M. Darusha Wehm

Explorer of Worlds Real and Imagined

Children of Arkadia

Children of Arkadia

Kaus wants nothing more than to be loved while its human counterpart, Raj Patel, believes fervently in freedom. Arkadia, one of four space stations circling Jupiter, was to be a refuge for all who fought the corrupt systems of old Earth, a haven where both humans and Artificial Intelligences could be happy and free. But the old prejudices and desires are still at play and, no matter how well-meaning its citizens, the children of Arkadia have tough compromises to make.

When the future of humanity is at stake, which will prove more powerful: freedom or happiness? What sacrifices will Kaus, Raj, and the rest of Arkadia’s residents have to make to survive?

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SFWA-Curated StoryBundle includes Children of Arkadia

I am thrilled and delighted that Children of Arkadia was chosen to be part of the inaugural StoryBundle curated by the Science Fiction Writers of America.

The all science fiction bundle includes excellent titles by incredible authors and I am honoured to be in their company. Check out the list:

The initial titles in the SFWA Science Fiction Bundle (minimum $5 to purchase) are:

  • Saiensu Fikushon 2016 by TOBI Hirotaka, Toh Enjoe and Taiyo Fujii
  • Borrowed Tides by Paul Levinson
  • The Weave by Nancy Jane Moore
  • Truck Stop Earth by Michael A. Armstrong
  • Children of Arkadia by M. Darusha Wehm
  • Beyond the Gates by Catherine Wells

If you pay more than the bonus price of just $15, you get all six of the regular titles, plus SIX more!

  • Unidentified Funny Objects by Alex Shvartsman
  • Factoring Humanity by Robert J. Sawyer
  • Strangers Among Us by Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law
  • Tech Heaven by Linda Nagata
  • The Burning Eye by John F. Carr
  • The Leaves of October by Don Sakers

This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com. It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get multiple DRM-free formats (.epub and .mobi) for all books!

Here’s more about the bundle, from curator and SFWA president, Cat Rambo:

I am so pleased to present the first ever SFWA-focused StoryBundle. The idea for it has been hovering in my head for a several years but it was only last year that we finally had the contacts and volunteer structure to actually enact it. Last year I asked SFWA members to send in their science fiction and fantasy works for consideration in the bundles, and the enthusiastic response to that call let me assemble this awesome bundle as well as a second one, this time with a fantasy focus, for later this year. Midway through this year, we’ll open up the call for applications for the 2018 bundles.

If you’re curious about other SFWA offerings, sign up for our quarterly newsletter, which features new and backlist releases from our members in the area of fiction, games, and other offerings.

One reason I’ve pushed this StoryBundle along is because it’s a program that works well for our small press and independently published members, whose market agility allows them to make full use of the bundle. The membership voted to accept these new members in 2015 and one of the challenges was making sure SFWA served their needs. They’ve added immense enthusiasm and knowledge to our hive mind, and it’s great to have a way that helps them promote their work while also supporting the organization’s Givers Fund, which gives grants each year to encourage and promote fantasy and science fiction writing, including organizations such as the the African Speculative Fiction Society, Alpha Workshop, Clarion and Clarion West, and Launchpad.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, it’s over 50 years old, and has a membership of professional writers and publishing professionals from around the globe. It administers the Nebula Awards each year. If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, stop by the mass autographing session on the evening of May 19, which will feature (literally) dozens of authors, including many authors on this year’s ballot and SFWA’s latest Grand Master, Jane Yolen. Check out the SFWA website at sfwa.org for information on genre writing, the field, and other services. – Cat Rambo

Recipes of Arkadia: Betsy’s Picante Beans

Food — growing it, preparing it, eating it — is a central part of life in the Arkadia space colony. Over the next few weeks I’m sharing recipes for some of the food mentioned in the book.

I don’t know how the chili wars will play out in the future, so let’s not even go there. This dish definitely owes its heritage to the American Southwest, and happens to go very well with Camilo’s Corn Bread.

