Portland State Magazine Spring 2010

True to Marion Zimmer Bradley's vision WHEN DEBORAH J . ROSS MS '73 wrote a fan letter to renowned fantasy author Marion Zimmer Bradley in 1980, she had no idea that it would lead, 30 years later, to her taking the reins of Bradley's popular Darkover series. Hastur Lord, the latest novel in the series that takes ics name from Bradley's fictio nal ice-covered planet, was released in January. It was Bradley who provided Ross (Wheeler in chose days) with her first professional sale in 1984, including Ross's story, "Imperatrix" that appeared in the first volume of Bradley's long– running anthology, Sword & Sorceress, created to remedy the lack of female protagonists in fantasy literature. The two writers became friends, and before Bradley's death in 1999, Ross was tapped to continue the Darkover series. Since then, Ross has penned five Darkover novels, working closely with the Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust, and she has notes for two more. "I try to create story lines chat are true co Marion's vision of Darkover and the themes chat were meaningful co her," Ross says. Besides carrying on Bradley's fictional world, Ross is busy on various projects of her own creation. She has branched our into 6 PORTLA ND STATE M AGAZIN E SPRING 20 10 editing with the Lace and B/,ade anthology series of "elegant romantic fantasy," releasing a new volume each Valentine's Day. She is al o working on an original fantasy trilogy, The Seven– Petaled Shield. "Ir's a really big story," she says, "with echoes of Romans and Scythian horsemen and ancient Judea." For budding fantasy and science fiction writers, Ross advises knowing the genre, attending conventions, and joining the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers ofAmerica once published. The most important thing, though, she says, is "write the best damned story you can." WE WANT TO HEAR about your books and recordings and your future exhibits, performances, and directing ventures. Contact the magazine by e-mailing psumag@pdx.edu , sending a fax to 503-725-4465, or mailing Portland State Magazine, Office of University Communications, PO Box 751, Portland OR 97207-0751.