Second, and far more exciting, my first chapbook EVER came out on July 15. Blood Quantum & Other Hate Crimes, published by the fine folks over at Fallen Tree Press, contains speculative and non-speculative poems about Indigenous existence, past, present, and future. Chris La Tray, Montana’s first Métis Poet Laureate, had this to say about it:
“In BLOOD QUANTUM, Métis poet Marsheila Rockwell has delivered nothing less than a howl of defiance against erasure. Erasure of culture and of language. Erasure of experience and personhood. Erasure of an entire people’s identity and what that means for subsequent generations struggling to return to a place they’ve never been. As a Métis person myself, I’m reminded of Louis Riel’s prediction that after a century it is the artists who will return our spirit to us. With this mighty chapbook, Marsheila Rockwell is indication that Riel was correct.”
The cover art (below) was provided by Indigenous artist, Justin Beatty.
Anyway, I’m really proud of it, so I hope you will check it out and maybe leave a review if you’re so inclined. Chi miigwech!
It’s been so long since I’ve updated this blog, you probably wondered if I was even still writing, LOL. I am! I have stuff to talk about! I’ve just been floundering in the Sea of Overwhelm, so actually sitting down to recap All The Things has seemed nigh impossible (this is why you should definitely follow me on social media – I post updates there much more regularly).
Some things:
I sold a poetry chapbook! I can’t give you all of the deets just yet, but the poems revolve around my experiences as a Métis woman and was blurbed by Montana Poet Laureate Chris La Tray (who also happens to be my cousin, but you can’t be a Métis person from Montana and not be cousins, so…). Anyway, I’m super excited about this, since it’s been a goal of mine for a long time now.
I have a SF story, “The First Gate,” coming out in Permutations: A Well World Anthology, slated for March 2025. My story features the Betareds, which are basically giant teddy bears with red eyes and fangs. Seems on brand, no? You can read more about that here.
I have an alternate history story, “Our Lady of the Gatling Gun,” coming out in the Shifting, Swirling, HERitage anthology. In my timeline, the Métis women lead their people to victory at Batoche, forever altering the history, culture, and geography of western Canada and the US, and ultimately the entire world. The story features my own Métis ancestors, Charlotte Adam(s) LaFountain and Madeleine Ross LaFountain, as well as relatives by marriage, Madeleine Dumont (wife of Gabriel Dumont) and Marguerite Riel (wife of Louis Riel).
I will also have another story, “The Curious Incident of the Blog in the Night-Time,” coming out in the IAMTW’s Multiverse of Mystery anthology. This story features an Indigenous Holmes, a Pinkerton Watson, and a monster…or does it?
I was a contributor to WordFire Press’s upcoming Shadows & Verse: Classic Dark Poems with Celebrity Commentary. Which I guess makes me a celebrity? LOL
I made an appearance on Russ’s Rockin’ Rollercoaster, doing an episode on tie-in writing with fellow tie-in authors Jennifer Brody and Dayton Ward. You can watch that here, if you’re so inclined.
I was also interviewed over on the Horror Writers Association website RE: the intersection between horror and mental health.
Oh, and I just found out my poem, “Tapping on the Void,” was selected to be in the SFPA’s Dwarf Stars Anthology, which also means it’s been nominated for that award. So, yaay!
Anyway, I think that’s everything.
Everything Else
Kids. Pets. Health. Mental health. Genocide. It’s been, and continues to be, a LOT. But today is National Cancer Survivors Day, so hug ’em if you’ve got ’em, and remember to donate to your favorite cancer charity (mine is Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation).
I’ve been feeling like I desperately need to update my blog, but now that I actually sit down to do it, I’m not sure I have all that much new to report. (Maybe it was my website…LOL)
The Rhysling Award has move to a juried process this year, so being nominated doesn’t make you an Insta-Finalist anymore. That said, two of my nominated poems ARE Rhysling Finalists (Yaay!):
Short category:
“A Spell for Winning Your Personal Injury Lawsuit” – Dreams & Nightmares
Long Category:
“EMDR” – Unnerving Magazine
Oh, and I made (created) a list for Shepherd.com of The Best Contemporary Fantasy Books About Witches, so check that out. I hadn’t read it at the time, but if I had, I definitely would have included Cherie Dimaline’s VenCo.
