New Releases by Marie Brennan

Authors are often expected to read their work in public, but all too often, they’re thrown into the deep end with very little guidance. Whether you’re a novelist, a poet, or an academic reading a paper at a conference, this short guide from award-winning author Marie Brennan will provide advice for everything from choosing your reading, to managing your pacing and your intonation, to dealing with digital tools. Let’s get ready to read!

How do you set up a beehive? When was the spinning wheel invented? What poisons cause nausea? Writers of all genres can have a dizzying array of research needs, from broad contextual information to highly specific facts. Thanks to her academic background, award-winning author Marie Brennan is unafraid to dive in on matters ranging from history to ecology to medicine, and has now collected her most reliable techniques into one simple guide. If you need to know something for your fiction but don’t know where to start, this ebook is for you!

Travel into fantasy . . . When it comes to worldbuilding, anything can provide fodder for storytelling, whether that’s regencies, rhetoric, rebellions, or relics. In this ninth volume, the NEW WORLDS series by award-winning author Marie Brennan ventures into fresh terrain, turning its attention to everything from color symbolism to eunuchs, from the magical connotations of puppets to the adventure potential of a traveling judge. This volume collects essays from the ninth year of the New Worlds Patreon.

“Show, don’t tell.” “Murder your darlings.” “Write every day.” Certain pieces of advice are widespread in the writing community — but what do they really mean? And are they nuggets of universal wisdom, or do they only apply to some writers in some circumstances? Award-winning author Marie Brennan tackles these old saws, dissecting each one to see what purpose it might serve . . . and when you should toss it aside.

Names and terms in a fictional setting should ideally be more than just random sounds thrown together. Award-winning fantasy author Marie Brennan leverages her anthropological background and her experience with seven different languages to guide you through the social side of naming: how it can reflect everything from gender to geographical origin, implying a whole three-dimensional world behind the words on the page.

Two women. One soul.Mirage wasn't supposed to exist. Born from the ritual that gives the witches of Starfall their power, she should have been destroyed. Instead she survived, and grew up to become one of the most lethal Hunters the land has ever seen.Miryo wasn't supposed to fail. But when her initiation at Starfall goes awry, she realizes her double is still alive. Now she must hunt down Mirage and put an end to something that should never have begun.But how can a witch kill the perfect warrior, when her own magic is trying to kill her?

Sing a tale in a different key . . . “Tam Lin.” “Tom O’Bedlam.” “The Cruel Sister.” Ballads both well known and obscure lie behind this collection of folklore-based short stories from award-winning author Marie Brennan. Whether set in historical Scotland or a modern nightclub, an academy for mages or a psychiatric hospital, these tales strike chords with the past and the present, resonating long after the final page is turned.

Seek out extraordinary lands . . . Strange guardians overseeing fate-bound duels. A priceless stone on a journey toward a bloody destiny. A thief determined to steal a worthless treasure. In her second collection of worlds-spanning fantasy, Marie Brennan takes you back to the world of her famed heroine Lady Trent, through the land of her Hugo Award-winning poem “A War of Words,” and onward to seven other fantastical realms, filled with pirates, demigods, and murderous creatures of winter’s cold night. TABLE OF CONTENTS * “The Şiret Mask” * “At the Sign of the Crow and Quill” * “Dead Man's Map” * “On the Impurity of Dragon-kind” * “The City of the Tree” * “Silver Necklace, Golden Ring” * “Chrysalis” * “Never to Behold Again” * “A War of Words” * Story notes

Worlds without end . . . From weathered ancient megaliths to the glory of a solar eclipse, from the tricks of propaganda to the world’s oldest profession, award-winning author Marie Brennan leads writers of science fiction and fantasy through far-flung corners of society and culture in the eighth volume of her NEW WORLDS series of worldbuilding guides. This volume collects essays from the eighth year of the New Worlds Patreon.

Bondsmaid. Berserker. Bane. Hervor is no stranger to hardship. Not only is she a reviled bondsmaid, but she’s haunted by the ghosts of dead men. When a berserker fit turns her into a murderer, she has nothing left to lose: fleeing everything she’s known, Hervor goes to find a new future and a way to silence the past. Her quest will take her from the viking seas to the depths of a witch’s forest, from frozen mountains to a king’s golden hall. But the road ahead is no less bloody than the one behind, and the foul magic Hervor fears most is the only thing that can lay her ghosts to rest. They say when you seek revenge, you should dig two graves, but Hervor might be able to get away with one. Because the voices of the dead are getting stronger . . . and her greatest enemy may be herself.

Enter a land of infinite possibility . . . In this, the sixth volume of the NEW WORLDS series of worldbuilding guides for science fiction and fantasy writers, award-winning author Marie Brennan takes a deep dive into topics as weighty as slavery, as illicit as crime, and as fun as the inner workings of a magic system. With essays ranging from siege warfare to artistic patronage to food prohibitions, there is something here for every story! This volume collects essays from the sixth year of the New Worlds Patreon.

