Tag Archives: Native Stuff

Awards, Collaborations, Métis, Novels, Poetry

SHE HAS A BLOG? SHE HAS A BLOG!

Writing

Quick update as I’m on deadline for a story, but I realized I’d been terribly remiss in not mentioning a few important things.

First, Marvel Zombies: The Hunger was nominated for the IAMTW’s Scribe Award. Alas, it did not win.

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!

Everything Else

Marching Band. IYKYK.

Awards, Causes, Family, Interviews, Life Stuff, Mental Health, Métis, Poetry, Short Fiction, WFH (work for hire/tie-ins)

MID-YEAR ROUND-UP

Writing

HAPPY PRIDE!!!

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).

AWARENESS = FUNDING = CURE

Awards, Comics, COVID, Family, Life Stuff, Novels, Poetry, RPGs, Utility Drawer, WFH (work for hire/tie-ins), Witchy Stuff

2023 WRAP-UP-Y THING/HAPPY 2024!

Writing

I actually was not going to do a 2023 wrap-up post because I’m sick and I didn’t think I had that much to say, but I realized I was wrong, so here are some things I did or that happened in 2023 that I’m proud of or happy about (in no particular order):

  • Had my second Marvel book published (Marvel Zombies: The Hunger)
  • Had two poems selected as Rhysling Finalists (“EMDR” and “A Spell for Winning Your Personal Injury Lawsuit”); neither placed in the top three, alas
  • Had my first role-playing adventure published (“The Case of the Great Underwater Panther”)
  • Got an agent for the book of my heart
  • Found the perfect crit partner for said book
  • Wrote my first solo comic book script

Everything Else

  • Started driving again, after having been unable to do so since getting hit by a cop and a subsequent spine surgery in 2019
  • Attended Stasia Savasuk’s Style School (literally life-changing; you should totally do it if you can)
  • Reconnected with several members of my LaFountain family (and connected with some further back in my Métis line)
  • Went to Paris and London over the summer and got to sit inside the circle at Stonehenge during the full moon
  • Got a really nasty case of Covid while in Europe that murdalized my immune system; said immune system is still rebuilding (I am not happy about this, but it has been an ongoing challenge I’ve had to overcome, so the fact it hasn’t completely derailed the latter half of my year should probably be acknowledged)
  • Lived to tell the tale

Here’s hoping 2024 brings more of the good and less of the bad for all of us! Happy New Year!!!

Appearances, Causes, Comics, Family, Novels, Poetry, WFH (work for hire/tie-ins)

PRIDE MONTH NEWS

Writing

First, the cover for Marvel Zombies: The Hunger has finally been released, and here it is:

Cover for novel Marvel Zombies: The Hunger showing a chained and zombified Dr. Strange.

Creepy, amiright? You have NO idea, LOL. Available October 3rd (but you should totally preorder, because it totally helps authors when you do that).

Also, in the days leading up the the anniversary of the Dobbs decision, the publishers of Mine: An Anthology of Body Autonomy Horror are doing an author read-along for each piece in the antho, from June 9th through the 24th. My reading of my poem “Child Bride” will go live on June 12th. You can find out more and follow along with all the authors here.

Author Readalong schedule for bodily autonomy horror anthology.

Also, also, while I have been announced as a guest at Tucson Comic-Con, Jeff and I will not actually be attending this year, as we will be in Montana for the Lewistown Métis Festival instead, meeting up with family and MMF folks coming down from Canada. But don’t despair – we are hoping to be at Tucson Terror Fest in October to make up for our absence at TCC, so hopefully we’ll still see some of you.

Finally, after several years without an agent (my choice, having parted ways amicably with my last agent, who was very good at his job), I have rejoined the ranks of the represented. I’ll be working with Wayne Arthurson at The Rights Factory, one of only a handful of Indigenous literary agents in North America. Should be a good partnership.

Everything Else

Happy Pride Month! And while yes, love is love, this Pride, please remember that LGBTQ+ rights are under attack and trans folx in particular face increasing danger in many places in the US, so our focus should maybe be less on catchy slogans and more on actually protecting those who need it most right now.

