If you're following my work, there is a very good chance that you're a fan of British sci-fi. If you're not following for that, it's probably because of all the anime. Whichever it is, I think you'd get a kick out of my latest podcast appearance.

Very British Futures is a podcast run by Gareth Preston, a long-time friend of mine and maker of very many fun things. In each episode, he has guests on to discuss British science fiction serious—usually on the more obscure side. This time around, though, he's picked something more well known: Space: 1999. Though in my case, it was a relatively new discovery.

I join Gareth and fellow guest Ian Taylor to talk about three episodes of the series, one chosen by each of us. I chose Earthbound, which we discuss alongside Dragon's Domain and The Beta Cloud.

Even if you're on the anime side of my Venn diagram, I highly recommend giving this a listen. As I mention in my introduction, this show was instrumental in the work of many anime creators, including and especially Hideaki Anno. It might give you some interesting perspective into the shows you love half a world away.

Very British Futures can be found on your podcatcher of choice, or you can check it out right here courtesy Gareth's YouTube channel. Thanks for listening!

 

For various and sundry reasons, I know a lot of people follow me for my Doctor Who-adjacent work. Which is rad. Apparently aggressively injecting anime references into the expanded universe of a beloved sci-fi series has not yet been enough to get me run out of town on a rail, so I suppose I'll keep at it.

Also for various and sundry reasons, I've been writing significantly less in the past two or three years. Happy to say that has changed, and with that change comes a lot of cool developments. Games Books are back... starting with Celestial Toyroom.

Thanks to the lovely James Ashworth, I am now a contributor to the world's longest-running Doctor Who fanzine. I'm in CT548 with two articles, one being a review of the new Magic: The Gathering Universes Beyond expansion. Specifically—how will these news decks play for a Who fan with limited M:TG experience? My second is a thinkpiece that's been on my mind for years now: the need to regularly "upgrade the firmware" of Doctor Who with regards to how we as a culture watch television. In other words... we're late to the game adapting the series to the streaming era, so what needs doing?

While Celestial Toyroom will regularly review the latest Black Archive releases, I will not be part of that review process. For one big reason: I have joined the Black Archive editing team!

These are a series of book-length critical works on Doctor Who stories. (I wrote one a while back on Heaven Sent, and work has resumed on my long-delayed entry for Mawdryn Undead.) I'll be joining Stuart Douglas, Philip Purser-Hallard, and Paul Driscoll on the editing team to help bring more of these to life. It's a huge honor, and I'll admit I'm a little scared, but mostly I'm excited. This is such a fantastic project that's doing a lot to preserve the deeper stories of this show we all love.

And speaking of Obverse...

It's been announced on Facebook, so here we go. I am also the editor for ICE HOT, the second Paradise Towers anthology. This was a project I took on late last year, and it was a joy to work on. While I've edited anthologies for Altrix before (and will continue to because Books Are Back), this was my first time working so on something in the expanded universe to this degree. There are so many amazing stories in this—some are legitimately unhinged in the best way, some made me cry, and some forever recontextualized tiny moments from the original episodes. I can't wait for everyone to see this.

That's a lot... but it's still not everything. There are a couple more things in the cooker, and you'll know as soon as I've got the all-clear to talk about them. In the meantime, thanks as always for your support in all my weirdness.

It's been a busy couple of months, but in the best of ways. This month's books are alternately extremely fantastical and all too real. Thanks as always to the publishers and authors who send their books my way!

OTHERWORLDLY
by F.T. Lukens
Now Available

Ellery doesn't believe in the paranormal, unlike their parents. The family farm has been failing since an endless winter began five years ago, and their mother insists on making petitions to a trio of deities. For their part, Ellery prefers to make money at the local diner and send it home. Soon, though, they have no choice but to believe in the supernatural—because the hot guy they've been eyeing at the diner is on the run from it.

