“Women of the Apocalypse” Edmonton Book Launch November 7th, 2009.

Writing is a solitary  pursuit, but four writers – three from Edmonton and one from London, Ontario, found a way to reduce the loneliness while at the same time preserving the individual creative effort. The result is this unusual fantasy anthology, which was written collaboratively.

Eileen Bell, Roxanne Felix, Billie Milholland and Ryan McFadden each chose one horseman of the Apocalypse, one unwitting female champion, and one archangel charged with assisting their reluctant champion.

“We  didn’t talk to each other  about our stories while writing the first draft, in order to  preserve our individual voices.  After that, we all  participated in the editing process, to make each piece the best that it could be. Some days there would be 30 to 40 emails as we worked back and forth.”

“We  chose the Four Horsemen theme because Pestilence, War, Famine and Death are all headliners in the media today.   Our research began with Revelations ( the last book in the New Testament of the Christian Bible)  and continued on into books like The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan and War by Gwynne Dyer.” said writer, Billie Milholland.

“The hardest part for me was getting over the feeling that what we humans have done over a few short centuries has been so extreme that the destruction of earth is inevitable,” said Eileen Bell.  “Luckily I had three other writers to talk to through the writing process.  They kept my spirits up so I could finish writing my story. And I wrote the romance!”

After an American launch at the World Fantasy Convention in San Jose, California, on Halloween weekend, Women of the Apocalypse is being launched in Edmonton at the Strathcona Regional Library, 8331 104 Street, on November 7, 2009, from 11:30 to 3, and in Calgary at Pages on Kensington, 1135 Kensington Road NW, Calgary, Alberta on November 13, 2009, at 7:30 pm.

If you would like to speak to the writers, please call Eileen Bell at (780) 462-4146, or email her at eileencbell@hotmail.com

Website: www.womenoftheapocalypse.com