Jeff and I will be doing a local library event this coming weekend:
Phoenix Public Library Con-Fusion 2023 Weird and Wild West Ironwood Library 4333 E Chandler Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85048 Saturday, May 20th 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Jeff and I have a panel on publishing at 10 AM, and Jeff has one on weird westerns at 3 PM. They have had other events over the past several weekends, focusing on different genres, but this is the only date we could make. Come see us!
Also, I believe I will be doing a reading of some sort of my poem, “Child Bride,” as part of a readalong with the other authors involved in the Mine: An Anthology of Body Autonomy Horror, a charity antho whose proceeds go to NARAL. That will be on June 12th, so keep an ear out!
Okay, I think that’s everything. Further bulletins as events warrant! Heh.
Everything Else
Just a reminder: trans rights are human rights, trans women are women, trans men are men, and people who are obsessed with what’s down someone else’s pants or what bathrooms they use are creepers. Gross.
Hey, look! I didn’t actually fall off the face of the earth! Been very busy writing Marvel Zombies: The Hunger, but it’s turned in now and, with its release date having been moved to October to take advantage of the “spooky season,” it’s now a part of Aconyte’s 2023 Fall catalog. Still no cover art that I can show you, but I promise I’ll do a post when it’s revealed.
Here’s a quick recap of writing-related happenings since my last post:
I had two poems, “Unleashed” and “Tapping on the Void,” published in the Winter 2023 issue of Frozen Wavelets, which you can download for free here.
Jeff and I did go to Tuscon Festival of Books this year, but not as vendors or presenters. Jeff had a signing at the Tucson Sisters in Crime booth for the Trouble in Tucson anthology, and then we visited some writer friends, hit some panels, and bought some books. Fun but tiring day.
I had three poems nominated for the 2023 Rhysling Award:
Short category:
“The Honorable Iris C. Thaumantos, Presiding” – Musing of the Muses (Brigids Gate Press) “A Spell for Winning Your Personal Injury Lawsuit” – Dreams & Nightmares
Long Category:
“EMDR” – Unnerving Magazine
Good luck, little poems!
I was slated to attend the Arizona Comic Book Arts Festival in February, but I got sick right before, so Jeff valiantly manned our table alone.
I think that’s everything? Maybe not, but hopefully you’ve been keeping tabs on FB & what remains of the bird app, to catch anything I might have missed here.
Everything Else
Two surgeries, lots of holidays & birthdays, and politics gone wild pretty much sums up everything else, I think. Tonight we’re going to see the D&D movie, which I’ve really been looking forward to (seeing as how I’ve written three D&D novels, heh). Hope you all have something fun to look forward to, as well!
Long time, no update! I’ve been busy on stuff I can’t tell you about. Sorry!
I CAN tell you this, though:
My #MMIWG2ST poem, “Reservation Fairy Tales 101 – Final Exam,” won second place in the Long Form Category of the Rhysling Award!!! This is my 13th nomination, and I am so pleased that this particular poem is the one that finally broke my losing streak, especially in light of it being Native American Heritage Week.
In other poetry news, the Bloodless anthology, which includes my witchy poem “Final Arrangements” released on October 25th.
Also, my weird western poem “Soiled Dove” will be appearing in the December issue of Penumbric Speculative Fiction Magazine, so keep your eyes out for that.
In prose news, Sisters of Sorcery was reviewed in the Midwest Book Review, which was cool.
I will be on an episode of the Graymalkin Lane Podcast (hosted by Chad Anderson) on December 8th, along with fellow Aconyte authors Carrie Harris and Tristan Palmgren, where we discuss Sisters and some chick named Gwen Stacy.
I was also a guest on a Very Special Episode of the Graymalkin Lane podcast where we discussed mind control and sexual assault in comics. My other smart and empathetic panelists include Carrie Harris, Stephanie Pitsirilos, Susan Kirtley, and Jessica Baldanzi. You can listen here, but be warned, it is obviously a heavy (but important and necessary) discussion.
Since Twitter seems to be imploding, here are the other places you can find me, all in one handy linktree. If I stay on Mastodon, I will probably be switching servers, or I might try Hive instead, but either way, I will update the linktree.