Knox is a familiar from the Other World, sent to assist with an ill-advised bargain. With his current master now deceased, he should return home. But that would mean giving up the human life he's come to love, having his memories erased as soon as he returns home. And considering his queen appears to have rejected all his messages, he'd sooner stay in the mortal realm for a while. He strikes a bargain with Ellery: in exchange for helping him experience the human world to the fullest, he'll help them find out how to end the endless winter. But the answers he finds are troubling, and could mean the sudden end of their blossoming relationship.

Otherworldly blends down-to-earth YA romance with paranormal mystery. Fortunately, it sidesteps the less-than-appealing tropes that seem to have taken up residence in paranormal romance as a whole—mainly the idea that predatory behavior isn't a deal-breaker. Knox and Ellery are a sweet couple, and the supernatural world built around them is enthralling while still being small and centralized enough to not overshadow the human story with lore dumps.

KING OF DEAD THINGS
by Nevin Holness
Available April 16

Eli and Malcolm are two young men whose lives are shaped by magic. While Eli wields the power to heal others and take parts of their magic for himself, Malcolm inherited a strange death magic from his father. Malcolm's memories of growing up are fraught with tragedy and heartbreak; Eli has no memories prior to three years ago, and now lives in a Caribbean restaurant doubling as a magic sanctuary. When an ancient power starts to awaken, their paths will cross.

Her name is Mercy, and she has deep ties to Malcolm's father. But the only thing that can stop her is an artifact that Eli is hunting down. Together with Eli's friends Sunny and Max, the two boys venture through the magical underbelly of London. From shapeshifters to spirits, they'll encounter all manner of things good, evil, and in between. And in the process, they'll learn more about themselves, as the spirit known as Mercy tempts them both with the one thing each wants most in the world.

King of Dead Things is a fascinating urban fantasy, taking its cues from Afro-Caribbean mythology and folklore. But you don't need to be highly versed in, or even all that familiar with, this culture to jump in. It's an intriguing gateway to new and less-told stories. Best of all, magic in this setting isn't something to be hushed and hidden from mundanes: it's an inherent part of life if one simply knows where to look.

FINALLY FITZ
by Marisa Kanter
Available April 23

Ava Fitzgerald, known as "Fitz" to her friends, is right where she wants to be in life. She's got a spot in a prestigious summer program where she can pursue her dreams of being a fashion designer. She's sharing a New York apartment with her awesome girlfriend Danica. And, best of all, her Instagram account is absolutely popping off. But when Danica asks for a break, purportedly because of Fitz's social media fixation, everything comes crashing down. In an effort to win Danica back, Fitz goes on an enforced Instagram hiatus. Just to show she can.

Enter Levi Berkowitz, Fitz's childhood best friend who also happens to be in town. He's going through it after a similar (but less Instagram-related) issue with his own girlfriend, and has been occupying his time conducting houseplant rescues, which he showcases online. Then Fitz gets an idea: fake dating. She'll optimize Levi's social media presence and slide herself in as the new girl, making both their exes jealous enough to make a move. It's a great plan, at least in Fitz's eyes. But real feelings seem to be arising between the two just as the plan appears to be working.

While Finally Fitz hits a lot of the YA romance tropes (especially the "fake dating to lovers" trope), there's one thing it does exceptionally well and uniquely: a frank discussion of social media. Instagram is not the villain in this story; rather, it's the mindset that catering to the algorithm can cultivate in the minds of creative people. Ultimately, this is a story of learning how to love every part of yourself and letting go of needing to check all the boxes for everyone around you.

WHERE WAS GOODBYE?
by Janice Lynn Mather
Available April 30

Six weeks ago, Karmen's life fell apart. Her older brother, Julian, died by suicide—and now it's time for her to go back to school. With her family grieving, her friends unsure how to help, and a certain classmate getting verbally aggressive, Karmen eventually snaps. Her outburst gets her sent home, to give her time to heal, and her family is at odds about how to treat this time.

