Author: Aunty Fox

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Countdown to Christmas Day 8

Five Books That’ll Keep You Warm in Winter

by Lynn E. O’Connacht

For many of us in the northern hemisphere, December is often cold and dreary.
Personally I always feel that there’s too little snow to make suffering through the cold worth it, but at least we always have books. December is a great month to read books and I wanted to share some of my favourite December reads with you all. Hopefully they’ll lead you on to discover some fantastic new-to-you authors!

These five books are in no particular order, although there’s a definite ‘includes snow’ theme going on, but I hope you’ll find at least one that makes a great present for yourself or others this month.

Snowspelled by Stephanie Burgis

Speaking of snow, this is a delightful wintery novella set in an alternate Earth setting where fairies and magic are real. This is a light read, perfect for those days when you don’t want to go out. Though it’s a gentle story with a strong romance, it also tackles some deep topics, such as the way women are often treated in academia. It’s a perfect balance, ensuring a lot of reread value.

As a bonus, it’s the first in a series, so if you enjoy it, there’s more to explore!

The Raven and the Reindeer by T. Kingfisher

We’re not done with the combination of winter settings and utterly warm writing yet. The Raven and the Reindeer is a brilliant retelling of The Snow Queen. Unlike some of Kingfisher’s other retellings, this one stays fairly traditional and, in doing so, enhances the smaller ways in which the story subverts the original tale. This story is worth it just for Mousebones alone. Add in a discussion about abuse and depression as well as a cute f/f romance and it’s sure to brighten up any dark December day.

Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones

Set in the heart of winter, this is the darkest book on the list, dealing as it does with mental illness, but the prose is so lush and pitch-perfect. I couldn’t imagine a better time to read Wintersong than in the heart of winter, which is currently is where I’m  located. Liesl is a powerful protagonist, determined to save her sister from the Goblin King.

This is the first in a duology, so if you reach the end desperate for more Jae-Jones has got you covered!

Wingborn by Becca Lusher

What’s this? A book with no snow?! Well, there may be some, but there are certainly plenty of clouds. Reminiscent of Tamora Pierce’s Tortall novels, Lusher deftly weaves a narrative of girls joining a previously male-only institution (yes, plural) with a Regency-inspired setting as Lady Mhysra struggles against social norms to follow her heart and care for her feathered companion. It’s lush and gorgeous and this series will make you long for the open skies.

Wingborn is the first in a series – and there’s a companion series – so readers who love getting stuck into a setting will find plenty to enjoy. (Lastly, this book also contains winged puppy antics and TEAM BUMBLE FOREVER.)

A Lake of Feathers and Moonbeams by Dax Murray

From clouds back to forests in this queer retelling of Swan Lake where nothing is exactly what it seems. If you’re looking for something to accompany Disney’s The nutcracker and the Four Realms as a seasonal fairy tale, do check this out. It’s very different, but touches on similar themes. The characters in this book were a delight, especially Princen Alexis and their relationship with their best friend, Tatiana. It’s a very sweet polyamorous story with some great twists on the original tale.

And that’s it. Five books that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and find comforting in months when the days are short, the wind is howling and there’s just not enough snow to make all this cold worth dealing with. If gifting any of these to yourself, add in a nice hot beverage of your choice, snuggle up in your favourite reading spot and enjoy!

Happy holidays!

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Countdown to Christmas Day 7

Please send in your reviews to submissions@foxspirit.co.uk for inclusion in our Christmas Countdown. 

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“All the Fabulous Beasts” by Priya Sharma

I first had the pleasure of reading Priya Sharma’s work when I was a judge for the British Fantasy Awards in 2016, where she won Best short story for her tale “Fabulous Beasts” and I’ve been hooked ever since. So it was with bated breath that I waited for my copy of her debut collection “All the Fabulous Beasts”, and it was well worth the wait. Alongside the beautiful artwork, which Undertow Publications is renowned for, Priya’s stories manage to weave the mundane with the magical, the ethereal with the horrifying, and she has managed to produce an unnerving collection of some of the most exquisite literary horror to date.

Priya’s writing focuses on the uncanny in everyday situations, revealing the darkness and beauty that are so intrinsically a part of life, and showing us that in order to live we inevitably have to die. From the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child in “Egg”, to the heartbreaking story of loss and bereavement within “The Sunflower Seed Man”, Priya shows us the wondrous which lingers underneath the veneer of our humdrum lives.

