Hi, Marion! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

I live in northern coastal California, close to the ocean and a comfortable drive from San Francisco. I love reading and I review for Fantasy Literature. After a career in public service I retired in 2012, which gave me stretches of time that were in my control alone, letting me really focus on writing. I love the ocean, forests, walking and taking photos. I love dogs and corvids. I spend hours watching the crows and the one pair of ravens in the neighborhood.

How has the start of 2022 been for you?

I’d say, “2022 is a strange year,” but I’d have to follow that with, “just like 2021 and 2020.” Personally, the first quarter of this year has been mostly good for me. After all, I have books coming out! All of that is good, and helps balance some of the upheaval in the world and on the home front. Life is always a mix. Right now I’m doing well.

When did you first discover your love for writing?

The first story I remember writing was when I was six. I don’t remember the plot, except there was a girl and her horse, a box canyon and a lost gold mine. I believe it was lavishly illustrated because I’d just learned to draw horses.

I’m sure there was a time, or time periods in my life, when I didn’t write or think about writing, but I don’t remember when those were.

Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!

The first book I remember reading myself was an old book my mom picked up at a church rummage sale. The series was from 1921, and it was called My Bookhouse Books (you can still find them on eBay). The one we had was called The Latch Key. The book had a series of stories and bits of, well, dumbed-down British history, well illustrated.(Two children left alone in a manor house! A cavalier hiding in the priest-hole! An evil Roundhead banging at the door! You get the picture.)  I don’t remember any particular story, but I remember how I felt reading those—transported. I felt like I was in another world.

Andre Norton’s stories filled me with wonder and determination, and I wanted to do what she did. If I had to pick a particular book that made me think, “I want to do this,” it would probably be The Time Traders.

Books I still think about—I’m going to cheat and name two. I read The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse, by Louise Erdrich, while I was traveling to take care of things after my father died. Because of some other things that had happened in my life right around then, my sense of faith was at its lowest ebb. I don’t mean “faith” as any form of organized religion; I mean a feeling of connection to something larger—a sense of meaning, I guess. By the time I finished Erdrich’s book I had my faith back. (This got deeply personal in a hurry, didn’t it?) Anyway, I often think back on how she told that story, and delivered that result to me.

The second book is The Chosen and the Beautiful by Nghi Vo. It’s billed as retelling of The Great Gatsby, and Vo’s use of the original text is wonderfully disciplined. What I think about is the way she changes that entire story with the introduction of her version of Jordan Baker. The magic is important too—I love Jordan’s magic!– but it’s Jordon herself and the way this book is Jordan’s story that captures my imagination.

Your latest novel, Comeuppance Served Cold, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Yes, it came out today! The first five words that come to mind are “Dashiell Hammet, but with magic,” and, after some experimentation, I’m going to stick with that.

What can readers expect?

It’s a caper story. Folks can expect speakeasies, street drugs, tense dinner-table scenes, shapeshifters, vigilantes, protection rackets, corruption (lots of corruption), one set of star-crossed lovers and one pair of happy lovers (Philippe and Gabe), bootleggers, magic, and characters who aren’t what they seem at first, or maybe even second, glance.

Where did the inspiration for Comeuppance Served Cold come from?

It came from a desire to write a Dashiell-Hammett-style story, with a female protagonist who was a little like Sam Spade… and with magic. I had a character, but no plot. I knew I wanted to puncture arrogance and privilege in the story.

Seattle has always attracted me, and the combination of  the underground and the city’s Prohibition history drew me in. My character in that city, at that time, seemed like a natural mix, and the story grew from there.

Can you tell us a bit about the challenges you faced while writing and how you were able to overcome them?

The biggest challenge was purely technical, because I use a non-linear story structure. It was kind of like I decided to build a spiral staircase in my living room and then realized that to do it, I had to do math. I set up a spreadsheet to track the dates to avoid any glaring time-logic flaws. One still got past me! Tordotcom’s excellent editors caught it, though.

