s story will have that spark that set the wheels spinning? What was yours?

So many people are so driven, so ambitious, and want to be the biggest, the best, and the most powerful. They allow their career to define them. They say they are happy, but sometimes I wonder. In the past few years I’ve seen a number of people forced to drastically re-evaluate their priorities due to job losses, or health, and sometimes relationship changes. I thought it would be fun to pull the rug out from under a career-focused har and see how he adjusted.

Without giving any spoilers, can you share a bit about your story?

Tobian is ambitious and driven healer who aspires to further his career, but after a sudden fall from grace he finds himself far from home and learning to adapt a new pace of life. He discovers that despite his elite training, he still has much to learn and there are still mysteries to explore.

Are there any underlying themes you visited?

Oh dear… I’m not sure. Resilience and adaptability? Curiosity and acceptance?

Then, a little bit about yourself and your influences.

My parents had wanderlust so I grew up in USA, Canada, UK, and back in Canada again. I’m always looking for a label so that I could more easily describe myself but since I’m a little bit main stream, a little bit hippie, a little bit science geek, history buff, … I can’t! When asked, my eldest says “the weirdest mix of dark humour, science, and new age hippie”. I have way too many hobbies and too many books on my ‘must read’ list. I’m such a skeptic that I am constantly questioning the things that I believe in.

Follow Suzanne on Facebook or check out her blog.

Meet Para Kindred author & co-editor Wendy Darling

 Today I hand over my blog to Wendy Darling, who's played a pivotal role in helping to curate and build the Wraeththu Mythos. Over to you, Wendy...

I first encountered Wraeththu far later than I wish I had – 2001 was the pivotal year – but thirteen years later, I feel like it’s something that’s been with me forever.

Para Kindred is the latest of many projects I’ve undertaken with Storm Constantine, exploring, expanding, celebrating, illustrating the world of Wraeththu. From this, the latest of three anthologies, to working with Storm on her novels, to the hundreds of fan fiction stories I’ve collected or edited (and those many I have written), I am deeply satisfied by the fact this world and its characters seems to go on and on, carried forward both by its creators and its fans.

My Stories

In coming up with my contributions for Para Kindred, I fell into the same pattern I had with the prior two anthologies: one story was either done before I started or came all at once in a rush, while the other was quite a bit of work, dragged out over time. So I guess it was like the mom whose first labor takes two days, an agony, and second labor happens so fast her baby is born in the car.

“Sea and Shore” was the story that came to me first and the one I started on first, but ultimately gave me some trouble. The kernel of the idea came to me when the theme was first suggested: mutants and enigmas of Wraeththu. What could have happened to some hara? What would be interesting?

I don’t want to spoil my story, so I’ll say that after I had my idea, of a particular mutation, I knew the setting immediately: coastal Maine. Not only did I grow up with that area as one of my favorite places, but only last fall I had a fantastic weeklong trip there with my mother. Images and sensations were still fresh in my head, and that helped me immeasurably when I sat down to work.

Unfortunately, having the setting and basic plot didn’t solve all my problems. My first struggle was point of view. I started out writing in the first person, which I usually do well with, but I felt like the tale was spinning out without getting to the point. Then I switched to the third person and decided I would alternate with the story of the other major character. But still it wasn’t working somehow. So I gave it a rest and meanwhile focused on all the submissions I had to edit!  For this collection I edited four stories, plus Storm’s two, so it did take some effort to get through the drafts and finalize those.

But one night, when I had a pause in between edits, I sat down to start writing “Sea and Shore” over, from the beginning. Only when I started typing, a whole different story came out! The first line sort of popped into my head as I was sitting down and I typed it out and kept going. I started out with a har talking to his harling, not knowing where I was going, but within the first page, I figured it out, and four hours later I had come up with a story I was very happy with, called “Dysphoria.” This story is more about “throwbacks” than it is about Wraeththu “mutants” and meanwhile also handles issues of gender identity, one of my abiding life interests. That it came so easily was a shock.

