From: Kida Valérie Charavel
Hello, just wanted to share something… Discovered Aud in The Blue Place, and since then, just kept following your books one after the other…
Last time I had this hunger was for Marion Zimmer Bradley and her great Darkover series.
Lately, I’m on Jeep with Marghe, and I wanted to share this : You’ve put a name on what I am… I just found my name… a Viajera. Can’t explain how much it fits me…
Forgive me this pitiful English, I’m French, but still, I read your books in English… From Monique Wittig and from Helene Cixous and her Amazon Tales, I used to call myself “porteuse de fables” (a kind of “fable carrier”). I also enjoyed “La que sabe” from Clarissa Pinkola Estes… But you definitely stole the first place with this simple word: Viajera.
Which applies to me in so many ways… I’m a nomad, lived in Mexico, Morocco, Egypt, France, now Belgium… travelled a lot… Lover of myth, old memories of goddesses and earthly and natural ways for caring, healing, planting, building, creating, playing, dancing, chanting…
Well, I wanted to thank you so much for this beautiful word Viajera.
May we all be viajeras…
Keep telling stories Nicola
Ammonite is the most consciously mythic of my books. In some ways it’s about storytelling, about the beginnings of myth, about the power of words and memory and the artist’s journey into the unknown.
First novels, I think, are the purest expression of a writer’s beginnings and hopes and dreams. Ammonite is certainly the bucket I sent deep into my story well, over and over. I gave my very last drop, everything I had.
One of the many graces of being a writer, though, is that the story well refills. Ammonite was the book that taught me to be unafraid of giving everything I have. I hope, every day, that I can keep doing that.
May everyone be a viajera…*smiles*
Ammonite is my favorite book. Period. Full stop. I read it in fall of 2008. I've read it twice thru since then and read certain passages every now and then, when I need to feel affirmed or comforted or reminded of something. Viajeras remember. Yes. A lot of reading Ammonite was like that for me. A feeling of yes, yes. That's it. This is it. Which led to, who is this writer? How had I not heard of this book before? How did she do this? What else has she written?
I've read Slow River and for me it is a book that has grown on me. I've only read it once but I think about it often. I've read the Aud books. There are a few places in the Blue Place that haunt me. “She'll never have cause to regret this.” is one. I don't have the book so I don't know if that's the exact quote.
I've read the Science Fiction and Fantasy anthologies from the Bending The Landscape series. “Time Gypsy,” from the SF anthology, is one of my favorite short stories.
I recently read my first purchased e-book, With Her Body, and am better for it. And yesterday I happily discovered “Mirrors and Burnstone” on your site for free!! I have a question. Are Jink, Oriyest, and Day a triad? I know they are a family. I am just curious about their relationships. It was awesome to learn a little more about them from the short story, which is solid by the way. Great work.
Thank you for all that you do.
Evan J Zarius Gorman
Evan, yes, they're a triad. When I wrote “Mirrors and Burnstone” I wasn't a great believer in standard equations.
I'm so pleased you enjoyed With Her Body. I intend to publish a full collection of short stories one of these days–I have to find the time to write some new work first–but until then, WHB is all there is.
I agree with you, “Time Gypsy” is a great story!
A healthy triad is an ideal relationship for me. Thanks for answering.
One of theses days-a full collection of short stories! Woot!