Another challenge was writing dialogue or “stage business” with a lot of subtext, where in fact what’s being said has almost nothing to do with what’s really happening in the scene. That was tricky!

Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

Three characters surprised me in pleasant ways. I had always had Violet and Philippe Solomon in the story, but they needed fleshing out. I took a trip to Florida and spent four days in St. Augustine. While I was there, I suddenly understood where the Solomons had come from, and how they ended up in Seattle. That was a nice gift. The other character I enjoyed writing, while very challenging, was Gabe, the blind tattooist. It was important to me that even though Gabe was magical, his blindness was treated authentically. The Hugo-award winning Elsa Sjunneson read Gabe for authenticity and helped immeasurably. By the way, Johanie Martzol-Cools read the work with an eye on Philippe and Violet and helped me keep them as realistic as possible. I’m grateful to both of them.

Can you tell us a bit about the research you did for Comeuppance Served Cold?

I re-read The Maltese Falcon and several other Hammett works from the period, to get a sense of the prose for that type of novel. I had a lot of old photographs from my mother’s side of the family, back from the 1920s. Some came from my great aunt. She lived in Massachusetts and the family story always was that her husband, who ran a hotel, made frequent “pleasure trips” to Canada during Prohibition and was really bringing back whiskey. Those helped me envision the time period.

I read several good books about Seattle, including Jackson Street After Hours, by Paul de Barros. If you’re interested in the Seattle music scene in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, check that one out.

I went to St. Augustine and Seattle, took some tours, and largely walked around, which I find always helps me ground a setting.There’s something about ambience. In Seattle, Jake’s Private Eye Tours drove us past the buildings that held speakeasies or basement casinos, which helped me place Violet’s Hat Shop, the book’s speakeasy, in just the right place.

As far as the fashions went, I love the internet. There are so many great fashion history sites.

What’s next for you?

The third book in my Copper Road trilogy, published by Falstaff Books, comes out in mid-May of this year. It’s called Golden Rifts. You can find the first two on Amazon. Right now I’m working on an indirect sequel to Comeuppance Served Cold.

Lastly, do you have any 2022 book recommendations for our readers?

So many! What do you like?

Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes, is SF-horror, a creepy, suspenseful and heartbreaking “haunted starship” story.

Still in the horror vein, Mestiza Blood is a story collection by V. Castro. A lot of these are body horror, and many are violent, so be warned. I love the voices of Castro’s chicana protagonists as they face monsters, or in some cases, celebrate the fact that they’re the monster.

If horror’s not your thing, The Liar’s Knot, by M.A. Carrick, is the second book in the Mask and Mirror series. This series is like a perfect dessert; secret identities, con artists, magic, sexy crime lords, decadent aristrocrats, glorious fashion, intrigue and masks. M.A. Carrick is the pen name of writers Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms.

I just finished an ARC of Siren Queen by Nghi Vo. No surprise, I love the magic, the protagonist, and her struggle against the movie studio system in 1930s California, envisioned, again, in a world that bubbles with magic. It comes out in May. Look for it.

Inheritors of Power, by Juliette Wade, is the third book in her science fiction series The Broken Trust. I loved this book. To understand it, you must start at the beginning with Mazes of Power. Wade is examining systems, how they work and how they break, through the lens of one particular family. The relationships are complex and beautifully rendered, as is the complicated and complete world the characters inhabit.

For sheer fun, with some serious undertones and power and found family, read Cat Rambo’s space opera You Sexy Thing.

And I’d be thrilled if you read Comeuppance Served Cold.

Will you be picking up Comeuppance Served Cold? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Q&A: Marion Deeds, Author of ‘Comeuppance Served Cold’ appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

After the last two years, readers are thoroughly enjoying jumping into a fantasy or sci-fi novel to escape the world, so 2022 holds many exciting books to look forward to! From new releases from the likes of Seanan McGuire, Tara Sim, John Scalzi, Jennifer Saint, Jonathan Maberry, and more, to those releasing their debut novel, there’s really something for everyone within this round up!