Recipes of Arkadia: Betsy's Picante Beans
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
2 hours 24 hours
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
2 hours 24 hours
Recipes of Arkadia: Betsy's Picante Beans
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
2 hours 24 hours
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
2 hours 24 hours
Ingredients
Servings: servings
Instructions
  1. Soak the beans overnight in fresh water.
  2. Sauté the onion and garlic in the oil, adding salt and spices. Add the chili and sweet peppers, and cook until soft.
  3. Add the vegetable stock and kidney beans, simmer until they are getting tender. Add the chick peas, and simmer until nearly done. Add more stock or water if the mixture sticks or dries out.
  4. Add the tomatoes, simmer until the tomatoes have cooked down.
  5. Garnish with chopped coriander leaf.
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Notes

Notes
￪1, ￪4, ￪7 diced
￪2 crushed
￪3 seeded and diced
￪5, ￪6 soaked overnight

Recipes of Arkadia: Camilo’s Corn Bread

Food — growing it, preparing it, eating it — is a central part of life in the Arkadia space colony. Over the next few weeks I’m sharing recipes for some of the food mentioned in the book.

Baking is therapy for Camilo Molina. No wonder he thinks of cornbead as a vegetable.

Recipes of Arkadia: Camilo's Corn Bread
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Recipes of Arkadia: Camilo's Corn Bread
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: servings
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F/200C.
  2. Mix dry ingredients together.
  3. Melt butter, then beat in first the milk, then the egg.
  4. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients, mix until combined.
  5. Cut the kernels off the corn and add them to the batter. Mix well.
  6. Pour batter into a pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden.
Recipe Notes

Based on a recipe from The Vegetarian Epicure, by Anna Thomas.

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Notes

Notes
￪1 melted
￪2 kernels removed

Recipes of Arkadia: Chen’s Herb Bread

Food — growing it, preparing it, eating it — is a central part of life in the Arkadia space colony. Over the next few weeks I’m sharing recipes for some of the food mentioned in the book.

Isabel Hernández isn’t like the other residents of Arkadia. Chen helps her figure out how some parts of this society works and keeps her coming back to his market stall with both his knowledge and the savoury smell of this bread.

Recipes of Arkadia: Chen's Herb Bread
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 minutes 3 hours
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 minutes 3 hours
Recipes of Arkadia: Chen's Herb Bread
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 minutes 3 hours
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
30 minutes 3 hours
Ingredients
Servings: loaf
Instructions
  1. Mix together the flours, salt, yeast and mixed herbs.
  2. Add 3 tbsp of the olive oil and the warm water. Stir together until it's too hard to work with a spoon, then knead with your hands until it's all elastic. The dough will be moist.
  3. Let it rise an hour or more, then punch it down and shape it into a rectangle. Place it on a baking sheet with about a teaspoon of oil rubbed over it. Let it rest about half an hour.
  4. Stretch the dough out to the edges. Let it rest another half hour. Preheat oven to 425F/220C.
  5. Poke some divots into the top of the loaf, then drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and rosemary. Reduce the oven temperature to 375F/200C and bake for about 30 minutes. Cool on a rack and cut into squares.
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Notes

Notes
￪1 basil, oregano, marjoram

Recipes of Arkadia: Slava’s Moroccan Chick Pea Soup

Food — growing it, preparing it, eating it — is a central part of life in the Arkadia space colony. Over the next few weeks I’m sharing recipes for some of the food mentioned in the book.

This soup is Siobhan Patel’s favourite, so Vyacheslav Haeroa makes it as often as he can in his soup café. Whatever it takes to get her to see him.

Recipes of Arkadia: Slava's Moroccan Chick Pea Soup
Print Recipe
Earth-based cooks can substitute canned tomatoes and chick peas.
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
60 minutes 12 hours
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
60 minutes 12 hours
Recipes of Arkadia: Slava's Moroccan Chick Pea Soup
Print Recipe
Earth-based cooks can substitute canned tomatoes and chick peas.
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
60 minutes 12 hours
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
60 minutes 12 hours
Ingredients
Servings: servings
Instructions
  1. Soak dried chick peas in cold water overnight. They will double in size, so use a large bowl and enough water.
  2. Saute onion and garlic.
  3. Add spices, stir until onion is translucent.
  4. Add flour, and cook a minute.
  5. Add vegetable stock, bring to a boil.
  6. Reduce heat as broth begins to thicken.
  7. Add tomatoes and drained chickpeas, taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
  8. Simmer 60-90 minutes (or about 15 minutes if using canned or pre-cooked chick peas).
  9. Add a dash of lemon juice prior to serving.
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Notes