It was two weeks after that, and with the deadline clock ticking, that I finally started up on “Sea and Shore” again. Working on just a couple of chunks a night (one character section, then alternating to the other, then stopping), I finished it up in half a week. When I sent it to Storm to edit and proof, I was worried she would find it rough and disjointed, but to my surprised she said it sounded like it had flowed out of me without much effort. This was not the case but glad it gives that impression!

About Me

A Yankee who’s been based in Atlanta, Georgia, for a shocking  number of years, doing tech work, I have somehow managed a sideline as an author and editor of both Wraeththu Mythos fiction as well as non-fiction writing and other genre writing.

With Bridgette Parker, I was co-author of Breeding Discontent, published by Immanion Press in 2003 as the first Wraeththu Mythos novel. Over the years, I’ve been involved in Wraeththu in many different capacities, including editor of Storm Constantine's revised Wraeththu Chronicles, webmaster of the Inception and Forever Wraeththu fan web sites, and staff at several Wraeththu conventions. I also co-edited the two prior Wraeththu Mythos story collections, Paragenesis: Stories from the Dawn of Wraeththu (2010) and Para Imminence: Stories of the Future of Wraeththu (2012). Both anthologies include two of my own short stories, plus essays related to Wraeththu. I have undertaken other Immanion Press projects, including editing an epic fantasy and at one time working on the press’s web site.

My full time job is rather unrelated to this. I’m a web projects manager at Emory University, handling a ton of digital communications (web sites, blogs, social media, video) related mostly to medical research and discovery. Much as I actually love my job, I am completely helpless when it comes to engaging in side projects and hobbies, including photography, architecture and writing.  One of my side projects is a blog about Art Deco architecture that has a legion of Tumblr fans that I never dreamt possible.

To find out more about me, a few helpful profile links: 1) social connections on my About.me profile, 2) author/editor/reader profile on Goodreads, 3) micro-blog on Twitter and of course 4) Facebook.

Para Kindred: The River Flows

Today I'm going to chat briefly about my contribution to the Para Kindred anthology, a story entitled "The River Flows". At the time of writing I was revisiting the first of the Wraeththu tales, that I had last read in 2009, so much of the world-building was fresh for me. Consequently I felt the outsider's fascination with the Wraeththu. 

One of the facets of the Wraeththu Mythos that I find utterly fascinating was the status of women in the new order; how the advent of the Wraeththu had in a sense freed women from the tyranny of men. And that's when Eva came to mind.

She is the not-so-impartial observer who watches the changes unfold and, when her time comes, helps nudge more change into being. She herself takes on a role in the new world yet at the same time she is aware of her status as being an outsider. 

"The River Flows" unfolds in one of my favourite regions in southern Africa: the Cederberg, which is situated slightly inland from our West Coast. This is a semi-desert set within a mountain range cut through by lush river valleys. Many ancient rock art sites belonging to the bushmen can be found here, and the place itself is steeped in history. The contrast between the different landscapes within this region is awe-inspiring. One moment you'll be walking through verdant lucern fields or vineyards then you'll find yourself in a shale band of strange, twisted sandstone rock formations, or wandering across a sand flat covered in restios (reed-like grasses). Venerable cedar trees endure in the kloofs, and if you are lucky, you might find the rare snow protea on the slopes of the Sneeuberg or red disas flowering by a waterfall. Leopards still leave their spoor if you know where to look.

I spent many childhood holidays on a farm here, and there's a part of me that constantly wishes to revisit this world in my fiction (perhaps a subconscious need to escape from the routines of city life). Of course when I saw the call for submissions for the Para Kindred anthology, my plot bunnies began to hop about madly, and I had to ask myself: How would the farmers living in the Cederberg react with the downturn in socio-economic conditions preceding the rise of the Wraeththu? What would happen when the first Wraeththu came calling? Which of my favourite African myths can I work in? (A hint: I'm fascinated by tales of the watermeid.)

Africa is a harsh land, and those who wish to live in her more arid regions must be, by nature, willing to be hard. This is not always easy for those who are of a more sensitive disposition, and I wanted to show the conflict that arose between father and son. I also explored the sense of obligation a woman has to a family she has worked for her entire life. Eva is trapped by her sense of duty, and the Wraeththu Taym does more than enchant the farmer's son; he is the catalyst that allows her to cut her bonds and find her own path and make her own fate.