Read on to discover fantasy and sci-fi books releasing between the months of January and June and tell us in the comments below if you’re looking forward to any of them!

JANUARY

Engines of Empire by R. S. Ford
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This epic fantasy tells the tales of clashing Guilds, magic-fueled machines, intrigue and revolution—and the one family that stands between an empire’s salvation or destruction.

How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
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For fans of Cloud Atlas and Station Eleven––Follow a cast of intricately linked characters over hundreds of years as humanity struggles to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a climate plague

Seven Mercies by Laura Lam and Elizabeth May
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The second book in a feminist space opera duology that follows the team of seven rebels who will free the galaxy from the ruthless Tholosian Empire–or die trying.

The Amber Crown by Jacey Bedford
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In this new epic fantasy, three societal outcasts must work together to fulfill the orders of a dead king’s ghost or risk their nation falling to a tyrant

Where The Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire
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Welcome to the Whitethorn Institute. The first step is always admitting you need help, and you’ve already taken that step by requesting a transfer into our company.

Servant Mage by Kate Elliott
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In Kate Elliott’s Servant Mage, a lowly fire mage finds herself entangled in an empire-spanning conspiracy on her way to discovering her true power.

Obsidian by Sarah J. Daley
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Defying those who think her an abomination, Shade wears her tattoos openly and carries obsidian blades at her hips. For years, she has protected the outcast clans who wander the blighted Wastes, but the land is growing more unstable and her blades are no longer enough.

The Starless Crown by James Rollins
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An alliance embarks on a dangerous journey to uncover the secrets of the distant past and save their world in this captivating, deeply visionary adventure from #1 New York Times bestselling thriller-master James Rollins.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
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A captivating debut fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e , in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm and sets her on a dangerous path—where choices come with deadly consequences, and she risks losing more than her heart.

Battle of the Linguist Mages by Scotto Moore
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In modern day Los Angeles, a shadowy faction led by the Governor of California develops the arcane art of combat linguistics, planting the seeds of a future totalitarian empire in Scotto Moore’s Battle of the Linguist Mages.

Light Years From Home by Mike Chen
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The perfect combination of action, imagination and heart, Light Years from Home is a touching drama about a challenge as difficult as saving the galaxy: making peace with your family…and yourself.

The Unfamiliar Garden by Benjamin Percy
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FEBRUARY

A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross
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House of Earth and Blood meets The Witch’s Heart in Rebecca Ross’s brilliant first adult fantasy, set on the magical isle of Cadence where two childhood enemies must team up to discover why girls are going missing from their clan.

Last Exit by Max Gladstone
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Fresh from winning the Hugo and Nebula Awards, Max Gladstone weaves elements of American myth—the muscle car, the open road, the white-hatted cowboy—into Last Exit, a deeply emotional tale where his characters must find their own truths if they are to survive.

Clean Air by Sarah Blake
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Suspenseful and startling, but also written with a wry, observant humor, Clean Air is the second novel from poet Sarah Blake, author of the award-winning literary debut Naamah. It will appeal to readers of The Need, The Leftovers, and Fever Dream as it probes motherhood, grief, control, and choice.

Dead Collections by Isaac Fellman
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A whirlwind romance between an eccentric archivist and a grieving widow explores what it means to be at home in your own body in this clever, humorous, and heartfelt novel.

Scorpica: The Five Queendoms by G.R. Macallister
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A centuries-long peace is shattered in a matriarchal society when a decade passes without a single girl being born in this sweeping epic fantasy that’s perfect for fans of Robin Hobb and Circe.

The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart
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At once a dazzlingly time-twisting murder mystery and a story about grief, memory, and what it means to—literally—come face-to-face with our ghosts, The Paradox Hotel is another unforgettable speculative thrill ride from acclaimed author Rob Hart.