Notes
￪1 diced
￪2 soaked overnight
￪3 chopped
￪4 minced

Recipes of Arkadia: Camilo Molina’s Nutty Oat Bars

Food — growing it, preparing it, eating it — is a central part of life in the Arkadia space colony. Over the next few weeks I’m sharing recipes for some of the food mentioned in the book.

Camilo Molina is someone who wants to make sure no one goes hungry. A homebody and, with his husband Cliff, adoptive parent to a house full of kids, Camilo is one of those people who is always in the kitchen. For him, food is love, snacks are comfort and baking is stress relief. So, when one of his kids goes missing, Camilo’s kitchen starts to look like a commercial bakery.

Here’s one of his favourites.

Recipes of Arkadia: Camilo Molina's Nutty Oat Bars
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
16 bars 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
16 bars 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Recipes of Arkadia: Camilo Molina's Nutty Oat Bars
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
16 bars 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
16 bars 15 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: bars
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F/200C.
  2. Beat the egg, butter and honey (or sugar) with a fork until it’s fluffy. Earthers can add a drop pr two of vanilla extract here. Then stir in the nut butter.
  3. Once that’s all smooth, add the oats and mix well so the oats are all damp.
  4. Add the flour, baking soda, salt. Stir until it's just mixed, then stir in the fruit and nuts.
  5. Pour it into a pan, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the centre is solid and the top is golden. Let it cool a bit to firm up, then slice into bars.
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Notes

Notes
￪1 melted
￪2 or brown sugar
￪3 peanut butter
￪4 reduce to 1\/2 tsp if using sugar instead of honey
￪5 can add chocolate chunks

Recipes of Arkadia: Betsy Rhys-Jones’s Spicy Vegetable Stew

Food — growing it, preparing it, eating it — is a central part of life in the Arkadia space colony. Over the next few weeks I’m sharing recipes for some of the food mentioned in the book.

Betsy isn’t one to build a community hall or tend to crops, but she isn’t content to just sit by the riverside. She loves to cook, but cooking for one is a pain. So why not share with everyone?

Recipes of Arkadia: Betsy Rhys-Jones's Spicy Vegetable Stew
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Recipes of Arkadia: Betsy Rhys-Jones's Spicy Vegetable Stew
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Servings Prep Time
2 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Ingredients
Servings: servings
Instructions
  1. Sauté the onion in the oil, with salt, pepper and other spices. (Note - spice amounts are approximate. Adjust to taste/smell).
  2. When the onions are translucent, add the stock and beans. Cover and simmer until the beans are just tender but not quite done.
  3. Add chopped potato and yam. If necessary, add stock/water to cover. Simmer about 10 minutes.
  4. Add the green beans or other vegetables. Simmer until potatoes are soft. Serve with rice or fresh bread.
Recipe Notes

The cook and prep time is highly dependent on what (or if) dried beans are used. Lentils and pre-soaked chick peas cook in about half an hour, other pre-soaked beans can take up to an hour and a half. But you can let the stew just simmer on the stove while you do other things, making the house smell wonderful. Or use canned beans. That works, too.

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Notes

Notes
￪1 diced
￪2, ￪3 small
￪4 or other pre-soaked beans
￪5 or other chopped vegetables

3-2-1 Book Launch!

At the New Zealand National Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention on Easter weekend, I was lucky to be able to pre-launch Children of Arkadia along with several other awesome local authors.

Gail Carriger
Gail Carriger

We were welcomed by local Rotorua bookshop Atlantis Books, and after a great Q and A with the con’s Guests of Honour Gail Carriger, Phillippa Ballantine and Tee Morris, we read a little from our books for the generous crowd.

First up was Debbie Cowens, with her Sherlock Holmes/Jane Austen mashup, Murder & Matchmaking.

