Medusa: New & Ancient Greek Tales

by Liv Albert (Contribution by), Miriam Robbins Dexter (Foreword by), Alicia K. Anderson (Contribution by), Mel Attica (Contribution by), Casey Banks (Contribution by)

Overview

Building on the huge popularity of mythological retellings, here is the story of the much misunderstood Medusa, told through ancient and modern minds, in a beautiful collectable edition.

Variously described as a fiend, a monster, a charming seductress who was felled by the righteous might of Perseus, son of Zeus, Medusa is perhaps the most misunderstood of mythological women. Described by male historians, poets and epic writers such as Hesiod and Ovid, there are many aspects of her imagined life which find resonance in the struggles of the outsider, the cursed and those used in the service another's vision of the world around them. This fascinating collection brings together new stories and ancient origins, offering a wider perspective on the whole life of the powerful, wonderful Medusa.

Introductory essay by Liv Albert, and foreword by Miriam Robbins Dexter. The modern authors whose stories feature in this book are: Alicia K. Anderson, Mel Attica, Casey Banks, Danai Christopoulou, Grace P. Fong, Rhys Hughes, Tom Johnstone, Amanda Cecelia Lang, Megan Mahoney, Tracie McBride, Zenobia Neil, Gabriella Ramalho, Oneness Sankara, Zach Shephard, Liv Strom, Theresa Tyree and Leah Warren.

About the series: Discover the mythology of humankind through its heroes, characters, gods and immortal figures. Myths, Gods & Immortals brings together the new and the ancient, familiar stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Each book brings back to life a legendary, mythological or folkloric figure, with new stories alongside a comprehensive introduction which tells the original tales and emphasizes ancient and modern connections, tracing history and stories across continents, cultures and peoples. New and emerging writers from open submissions reveal hidden themes, casting fresh perspectives on well known stories, complementing the specially commissioned story of the origins and the cultural background from the era. The first titles are Medusa, Odin, Anansi and Circe.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781804179338
Publisher:	Flame Tree Publishing
Publication date:	10/15/2024
Series:	Myths, Gods & Immortals
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	377,206
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.38(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Liv Albert is creator and host of the top-rated podcast, Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby!, and author of two books on Greek Myth. She has a degree in English Literature and Classical Civilizations and spends much of her time arguing about the mythological origins of Medusa. She lives in Victoria, Canada.

Miriam Robbins Dexter, Ph.D., is the author and contributor of several books (including Re-visioning Medusa: from Monster to Divine Wisdom), over 40 articles on ancient female figures, and editor or co-editor of 16 scholarly volumes. Miriam has extensive teaching experience in Latin, Greek and Sanskrit languages at USC and comparative myth at UCLA.

Alicia K. Anderson holds a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies and Depth Psychology. Her mythology and fairy tale retellings have appeared in six anthologies. Her other work can be found at aliciakinganderson.com.

Mel Attica is a working writer aspiring to enter the realm of authorship. Although she spends most days writing blogs and web pages for clients, her true passion is creating imaginary worlds full of magic and wonder.

Casey Banks is obsessively fond of supernatural horror, science fiction, and fantasy. She is the author of dozens of stories about normal people in wild situations, wild people in normal situations, and just all-around madness. Her work has appeared in The NoSleep Podcast, Flash Fiction Magazine, and Poet’s Haven Digest.

Danai Christopoulou (she/they) is a queer Greek SFF author and editor currently living in Sweden. Their short fiction has been published in Fusion Fragment and others, nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and longlisted for a Nebula Award.

Grace P. Fong writes speculative fiction to explore how people survive in worlds not designed for them. Her short fiction has been published in Uncanny Magazine, Apex Magazine, and Tor.com and has been recognized by Levar Burton Reads and the Ignyte Awards.

Rhys Hughes was born in Wales but has lived in many different countries. He began writing at an early age and his first book, Worming the Harpy, was published in 1995. He recently completed an ambitious project that involved writing exactly 1000 linked short stories. He is currently working on a novel and several new collections of prose and verse.

Tom Johnstone is the author of three novellas: The Monsters are Due in Madison Square Garden, Star Spangled Knuckle Duster, and The Song of Salomé. His fiction has appeared in various publications, including Black Static, Nightscript, Body Shocks and Best Horror of the Year.

Amanda Cecelia Lang is a horror author and aspiring recluse from Colorado. Her stories haunt the dark corners of many popular podcasts, magazines, and anthologies, including Gamut, Ghoulish Tales, Cast of Wonders, Uncharted, Dark Matter, and Flame Tree’s Darkness Beckons.

Megan Mahoney is a middle school teacher with an English Literature and Creative Writing degree and a Masters in Classical Education from Eastern University. Her other publications include Workings Classicists, Ethel Zine magazine, Spaceports and Spidersilk, and Eastern’s Inklings journal.

Tracie McBride is a New Zealander who now lives in Melbourne, Australia. A member of the HWA and the AHWA, her work has appeared in over 100 print and electronic publications, including two Stoker Award-nominated anthologies. Her work has won or been shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel Award, the Aurealis Award, and the Shadows Award.

Named after an ancient warrior queen who fought against the Romans, Zenobia Neil writes historical fantasy and mythic retellings. Her four novels present a different side of history, one that focuses on the power of women, magic, and love. Her recent novel, Ariadne Unraveled, is a fresh retelling of the Minoan myth of Ariadne and Dionysus.

Gabriella Ramalho received a BA in Creative Writing from Hunter College, and an MA from the CUNY Graduate Center where they are now doing post-graduate work in Classics. They live in New York and are working on a series of short stories involving Alexander the Great and various mythological themes.

Oneness Sankara, a multi-passionate creative, is an award-winning writer and spoken word artist. Her debut book, Word Sound Vol 1, is a beautifully powerful poetry anthology. Recipient of the BEFFTA Award, she's made her mark on UK and international poetry stages. Notably, she's the first non-US winner at The Toronto International Poetry Slam.

Zach Shephard lives in Washington state, where he dreams up fantasy, science fiction and horror stories. His fiction has appeared in places like Fantasy & Science Fiction, the Unidentified Funny Objects anthology series, and several of Flame Tree Publishing's Gothic Fantasy books. For a full list of Zach's stories, check out zachshephard.com.

Liv Strom is a Swedish-Swiss writer with stories in Apex Magazine, Hexagon, and Mystery Magazine, among others, and been included on Tor.com’s Must-Read Speculative Fiction and reviewed on Locus. She's currently working on the next novel in her Tales of Bones & Roses twisted fairytales series.

Theresa Tyree (they/she) is a queer nonbinary Greek woman who grew up dreaming of magic amongst the trees in the American Pacific North West. She makes her home near Portland, Oregon with their platonic life partner and cat, and spends their days coming up with new stories of queer perseverance and hope.

Leah Warren cut her teeth on Edith Hamilton’s Mythology when she was seven years old. That early exposure spiralled out into a deep love of all things mythic and folkloric that’s lasted throughout her life and she looks forward to passing that love down to her two children.