Oh, and we wound up cancelling on TusCon49 because my disc at the L4/L5 level decided to give out. When I got my L5/S1 fusion in 2017, they warned me that my L4/L5 would probably go, but said I had a good 10 years. Hah, fooled them – only took me 5! I’m an overachiever, LOL.
Everything Else
We got a dog! This is Clio, our special needs rescue. She’s got some brain issues and is super anxious and scared of everything, but she’s ours.
First, the SFPA has been recording some of the Long Category Rhysling Award nominees, and “Erasing Myself from the Narrative” was included (I opted not to have “Reservation Fairy Tales 101 – Final Exam” recorded because it it written in a multiple choice format that doesn’t lend itself well to reading aloud). Go give it a listen – Diane does a great job!
Then I did two podcasts. One was an interview with Rob & Guido over at the Dear Watchers podcast. That one bounced around and was a lot of fun and I think you will enjoy it. Pop over and check it out!
The other was not quite so fun. It was actually a serious panel discussion with some wonderfully compassionate ladies (and the host, Chad) about the ramifications of mind control in comics being used largely as a tool for sexual assault. Like I said, not a fun conversation, but a necessary one, and hopefully a healing one. You should head over to Graymalkin Lane the Podcast to hear that one.
Last but not least, I have my TusCon 49 schedule! The con runs from Nov 11-13, and my stuff is all on the 12th:
Autograph Session, 1-2 PM, Autograph Area Gloria McMillan, Jay Smith, Jeffrey J Mariotte, Marsheila Rockwell
Killing Off Characters, 4-5 PM, Ballroom Some authors love to do it. Some authors hate to do it. But you have to do it. Characters must die. But why? And how do you do it well?
Carolyn Kay, Jeffrey J Mariotte, Jennifer Roberson, Marsheila Rockwell, Marty Ketola, Thomas Watson
Writing Realistic Women, 5-6 PM, Ballroom Striking the balance between having your female characters still female, but not insulting can be a challenge.
Our son David and his long-time partner, Becca, have gotten engaged. We are so happy for them and can’t wait for them to start this new phase of their lives together!
It’s funny, I’ve been thinking I really needed to write a blog post to catch everyone up, and now that I’m here, I’m not sure what I have to catch people up on, LOL.
There are a few things, though. First, I somehow completely missed this when it was published back in May, but I have an interview up over at author Nico Bell’s website, so you should go check that out.
Next, I’ve been officially announced as a Featured Author Guest for Tucson Comic-Con.
Featured Authored Guest at TCC 2022
And speaking of TCC, there is a decent chance I will have early copies of Marvel Untold: Sisters of Sorcery there, so you can hopefully come pick up a copy and get it signed! (Of course, if you can’t make it, pre-orders are always MUCH appreciated.)
Filed under “This is not news,” my short story did not win this year’s Scribe Award, but you can check out the list of winners here.
I also have some other writing-related things going on that I’m not yet able to talk about, but hopefully soon(ish).
And that’s all she wrote, kids.
Everything Else
We took a very short trip to Sedona before school started for the youngest and now we are getting back into the swing of that whole routine, with the fun new addition of trumpet practice. Whee!
June has been a busy month! First, Diet Riot:A Fatterpunk Anthology has officially released! It contains a ton of great stories, one of which is my witchy, gender-bent Bluebeard retelling, “Blue Hair.” You don’t want to miss this one!
Next, Jeff and I have another Elin and Kord story out! (Well, minus Kord.) This one is in Cosmic Horror Monthly #24, entitled “Deep Into That Darkness Peering” (which some of you may recognize as a line from Poe’s “The Raven”). They did misspell my name, but what are ya gonna do? Buy it anyway!
I also had a short story nominated for the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers Scribe Award – “Stepping Stones” from the Voices of Varuna anthology. It’s about colonization and assimilation – in space! You should pick up the antho if you haven’t already – it’s awesome!
(Also, for those of you keeping count, that’s my fourth award nomination of the year; three for poetry and one for fiction. Just, you know, if you’re keeping count.)
Finally, the poem I wrote for the Horror Writers Association’s Mental Health Initiative, “The Bullfrog and the Black Dog,” is up. You should go check it out, along with the other great work being put out by members for this initiative. The anthology, Of Horror and Hope, which has more work than is up on the website, will be out on July 1st.