Karmen, however, is on a mission. She's determined to understand what happened to Julian. With help from her crush Isaiah, Julian's former teachers and classmates, and new student Pru, Karmen immerses herself in her late brother's life. His love of skateboarding and his fascination with history lead her down unexpected paths. And the more she uncovers, the more it hurts. Who knew that Julian was hurting? Could anyone have helped him? And, most important of all, what happens next?

Where Was Goodbye? tackles the nasty, real, important parts of grief that don't make for good inspirational social media posts—but that deserve to be talked about. Grieving even the most expected of deaths can feel isolating, as people around you seem to have a knack for saying exactly what you don't want to hear and doing exactly the opposite of what helps. Fortunately, the book shows a variety of examples of being there for grieving friends: the wrong way, yes, but also multiple right ways and "not right but well-intentioned" approaches. It's a powerful book and a difficult read, but one that anyone who's lost a loved one (or cares about someone who has) needs to read.

Thanks as always to Chapters Tea & Coffee for having me on board as an affiliate! If you want to try any of their custom tea and coffee blends, be sure to use my code KARAD15 for 15% off your order!

Full disclosure: I'm not really a fan of rooibos. I tend toward honeybush, but rooibos has always tasted slightly medicinal to me. I'm also very picky about chai: a good chai is amazing, but a weak chai just tastes funny unless it's been doctored with milk and sugar. As someone who tends to take my tea very straight, that means a lot of chai isn't right for me.

So with all that in mind, why did I pick up a tea blend that is one thing I'm historically not into and another that I'm extremely about? Answer: because I trust Chapters that much, and I figured if anyone could make me like something, it's them. Also, I need to be better about providing myself with low-caf and decaf options for late-night tea drinking.

Great news: The Spice Chai Mélange is good, even in my highly skewed opinion.

Like the rest of the Chapters catalogue, this rooibos chai blend hails from literary inspiration: in this case, a certain sci-fi epic that's been back in the cultural consciousness lately. Note that while the tin art is absolutely gorgeous, this tea is not an official tie-in product; it just deserves to be.

The first thing to note is that the chai spices in this tea are strong; the second thing to note is that this is why I couldn't taste the "medicinal" notes that usually turn me off to rooibos. The blend includes ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, nutmeg, and black and white pepper. I'm pretty sure it's those last two that make the difference, because this tea has a wonderful bite to it that I usually don't get in chai blends outside of restaurants. I have yet to milk or sugar this one up because of how I personally prefer to take my tea, but I get the feeling it would be perfect for a late-night latte.

As someone who favors strong teas but is also highly sensitive to caffeine, I have a hard time finding teas I can drink late in the day or at night. Decaffeinated black teas just taste kind of wrong, and herbal teas (unless I'm specifically in the mood for them and/or not feeling well) don't hit the way I want them to. The Spice Chai Mélange is a great middle ground.

While A Date with Mr. Darcy is still (in my opinion) the best of the Chapters tea blends, The Spice Chai Mélange is a fantastic alternative for decaf drinkers. There's also a somewhat sweeter Chai Café Vanilla if you'd prefer a black tea.

Check out the full selection of Chapters teas and coffees, and remember to use my code KARAD15 at checkout for a discount!

 

So, I'm a little scared to run a game of my own. I've walked right up to the line several times, even made a few two-session attempts, but there's a massive anxiety around actually DMing. I've watched lots of people master this and become amazing, and yet I always pull away from actually starting a campaign of my own at the last minute.

I'm not sure what it is I'm missing. Maybe the fear that I'll upset a player, or miss an important social cue that could make or break party harmony. Maybe I'm fearful of making something too challenging or not challenging enough, or not approaching the story in the way players want. It all comes down to a fear of letting everyone else down, and not bringing the same magic to the table that so many other DMs have provided me.

I am apparently not the only person who feels this way, because there is a whole book about how to feel less that way... or, rather, how to channel those feelings into productive action.

