We know that you're interested in the comings and goings of the amazing people who made the Mythic Journeys conferences the course-altering events that they were. Check here often to read about good things happening to good people.

May 2, 2007
Despite his absolute certainty that he would not win —l no way, no how — Peter Beagle walked away from last Saturday night's annual Science Fiction Writers Association awards banquet with a Nebula award for his story "Two Hearts" in the Best Novelette category, matching his Hugo Award win for the same story last year. Congratulations, Peter!

May 7, 2007
Ellen Kushner's The Privilege of the Sword has been nominated for both the Locus Award and the Nebula Award in the catagory of Best Fantasy Novel. Congratulations!

April 16, 2007
News from Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman and the folks at the Interstitial Arts Foundation:
We're counting down the days 'til the official April 30th publication of INTERFICTIONS: An Anthology of Interstitial Writing, the new original anthology of interstitial fiction from IAF/Small Beer Press! Meanwhile, we're delighted to announce the new INTERFICTIONS blog whereyou can:

• read an interview with editors Delia Sherman & Theodora Goss;
• see the complete Table of Contents with sidebar links to each author's website;
• Academics: request desk, review or exam copies (and download a PDF of our Academic flyer to post in your department!);
• order your own copy of INTERFICTIONS now!
• and, of course, comment! It's a blog, after all.

April 16, 2007

Thanks to Susanna Clark and The Friends of English Magic's website, you can now view three different quality versions of the UK trailer for Neil Gaiman's Stardust in THREE different formats. (If you're on dial-up or low-bandwidth connections, pick the 330k version.) Art design for the movie is inspired by Mythic Journeys guest Charles Vess' drawings for the original illustrated book. The "stellar" cast for the film includes actors Michelle Pheiffer, Robert DiNiro, Rupert Evans and Clare Danes.

Quicktime

1.5Mb/s (26Mb)
850Kb/s (17Mb)
330Kb/s (11Mb)

RealPlayer

1.5Mb/s (25Mb)
850Kb/s (17Mb)
330Kb/s (8.4Mb)

Windows Media

1.5Mb/s (25Mb)
850Kb/s (16Mb)
330Kb/s (8Mb)

All files supplied by WaytoBlue. Additional hosting by A Small Orange.

Visit Charles Vess' blog to get the complete update and view photos from his visits to the set.

If you haven't read Stardust yet...well, where in the world have you been?

March 7, 2007

Interfictions: An Anthology of Interstitial Writing edited by Theodora Goss and Mythic Journeys '04/'06 guest Delia Sherman. Nineteen writers dig into the imaginative spaces between conventional genres — realistic and fantastical, scholarly and poetic, personal and political — and bring up gems of new fiction: interstitial fiction.

This is the literary mode of the new century, a reflection of the complex, ambiguous, and challenging world that we live in. These nineteen stories, by some of the most interesting and innovative writers working today, will change your mind about what stories can and should do as they explore the imaginative space between conventional genres. The editors garnered stories from new and established authors in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, and also fiction translated from Spanish, Hungarian, and French. The collection features stories from Christopher Barzak, Colin Greenland, Holly Phillips, Rachel Pollack, Vandana Singh, Anna Tambour, Catherynne Valente, Leslie What, and others.

February 28, 2007

Watch Mythic Journeys '06 participant Daniel Kelly improv performance courtesty of YouTube

January 12, 2007

Exciting News!

We're very happy to announce our new partnership with
The Open Center
in New York City
for the development of
a Certificate Program in
Mythological Studies
that will soon be available
to those who wish to make practical use of
myth and ritual in art, performance, therapy and education.
More Information!

Do you wish that you could have gone to the Human Forum this year?
Did you go and now wish that you could share what you heard with others?
Well then, we have good news for you!
Visit Conference Recording Services
to order tapes, DVDs and CDs from a life-changing event.

December 28, 2996 — Filmmaker George Quasha will soon be releasing the Part II of the Myth Is DVD.

If you attended Mythic Journeys '06, you'll remember the documentary that played continuously outside the main programming room with marvelous thinkers like Michael Vannoy Adams, Rebecca Armstrong, Coleman Barks, Phil Cousineau, Meinrad Craighead, William Doty, Kristen Eckmann, James Flannery, Honora Foah, Matthew Fox, Ellen Hemphill, James Hillman, Sam Keen, Robin & Stephen Larsen, Margot McLean, Micheal Meade, Joyce Carol Oates, Ginette Paris, Laurie Patton, Huston Smith, Ulla Suokko and Robert Walter all speaking to the importance and understanding of myth in our modern world.

Part II includes interviews with 431 more amazing minds!