Identity and family also plays a huge part in Priya’s stories, her best known piece within the anthology “Fabulous Beasts” is a poignant and hard hitting story which grabs you by the throat and makes you look at the horror that can occur to those who live just round the corner; whilst other tales are set in more exotic locales such as India “The Englishman”, Hong Kong “The Absent Shade”, or even in an alternate history of Liverpool “Rag and Bone”, this distance from the horror doesn’t allow you any moment of reassurance, or an opportunity to think of her protagonists as an “other” someone far-away, different, troubled by issues that would never affect yourself. As Priya paints such a vivid imagery of the place that you see the colours that her characters see, and smell the fetid dirt under their fingernails, as cobbles form under your feet and dust prickles at your nose.  

The strength of Priya’s writing and the beauty of the tales transgresses all boundaries, she manages to convey a depth of emotion and understanding for her characters no matter how flawed they may be and it’s that understanding of humanity and all its intrinsic strengths and flaws which make this such a well rounded book. Because it isn’t just a collection of horror stories, or a debut of literary delights; it is much more than that, it’s a book about life; our life, the lives of those who mean so much to us, and the lives of those that we may wish in our weaker moments were dead. An exquisite collection that will delight all readers.

By Penny Jones

 

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Countdown to Christmas Day 6

by Michele Fry

I love The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. I’ve never read a novel written wholly in verse before, so that was a treat, as was Xiomara’s strong, fierce, and powerful voice. I fell in love with Xiomara from the very beginning and was willing her on, wanting her to find a way to voice her feelings and questions, her fears and her experiences of being a young black woman who’s talked over, talked down to, or simply ignored at every turn. This book made me cry, made me cheer, and made me happy to have met Xiomara, a beautiful, brave, black girl. I cannot
recommend it highly enough.

I extra love (!) Passing Strange by Ellen Klages a fascinating and compelling historical love story with supernatural/fantastical elements about a bisexual artist and a lesbian singer. Set in San
Francisco in 1940, it looks at the ways in which queer cis and enby women try to express their queerness and/or nonconformity to the gender binary [sic] while still complying with the law. It’s a tragedy with a happy ending.

The Green Man’s Heir is EVERYTHING I love about Juliet McKenna’s work:
a skilful, careful, and seamless blend of folklore, mythology, and fantasy sensibilities with a modern setting and modern concerns regarding ecological & environmental issues, masculinity, news reporting, and policing, but without a single moment of hectoring or lecturing. And all wrapped up in a compelling tale that will make you want to read all night.

The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark is totally immersive (I read it in less than a day), full of well-crafted worldbuilding (of the alternate Black history kind), intriguing mythology, engaging and well-rounded characters whom I found utterly fascinating, and it was at once exactly the right length (for the story it told), but far too bloody short (because I need more, more, MORE (please!) about Jacqueline and Captain Ann-Marie of the airship Midnight Robber.

When the Letter Comes by Mx Sara Fox is a story about magic, growing up, being left behind, becoming someone different, with a transgender protagonist whose younger sister gets invited to go to magical school while Henry (she hasn’t decided on a new name yet, but she will one
day) is left behind. Then a war comes, and Henry meets Caden, who’s non-binary and who brings Henry to where her sister Gabrielle is involved in a war between those who think technology is destroying magic, and those who don’t. And all the time Henry is struggling to feel comfortable in her skin, to accept who she is, and struggling with others, particularly her parents’, difficulties with accepting who she is. This is a beautiful, compelling short story that gripped me from the first line.

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Countdown to Christmas Day 5

We are going to blow our own wind instruments a little today. My personal preference would have to be the Sax, but you may be more into the Oboe or French Horn. All welcome here. 

Danie Ware, author of the blindingly excellent urban alchemical fairy tale ‘Children of Artifice’ has been featuring heavily over at Damien Seaman’s blog this week with an Interview about her writing career and dayjob and the juggling act many of you raising kids on top of work and writing will be familiar with.

Then there was an in depth review which looked at the prologue debate, the core of family drama in the book and how Danie is a master craftsman when it comes to using description to move things forward and world build at the same time. 

From the review
The book is heartfelt and emotional, authentic and musical, a new mythology that draws its power from the old.

Maybe add this one to your Christmas reading list and don’t forget to drop us a line at submissions@foxspirit.co.uk if you want to share some of your own favourites on the blog this December. 

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Countdown to Christmas Day 4

The Motion of Light in Water 
review by Adrian Reynolds

There came a point after devouring much of what was on the science fiction shelves at the local library from the age of 8 that I started to get a sense of who some of the writers were beyond their books. When I came across Samuel R Delany’s The Motion Of Light On Water as a 17 year old I was ready for it in ways I hadn’t anticipated. It was an immersion not just in the mind of a luminary talent, an African-American seeking to discover who he was not just through experimental prose but in every other way. Early sixties New York is brought to vivid life in the text, Delany one of the singers on the folk scene that spawned Dylan. That fusion of art and politics runs through his work and life, and the way Delany seeks to find and assert himself as a black gay man, at that point married to poet Marilyn Hacker, is a life-affirming and chaotic adventure. It dissolved many of the limiting ideas I’d acquired though schooling and the local norms that prevailed, and helped make me aware what’s out there if you’re determined to discover for sure who you are and what you’re capable of. A magical text.