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
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From a major new debut author in epic fantasy comes the first book in a trilogy where action, intrigue, and magic collide. The Justice of Kings introduces an unforgettable protagonist destined to become a fantasy icon: Sir Konrad Vonvalt, an Emperor’s Justice, who is a detective, judge, and executioner all in one. But these are dangerous times to be a Justice…. 

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes
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Titanic meets The Shining in S.A. Barnes’ Dead Silence, a SF horror novel in which a woman and her crew board a decades-lost luxury cruiser and find the wreckage of a nightmare that hasn’t yet ended.

Redwood and Wildfire by Andrea Hairston
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Andrea Hairston’s alternate history adventure, Redwood and Wildfire, is the winner of the Otherwise Award and the Carl Brandon Kindred Award.

Reclaim the Stars: 17 Tales Across Realms & Space
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Reclaim the Stars is a collection of bestselling and acclaimed YA authors that take the Latin American diaspora to places fantastical and out of this world. Authors include Daniel José Older, Yamile Saied Méndez, Anna-Marie McLemore, Mark Oshiro, Romina Garber, David Bowles, Lilliam Rivera, Claribel Ortega, Isabel Ibañez, Sara Faring, Maya Motayne, Nina Moreno, Vita Ayala, J.C. Cervantes, Circe Moskowitz, Linda Nieves Pérez, and Zoraida Córdova. 

Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik
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The critically acclaimed author of Polaris Rising takes readers on an exciting journey with the start of her brand-new series about a female bounty hunter and the man who is her sworn enemy.

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton
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The Martian meets Dark Matter in Edward Ashton’s high concept science fiction thriller, in which Mickey7, an “expendable,” refuses to let his replacement clone Mickey8 take his place.

MARCH

The Bone Orchard by Sara A. Mueller
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Sara A. Mueller’s The Bone Orchard is a fascinating whodunit set in a lush, gothic world of secrets and magic–where a dying emperor charges his favorite concubine with solving his own murder, and preventing the culprit, which undoubtedly is one of his three terrible sons, from taking control of an empire.

The City of Dusk by Tara Sim
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Set in a gorgeous world of bone and shadow magic, of vengeful gods and defiant chosen ones, The City of Dusk is the first in a dark epic fantasy trilogy that follows the four heirs of four noble houses—each gifted with a divine power—as they form a tenuous alliance to keep their kingdom from descending into a realm-shattering war.

The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories: A Collection of Chinese Science Fiction and Fantasy in Translation
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From an award-winning team of authors, editors, and translators comes a groundbreaking short story collection that explores the expanse of Chinese science fiction and fantasy.

Comeuppance Served Cold by Marion Deeds
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A respected magus and city leader intent on criminalizing Seattle’s most vulnerable magickers hires a young woman as a lady’s companion to curb his rebellious daughter’s outrageous behavior.

A Magic Steeped in Poison by Judy I. Lin
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Judy I. Lin’s sweeping debut A Magic Steeped in Poison, first in a duology, is sure to enchant fans of Adrienne Young and Leigh Bardugo.

The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
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From the critically acclaimed author of The Book of M, a highly imaginative thriller about a young woman who discovers that a strange map in her deceased father’s belongings holds an incredible, deadly secret—one that will lead her on an extraordinary adventure and to the truth about her family’s dark history. 

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
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The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi’s first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy.

Kundo Wakes Up by Saad Hossain
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In this standalone follow-up to the fan favorite The Gurkha and the Lord of Tuesday Saad Z. Hossain continues to mix futurism with fable, and shows how strange our lives might become.

Until the Last of Me by Sylvain Neuvel
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A darkly satirical thriller, as seen through the eyes of the women who sacrifice all to make progress possible and the men who are determined to stop them.

Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli
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Haunting and romantic, Kristen Ciccarelli’s Edgewood is an exciting novel from a bold, unforgettable voice in fantasy.

Wild and Wicked Things by Francesca May
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In the aftermath of World War I, a naive woman is swept into a glittering world filled with dark magic, romance, and murder in this lush and decadent debut.

