Dear Gentle Reader,
Mercedes Lackey is one of my favorite authors. She is important to me as an inspiration. When I got to meet her in person I learn she’d my books and enjoyed them, I might have lost my tiny mind.
I still get giddy thinking about it.
Here is a short video in which I tell the story of the first time I met Mercedes Lackey. I am not the hero of this story. It is embarrassing because I was a professional author and went total fangirl. Please, enjoy my embarrassment…
So, yeah, what a fan girl I was! How much I do I owe to author/narrator Lauren Harris?
“Are we… HUGGING friends?”
I want to reiterate that what Lauren and I wanted to impress upon her was the fact that her books were so very important because they gave us a model of fantasy that included alternate sexuality. As she went to pains to point out, there were other genre authors doing this before her. But those authors were generally less accessible to young women.
Her books were/are important because in them queer wasn’t a big deal. It just was. And so when Lauren and I began to write it just was for us, too.
Normalization.
That, my darlings, is a powerful instrument of change.
Lackey Books!
Here is a short list of some of Lackey’s books that I recommend all the time:
The first fantasy book I ever read with a queer main character. Warning, it’s hella sad.
The Arrows series
I think of these books as YA and I still love them so much. There’s some triggers for violence and bullying, but certainly no worse than hunger games. And since these are about be special but also about finding friends and family and making your way in the world… so good.
This stand alone is probably my favorite Lackey book and if you are going to start anywhere, start with this one. It’s so good. A lady knight type character kicking ass and taking names, finding her place and her family, upsetting monarchies… you know, as you do.
Knight of Ghosts and Shadows (with Ellen Guon)
This was one of the very first books I ever read that had a poly-amorous triad at its heart. Lackey wrote urban fantasy before it was cool, and did it with her usual charm and aplomb (not to mention a few subtle jabs at various dominant cultural paradigms). Want your elves in LA and bumming about the Renaissance Faire? Then this book if for you. The romance is very light, but still present, and this book may have the most romantic ending ever. (Read my full review on Goodreads.) (no ebook edition)
More about my relationship with Mercedes Lackey and her work?
Yours (destined to be killed by a tumbling TBR pile),
Miss Gail
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Tags: Event, Video
What a great story. Thank you for sharing that.
I have the same problem when I meet authors I idolize. I can’t talk. I become a complete idiot. The first time I met Bujold at an author signing, we all went outside for coffee, and I couldn’t say a thing. My friend had to tell her that I was a huge fan and that I bought every variation of her books I could find.
I also saw a Mercedes at YALLWEST in Santa Monica a couple of years ago. I was just stunned that people were not swarming her. I don’t think she’s as well known among young kids, which is just shocking and sad.
I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting a published author…well, except for William Durbin (The Broken Blade) only because (cue drum roll), he was my 7th grade English teacher! But, I know darn well that if I ever met you or even, Mercedes Lackey, I know I’d be absolutely speechless! I first read her books starting in the late 80s and, By the Sword is still my favorite of that Valdemaran universe. I’ve been enjoying your writing starting with the Finishing School and absolutely adore Lord Akeldama and the rest (but, he’s my favorite character!). I’ve reread the books and have thoroughly enjoyed them! Thank you!