Authors Steve Perry, Irene Radford, and Mary Rosenblum Speak about Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction

Authors Steve Perry, Irene Radford, and Mary Rosenblum Speak About Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction for the February 2005 meeting of Willamette Writers in Portland, Oregon.

Portland, OR January 7, 2005 -- Willamette Writers February 1st meeting features noted science fiction and fantasy authors Steve Perry, Irene Radford, and Mary Rosenblum. They'll speak about how to break in to these genres and many other aspects of the craft of writing novels. The meeting is held at The Old Church, SW 11th and Clay, Portland, Oregon, starting at 7 pm.

Irene Radford, author of The Dragon Nimbus, Merlin Descendents and The Stargods series, has been writing stories since she figured out what a pencil was for. She considers herself an endangered species as a native Oregonian who lives in Oregon. She grew up as a "service brat" moving numerous times yet returning in time to graduate from Tigard High School.

She tried different things searching for her niche in life. History fascinated her early on leading to a B.A from Lewis and Clark, where she met her husband. Needlework began as a necessity making her own clothes and loving fancy knitting and embroidery. In her mid twenties she discovered tatting, now a hobby, leading her to the Portland Lace Society, the International Old Lacers and ultimately bobbin lace, winning prizes as she went. Radford considers creating a patch for a dragon wing out of lace in The Loneliest Magician the best part of the book.

She taught youngsters the rudiments of ballet, another of her passions, until a broken ankle halted her and brought her to writing. Lucky for us as she now has 13 books in print with Guardian of the Freedom, Merlin's Descendents series due out in April of this year.

Radford and her husband have settled in Welches, Oregon where she continues to enjoy lacemaking.

Steve Perry is an award-winning author who has written both his own novels, as well as writing for hire for Tom Clancy, and writing Star Trek novels. He's a dynamic speaker and a great source of information.

Completing our panel is Mary Rosenblum. She describes herself as fiction writer, nonfiction writer, mother, dog trainer, dog owner, gardener, cheesemaker, writing teacher and web editor.

In her reflections on her youth, Rosenblum remembers carrying a book everywhere: she read on the bus, in the car, in class when the teacher was boring, outside the principal's office while waiting for punishment for reading in class.

Growing up in Allison Park, a small town outside Pittsburgh, she impatiently waited for the weekly visit of the Bookmobile. Scents of glue, fabric and silverfish from the books stacked in its hot, stuffy confines still linger.

At thirteen, while spending a summer on Nags Head, North Carolina, Rosenblum discovered a box of Astounding and Galaxy magazines under her bed. Scents were added to her memory: sea air, musty paper and the cotton blanket she pulled over her head as she read by flashlight. She discovered a lack of female protagonists so she simply started retelling the stories to herself with women in them.

In 1988, Rosenblum, coaxing a friend to tend to her then six and nine year old sons, attended the Clarion West writers' workshop. She declares that after six weeks of living and breathing speculative fiction, for her, there was no turning back.

Since then, her short fiction-more than sixty works-has appeared in Asimov's and Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction as well as a host of anthologies. She has also published mainstream and magic realism short stories. To date, Rosenblum has published four Science Fiction novels, the first of which won the Compton Cook Award. She has also been a Hugo Award nominee. In her alternate persona as Mary Freeman, she has published four mystery novels as we a numerous short mystery stories in Ellery Queen magazine. She has stories forthcoming in Fantasy and Science Fiction, Analog, and Azimov's magazines. Her newest Science Fiction novel is Eternity Shift.

The cheesemaking, dog owning/training and web editor further fill her time as Rosenblum has forever hated being bored. The gardening comes as part of living on 2 acres of land. Her efforts supply all her fruit, vegetables and home-heating wood.

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On March 1st, Marc Acito speaks about writing humor for the Portland Chapter of Willamette Writers. Marc is author of How I Paid for College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship and Musical Theater (Broadway Books).

Willamette Writers chapter in Eugene holds meetings the first Thursday of the month. Debra Gwartney speaks about writing memoirs on February 3rd. Colleen Sell speaks about Creative Nonfiction on Saturday, February 5th in Medford. Details about these meetings are available on the WW web site.

Willamette Writers' goal is to provide and encourage a creative environment and support system for current and aspiring writers. Since its beginning in 1965, Willamette Writers has provided meeting places for the exchange of ideas and information and has initiated programs designed to help writers increase skills related to the craft of writing. Both published and aspiring writers are invited to join. Dues are $36 a year.

The body of this press release was written by Jan Paeth, Willamette Writers Vice President. Jan's monthly column appears at www.willamettewriters.com/paeth.htm