Para Kindred anthology author ES Wynn #wraeththu

Today I've another Para Kindred contributor on board. A huge welcome to ES Wynn! 
What do you love about the Wraeththu Mythos?  

So much. Honestly. When I first started reading Storm's work, I was drawn by the elegance of these angelic, post-human beings, by the idea that we (as humans) could become something greater, something more than we are. The post-apocalyptic landscape appealed to me, but more than that, I think, it was the unique take on the post-apocalyptic idea that Storm puts forth which grabbed me most fluidly.

I grew up in a pagan household on one side and a wildly pentecostal household on the other, so powerful, ecstatic spiritual experience has always been a part of my life. Seeing that kind of ritual drama expressed so vividly in such a richly detailed post-human race is definitely one of the things which has drawn me to the Mythos most strongly– there's nothing else like it. Nothing else I've seen, anyway. It's that whole “the world has ended, now we can truly be who we were meant to be, and the world is so much wider and more wondrous than we imagined” concept that truly, deeply resonates with me.

Everyone’s story will have that spark that set the wheels spinning? What was yours?  

One of the things I've always found most tantalizing about the early years within the timeline of the Wraeththu universe are the hints and stories which indicate the role that medical experimentation might have played in the creation and spread of the Wraeththu. As a writer, I've always been drawn to the creepy side of sci-fi, the sort of dark, transformational lab experiences where technology which offers such hope and promise for the future is bent toward sinister ends. Story seeds like that are always fun and exciting to explore, and so when I received the notice that Para Kindred was open for submissions, I saw a wonderful opportunity to create something which delved into that darker side on one hand, and into the more dream-like, spiritual side of Wraeththu on the other.

I was also in the final stages of completing a book called Like Oceans of Liquid Skin (which features an antagonist as “fluid” as the main character in Wolf) when the call came in, so I'd mark that as an inspiration as well. I have a soft spot in my heart for skinwalkers and creepy, fleshy shapeshifters.

Without giving any spoilers, can you share a bit about your story?

I like to think that Wolf reflects my favorite aspects of the Wraeththu universe. It's a story of awakening, of transformational experience with its roots in the ashes of the material world and its branches in the sky of a dream-like after-world. It's the story of one being's journey of self-discovery while the world of man and the world of Wraeththu spin on without stopping. In the story, we follow the main character through some of the most recognizable ages of the Wraeththu, but events unfold at a distance, as Wolf is not a central character to change. Wolf is rather something more like an observer, lingering in the hinterlands, with a wholly unique story to tell.

Then, a little bit about yourself and your influences.

When it comes to influences, I am a sponge. I read everything I can, and try to dissect and understand the writings of other authors across any and all genres. My biggest influences are probably Storm Constantine (of course) Cormac McCarthy, Peter Grandbois, Damon Knight and Samuel R. Delany.

As for myself, I like to keep my bio simple. I'm a huge fan of sci-fi and of the surreal. I'm the author of over fifty books and the chief editor of a number of web journals through Thunderune Publishing. I'm always working on something new.

Catch up with ES Wynn here...

Meet Para Kindred author Maria Leel

Today I'm pleased to have fellow Wraeththu Mythos Para Kindred author Maria Leel visiting for a quick Q&A. Welcome, Maria. What do you love about the Wraeththu Mythos? 

The books that comprise the original Wraeththu trilogy, now the Wraeththu Chronicles, have been my constant companions since late 1989 when, during a lunch break from work, a copy of The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit mugged me in Hammick’s bookshop and insisted on being purchased. I confess I wasn’t terribly productive for the rest of the afternoon when I returned to the office. The trilogy has moved house with me more times that I can count; it has travelled around the world with me and to this day still occupies a prized spot on the bookshelf nearest to my bed. If you had told me then that I would have the opportunity to contribute stories to that world I loved so dearly I simply would not have believed you.

