An emotionally gripping, delightful queer fantasy filled with political intrigue, family dynamics, and tender moments that will grab readers' hearts and minds.”— Library Journal, starred review That will doubtless please my lord to hear,” said Lady Sine, and for a moment, her gaze was shrewd as Markel’s. “Though he might wonder at the occasion.” The characterisation is fantastic. The conclusion is nerve-biting and explosive – and has dragons… I really really love it” – Tor.com on A Tyranny of Queens A Tithenai girl,” I echoed faintly. I could no more swallow the concept than water could swallow oil. “You—that is, you mean—I—” A complete joy to read. From the love story, to the slow healing of the main character, to the intricate mystery of the plot, Meadows has constructed a world to get lost in and this is a book to savour.”—Everina Maxwell, author of Winter's Orbit

BT] You are a lover and prolific writer of fanfiction. What was your first brush with fanfiction? And how has fanfiction influenced your work as an author?Pixieltd on Reading The Wheel of Time: Taim Tells Lies and Rand Shares His Plan in Winter’s Heart (Part 3) 3 hours ago How can so many (white, male) writers narratively justify restricting the agency of their female characters on the grounds of sexism = authenticity while simultaneously writing male characters with conveniently modern values? Had Father learned of my indiscretions? Both recently and otherwise, I’d committed so many that I didn’t bother to narrow down what stories might have reached him, or from which sources. My life in Farathel had become little more than a string of offences against propriety; that I regretted only a few of them, and for more complex reasons than simple contrition, didn’t make me any less keen to avoid their consequences, nor did it blunt my desire to escape, however briefly, the circumstances of their creation. It was equally possible, however, that the summons entailed only news of pleasant things—an increase in my sinecure; the expected birth of a new niece or nephew, or—moons!—another half-sibling; some propitious detail about the estate—and a certain self-interest wouldn’t let me forget it. But he did not ask; just clapped my shoulder, fingers squeezing briefly against the bone, and bade me welcome. That’s one way of putting it. “Yes, Father,” I said, though how I kept my voice steady, I’ll never know. “I—I was not expecting him. He must have sought me out.” Please, please send him away. But I couldn’t ask for it; not without raising questions, and I felt too stupid to lie.

I don’t know how you do things in Ralia,” Cae said, taking the final corner, “but here, it’s generally frowned upon to ride indoors.” Varus is quite fond of it, actually,” she said. “He thinks of it as an investment piece.” She hesitated, then said, “There’s plans to reopen the Taelic Pass to trade with Tithena, and hopefully that will bring Khytoi trade, too. They’ve always been famed for their artifex as well as furs, and if all goes well, he’s hoping it’ll make a good impression on their merchants. And, well.” She laughed. “He likes that Jarien likes it.” The servant’s eyes rolled open, focussing hazily on Velasin, and with a sudden burst of effort, he raised his hands and began to sign. The gestures were alien to Cae, but Velasin clearly understood them, for he began to translate, speaking aloud in Tithenai as his gaze remained fixed on Markel. Many a reader longing for a sense of homecoming in the realm of romantic fantasy will find it in A Strange and Stubborn Endurance." - Jacqueline Carey A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is a book of nuance, passion, and insight, and effectively showcases Foz Meadows' talents.”—Juliette WadeBlending intrigue and queer romance, A Strange and Stubborn Endurance stitches together two cultures and re-embroiders gender conventions. Meadows combines the personal and political through an elegant voice, and finds time for tender moments of healing.”—E.J. Beaton, author of The Councillor Fantasy readers who appreciate strong characters and excellent worldbuilding will immerse themselves in this tale.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review, on An Accident of Stars BT] A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is a lot of things: a love story, a story about healing, friendship, cultural roles and the damage they can do, and recovery from trauma. How did you balance everything so well? Did the story organically grow as you wrote it? JadePhoenix13 on Reading The Wheel of Time: Taim Tells Lies and Rand Shares His Plan in Winter’s Heart (Part 3) 3 hours ago I have a history of tarrying,” I said. “But the weather is fine, and I”— needed to get away—“was moved by filial piety.”

