Programming – Lauren C. Teffeau & Brian D. Hinson Talk on New Novels! MEETING IS ONE WEEK LATER THAN USUAL! And In the Adult Education Room – use the door on the East side of the church!
♣ New Mexico authors Lauren C. Teffeau and Brian D. Hinson visit to talk about their latest works, Accelerated Growth Environment and Skies of Fire and Smoke, respectively.
Teffeau’s Accelerated Growth is described thusly: Dr. Jorna Benton is proud to be the Principal Scientist for the Climasphere, a massive, sea-going ecological nursery capable of supporting nearly every biome on Earth. On its inaugural mission to restore and re-wild collapsing ecosystems along the Atlantic coast, Jorna manages the Climasphere’s habitat and harvest, while her colleague—and inconveniently attractive commander—Ava Kaysar directs the rest of the vessel’s critical operations. When an explosion rocks the Climasphere, Jorna’s carefully-managed world is thrown into chaos, threatening both her personal and her professional future. And worse: she’s the prime suspect. To clear her name, save the mission, and preserve her chance at a future with Kaysar, Jorna must finally confront the secret she’s been running from all these years: a family and a faith that could destroy her.
Hinson’s Skies of Fire story: When Germania revolts against the dragons that rule Europe, Lt. Johann Fischer joins the attack on the Citadel in his Fokker. The fierce war begins on that day, but the dragons and their allied Papal States wield an overwhelming power. Johann battles for his life, his secret lover, Emil, and the freedom of his people. Kendensei, a Scale Guard of the Citadel, is sent to Germania as a spy, where she infiltrates Johann’s family as Gretchen, their live-in maid and cook. As the inept Pope pressures the Kaiser of Germania to abandon his vainglorious war, Cardinal Lanzo Cellucci seeks the throne of Saint Peter for himself, by whatever means at his disposal. Skies of Fire and Smoke is an alternate historical fantasy of brutal warfare and savage aerial battles, which criticizes predatory and hypocritical religious power, threading broad emotional arcs of its characters consumed in war and resistance.
TEFFEAU is a speculative fiction writer based in New Mexico. Her work focuses on environmental issues, examines the role of technology in our lives, and centers women’s voices through fantastical adventures and immersive worlds, including her environmental fantasy A Hunger with No Name (2024) and her novel Implanted (2018), which was a finalist for the 2019 Compton Crook award for best first SF/F/H novel and named a definitive work of climate fiction by Grist. Over 20 of her stories have appeared in venues like Sunday Morning Transport, DreamForge Magazine, and the Stoker Award-nominated Chromophobia: A Strangehouse Anthology by Women in Horror.
HINSON has published 20 short stories in 17 different spec fic outlets, such as Pseudopod, Cast of Wonders, Andromeda Spaceways, On Spec Magazine, Shoreline of Infinity, ParSec, and more. His short, “Disposable Gabriel” made Nerds of a Feather’s 2024 recommendation list for the Hugo and Marie Haskin’s December 2023 list of best shorts. He abandoned all semblance of a career in 1999, ditching the corporate life in exchange for part-time gigs which allowed him to visit 40-some countries in the backpacker fashion. In recent years, life slowed even more as he settled in deep rural New Mexico with his wife and three pit bulls.
Newcomers are welcome with a $1.00 contribution to help pay our rent…
Remember, no outside food is allowed at St. Andrew. Please be discreet with any candy. Water/soda bottles and lidded beverage cups are permitted.
DOORS OPEN AT 7:15 PM. Park on the northside (back) of the church and then go around the building to the door on the East side of the church. Once in the hallway, we are in the Adult Education Room on the left-had side. Please do not arrive before 7:15 pm. We have to set up the room ourselves, and straighten/clean-up around 9:50 pm.
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Meeting Location:
ADULT EDUCATION ROOM (east end of building, enter through door on eastside of church)
St. Andrew Presbyterian Church
5301 Ponderosa Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM
(First street north of Erna Ferguson Library on San Mateo. Ponderosa is the northern border of Montgomery Park, and intersects with both San Mateo and San Pedro. The street is north of Comanche and south of Montgomery)
Club Contacts:
Craig C/Jessica C. at 266-8905 or Craig