The Ultimate RPG Game Master's Guide comes from James D'Amato, who's been taking up more and more space on my shelf as of late. He combines his knowledge of good gaming with the ability to create actionable advice—an underappreciated skill in this day and age. Like his other works, this book is equal parts reassurance, general advice, and a toolbox of resources that can be used either beforehand or in the moment.

It was somewhat reassuring to see the first few chapters covering things I already knew and took to heart: the idea that there's no one "right way" to play, the importance of establishing expectations and boundaries early on, and so on. But it lays those things out in clear language, even giving sample scripts for if a disruptive player needs to be asked to leave the table. Even better, it offers ways to categorize and work around players' boundaries; for example, how to change an encounter that could be upsetting to a player with arachnophobia while still maintaining an entertaining "fear" level.

Best of all, there are charts and tables. Previous D'Amato books have employed dice and decks of cards outside of game mechanics to generate random questions and talking points. Here, they're tools to map out side quests and NPCs. There's also a chapter on how to create an in-universe fortune-telling deck, as well as how to use it both diegetically and to further the plot.

At this point, it's a no-brainer to say that something by James D'Amato belongs on your shelf if you're a TTRPG enthusiast. But I'm so pleased this book arrived on my doorstep. It's exactly what the frightened would-be GM needs: reassurance on the things they already know, and actionable tips for the things they don't. It's a book I'll be re-reading and sharing for a long time to come.

The Ultimate RPG Game Master's Guide is available now.

 

Throughout history, great books have been lost or are remembered only as myth and legend. Now, the mysterious Booker Foundation has announced it is willing to pay handsomely to have these lost works brought back into the light. These are the stories of those who answered the call.

Overdue is an anthology that has been a long time in coming—to the point that I was a very different person in a very different life when I wrote "Wholly Holy." But not so different that I'm not still extremely proud of it. Of course, it helps that the people at 18thWall know what I love and how to get an interesting story out of me.

This anthology combines Jon Black's Bel Nemeton and MH Norris's All the Petty Myths, and invites in a lot of new-to-both-universes writers (myself included) along the way. The key conceit is books: books that have been lost to time or are believed to not even be real. That was our brief for these stories. It had to involve a book (either of real or manufactured legend) and the quest to find them.

Me, I picked a real-fake book. And I once again leaned into my love of all things Arthurian, in particular my love of anything involving Sir Perceval. (Readers of Shadows Over Avalon, also from 18thWall, will be familiar with my story "The Maze Will Come to Me" on that front.) "Wholly Holy" was actually written first, but I'm kind of pleased that the two stories have landed so close to each other.

The book in question is Kyot's Parsifal, which (sadly) probably doesn't exist. But what if it did? Wolfram von Eschenbach, in a desperate bid to avoid looking like he ripped off Chretien de Troyes, claimed that the two of them were both inspired by this piece of writing. A piece of writing that was based on very true things, in turn implying that the story of the Holy Grail was very true. It was a fascinating prospect, because simply assuming that Kyot's Parsifal is the tip of a huge, terrifying iceberg. If it's real, then the Grail Kings are real. The lineages of said Grail Kings are real. Somewhere out there is the vessel from the Last Supper. And a book falling into the wrong hands could change the world as we know it.

Without giving too much away, because I would very much like you to buy and read this book, this very literal Grail Quest falls into lap of someone who's not especially interested: Faye Lundgren, who's currently busy culling her late father's collection of books and was never as into Arthurian legend and lore as he was. Writing a hero who refuses the call at pretty much every turn was a challenge, but it was a challenge I wanted... partly because, as someone who's deeply into this stuff, I wanted to write someone a little less like myself. I'll save more musings on that for my eventual interview on the 18thWall blog. Regardless, it was a challenge I enjoyed.

Another challenge came when fitting this story into the worlds of Black and Norris's books. I needed to make a few tweaks to make sure my Grail quest didn't stomp all over theirs, but the result was a lot of fun and (I think) made for a much cooler story.

You can buy Overdue now in a variety of formats, and I'd love it if you would. Tell your friends, support indie publishers, and do let me know what you think!