The War of Two Queens by Jennifer L. Armentrout
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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout comes book four in her Blood and Ash series.

APRIL

God of Neverland by Gama Ray Martinez
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In this magical re-imagining of J. M. Barrie’s classic tale, Michael Darling—the youngest of the Darling siblings and former Lost Boy, now all grown up—must return to the life he left behind to save Neverland from the brink of collapse and keep humanity safe from magical and mythological threats, as well as answer the ultimate question: Where is Peter Pan?

In a Garden Burning Gold by Rory Power
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Twins imbued with incredible magic and near-immortality will do anything to keep their family safe—even if it tears the siblings apart—in the first book of a mythic epic fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls.

The Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport
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Blending fantasy and science fiction, N. E. Davenport’s fast-paced, action-packed debut kicks off a duology of loyalty and rebellion, in which a young Black woman must survive deadly trials in a racist and misogynistic society to become an elite warrior.

Aspects by John M. Ford
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In the years before his unexpected death, John M. Ford wrote a novel of fantasy and magic unlike any other. Politics and abdicated kings, swords and sorcerous machine guns, divination and ancient empires―finally, Aspects is here.

Spear by Nicola Griffith
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The legendary author of Hild returns with an unforgettable hero and a queer Arthurian masterpiece for the modern era. Nicola Griffith’s Spear is a spellbinding vision of the Camelot we’ve longed for, a Camelot that belongs to us all.

Flint and Mirror by John Crowley
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From award-winning author John Crowley comes a novel that masterfully blends history and magic in Flint and Mirror.

Fevered Star by Rebecca Roanhorse
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Return to The Meridian with New York Times bestselling author Rebecca Roanhorse’s sequel to the most critically hailed epic fantasy of 2020 Black Sun—finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, Lambda, and Locus awards.

The Discord of Gods by Jenn Lyons
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The Discord of Gods marks the epic conclusion to Jenn Lyons’s Chorus of Dragons series, closing out the saga that began with The Ruin of Kings, for fans of Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss.

The Memory Librarian by Janelle Monáe
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In The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer, singer-songwriter, actor, fashion icon, activist, and worldwide superstar Janelle Monáe brings to the written page the Afrofuturistic world of one of her critically acclaimed albums, exploring how different threads of liberation—queerness, race, gender plurality, and love—become tangled with future possibilities of memory and time in such a totalitarian landscape…and what the costs might be when trying to unravel and weave them into freedoms.

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
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With her signature mix of the grim and the delightful, award-winning author T. Kingfisher takes the old bones of fantasy and fairytale and makes them into something entirely new in this enchanting adventure.

Saint Death’s Daughter by C.S.E. Cooney
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Perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and The Ten Thousand Doors of January, Saint Death’s Daughter is the first novel in a new trilogy about love, coming-of-age and strangeness.

Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel
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A stunning debut from a powerful new voice, Kaikeyi reimagines the life of the infamous queen from the Indian epic the Ramayana, weaving a tale of fate, family, courage, and heartbreak—of an extraordinary woman determined to leave her mark in a world where gods and men dictate the shape of things to come.

MAY

Elektra by Jennifer Saint
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A spellbinding reimagining of the story of Elektra, one of Greek mythology’s most infamous heroines, from Jennifer Saint, the author of the beloved international bestseller, Ariadne.

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
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Two warriors shepherd an ancient god across a broken land to end the tyrannical reign of a royal family in this new epic fantasy from the author of The Vanished Birds.

Kagen the Damned by Jonathan Maberry
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The Witcher meets Game of Thrones in New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry’s brilliant new fantasy series, Kagen the Damned.

Seasonal Fears by Seanan McGuire
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From New York Times bestselling author Seanan McGuire, Seasonal Fears is the extraordinary companion novel to Middlegame.

Under Fortunate Stars by Ren Hutchings
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Under Fortunate Stars is a modern, progressive homage to classic space opera stories, with flawed heroes and time travel.