Whew! That’s a lot! Hope next month is even busier!
Everything Else
Recovered from COVID only to have a tooth fracture and have to be extracted. Fun! (Not.) It’s always something, LOL.
Anyway, this is a long weekend in the US. Not much to celebrate of late, but I hope you find some space for self-care this weekend. You deserve it. (Except you, Roy. You can fuck off.)
So, it’s been forever since I last posted, I know – my baby girl graduated from high school and then 3/5 of the household came down with COVID, so I haven’t spent a ton of time at the computer.
But I do have a few things to tell you about. First, I turned in what I hope will be my final edits on Marvel Untold: Sisters of Sorcery today. Don’t forget, the book is due out September 6, and you can (and should) pre-order here.
Also, my poem, “Damsel in Distress, Redux” (which you can read here) has been nominated for the SFPA’s Dwarf Stars Award, which honors short poetry under 10 lines.
(If you are keeping track, that’s 2 Rhysling nominations and 1 Dwarf Stars nomination for my poetry this year. Not too shabby.)
I’ve also had a poem accepted for the HWA’s Of Horror and Hope anthology, which is part of their Mental Health Initiative, an effort to promote hope and #EndTheStigma of mental health issues in the horror genre (and beyond). I’m honored to have my piece be part of such a worthy effort. They are rolling out pieces every day this month; I’m not sure if mine will be one of those posted on social media or not, but it will be in the anthology. More deets as I have them.
Also, my story “Blue Hair,” a witchy, gender-bent Bluebeard retelling, will be available in Diet Riot: A Fatterpunk Anthology later this month, so be sure and grab a copy of that.
Finally, Jeff and I will be attending the MCAO Citizen’s Academy in August, to learn more about the legal side of things for our various crime-related efforts. (Books, guys. I’m talking about books. Sheesh.)
Everything Else
Still struggling with COVID symptoms. Grateful that I’m fully vaxxed and boosted, as I know it could be much worse. Studies are showing lots of serious long-term effects even from mild cases, so stay safe (and masked), everyone!
First, a second poem of mine, “Erasing Myself from the Narrative,” published over at Lorelei Signal, was also nominated for the Rhysling Award in the Long form category! Yaay!
Second, I sold another poem! The contract is signed, so I believe it’s safe to announce that my poem, “EMDR,” about trauma therapy, will be appearing in an upcoming issue of Unnerving Magazine. My first time being published in this cool horror venue!
Third, today is the last day to get in your nominations for the Nebula Award, so if you’re still reading, I have eligible work!
Also, Jeff and I will be at Tucson Festival of Books on March 12-13 with the Artisans of Words and Wonders in Tent #116 (formerly the Desert Dreams Conference tent). It’s pretty much the same tent in the same place, just with a new name.
Members of the Artisans of Words and Wonders who will be in attendance at the 2022 Tucson Festival of Books
Anyway, I will have a TON of new stuff available for purchase and signing, including:
Straight Outta Deadwood, which includes my Indigenous weird western horror story, “Dreamcatcher,” which Publishers Weekly said “incorporates Native American mythology” in a “fresh fashion.” (Note that dreamcatchers themselves aren’t mythology in the sense of an ancient belief – we make them and use them for the same purpose today as when we were originally gifted with them. But, whatever. Still nice to get some love from PW.)(Jeff also has a story in this.)
The One That Got Away: Women of Horror Anthology Volume 3, which includes my Stephen King homage, “The Recliner.” (Note that this story is a reprint, so if you have Bridges, you’ve already read it. But you should still pick this up for all the other great stories.)
Turning the Tied, which includes the story I wrote for my trans daughter (who was not yet out at the time), “A Prisoner Freed in Oz.” (Jeff also has a story in this.)
The 2020 Rhysling Anthology, which includes my nominated poem, “Stormbound,” plus a ton of the best speculative poetry being put out today. (Also, I don’t know why, but I wound up with a metric ton of these, so please come buy some!)
And a bunch of the old stuff, too, though you probably have all of that by now, heh.
Anyway, come see us! It’s an outdoor event, but we’ll be wearing masks and making liberal use of hand sanitizer to do our best to keep you (and us) safe. We are also vaxxed and boosted – hopefully you are, too.