Ein spannendes, episches Fantasy-Abenteuer in der Welt des Brettspiels Legend of the Five Rings. Zwei rivalisierende Clans tun sich zusammen, um einem tödlichen, übernatürlichen Geheimnis auf den Grund zu gehen. In der isolierten Siedlung Seibo Mura des Drachenclans ist Chaos ausgebrochen. Während des Vollmonds wüten furchterregende Kreaturen durch das Dorf und sorgen für Zerstörung und Tod. Als der Drachensamurai Agasha no Isao Ryōtora losgeschickt wird, um der Sache auf den Grund zu gehen, sieht er sich noch größeren Gefahren entgegen, als er erwartet hatte. Um das Dorf zu retten, muss er sich seiner eigene schmerzhafte Vergangenheit stellen – ganz zu schweigen von dem unerwarteten Besucher vom Phönixclan, Asako Sekken, der seine eigenen Geheimnisse zu verbergen hat. Die Aufgabe, Seibo Mura zu retten, wird die beiden Samurai in die Tiefen der vergessenen Geschichte und in das sich wandelnde Terrain der Geisterreiche führen ... wo sie sich einem uralten, fürchterlichem Übel entgegenstellen müssen.

Return to the epic fantasy realm of Rokugan’s samurai and magic in the collected Legend of the Five Rings novellas, featuring an all-new story of the Lion Clan Deathseeker by Robert Denton III – a shamed Lion Clan warrior finds a chance for redemption when she discovers a foundling with magical ancestry, whose secrets could change everything. The Eternal Knot by Marie Brennan – a young monk with a mysterious tattoo must learn to embrace her destiny and become a superhuman hero of the Dragon Clan. Trail of Shadows by D G Laderoute – the quest for a lost relic leads a team of bold Crab Clan samurai into a dangerous expedition through the monster-haunted depths of Shinomen forest. Plus, the Legend of Five Rings Halloween tales – a collection of spooky Rokugan stories – never before collected in print.

Bring a new world to life . . . In science fiction and fantasy, anything can provide color and conflict -- from soldiers, to schools, to shops, to sexuality. Continuing her comprehensive NEW WORLDS series of worldbuilding guides, award-winning fantasy author and former anthropologist Marie Brennan takes a deep dive into monarchy and democracy, natural disasters, warfare, gender, and the subtleties of language variation both in the world and on the page. This volume collects essays from the fifth year of the New Worlds Patreon.

Una novela basada en el juego LA LEYENDA DE LOS 5 ANILLOS. Una emocionante aventura de fantasía épica situada en el extraordinario reino de La leyenda de los cinco anillos en la que dos clanes rivales se unen para investigar un terrible misterio paranormal. El caos se ha desatado en Seibo Mura, un aislado asentamiento del Clan del Dragón. Durante la luna llena, unas terribles criaturas arrasan con la aldea y traen con ellas muerte y destrucción. Agasha no Isao Ryōtora, el samurái Dragón al que envían a investigar lo sucedido, tendrá que enfrentarse a un mayor peligro del que había imaginado. Para salvar la aldea, no solo deberá confrontar a su pasado oculto, sino también a Asako Sekken, un inesperado visitante del Clan del Fénix que alberga sus propios secretos. La misión por salvar a Seibo Mura llevará a ambos samuráis a las profundidades de una historia olvidada y a los terrenos desconocidos de los Reinos de los Espíritus... lo que los pondrá cara a cara con unas siniestras y ancestrales fuerzas del mal.

Explore twenty-four imaginative tales crafted by some of today’s best writers of science fiction and fantasy, all guests on the Aurora Award-winning podcast The Worldshapers during its second year, and including several international bestsellers and winners of every major award in the field, as well as newer authors just beginning what promise to be stellar careers. A woman seeking the power to see the evil hiding within others regrets receiving it. Letters written by a wizard in the past threaten a queen’s reign in the present. Competing for Earth, a human wrestler faces an alien shapeshifter in an interstellar tournament. A guide in Tibet must weigh the good of his people when asked to lead a westerner to the fabled realm of Shangri. An activist imprisoned for illegal genetic modification works with the materials at hand and the threads of the multiverse to make the world—a world, at least—a better place. A demonic agent sent to help a human turns the tables on his summoner. Like the “cabinets of curiosities” created by collectors of the sixteenth century, Shapers of Worlds Volume II displays a varied array of thought-provoking delights: tales of humour and sorrow, darkness and light, and hope and despair that are full of adventure, full of life, and sometimes full of regret. There are stories set in alternate histories, in possible futures, near and far, and in the here-and-now, taking place on Earth, on distant planets, or in fantastic realms. All arise from the innate need of human beings to create, to imagine . . . to shape worlds. Praise for Shapers of Worlds Volume I: “One of the most wide-ranging volumes I’ve encountered in terms of sub-genre. It’s rather like a speculative fiction buffet, offering steampunk, fantasy, military fiction, magic, space opera, post-apocalyptic, hard science fiction, and others . . . Inventive and varied, the collection has a lot to offer for those seeking an interesting, entertaining, and thought-provoking read.” – Lisa Timpf, The Future Fire