I have been fascinated with the ‘post-apocalyptical’ genre since childhood probably because I’ve been at odds with the dominant human culture from a very early age. I grew up in the 70s at the tail end of the hippie era surrounded by beautiful people with long hair and glam rock... And then you give me a whole trio of books set in a post apocalyptic Earth filled with amazingly beautiful creatures with long hair... Well, there was no hope for me!

Everyone’s story will have that spark that set the wheels spinning? What was yours?

Two things really. At the time the call for submissions to Para Kindred went out I was studying some of the work of Dr Paul Stamets, a pioneering American mycologist (check out his TED talk), specifically his work on fungi’s ability to clean up contamination. I mean, did you know that there is evidence at Chernobyl of slime moulds siphoning radiation out of the air and using it as their own power source? That and fungi’s role as a great underground information and resources network in primary forest; a genuine living phenomenon which for me had great resonance with the Na’vi’s ‘deity’ in the film Avatar.

I was reading Paul’s book Mycelium Running and my brain was literally pounding with the possibilities.

Around the same time I happened to re-watch a film called Raise the Red Lantern about a young girl who willingly becomes a concubine in the oppressive household of a wealthy warlord. I found her story both depressing and compelling.

Then the call for submissions came in and I was left wondering how I was going to bolt together a bunch of mushrooms and dynastic China into a workable story... without resorting to something hallucinogenic...

Without giving any spoilers, can you share a bit about your story?

The story centres around Chenga who lives in the dynastic territories of the Far East where ritual, protocol and tradition are valued above all things. Despite this, Chenga enjoys an almost blissful childhood thanks to his hostling, Lian, and his human teacher, Master Deshi-Tu. Chenga is fascinated by herb lore and enjoys a rare ability to hear the whispering chatter of the fungi that grow in abundance in his forest home. Master Deshi-Tu promises to teach Chenga the secret of the threads when he comes of age.

But Chenga’s childhood is tragically cut short and he is sent as a child bride to become the tenth consort of a wealthy and powerful dynastic overlord. Depressed and desperately unhappy, Chenga finds the overlord and the regime of his household cruel and divisive and he longs for freedom. Eventually the threads call to him again and he begins to see how escape might be possible.

Are there any underlying themes you visited?

Primarily the complexity of the living world – we really don’t understand how it all works and we mess with it at our peril. It’s all about relationships.

Oppression is another major theme. The dynamics of controlling and abusive relationships are both hideous and fascinating both in the case of an individual species’ abuse of a natural community and that of a single individual’s abuse of another. Stories need conflict and inevitably oppression is a good source for that.

I also think that literature is a particularly good medium for exploring the dynamics of abuse and bringing this hidden form of warfare into the light.

Then, a little bit about yourself and your influences.

My first degree was in Ecology and much of my work has been in the field of conservation so my stories all have strong link with natural systems and the landscape.  I have travelled widely and lived in some pretty isolated places and those experiences tend to weave their way into my writing whether I wish them to or not. I am deeply grateful to Storm Constantine for welcoming contributors to the Wraeththu mythos and allowing fledgling authors to test their wings in the world of published writing.

I come from a family of dancers steeped in the folk traditions of England. My extended family are Morris dancers and from an early age I was surrounded by people with painted faces, dressed in wild costumes, bearing an assortment of curious instruments. This has led to a fairly relaxed attitude to the unorthodox.

Originally from the flat Fenlands in the east of England I now live on the hilly Welsh borders with my husband, two geriatric cats and a varying number of chickens. We have recently taken on a large urban garden which we are in the process of turning into a permaculture paradise. We’ve just put in a mini orchard and our next challenge is to convince our neighbours to allow us to bring in a couple of piglets to tractor up the patch where we plan to put the forest garden. Wish us luck with that one ;)

See my author page with Immanion Press is where you can also find details of my Wraeththu novel Song of the Sulh. I can be found on Facebook.

Storm Constantine on Para Kindred

Today I am honoured to host Storm Constantine, who joins us to discuss her latest release, the Para Kindred anthology of Wraeththu Mythos short stories, which features original fiction not only by her, but also Wendy Darling, Martina Bellovičová, Ash Corvida, Nerine Dorman, Suzanne Gabriel, Fiona Lane, Maria J Leel , Daniela Ritter, E.S. Wynn. 
Welcome, Storm... 