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Christmas Countdown Day 3

Christmas Books reviewed by Anna Thomas

Of all the books I’ve read this year, I was particularly impressed with the novels by Japanese authors. Here are four of my favourites.

  1. Yoko Tawada, and Margaret Mitsutani (Trans.), The Last Children of Tokyo, (Portobello Books, 2018).

The Last Children of Tokyo is set in a post-apocalyptic future where Japan has isolated itself from the rest of the world. Vividly imagined, disturbingly so at times, it is the elderly, now long lived and healthier, who are tasked with the responsibility of looking after their fragile children, who often die in their youth. I was taken by the relationship of Yoshiro and his great grandson, Mumei, and the everyday struggle to survive. It’s a short book at 138 pages, but the brevity lends additional weight to the dark undertones. Perfect for those who enjoy post-apocalyptic fiction and feel like branching out.

2) Hiro Arakawa, and Philip Gabriel (Trans.), The Travelling Cat Chronicles, (Doubleday, 2017).

I love cats, and while I primarily bought this book because the protagonist is a cat, the novel is both delightful and heart wrenching. Found as a stray by Satoru Miyawaki, Nana lives with him for five years. When Satoru is then faced with the awful prospect of having to rehouse Nana, a road-trip ensues, as he tries to find a suitable candidate. I enjoyed Nana’s snark and his generally pragmatic personality, which succeeded in being rather endearing at the same time. It was interesting to view a person, or several people’s lives from the perspective of the cat, and see how deeply animals can be affected by their owners.

3) Sayaka Murata, and Ginny Tapley Takemori (Trans.), Convenience Store Woman, (Portobello Books, 2018).

Convenience Store Woman examines the life of Keiko, a thirty six year old convenience store worker, trying to get by when others’ wants for her life do not match the life she wants to lead. Societal expectation is the main theme here, as an unmarried thirty-something is pressurised to give up the thing she loves. The author is a convenience store worker herself, and this intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the store shines throughout; you can almost smell the coffee. The writing is excellent, presented in an uncluttered manner. I read this book in an afternoon, and like good chocolate cake, it was rich, satisfying and I know I will come back for more from this author!

4) Hiromi Kawakami, and Allison Markin Powell (Trans.), The Nakano Thrift Shop, (Portobello Books, 2016).

Ostensibly, this a love story, but there is little caveat in this tale. A happy ending is not a given, and all the characters have to work at their respective relationships. Set against the backdrop of the Nakano Thrift Shop, Hitomi and Takeo struggle from the beginning. They struggle to understand one another, and sometimes fail completely, hurting one or the other without quite knowing what it was they did wrong. It is a human tale, and its human fragility is what stands out; the idea of love or being in love, not being as transformative as it is often made out to be. Sometimes the grass doesn’t look greener, nor the sky bluer. Sometimes, you still feel lonely, or misunderstood. I did get a sense of hope as I finished this book though, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to read an unconventional story.

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Countdown to Christmas day 2

Please check out Sarah’s link too, she is trying to get children’s books out to food banks this Christmas which seems worth supporting if you can.

Five Beautiful Children’s Books For Christmas
(Sarah Daniels)

Cinderella Of The Nile by Beverly Naidoo
In this haunting retelling of Cinderella by Beverly Naidoo, Rhodopis is stolen from her family by
pirates. She’s eventually sold as a servant to a family with three older sisters. It’s illustrated in the
beautiful and distinctive style of Marjan Vafaein.

Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland
Norse Myths tells the stories of the Vikings from creation to destruction. Twenty three exciting
chapters bring Odin, Thor and Loki to life. Jeffrey Alan Love’s illustrations use silhouette and a
stunning colour palette to emphasise the high drama of the stories.

The Fox And The Star by Coralie Bickford-Smith
This hardback book is perfect for those that crave fairytales. A deep dark forest dwelling fox has
just one friend: the star that lights the forest paths at night. Coralie Bickford-Smith is a book
designer who draws on the Arts and Crafts movement to produce a stunning volume.

The Sleeper And The Spindle by Neil Gaiman
A young queen becomes the hero of this fairytale when she sets off to rescue a sleeping princess.
Chris Riddell’s illustrations are captivating and strange. The metallic ink gives the book a magical
feel that is perfect as a Christmas gift.

