Coming soon from Tachyon Publications: The Very Best of Kate Elliott, which is the author’s first collection of short fiction and essays. I’m very excited about this one, as I primarily know Elliott from her fantasy novels and (confession) don’t think I’ve actually ever read any short stories by her.

Also check out the gorgeous cover art by Julie Dillon, which illustrates a passage in Elliott’s novel Cold Steel.

The Very Best of Kate Elliott will be available in February 2015.

More info from the publisher:

Strong heroines and riveting storytelling are the hallmarks of groundbreaking fantasy author Kate Elliott (Crown of Stars, Crossroads). Her long-awaited first collection showcases twenty years of her finest work. Captured here are many of Elliott’s previously out-of-print tales, four previously unpublished essays, and a brand new Crossroads story, “On the Dying Winds of the Old Year and the Birthing Winds of the New.”

Elliott’s bold adventuresses, complex quests, noble sacrifices, and hard-won victories shine in classic, compact legends. In “The Memory of Peace,” a girl’s powerful emotions rouse the magic of a city devastated by war. Meeting in “The Queen’s Garden,” two princesses unite to protect their kingdom from the blind ambition of their corrupted father. While “Riding the Shore of the River of Death” a chieftain’s daughter finds an unlikely ally on her path to self-determination.

Elliott’s many readers, as well as fantasy fans in search of powerful stories featuring well-drawn female characters, will revel in this unique gathering of truly memorable tales.

Click below for the Table of Contents!

Introduction: The Landscape That Surrounds Us

Stories:

The Gates of Joriun
Leaf and Branch and Grass and Vine
The Queen’s Garden
On the Dying Winds of the Old Year and the Birthing Winds of the New
The Memory of Peace
With God to Guard Her
Riding the Shore of the River of Death
My Voice Is in My Sword
Sunseeker
A Simple Act of Kindness
To Be a Man
Making the World Live Again

And the four essays:

The Omniscient Breasts: The Male Gaze through Female Eyes
The Narrative of Women in Fear and Pain
And Pharaoh’s Heart Hardened
The Status Quo Does Not Need World Building

The Very Best of Kate Elliott will be available in February 2015.