All the Seas of the World by Guy Gavriel Kay
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Returning triumphantly to the brilliantly evoked near-Renaissance world of A Brightness Long Ago and Children of Earth and Sky, international bestselling author Guy Gavriel Kay deploys his signature ‘quarter turn to the fantastic’ to tell a story of vengeance, power, and love.  

The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero
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With spellbinding verse prose, R.M. Romero channels the spirit of myth into a brilliantly original tale, inspired by her experiences restoring Jewish cemeteries in Eastern Europe.

Siren Queen by Nghi Vo
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Heroic Hearts edited by Jim Butcher & Kerrie Hughes
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An all-star urban fantasy collection featuring short stories from #1 New York Times bestselling authors Jim Butcher, Patricia Briggs, Charlaine Harris, Kelley Armstrong, and more . . .

The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah
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Inspired by stories from One Thousand and One Nights, The Stardust Thief weaves the gripping tale of a legendary smuggler, a cowardly prince, and a dangerous quest across the desert to find a legendary, magical lamp.

Second Spear by Kerstin Hall
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Kerstin Hall’s Second Spear is the thrilling follow-up to the Nommo Award finalist, The Border Keeper.

A Game of Retribution by Scarlett St. Clair
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Become enchanted by the fantasy world of gods and mortals in bestselling author Scarlett St. Clair’s reimagined New Greece. Readers are “hopelessly addicted” to the story of Hades and Persephone told from Hades’s point of view.

JUNE

Rise of the Snake Goddess by Jenny Elder Moke
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Samantha Knox is back for another adventure in this 1920s female-driven mystery-adventure series!

Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid
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From highly acclaimed bestselling author Ava Reid comes a gothic horror retelling of The Juniper Tree, set in another time and place within the world of The Wolf and the Woodsman, where a young witch seeks to discover her identity and escape the domination of her wizard father, perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson and Catherynne M. Valente.

For the Throne by Hannah F. Whitten
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Red’s sister Neve is trapped in a mysterious land of twisted roots, lost gods, and mountains made of bone, and the only clues to her rescue are a magic mirror and a dark prince who wants to bring the whole thing crumbling down. 

In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan
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From Brian McClellan, author of The Powder Mage, comes In the Shadow of Lightning, a brand-new epic fantasy where magic is a finite resource—and it’s running out.

The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings
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In a fantastical version of New Orleans where music is magic, a battle for the city’s soul brews between two young mages, a vengeful wraith, and one powerful song in this vibrant and imaginative debut. 

A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow
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A Mirror Mended is the next installment in USA Today bestselling author Alix E. Harrow’s Fractured Fables series.

Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro
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A Taste of Gold and Iron by Alexandra Rowland
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The Goblin Emperor meets “Magnificent Century” in Alexandra Rowland’s A Taste of Gold and Iron, where a queer central romance unfolds in a fantasy world reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire.

Wrath Goddess Sing by Maya Deane
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Drawing on ancient texts and modern archeology to reveal the trans woman’s story hidden underneath the well-known myths of The Iliad, Maya Deane’s Wrath Goddess Sing weaves a compelling, pitilessly beautiful vision of Achilles’ vanished world, perfect for fans of Song of Achilles and the Inheritance trilogy.

Soul Taken by Patricia Briggs
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Mercy Thompson, car mechanic and shapeshifter, must face her greatest fears in this chilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

The City Inside by Samit Basu
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The City Inside, a near-future epic by the internationally celebrated Samit Basu, pulls no punches as it comes for your anxieties about society, government, the environment, and our world at large—yet never loses sight of the hopeful potential of the future.

Locklands by Robert Jackson Bennett
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A god wages war—using all of humanity as its pawns—in the unforgettable conclusion to the Founders trilogy.

What 2022 fantasy and sci-fi book releases are you looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Releases To Devour In 2022 appeared first on The Nerd Daily.