80 degrees of midwinter
Jun 25, 2021 8:01 pm
Pros and cons of desert witchcraft.
Reads like historical fiction set in 2005, but with strange magic.
When I did research on paganism, I primarily researched Wicca, because that was most available to me. The flavor of paganism that James Melbourne follows most closely resembles this Celtic-Wicca type, which adheres to the eight yearly sabbats and presumes that you live in a place that has four seasons. In Tempe, Arizona, there are two seasons: warm + sunny, and hot + sunny. There used to be a third one: monsoon, but in recent decades it mostly stopped raining in the city.
Writing the Kit Melbourne series is fun in part because I got to spend time in Seabingen. But you know what else is fun? Not having to do as much research. The Alternate Susan series is set in an alternate version of Tempe, and I used some beloved locations as scenes for the action, including the houses I used to live in and some businesses that I loved as a kid.
I can’t think of Arizona without thinking of the endless heat, sunshine, and aridity. It’s a different sort of climate from what’s considered “normal” in American culture and as a kid I was always struck by the absurdity of putting paper snowflakes up as winter decorations when none of us owned a coat. Celtic-Wicca type paganism doesn't fit neatly into the desert southwest, but being forced to adapt made this a very unusual vibe with some unique features. I especially love the idea of garden fey being just creatures that live there and have nothing to do with us, like songbirds.
The Alternate Susan series isn’t as well-known as my Kit Melbourne series, and the first book hardly has any reviews. I’m still trudging through Kit Melbourne #10, so it’s going to be a few months’ wait for those of you who want to find out what Kit's up to next. If you’re willing to write a review, I have review copies of Alternate Susan available on Story Origin. If you want to read it but don't want the pressure of writing a timely review, I’ve made the first book only 99 cents for a couple of months. Please do check it out.
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