Then Darian Smith read from his debut novel, Currents of Change.

Up next, I read the first chapter of Children of Arkadia, then the Australian FFANZ delegate to the convention, David McDonald read from his story “Her Face Like Lightning” from the anthology Insert Title Here.

Last but not least, CY Smith read from her new collection, The Chasm.

It was a great evening and I’m especially grateful to the folks at Atlantis Books for being so welcoming and genuinely excited about all our books. They were awesome! If you’re ever in Rotorua, go check them out. It’s a beautiful shop!

 

All photos by Matt Cowens

Recipes of Arkadia: Chen Wu’s Seed Loaf

Food — growing it, preparing it, eating it — is a central part of life in the Arkadia space colony. Over the next few weeks I’m sharing recipes for some of the food mentioned in the book.

Chen Wu, one of Arkadia’s volunteer bakers, doesn’t think of himself as lazy — he’s efficient. He makes a lot of bread, so he does it the easy way: by letting time do the work. 

Recipes of Arkadia: Chen Wu's Seed Loaf
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
50 minutes 18 hours
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
50 minutes 18 hours
Recipes of Arkadia: Chen Wu's Seed Loaf
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
50 minutes 18 hours
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 10 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
50 minutes 18 hours
Ingredients
Servings: loaf
Instructions
  1. Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and stir them up.
  2. Add 2 cups of warm water, mix until you get a damp, doughy ball. You can do this all with a wooden spoon, there’s no need to knead! Cover with a cloth and let it sit overnight.
  3. The next day, pour the dough into a loaf pan and bake at 220C/425F for 40-60 minutes.
Recipe Notes

This seed loaf is my real-life everyday bread, using 3 cups of white flour, 1 cup of whole wheat and flax seed or meal. I’ve let the dough sit for more than 24 hours and as little as 8 hours. Longer is better, but the bread has always turned out.

You can use more or fewer seeds; I wouldn't go with more than a cup, though.

This recipe is based on Jim Lahey’s No-Work Bread, from How To Cook Everything.

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Notes

Notes
￪1 flax, sunflower, chia, sesame, whatever

Happy (sneaky) Book Day!

tl;dr You can get the ebook of Children of Arkadia NOW

I knew I was having a sneaky digital launch of Children of Arkadia at the New Zealand National SFF Convention Reconnaissance this weekend (come say hi if you’re there!), but my publisher Bundoran Press has given the okay for everyone to be a Kiwi for a day (or four).

So the DRM-free ebooks are available now to buy from the publisher’s website as a zipped epub/mobi combo. Good for all ereaders!

Yay! Happy ebook Day!

 

Recipes of Arkadia: Vyacheslav Haereoa’s Easy Creamy Veggie Soup

Food — growing it, preparing it, eating it — is a central part of life in the Arkadia space colony. Over the next few weeks I’m sharing recipes for some of the food mentioned in the book.

Arkadia isn’t large enough to be able to sustain all crops year round, so its chefs need to be able to improvise based on what is available. This basic soup recipe can be modified nearly endlessly to use different ingredients and create highly varied options.

When Slava Haereoa decided to open a soup cafe, this was the first thing he made. It’s really easy to make, but don’t tell his regular patrons!

Recipes of Arkadia: Vyacheslav Haereoa's Easy Creamy Veggie Soup
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Recipes of Arkadia: Vyacheslav Haereoa's Easy Creamy Veggie Soup
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 servings 20 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: servings
Instructions
  1. Sauté the onion in the oil with salt & pepper, add the garlic.
  2. Add the potatoes, vegetables and stock. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.
  3. Let it cook until the everything is soft. With a potato masher or stick blender, puree everything until it is creamy.
  4. Add herbs or spices to taste. You can add milk or cream if you want a richer soup.
Recipe Notes

Some good combinations:

  • basil with zucchini (pictured)
  • chiles, coriander and cumin with pumpkin/carrots
  • thyme with broccoli
  • nutmeg with cauliflower
  • mint with peas
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Notes

Notes
￪1 diced
￪2 crushed
￪3 scrubbed and diced