An analog hobbyist waking up in a digital world

[Alesia Matson]

Hi, I'm Alesia — author, counted cross-stitcher, cricket fan, and a proud crone who's been co-building a fantasy world since 1994.

My husband Michael and I write epic romantasy fiction together, set in the World of Menelon — a place we know so well by now that its history, politics, and creatures feel as real to us as our own backyard. We publish through our small indie press, Metaphor Publications, and after a ten-year gap between books we're putting in the final revision on our third novel, What God Has Ordained. The initial feedback was so good that I cried happy tears when I read it. I thought for a long time that I'd "lost" whatever it was that made me a writer. Turns out it was just depression, lying to me once again!

Anyway, I've come here looking for readers who love books as much as I do — and honestly, to find my people. I'm an introvert who loves a good discussion more than small talk, Shakespeare and Jane Austen in equal measure, and the Oxford comma and em dash with a passion that borders on the unreasonable.

If any of that sounds like you, I'd love to connect!

 

[Genly]

Welcome!

 

[ThinkerX]

Hello!

Are your books on Amazon? Titles? Links?

That said, I write dark fantasy, with most of the books set in a tottering quasi-Roman Empire on another planet in the wake of the devastating Demon War. The characters struggle to forge new lives in a realm they no longer understand while dealing with past trauma. But the emons are still out there...

 

[Karlin]

My tastes run moee to The Journey to the West and Dream of the Red Chamber than to Shakespeare and Austin, but welcome aboard. Maybe there's another soul here who doesn't play video games.

 

[CupofJoe]

Hail and well-met
[Anyone that likes cricket is okay with me]

 

[RoccO]

Your fantasy world, Menelaus…mellon, sounds fun.

 

[TheCrystallineEntity]

Welcome! Hope you enjoy your time here, however short or long it might be. Like I said before, if you need help with anything, just ask, and feel free to hang out in the chat anytime, too.

 

[Adam Scribentis]

Welcome! I am also an indy author for whom Shakespeare and Austen are congenial topics, although I'm much more familiar with the former than the latter!

 

[pmmg]

M-dash away, but oxford comma? Are you crazy?

Welcome here.

 

[Alesia Matson]

M-dash away, but oxford comma? Are you crazy?

Welcome here.

Of course I'm crazy. I'm a writer trying to self-publish---that really ought to be the defition of the word!

Thanks for the welcome.

 

[Alesia Matson]

Welcome! I am also an indy author for whom Shakespeare and Austen are congenial topics, although I'm much more familiar with the former than the latter!

Hi Adam. Thanks for the welcome.

These days, Shakespeare and Austen seem to be in the category of "acquired tastes." I acquired my love of Shakespeare as a girl, but didn't start reading Austen at all until a couple of years ago. They have in common a keen eye for characterization, and for pointing out personal and cultural follies with wicked-edged humor.

Are either being discussed on this forum? And if not, what's your favorite Shakespeare comedy? History? Tragedy? Sonnet?

 

[Alesia Matson]

Welcome! Hope you enjoy your time here, however short or long it might be. Like I said before, if you need help with anything, just ask, and feel free to hang out in the chat anytime, too.

Thanks for the welcome! I look forward to getting back into that chat, honestly. It is wonderful to chat with other authors again.

 

[Alesia Matson]

Welcome!

Thanks!

 

[Alesia Matson]

Hello!

Are your books on Amazon? Titles? Links?

That said, I write dark fantasy, with most of the books set in a tottering quasi-Roman Empire on another planet in the wake of the devastating Demon War. The characters struggle to forge new lives in a realm they no longer understand while dealing with past trauma. But the emons are still out there...

Our titles from 10+ years ago are indeed on Amazon, but: sometime during those ten years the titles got hijacked. I can't go into details for legal reasons, but until/unless the issue gets sorted we've set them aside in favor of focusing on our upcoming epic romantasy title, What God Has Ordained.

However, if you want to know more about those stories, here are the links to the product pages on our website.

Raven's Tears
Dead Man's Trigger

Thanks for the greeting!

 

[Alesia Matson]

My tastes run moee to The Journey to the West and Dream of the Red Chamber than to Shakespeare and Austin, but welcome aboard. Maybe there's another soul here who doesn't play video games.

Thanks for the welcome.

FWIW I did play video games for awhile, but I get bored with them so easily that I just stopped spending time/money on them. I much prefer books, or cross stitching--- or listening to audio books while I cross stitch.

 

[Alesia Matson]

Hail and well-met
[Anyone that likes cricket is okay with me]

A sport that features tea and death overs? What's not to love, eh?

Also, test matches, the longer the better.

I've only been following it for a few years, but I do enjoy watching matches a lot. Especially since the women's game is so popular---world-wide, anyway.

What teams/tournaments do you watch?

 

[Alesia Matson]

Your fantasy world, Menelaus…mellon, sounds fun.

Even more fun when the name gets butchered?

 

[pmmg]

I used to do stage acting, and Shakespeare came up a lot more often in that context. I will admit, I've never really been a fan of comedy, and Shakespeare was no exception. It would be hard to say Hamlet is not his best, but Macbeth, Othello, A Midsummers Nights Dream, Comedy of Errors... I remember those the most. I played Northumberland in Richard II at the Folger once. I thought everyone else was way better than me, but I got an award out of it for best supporting actor. Crazy.

I've not read Shakespeare in many years though.

 

[ThinkerX]

Our titles from 10+ years ago are indeed on Amazon, but: sometime during those ten years the titles got hijacked. I can't go into details for legal reasons, but until/unless the issue gets sorted we've set them aside in favor of focusing on our upcoming epic romantasy title, What God Has Ordained.

However, if you want to know more about those stories, here are the links to the product pages on our website.

Raven's Tears
Dead Man's Trigger

Thanks for the greeting!

Thank you.

The reason I asked is that one of the things I do at Mythic Scribes is to buy and review a book or two by our published authors. It might be a while before I get to yours.

 

[CupofJoe]

A sport that features tea and death overs? What's not to love, eh?

Also, test matches, the longer the better.

I've only been following it for a few years, but I do enjoy watching matches a lot. Especially since the women's game is so popular---world-wide, anyway.

What teams/tournaments do you watch?

In the 80s I did get to see one day of a West Indies vs England Test match at the Oval. It was amazing. The crowd on both sides was loud, engaged and friendly [and ever so slightly drunk by the end].
I just don’t have the time to watch Test Matches now [and they are usually behind a paywall]. So, I watch the T20s and 100s when I can, and highlights of the England Tests.
The good thing about highlights is that you know how the day went so can plan accordingly.
In many sports I find the Women’s game more engaging than the Men’s. Less ego, and more sport.