One of the best aspects of compiling Wraeththu short story collections, such as Para Kindred, is that it gives me the opportunity to revisit the half-completed Wraeththu stories I have, some of which date back thirty years or more. For this latest anthology, I wrote one completely new story, and then turned to one of the ‘oldies’ for my other contribution.

The first, ‘Painted Skin’, was inspired by an image I remembered from a folk tale – that of a fairy woman who’s a beautiful and bewitching creature from the front, but whose back is hollow and that of a rotting tree. I can’t even remember where I first came across this image, although my friend and fellow writer Tanith Lee also remembers it, and thinks it might have been in a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. I’ve not yet trawled through my big collection of his stories to find out. I did discover, via a Danish friend and subsequent searches on the internet, that there is a Danish myth about the Elle folk, whose females were as described above, but whose males were hideously ugly and could spread pestilence. Both genders were not actively malevolent, as far as I could gather, but objected strongly to humans reacting negatively to their appearance. Once riled in such a way, through unintentional laughter or horror, they could turn nasty. The idea of the hollow woman has always fascinated me, and the idea came to me how to include it in a Wraeththu story. ‘Painted Skin’ was the result.


I began the other piece, ‘Without Weakness’, way back when writing the original Wraeththu trilogy, not long after I’d completed ‘The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit’. It features two characters from the trilogy – the Kamagrian Kate and the harish Ashmael. A human enclave has managed to survive in the wilderness of Megalithica, despite attacks from rogue Wraeththu tribes. Nicholas, the youngest son of the Ferniman family, is particularly threatened by these enemies, not least because of his innate unusual abilities, not generally found in a human. The barbaric Wraeththu want to claim and incept him.

Ashmael and Kate, representing the more advanced tribe of Gelaming, seek to help the humans, and overcome their hostility. Initially, I planned the story to be a kind of romance, with love conquering all, but when I revisited it, so many years later, different ideas came to me. I had things to say about those who claim to ‘know what’s best for you’, when really all they know is what they consider best for them. In particular, this applies to medical professionals, who are often blinkered to say the least, and prone to promoting the latest fad or obsession. In the story, this involves the subject of inception – is it ever ‘necessary’, and if professional therapists consider it so, are they right? ‘Without Weakness’ was an interesting story to write, even if it was rather more difficult to produce than ‘Painted Skin’, which poured out without much effort on my part. Originally I’d planned for it to be a novella, and despite choosing to make it a shorter work, it still came in at 40 pages or so when it was finished.

Both stories were very enjoyable to write in their different ways. I hope to compile another Wraeththu story collection in the future, again with the help of other writers, to explore other aspects of the Wraeththu Mythos.

Bio: 
After seventeen years of being professionally published, Storm decided that the only way for her books to stay in print for any length of time was to publish her back catalogue herself. With Immanion Press, she intends to rectify the typical fate of books, which is to have the "shelf life of a magazine".

Storm underwent a cursory art college education, but found it too restricting creatively. After a series of mundane jobs, she began writing seriously, and her first book, "The Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit" was published in 1987 by Macdonald Futura. Storm has written approximately 1.5 books a year ever since!

In the 80s and 90s, she frittered away some time managing bands, and caught the publishing bug from producing fan club magazines. After giving up the musical distraction, Storm embarked on the fiction project, "Visionary Tongue", which was a regular magazine of dark fantasy/fantasy/sf stories. She enlisted the help of several writer friends to act as editors, so that up-and-coming writers would have the chance to work with a professional, and pick up tips about their craft and the industry.

Immanion Press is undoubtedly an extension of what Storm began with Visionary Tongue. As well as her own work, and the back catalogue of friends and writers she admires, Storm is keen to promote new talent. As to what she's looking for, she says:

'It's difficult to define what I like, but it has to be different. I admire a slick style, believable characters, vivid yet economical description and an engaging story. I also like a certain level of quirkiness, as long as it isn't too self-conscious! A few of my favourite writers are Alice Hoffman, Tanith Lee, Jack Vance, Steve Millhauser and Jonathan Carroll, which might give people a potential idea of what appeals to me. I will edit the books that most appeal to me, but we also have a team of other editors who are all very thorough at what they do. I am known as rather a task-mistress with authors I work with, though - so be warned!

