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Diana L Paxson


(Diana Lucile Paxson)
USA flag (b.1943)

Diana L. Paxson is a writer of fantasy living in the literary household called Greyhaven in Berkeley, California. She has sold over seventy short stories, many of them to anthologies such as the Sword & Sorceress series, Elf Fantastic, Wizard Fantastic, and many more.

She is the author of the Chronicles of Westria, and nine historical fantasies, including The White Raven (a mainstream fantasy based on the legend of Tristan and Iseult), the Wodan's Children trilogy, which tells the story of Sigfrid and Brunhild (The Wolf and the Raven, Dragons of the Rhine, and The Lord of Horses.) Also now in print are all three volumes of a trilogy on the Irish hero Fionn MacCumhal (a collaboration with Adrienne Martine-Barnes), Master of Earth and Water, The Shield Between the Worlds, and Sword of Fire and Shadow. Her Arthurian novel The Hallowed Isle is appearing in four trade paperback volumes: The Book of the Sword, The Book of the Spear, The Book of the Cauldron, and The Book of the Stone. All four will also appear in a single hardcover volume as a Science Fiction Book Club alternate.

"Riders of the Rainbow Ridge" reflects Paxson's deep interest in Northern mythology. Other stories featuring "Mr. Harbard" have appeared in Weird Tales from Shakespeare and Wizard Fantastic.

In addition to her writing, Paxson plays and composes music for the folk harp (The Wandersong, a tape of music from the Westria series, is now available), and designs and sews period costumes. She has served as Western Regional Director of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, and is currently on the Boards of Directors of the Fellowship of the Spiral Path and the Ring of Troth.
 

Genres: Fantasy
 
Series
Westria
   1. Lady of Light (1982)
   2. Lady of Darkness (1983)
   3. Silverhair the Wanderer (1986)
   4. The Earthstone (1987)
   5. The Sea Star (1988)
   6. The Wind Crystal (1990)
   7. The Jewel of Fire (1992)
   8. The Golden Hills of Westria (2006)
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Avalon (with Marion Zimmer Bradley)
   2. The Forest House (1991)

     aka The Forests of Avalon

   3. Lady of Avalon (1997)
   4. Priestess of Avalon (2000)
   5. The Ancestors of Avalon (2004)
   6. Ravens of Avalon (2007)
   7. Sword of Avalon (2009)
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Novels
   White Mare, Red Stallion (1976)
   Brisingamen (1984)
   The Paradise Tree (1987)
   The White Raven (1988)
   The Serpent's Tooth (1991)
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Series contributed to
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Non fiction show
 
Diana L Paxson recommends
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The Unfinished Land (2021)
Greg Bear
"Here there be dragons, monsters and mentors, and landscapes previously seen only in dreams. With the Elizabethan boy Reynard, explore the magical, mythical North in a literary journey unlike any you have made before. An unexpected pleasure to read and remember."
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Black Chamber (2018)
(Alternate World War, book 1)
S M Stirling
"Black Chamber is one of the most intriguing and entertaining adventures to come along in years. If you like alternate history, you will appreciate Stirling’s take on what Teddy Roosevelt could have accomplished if he had been allowed. If you like steam punk, you will enjoy elegant inventions that are firmly based on science. If you like derring-do, you will thrill to car chases and combats of all kinds ( there is one scene that anyone with acrophobia might want to avoid). And whatever your gender, if you like a feisty, sexy, intelligent heroine, meet Field Operative Luz O’Malley Arostegui!"
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Wordwright (1993)
(Soulsmith, book 3)
Tom Deitz
"Brilliantly imaginative."

Anthologies containing stories by Diana L Paxson
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Anything With Nothing (2023)
(Valdemar Anthologies, book 17)
edited by
Mercedes Lackey
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Jewels of Darkover (2023)
(Darkover Anthology, book 20)
edited by
Deborah J Ross
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Shenanigans (2022)
(Valdemar Anthologies, book 16)
edited by
Mercedes Lackey

More anthologies 


Awards
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature Best Book nominee (1983) : Lady of Light
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature Best Book nominee (1989) : The White Raven


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