For the opportunity to view and order either one or both of these powerful documentaries, visit www.quasha.com.

October 31, 2006 — Mythic Imagination Institute Co-president, Michael Karlin, graces the cover of the Premier Edition of the new magazine, Motto (formerly Worthwhile) with the lead article on his personal mythic journey. Motto hits the newsstands on November 15th available at Barnes & Noble, Staples, Whole Foods and other Motto retailers.

Listen to Jerry Wennstrom and Marilyn Strong's interview with Michael and Justine Toms on New Dimensions Internet Radio (NDIR). Program #3024 Surrendering To Wholeness airs during the week of October 23, 2006. Interview

October 15, 2006 — The Autumn Issue of Faerie Magazine features a great 5-page article on the Mythic Journeys '06 conference called "Walking With Giants" that includes many good photos. MJ '04/'06 presenters Ari Berk and Carolyn Dunn also have an article, "The Eyes of the Forest," about Little People in Native American tradition. Additionally, there is a very nice article on MJ '04/'06 guest Charles Vess with a 7-page interview called "Beyond the Fields We Know". The write up is chock full of art, plus a 2-page follow-up concerning Vess' work with writers Charles de Lint and Neil Gaiman including good info on the upcoming movie release Stardust that is based on the Vess-illustrated novel by Gaiman. Faerie Magazine is available at Barnes & Noble Bookstores and other markets around the country.

September 11, 2006 — Bantam Books released The Privilege of the Sword, the latest novel by Mythic Journeys '04 - '06 guest Ellen Kushner, to high acclaim and fanfare. Although The Privilege of the Sword stands by itself as a self-contained novel, it is also the third book in what has become known as "The Riverside Series." The titles thus far are:

• Swordspoint
• The Privilege of the Sword (set ca. 20 years later)
• The Fall of the Kings (written with Delia Sherman; set ca. 40 years after Privilege, 60 after Swordspoint)

August 17, 2006 - Viking Juvenile released Changeling, the next tale by Delia Sherman following the eccentric life of her hip urban young heroine, Neef. Don'l let the YA pigeon hole deter you — this is a contemporary fantasy that will be enjoyed be readers of all ages. As one reviewer put it, Changling is "children's literature and pop culture in an effervescent witch's brew with a strong scent of edgy attitude." Sherman first introduced Neef, the mortal changeling, in a short story called "Catnyp" (The Faery Reel, Viking, 2004). 12-year old Neef lives in New York Between, the parallel Manhattan realm of fairies, demons, elves, vampires, and other spirits. Fairies stole Neef and replaced her with one of their own who is now so firmly accepted by Neef's family that she can never return. A fairy godmother named Astris (in the form of a white rat) protects the girl. Follow Neef as she sneaks out to the annual Solstice Dance in Central Park. By breaking this rule, she loses the protection of the tough-talking Green Lady, the Genius of Central Park, and so begins her perilous journey to outrun the dangerous spirits of the Wild Hunt. She bargains with the Green Lady to accomplish three tasks, in exchange for which Neef will be allowed to stay in the park. At the annual Eloise Awards for the Most Spoiled Child, Neef runs into her fairy changeling counterpart, who helps with the quest. Watch for or request Changling from your local bookstores, or purchase it online.

September 1, 2006 - Artist and Mythic Journeys '04 - '06 guest Charles Vess has been jetting all over the world, visiting sound studios in England, and getting ready for premiers in Hollywood for the upcoming release of the Neil Gaiman film "Stardust". Charles' artwork on the original illustrated book inspired the art design for the film. The "stellar" cast for the film includes actors Michelle Pheiffer, Robert DiNiro, Rupert Evans and Clare Danes. Visit Charles Vess' blog to get the complete update and view photos from his visits to the set. If you haven't read "Stardust" yet...well, where in the world have you been?

August 26, 2006 — At the 64th World Science Fiction Convention in Anaheim, California, Mythic Journeys '04 - '06 guest Peter Beagle received a long-overdue and well-deserved 2006 Hugo Award for Best Novelette for his story "Two Hearts".

Photo © 2006 by Beth Gwinn

August 15, 2006 — Oxford University Press has released the another in their Very Short Introductions Series, this one — Myth: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions), by Mythic Journeys '04 guest Robert A. Segal. A survey of the past 300 years of theorizing on myth, this book takes into account the work of such prominent thinkers as Albert Camus, Claude Levi-Strauss, C. G. Jung, and Sigmund Freud. It focuses on different approaches to myth, from all of the major disciplines —including science, religion, philosophy, literature, and psychology. Robert Segal considers the future study of myth, and the possible function of myth in the world as the adult equivalent of play.