#TransRightsAreHumanRights

Appearances, Family, Novels

TFOB WRAP-UP, BIRTHDAY WEEK, PODCAST INTERVIEW

Writing

I have such catchy titles, don’t I? Heh.

Quick Tuscon Festival of Books recap:

Sold many books (sold out of a few), saw many friends, met many new people, and the weather was perfect. Here’s a picture:

Booth at Tucson Festival of Books 2022 (photo credit: Jeff Mariotte)

Yes, I know that’s a half-assed recap at best, but I am so out of spoons, I don’t even have a silverware drawer. Had a family emergency while at the festival that I had to try to handle over the phone and my youngest had surgery bright and early the day after we got back. Plus revisions on the novel for [NDA redacted]. I haven’t had a moment to breathe, let alone blog.

I do want to let you know that I’m recording a podcast interview with the lovely Vickie Lan over at Speculative Sandbox on Friday. We will be talking about Dark Triad and Light Triad personalities – aka, psychopaths! You all know that’s a favorite topic of mine, LOL. I will let you know when it is up and you can give it a listen on whatever platform you enjoy your podcasts on.

I’m also doing a some “cultural consulting” for a friend who oversees properties at an indie comics house. I’m by no means an expert on the width and breadth of Native experience, but if I can help correct misrepresentations of Native people in literature in even a small way, I am happy to do it (well, to get paid to do it – I’m not giving away emotional labor for free, and neither should you).

Also, I turned in the revisions for the above-mentioned [NDA redacted] novel. I’m really pleased with it and I can’t wait to tell you more about it – you’re going to be so excited! I know I am!

Speaking of novels, you should really check out what Jeff has been up to lately. He has SO much good stuff coming out, you won’t know what to buy first!

Everything Else

Let’s see…book festival, family emergency, son’s surgery…something else happened this week, but I can’t seem to remember what it was…

Just kidding! You all know Aries Season opens with my birthday.

This year, it also means we now have two teenaged and three adult children. My nest echoes more with every passing day. Fly and make yourselves proud, my little chicks! You don’t have to worry about making me proud of you. I always am.

Poetry

TWISTY POEMS, HISTORICAL EPICS, AND A SHIFT IN THINKING

(Because I am masochistic, I’m going to try manually cross-posting my blog entries from Dreamwidth to here, as there is no way to do it automatically at present. If it becomes too much of a bother, I will just stick to directing the “BLOG” page over to Dreamwidth.)

Writing

First off, my poem “Erasing Myself from the Narrative” is up over at The Lorelei Signal. It’s a twisted Rapunzel retelling, and you should definitely go check it out. Go on, I’ll wait.

I have other news about a couple of projects that I am not currently at liberty to share, but I’m SUPER excited about them. I’ll let you know what’s up just as soon as I can. I think you’ll be excited, too!

Also, Jeff has a metric TON of stuff going on, including the release of the historical epic, Blood and Gold: The Legend of Joaquin Murietta. It’s all very exciting, but I’ll let him tell you about it.

Everything Else

Facebook and Instagram were down all day yesterday. It cost Mark Zuckerberg $7 billion dollars and I’m not sure he even noticed. Meanwhile, my Twitter feed is full of folks needing GoFundMes to pay for their medical bills. There is something deeply flawed in our society when one man (or a handful of men) could pay off every single medical bill, mortgage, and college tuition in this country and still have millions left over, and yet we still have people losing their homes because some of their genes decided to mutate in a the way that kills you instead of giving you super powers.

Maybe it’s because I’m Native, but I have always understood that when you have, you give. When I was growing up, we had to live off of welfare, intermittent paydays from my step-dad’s carpenter gigs (virtually non-existent during Montana winters), food from the Mission, and grocery store dumpster diving. And my mother would still give money or food to people who had less than us.

Because when you have, you give. That’s why you have. I realize that’s a foreign concept to a lot of people these days, but it’s how we began. Maybe it’s time we remembered why.

Man is not the pinnacle of the hierarchy. There IS no hierarchy. We are all connected, all equal. That simple shift in worldview would make this planet a very different place. A better one, I’d wager.