Reminiscent of Ursula K. Le Guin, An Accident of Stars will take you to a lush, magical new world.” – Laura Lam Compelling characters and a fascinating world. I can’t wait to read the next book.” – Martha Wells, New York Times bestselling author of the Murderbot Diaries, on An Accident of Stars A superlative portal fantasy with a memorable cast, an inventive setting and magic system, and a plot that always goes for the unexpected. Sheer delight.” – Aliette de Bodard, Nebula Award-winning author of The House of Shattered Wings, on A Tyranny of Queens That Meadows manages to have a novel that details the slow healing that comes after trauma so beautifully and respectfully, while also making it a high-stakes political thriller, and then folds in a lovely and sweet slow-burn romance between two complex characters, each fearing their new situation while also falling heads over heels for their new husband only showcases why A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is such a triumph. Sexy and sweet, kind and at times funny, Meadows shows that you can have clearly stated boundaries and consent while also showcasing just how much a soul smolders when your crush enters the room. Their writing is especially beautiful as little by little, a healing Velasin comes to see joy in Cae’s love for life, his expertise and skill, just as much as Cae gives Velasin time to heal, only to notice how deeply his strict soldiering heart begins to melt for his new husband’s bravery and intellect, his thoughtful regard and biting tongue. Velasin vin Aaronever planned to marry at all, let alone a girl from neighboring Tithena. When an ugly confrontation reveals his preference for men, Vel fears he’s ruined the diplomatic union before it can even begin. But while his family is ready to disown him, the Tithenai envoy has a different solution: for Vel to marry his former intended’s brother instead.This marriage is off to a terrible start,” said Velasin—and just like that, the humour between them vanished. Cae swallowed hard and brought them to a halt, nodding awkwardly at the infirmary door. Thank you!” Velasin gasped, and then they were riding together, horses snorting as they cantered up the slope. On top of what Vel is going through is the fantasy story of someone trying to break the alliance. Vel is the target of someone trying to kill him and blaming it on Cae. This part of the story was a great mystery to untangle and held many surprises. There is the use of magic as well, which for most of the book is rather subtle. Vel can wield a little magic, in which he can use fire and untangle knots. Untangling knots was an interesting choice, and even Vel makes light of it in terms of magic use. In Tethani, magic use is more prevalent. There is school to train mages, though we don’t see the extensive use of it with mages. They come to an agreement to be friends, as Vel tells him he doesn’t know if he can bear intimacy again. Cae understands, and their friendship grows. Their slow burn romance was pragmatic, as they work well together, and despite Vel’s hesitations and self-doubt, he begins to have feelings for the kind, gentle man that Cae is. FM] It’s a queer fantasy romance centered on the diplomatic marriage between two noblemen: Velasin vin Aaro, who’s from the homophobic nation of Ralia, and Caethari Aeduria, from the more liberal nation of Tithena. Vel, a gay man, is originally slated to marry Cae’s sister, but when he’s outed under ugly circumstances, the Tithenai envoy proposes that he marry Cae instead. Though Vel’s father is opposed to the new arrangement, as the alternative is to let the alliance fail, he allows it to go ahead, though not before effectively disowning his son. So Vel starts out the story in a very dark place, but his arc is ultimately one of healing – and at the same time, there’s political shenanigans afoot when he gets to Tithena, because not everyone is thrilled about the alliance. Markel is wonderful, loyal character. He cannot speak, and he and Vel have developed their own sign language. They care deeply for each other, as Markel has stood beside him since they were children, when Vel took him in from one of the poor areas of Ralia. He desperately wants Vel to be happy, and tells him he can allow himself to feel again. Their relationship was truly touching. There were many other characters in the book. The envoy, Keletha, is gender fluid, and they are quite disgusted at how their relationships were treated when they arrive at Ralia. Two of the women soldiers accompanying them were married for five years, but given Ralian views on same sex relationships, they were not allowed to be together. It is Keletha who says “fifteen days on mountain roads, and I had rather ride them over again than subject myself to his [Vel’s father] hospitality.” They were such an amazing character.

A satisfying balance of romance and action, with political intrigue that is both elaborate and plausible and rich, fascinating worldbuilding.”—Malka Older, award-winning author Whatever else could be said of the late Lord Ennan vin Mica—and there was a lot to be said, his lateness being unlamented by virtually everyone who hadn’t joined him in it—he’d certainly loved his horses. The grandeur of the stables reflected this fact, and if the estate’s grooms were at all perturbed by the still-recent change in their livery, it didn’t show in their enthusiasm. I’d scarcely dismounted before a wiry, capable-looking man appeared to take Quip’s reins from me, while a short youth did the same with Markel’s Grace. They had the stamp of father and son, or possibly uncle and nephew; their eyes were the same watchful grey, while their noses shared a distinctive crook. Their skin was lighter than Markel’s tawny brown or my own dark olive—a deep tan that came partly from outdoor living, but whose golden undertones suggested more than a drop of Tithenai blood. Looking so unlike my own sire, I always marvelled at such likenesses in others, though as she’d been the handsomer parent, did I say it myself, I never grudged a whit of my mother’s heritage. And this bugs me; because if authors can stretch their imaginations far enough to envisage the presence of modern-minded men in the fake Middle Ages, then why can't they stretch them that little bit further to put in modern-minded women, or modern-minded social values? It strikes me as being extremely convenient that the one universally permitted exception to this species of "authenticity" is one that makes the male heroes look noble while still mandating that the women be downtrodden and in need of rescuing.Spoiler alert: The absolute best part of A Strange and Stubborn Endurance is the relationship that slowly grows between Vel and Caethari, a delicate push and pull that shows rather than tells us about the pair’s growing feelings for one another and then genuine desire to make their unexpected partnership work. I know I can’t be the only person who gets a little swoony over a well-done marriage of convenience trope, and Meadows executes it brilliantly here. Velasin vin Aaro never planned to marry at all, let alone a girl from neighboring Tithena. When an ugly confrontation reveals his preference for men, Vel fears he’s ruined the diplomatic union before it can even begin. But while his family is ready to disown him, the Tithenai envoy has a different for Vel to marry his former intended’s brother instead. A compelling blend of intimacy, danger, twisty politics, believably imperfect characters, and a fascinatingly complex universe.” – Kate Elliott, New York Times bestselling author on, An Accident of Stars You keep calling me tiern,” said Velasin, cutting him off. “You know my full name, even.” He eyed Cae with visible unease. “Who are you?”