Southern Wedding

Once upon a time there were Three Musketeers who grew up: Me, Casey & Margo. Each of us had a little sister: Soteria (Sami), Darra Dane (Dee or Brat) and Alison (only one “l”). Last month, The Brat got married at the Lace House on the Governor’s Mansion grounds in Columbia, South Carolina. It was a perfect, gorgeous, sunny…

READ MORE

Sometimes Seven

I would like to officially welcome you, one and all, to the brand-spanking shiny new website, and my brand-spanking shiny new life. One of my favorite quotes is from Winston Churchill: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” The Saturday before Thanksgiving, I realized that somewhere in the middle of living my life, I had stopped. I had followed…

READ MORE

Happy Anniversary, Soteria & Charles!

Soteria & Charles have been married two years today — hooray! The rest of us remember what was one of the coolest weddings in history — held at the Charleston Aquarium, my father officiating, Soteria walking down the steps in her customized designer gown to a string-version of The Pixies’ “Where is My Mind?”, my nephew cracking us all…

READ MORE

The Fairest of Them All

Dude…of course I’m totally talking about me. Yeah. That goober there in the picture with the chibi eyes and the face of a Muppet. The one and only Alethea Madeleine Kontis, a.k.a Princess Alethea. Moi. Yes, Alethea is my real, mom-and-dad given name. The Princess title was inevitable…like a freight train down the track, it was simply a long…

READ MORE

Genre Chick Interview: Edmund Schubert

In October of 2005, Orson Scott Card launched Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show—an online magazine featuring spectacular science fiction and fantasy tales, gorgeous professional artwork, and an original story from Card’s Ender universe in every issue. Less than a year later, he named SF bad man Edmund Schubert editor of the now-quarterly ‘zine. A new anthology compiles a…

READ MORE

Anything But Foolish

Today is Anne McCaffrey‘s birthday, everyone! The Mistress of Pern is 82 years young today. Woohoo!! Like the rest of the SF world, Mark Newton and I were discussing Arthur C. Clarke over the Ides of March. Not just because he meant so much to the genre, or the world, or our careers, but because each time the world…

READ MORE

H. M. Fish Story

I’ve mentioned before about the famous list I have of Things to Do Before I Die (and if you don’t have a list like that, you should). One day I really will write all these down — I’ll stick them on my FAQ so everyone can see them, how about that? One of the items that has been on…

READ MORE

Genre Chick Interview: C.E. Murphy

She looks like a superhero, she travels all over the world, and her books will seep into your subconscious and make you wonder about your wildest dreams. Meet Genre Chick Alethea Kontis’s new best friend, urban fantasist C.E. Murphy–author of Coyote Dreams (The Walker Papers). **************************** I met Catie Murphy on a bus. We were both staying in the…

READ MORE

Genre Chick Interview: Nia Stephens

Lettuce, milk, bread, cereal…boys? Yes indeed–that’s what’s on the grocery list of Dafina author Nia Stephens in her new young adult series Boy Shopping. Genre Chick Alethea Kontis met Nia at the mall to ask her about this unique, modern, choose-your-own-adventure series–and to try on some fabulous shoes. ************** Nashville’s Nia Stephens and I stroll down the shiny wood…

READ MORE