The Seat of Magic
By J. Kathleen Chaney
Magical beings have been banned from the Golden City for
decades, though many live there in secret. Now humans and nonhumans alike are
in danger as evil stalks the streets, growing more powerful with every kill….
It’s been two weeks since Oriana Paredes was banished from
the Golden City. Police consultant Duilio Ferreira, who himself has a talent he
must keep secret, can’t escape the feeling that, though she’s supposedly
returned home to her people, Oriana is in danger.
Adding to Duilio’s concerns is a string of recent murders in
the city. Three victims have already been found, each without a mark upon her
body. When a selkie under his brother’s protection goes missing, Duilio fears
the killer is also targeting nonhuman prey.
To protect Oriana and uncover the truth, Duilio will have to
risk revealing his own identity, put his trust in some unlikely allies, and
consult a rare and malevolent text known as The Seat of Magic….
Bio:
J. Kathleen Cheney is nothing if not versatile in her story
telling, but weaving through her work is a common thread, that of the
improbable heroine. From worlds set in humanity's distant post-apocalyptic
future to alternate worlds of today or of the near past, Kathleen's heroines
include a siren who with help from a gentleman of the city must stop a
regicidal plot, the neglected daughter of an absent king coming to terms with
her shapeshifting ancestors, a blind teenager who dreams of others' deaths and
who uses her gift of touch to find their killers, and the widow of a trainer
who with a most unusual horse must save her farm and way of life. All use their
unusual gifts and talents to overcome obstacles and find their place in the
world.
In 2005 Kathleen decided to pursue writing as a full-time
endeavor and has since enjoyed seeing her stories published in Shimmer, The
Sword Review, and Baen's Universe. Her novella "Iron Shoes" was a
2011 Nebula nominee. Kathleen twice attended the summer Writer's Workshop at
the Center for the Study of Science Fiction under the tutelage of James Gunn.
She lists C. J. Cherryh, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Georgette Heyer among the
writers who influenced her most--as well as Ansen Dibell, whose ghostly
fingerprints can be seen all over her work.
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Kathleen's parents
actually were rocket scientists (they worked at White Sands Missile Range),
which made for interesting dinner-time conversations. After graduating with
degrees in English and Marketing she worked as a menswear buyer for retail
department store chains before changing careers to become a teacher, where she
taught mathematics ranging from 7th Grade Arithmetic up to Calculus. Kathleen
also served a brief stint as a Gifted and Talented Specialist. She coached the
Academic Team and the Robotics Team and was the Chess Club sponsor.
When not writing, Kathleen likes to don a mask and get
sweaty fencing, both foil and saber. Quieter hobbies include putting on her
Wellingtons and getting her hands dirty in the garden. She also enjoys
traveling and taking care of her dogs. Two large, hairy, dogs.
No comments:
Post a Comment