The Storm Whale by Benji Davies
My children love the Storm Whale by Benji Davies. It’s a gentle, charming story about a lonely boy
who finds a whale washed up after a storm. This hardback edition with slipcase highlights the
breathtaking illustrations of this moving story.

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December Count Down to Christmas

Books make fantastic gifts, I get Papa Fox one every Christmas, it’s his annual book and he always reads it over the few days of Christmas while he has a few genuinely slow days. 

So with that in mind we are inviting anyone who would like to, to send us a review or a short list of recommendations of books people should be reading and gifting this year. 

There is a £5 payment and posts should come to submissions@foxspirit.co.uk
We will continue to accept new posts until around the 14th. Please include your paypal details. Also, for each post we will put £5 into a pot to go to booktrust.org.uk. That’s £125 if we get a post per day, so please do join in. 

To get things going a few Fox Spirit titles you might want to consider for Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers.

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The Judgement Call / Along the Long Road 
by Simon Bestwick and Penny Jones
Two short rural horrors playing with the idea of just desserts. A double date goes horribly wrong in Along the Long Road and in The Judgement Call you have to wonder, would the bell toll for you?

Winter Tales
Anthology
A collection of dark stories to keep you under the covers this winter
Edited by Margrét Helgadóttir

Cover by S.L. Johnson

The Monsters Series
Edited by Margrét Helgadóttir

European, African, Asian and Pacific Monsters are all available now, with Pat 1 of American Monsters coming later this month. Collections of short stories and at in a coffee table format. 

Ghoulsome Graveyard
By G Clark Hellery
Something for younger readers from our Fennec line. Spooky adventures.

And if none of those appeal, head over to our buy links to browse a broad selection of genre treats.

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News from Iona Winter

Foxy folk, we are delighted to pass on this announcement from Iona Winter who you may remember joined the Skulk with the release of Pacific Monsters.
 
Iona Winter is of Māori and Pākehā descent and lives in Karitane, Aotearoa New Zealand. Her writing has appeared in Headland, Halo, Centum Press, Reflex Fiction, Flash Frontier, and various online publications.In 2016 Iona was awarded the Headland Frontier Prize, and performed at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. She was also long-listed to the Bath Flash Fiction Award. Her story in Pacific Monsters is based on the myth of TePouākai, the extinct Haast Eagle. The largest eagle to have ever existed, it inhabited TeWaipounamu, the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand.
 
Now the message from Iona
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Kia ora koutou katoa
 
I’m delighted to share that then the wind came (Steele Roberts Aotearoa) my debut collection of short fiction and poetry, is set to be launched on December 14th 2018. For those of you in or near Ōtepoti Dunedin, I’d love you to join me at the Dunedin Athenaeum Library that evening (more details to follow).
 
Whakawhetai ki a koutou, huge thanks to Siobhan Harvey, Tina Makereti, Sue Wootton and Thom Conroy for reading the manuscript – and to Roger Steele for accepting it. Aroha nui ki a koutou, much love to everyone who has supported me as a writer – be that edits, reading through screeds of heavily notated paper, or the gift of honest feedback. Thank you to everyone who has published my writing, and invited me to attend festivals and events to perform my work – some previously published and performed pieces are contained within the book. And of course, my advance gratitude to everyone who might buy a copy of then the wind came.
 
I look forward to sharing then the wind came with you. Kia pai tō rā, have a beautiful day,
Iona
 
https://ionawinter.wordpress.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Winter is Coming

Even the Skulk are not immune. In Kettutalo we must lay in provisions and asses our assets to survive the long winter.

What this means is we will not be reopening submissions for fiction during 2019 and in all probability 2020. We have lots of great books coming, next year in particular is a busy one so please don’t worry, there are many many books to come, including several planned titles for a new non fiction line. 

We are closing submissions so we can get caught up, take stock and plan properly moving into the future. A stronger, better, though perhaps less prolific Fox Spirit is coming.

We are sorry we will not be able to take on any more wonderful books for a while, it is always hard to turn down projects that we want to do, but right now we need to take a moment, refocus and ensure the long term future of Fox Spirit Books and the Skulk. 

Vulpes and FoxGloves are not affected and we are not cancelling any existing plans, including the launch of thee Darwin’s Fox non fiction line.

As for what to read in the meantime, we have over 70 titles out, many of them available as ebooks on kindle, and in January we will be making ebooks available right here on the website. We may even do some bundles. 

There will be foxy merch by agreement with certain artists and we will continue to promote the many wonderful artists and authors we work with. There will be sequels and series and a few new titles we have already said yes to. There will be blog series and newsletters and plenty of alternative fox. 

We are going to have a very busy couple of years, we just won’t be opening to submissions during them. 

Thank you to everyone who has worked with us and supported us, we hope you will continue this journey with us. 

Always your Aunty Fox.

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