now you see her...
Bestselling author of historical fiction and the Five Queendoms epic fantasy series (SCORPICA, ARCA, SESTIA).
One of the things I loved best about writing a huge cast of female characters in the Five Queendoms series was the opportunity to show that there are a near-infinite variety of ways to be a mother. Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms and children of moms out there.
And for more mom-related content, check out this list I put together of Five SFF Books Featuring Memorable Mothers for Culturefly.
Or click here!
It’s the fifth day of the fifth month, so what better day to talk Five Queendoms?
Thrilled to see that Publishers Weekly loved Sestia, saying “Balancing character development and worldbuilding can be a difficult task, but Macallister handles it with ease” (what a compliment!) They also call the book “a multifaceted epic” and “a worthy finale.” Yay!
You can read the full review here.
Just a heads-up for Five Queendoms fans, and it’s good news! The publication date for SESTIA, the third book, has been moved up and you don’t have long to wait. You’ll be able to get your hands on the thrilling conclusion to the trilogy on May 13, 2025.
Find out more on Goodreads or the Simon & Schuster site!
Lots of fun new things have been happening and I know I’m terribly behind on updating you all, so here’s a little tidbit for starters. Loved seeing Scorpica (and really the whole Five Queendoms series) highlighted at Fangirlish as fantasy they’d love to see on TV!
This series (with two books currently published and more planned) feels made for a lengthy TV show. Its complicated, morally-gray characters are cast across several locations and storylines, which occasionally intersect and then diverge again. Both brutal and beautiful, it’s a vibrant, cinematic, and complex world that seems like a natural fit for a long-running adaptation.
Obviously, I agree!
Read the whole piece here.
Hi there! Have you been waiting for the second book in the Five Queendoms series to become available in a soft-sided edition instead of the big ol’ chunky hardcover doorstop? Wait no more! It’s still chunky, but a bit less so. And still, thanks to Victo Ngai’s illustration on the cover, absolutely gorgeous.
In honor of the big day, I’m reposting one of my favorite interviews, the one that goes soooo in-depth on all things Five Queendoms. It’s a great read whether or not you’ve read Arca or the first novel in the series, Scorpica.
Read the fabulous Paste Magazine interview that calls the Five Queendoms “the best feminist fantasy series you probably haven’t read yet” by clicking here.
And the interviews begin! I’m up on Writer Unboxed for their Take Five feature, talking about how ARCA stretched me as a writer, what I want readers to know about this story, and all sorts of other goodness.
(And you can ask questions of your own on this one! Just see the comment section below the piece.)
ARCA is soooooo close to here! It comes out on Tuesday, March 7, and I can’t wait to have the next installment of the Five Queendoms saga out in the world.
If you’re in the Boston area, I’d love to see you at Wellesley Books on Tuesday, where I’ll be in conversation with Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman, authors of All of Us Villains. March 7 at 7pm, easy to remember.
Tickets are required to attend, so please get yours here!
ARCA is almost here! Enter to win a bright shiny new hardcover copy from Goodreads!
(Tell all your friends, won’t you?)
Quick post today! Very quick! It’s about ARCA again! ARCA is on Tor.com’s list of SFF Titles to Look Forward to in 2023!
Check out the roundup here.
Have you been listening to Worldbuilding for Masochists? What a fab podcast. Thrilled to be an invited guest, especially when the topic is near and dear to my heart. I had a great time recording this episode, talking about how gender intersects with other world building concerns. Because a god complex is a terrible thing to waste!