Listen to us, they said.
Finally, I did.
The world introduced in Blood Indigo is speculative, firmly set in the realm of what is called magical realism. It might or mightn’t be ours, and might or mightn’t be of our future and/or past. But it is grounded on experiences in this world—lessons learned, tales shared, a long history of resilience in the face of attempted erasure—and a life lived with, but not bounded by all these things. The journey to understand and reverence my cultures and my ancestors—all of them—is ongoing. I often didn’t altogether understand what I was living or hearing, but the influence is undeniable.
(Like the language of Blood Indigo. Much of it is influenced—heavily—by Choctaw and Chickasaw… but the language and ways of speaking are nevertheless fantastical, shaped to another reality.)
Blood Indigo is also one of those books that has been loved by more than a few readers, but has been unable to find a place for a long time. I was more than once told that it was “well-written, but too… difficult”, or “a talented effort, but not mainstream enough”. It was “complicated” and “challenging”, and required “too much thought from readers”.
I found this astounding, particularly coming from the field of speculative fiction.
I’ve a lifetime behind me of reading SFF and magical realism. I want to be challenged. “Easy” reads are a nice break, but my preference is a story that gives a damned hard push to my established or habitual patterns. (It’s kind of like travelling—what’s the use of going somewhere I’ve never been merely to eat at a McDonald’s?)
What I absolutely don’t want anymore is to read another accepted status quo. After over fifty years of reading speculative fiction, many of the accepted tropes have long worn thin for me. Give me real, complicated people of all shades and shapes and sexualities, give me the entire spectrum of queerness, give me diverse systems of belief, and give me traditions and cultures that aren’t the bog-standard, assimilated, Victorian-bred same-ol’ same-ol’.
I remember stories born of outrage and a shifting paradigm. And while much of the speculative fiction I read growing up had some really knotty problems, there were also stories that blew the mind, opened the heart, and asked Big Questions.
The questions are bigger now. Outrage over the accepted status quo has flamed upwards again—and rightfully so. It also means we’re finally starting to see more and more mind-blowing, heart-full, paradigm-pushing stories.
I truly hope that the world of the Alekšu’in is one of them. Not just for me, but for you.
Thanks for reading.
Peace,
Talulah
Cast of Characters
FirstPeople
From the Wintering Tally of Allied Tribes, gathered by Inhya a’Naišwyrh in the Hoop of the Great Incursion
Anahli oških a’Šaâkfo, first daughter to Aylaniś
Akumehoških a’Nunkáhiti, hearthed a’Naišwyrh
Aylaniśhorse-chieftain a’Šaâkfo, espoused Palatan, dam of Anahli, Nishe, Vinka, Samke, Kuli
Benniic wyrhmate a’Ilhukaia
Bimih oških a’Naišwyrh
Calidon(deceased) tyah a’Šaâkfo, sire of Palatan
Čayku oških a’Naišwyrh
Chogah (also O’yotali’chogah) elder & alekšu tuk (MedicineKeeper) a’Šaâkfo
Galenuelder & stone-chieftain a’Hassun
Giltha (deceased) hearth-chieftain a’Naišwyrh, espoused Nechtoun, dam of Sarinak, Našobok
Inhya(born a’Šaâkfo) hearth-chieftain a’Naišwyrh, espoused Sarinak, dam of Madoc, hearth-mother to Tokela
Kalisom wyrhmate a’Ilhukaia
Kuli (also Kulahiši) ahlóssa a’Šaâkfo, son of Aylaniś
Lakisa (deceased) espoused Talorgan, dam of Tokela
Madoc ahlóssa a’Naišwyrh, chieftain-son to Inhya & Sarinak
Mordeleg oških a’Hassun, hearthed a’Naišwyrh
Munro wyrhmate a’Ilhukaia , foster-uncle to Našobok
Našobok (also Nashobok’aqékla, River Wolf) wyrh-chieftain a’Ilhukaia, outcast son to Nechton & Giltha
Nechton once-chieftain a’Naišwyrh of Gilda, sire of Sarinak, Našobok
Nipok wyrhmate a’Ilhukaia, rigger
Nishe oških a’Šaâkfo, second daughter of Aylanis
Odina1st wyrhmate a’Ilhukaia
PallatonAlekšu a’Šaâkfo, tyah horseClan, espoused Alannis, sire of Anahli, Nishe, Vinka, Samke, Kuli
Saltha oških a’Naišwyrh
Samke ahlóssa a’Šaâkfo, fourth daughter of Alannis
Sarinak Mound-chieftain a’Naišwyrh, espoused Inhya, sire of Madoc, uncle to Tokela
Šaya hosteler a’Cassauk
Seguin forest-chieftain a’Nunkáhiti
Stannic taleKeeper a’Šaâkfo, uncle to Pallaton
Talorgan (deceased) herder a'Hassun, espoused Lakisa, sire of Tokela
Tokela (also Tohwakeli, Tohwakeli'fitčiluka) oških a’Naišwyrh, son of Lakisa & Talorgan, hearth-son to Inhya
Vinka oških a’Šaâkfo, third daughter of Aylaniś
OutLanders
Cavodu Chepiś, High Lord of the Western Temple
Domina Chepiś, Supreme Empress of the New World
DominusChepiś, ex-Emperor of the New World, Synced, Exiled
JordaChepiś, Lord of the Western Temple, progeny of Cavodu & Ranlaia, twin to Sivan
Maloh Matwau from the eastern continent, fostered into Chepiś, lover of Sivan
Ranlaia Chepiś, Lord of the Western Temple, Synced, mother of Jorda & Sivan
Rann Chepiś, Disciple to the Western Temple
Sivan Chepiś, Lord of the Western Temple, progeny of Cavodu & Ranlaia, twin to Jorda, lover of Maloh
Vox Chepiś, Disciple to the Western Temple
About the Author
TALULAH J. SULLIVAN has been a pro equestrian, a dancer, an actor, an activist, and a teacher who has learned as much from her two- and four-legged students as she’s ever shared with them… yet she’s never managed to NOT be a storyteller. Ever.
Being a result of one of the original ‘hands across the waters’ cross-cultural exchanges—Irish/Scots and Choctaw/Chickasaw—making a home base in dampish forest country came quite naturally. Sharing that home base with a longtime spouse, several four-legged companions, and a lifetime’s collection of books took a bit more work, of course. And, having also inherited the itch for travelling from both sides of the pond, her house has wheels for a reason.
Her works reflect worlds both old and new, cultures both fantastic and familiar—and promise an immersive, subversive experience. More information can be found at her website:
https://talulahjsullivan.com
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