Who is Last? Fame is rare in Driftwood--it''s hard to get famous if you don''t stick around long enough for people to know you. But many know the guide, Last, a one-blooded survivor who has seen his world end many lifetimes ago. For Driftwood is a strange place of slow apocalypses, where continents eventually crumble into mere neighborhoods, pulled inexorably towards the center in the Crush. Cultures clash, countries fall, and everything eventually disintegrates. Within the Shreds, a rumor goes around that Last has died. Drifters come together to commemorate him. But who really was Last? Lying liar, or heroic savior? A mercenary, a charlatan, a legend? A man, an immortal--perhaps even a god? Discover Marie Brennan (The Memoirs of Lady Trent)''s incomparable Driftwood, a realm of fragments cohered into a myth that encompasses realities.

Step beyond the ordinary . . . Beneath the surface of our reality lies a world of magic and danger -- a world where buildings have guardian spirits, shapeshifting coyotes prey on the hopeful and the desperate, and ancient traditions prepare for an apocalyptic future. These seven urban fantasy tales from award-winning author Marie Brennan paint the everyday with a layer of wonder, inviting you to imagine what could lie just around the corner. TABLE OF CONTENTS * “Coyotaje” * “Selection” * “Such as Dreams Are Made Of” * “La Molejera” * “Comparison of Efficacy Rates for Seven Antipathetics as Employed Against Lycanthropes” * “The Last Wendy” * “The Genius Prize” * Story notes

Create a world of wonder and imagination . . . The boundless complexity of worldbuilding can create a daunting challenge for writers of science fiction and fantasy. In the third volume of the NEW WORLDS series, award-winning fantasy author and former anthropologist Marie Brennan provides not only the building blocks for creating a setting, but advice on exposition and other aspects of craft. Whether you need guidance on security or sanitation, demographics or demons or drugs, you’re sure to find inspiration here. This volume collects essays from the third year of the New Worlds Patreon.

Once she had nothing: no name, no memory, no purpose beyond the one her master bound her to fulfill. Now the wandering archon known as Ree must walk an unseen path -- one that will lead her toward the untold story of her origins. But the road to the truth is paved with blood . . .

Explore a world of your own . . . Science fiction and fantasy are renowned for immersing their readers in rich, inventive settings. In this follow-up to the collection NEW WORLDS, YEAR ONE, award-winning fantasy author Marie Brennan guides you through new aspects of worldbuilding and how they can generate stories. From beauty to books, from tattoos to taboos, these essays delve into the complexity of different cultures, both real and imaginary, and provide invaluable advice on crafting a world of your very own. This volume collects essays from the second year of the New Worlds Patreon.

Forget perfect princesses, handsome princes, and "happily ever after." In this collection of thirteen flash-length fairy tale retellings, award-winning author Marie Brennan introduces you to a world of manipulative mirrors, treacherous pigs, and candy houses that will eat you right up. Each one is a subversive little gem, guaranteed to shock the Brothers Grimm. TABLE OF CONTENTS * "The Mirror''s Tale" * "The Kindness of Sisters" * "Conversation with a Wolf"* "Gold" * "A Smile, a Laugh" * "Nesu-a" * "The Princess and the . . ." * "One Last Prize" * "The Fall of the Fortress of Brick" * "Many Faces" * "Every Moment, I Dream of Sleep" * "Just Right" * "And Everything Nice" * Afterword

Lady Trents Entdeckungen in Akhien sind der Stoff romantischer Legenden und haben sie von akademischer Bedeutungslosigkeit zu weltweitem Ruhm katapultiert. Die Details ihres Privatlebens während jener Zeit sind ebenso bekannt und haben bis über die Landesgrenzen hinaus für Aufregung gesorgt. Doch, wie es in der Karriere dieser schillernden Frau so oft der Fall ist, ist die Geschichte, welche die Öffentlichkeit kennt, bei Weitem nicht vollständig. Im vierten Band ihrer Memoiren erzählt Lady Trent, wie sie zu ihrer Anstellung bei der Scirländischen Königlichen Armee kam, wie ausländische Saboteure ihr Leben in Gefahr brachten, und wie die entschlossene Suche nach Wissen sie in die tiefsten Schluchten des Labyrinths der Draken führte, wo das Verhalten eines Drachens durch Zufall die Voraussetzungen für ihre bisher größte Errungenschaft schuf.

For centuries, the witches of Starfall have served the people of the fourteen domains while keeping their own secrets close. No one outside their ranks knows their power comes from a ritual that divides each newborn daughter in two: the witch, infused with magic, and the doppelganger, a soulless shell that is soon destroyed. Not all of the doppelgangers are dead, though, and their battle to survive will plunge Starfall into crisis. So long as her doppelganger lives, a witch cannot control her magic. But there are secrets even the witches do not know, and the doppelgangers hold power of their own . . . This omnibus includes the novels Warrior and Witch, as well as the prequel novella "Dancing the Warrior."