Para Kindred anthology

Okay, so some of you'll know by now that I have a story that's appearing in the upcoming Para Kindred anthology that's being published by Immanion Press later this month. Well, there's great news, there's a give-away currently happening on Goodreads and you can jump in on the action here. I'm totally stoked that one of my stories is appearing in this collection.

The androgynous and mysterious Wraeththu have risen to replace humanity upon a ravaged world. Following on from the successful anthologies Paragenesis and Para Imminence, this collection of tales focuses upon the enigmas that might be found within the disparate tribes – how Wraeththu could have – or will – develop in strange and unimagined ways.

Based on the world created by Storm Constantine for her Wraeththu novels, the stories in this collection explore different, intriguing aspects of bizarre mutations and specialisations that have arisen, hidden within the developing Wraeththu tribes and throughout the corners of the world. Shape-shifters, semi-mythological beings, or hara who have evolved in other unexpected ways, Para Kindred expands the horizons of the Wraeththu world, touching upon countries – such as those of the Far East and the African continent – that have not appeared in the Mythos before.

Para Kindred features stories from ten writers, some of whom are well known within Wraeththu fandom and/or have written Wraeththu Mythos novels published by Immanion Press. Also included are two new stories each by Storm Constantine and Wendy Darling.

Featuring stories by: Storm Constantine, Wendy Darling, Martina Bellovičová, Ash Corvida, Nerine Dorman, Suzanne Gabriel, Fiona Lane, Maria J Leel, Daniela Ritter and E S Wynn.

The Bewitchments of Love and Hate (book #2 of The Wraeththu Chronicles) by Storm Constantine

Title: The Bewitchments of Love and Hate (book #2 of The Wraeththu Chronicles)
Author: Storm Constantine
Publisher: Immanion Press, 2009 Smashwords edition

In book two we break with Pell and Cal, and instead return to the alluringly named Forever – the home of the Varr Terzian. This time we grow alongside his son, Swift, whom we encountered briefly as a harling in book one.

As a pure born (both his parents were Wraeththu) Swift has many advantages over humans and indeed the Wraeththu who started out as humans. He experiences accelerated growth (coming of age within seven years as opposed to sixteen) and a precocious intelligence and aptitude for learning.

To Swift there is nothing wrong with the Varr tribe, at least not at first. They are all that he knows, and it is the Gelaming, that his father is away fighting, that fill him with a sense of concern. The Gelaming threat hovers constantly on his horizon, but doesn’t at first intrude.

Mysterious Cobweb is more fully revealed as a well-rounded character – prone to outbursts but in possession of great insight into the hearts and minds of others.

Swift partakes of both his parents’ qualities, though in him, Terzian’s aggression is somewhat tempered to assertiveness. He is curious and capable of great compassion. What is also apparent of Swift is that he seeks a middle ground, and as such as an almost uncanny ability to patch up disputes – all admirable qualities of a potentially great leader.

There is, throughout this novel, the troublesome Cal, who continues to haunt the lives of those with whom he’s tangled. Sometimes he’s torn gaping wounds – as in the case of Seel. For others he’s been an obsession, for instances Terzian. Wherever Cal goes, he captures hearts, but he has his own demons to face, and his time with Swift offers him that opportunity to come to terms with his past. The process hardly pleasant, and has plenty of fallout.

Some comment of the ending is, I feel, necessary. I expected Constantine to make the conflict between Varr and Gelaming the centre point of the climax, but it isn’t. Resolution of the external conflict is almost bloodless, effortless, in my opinion, and if you’re looking for an action-packed final battle, you’re not going to find it here. Rather, the conflict is subtler, the battleground the hearts of hara and the shifting allegiances between characters. This is where the meat and bones of this saga lie.

Of course I immediately went out and bought the next in the series. I love this epic that much. Constantine hits the mark, as always, with gloriously textured, carefully nuanced tales that slowly unfold like a sumptuous feast.