Author Archives: Kate

Kage Baker has occasionally been taken to task for her portrayal of Britain in her Company novels, especially in the upcoming 300 or so years.  People used to ask her what she had against England. This is largely because she … Continue reading →

Kage Baker could write really fast and for hours on end. I can too, on this blog – but I am basically talking to myself, at which I was already adept.  So far, it takes a deal more effort to … Continue reading →

Kage Baker‘s favourite living author was/is Sir Terry Pratchett. (He, thank God, is still in an “is” condition.) When asked, as all authors are, what she herself read for pleasure, she always answered quite seriously that all her faves were … Continue reading →

Kage Baker was, as I have noted before, much given to rituals. Most of them were starting rituals: how to begin activities, rites that had to be followed in order to assure given activities a proper chance of success. It’s … Continue reading →

Kage Baker was only moderately fond of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien . No one could grow up in California in the 1960’s and remain unaware of him; and in fact she read the entire trilogy before it was famous … Continue reading →

Kage Baker loved coloured glass. She collected it: not glass objects so much as bits of broken glass. She lined the window sills with it, turning the windows into room-filling kaleidoscopes. At certain times of the day, rainbows ran through … Continue reading →

Kage Baker usually declined to deal with delivery people, repairmen, mechanics, ringing telephones … they all unnerved her to excess, and those of us who knew her also knew it was to everyone’s benefit if Kage was not point woman … Continue reading →

Kage Baker placed great emotional importance on omens, anniversaries, hallmarks and the like. The sight of a blue heron flying overhead always meant money was on the way. Looking up at just the moment the streets lights come on was … Continue reading →

Kage Baker was fascinated by ghost stories. She only wrote one, though, and was not very pleased with it – neither were any of her editors, and I think it’s only available these days on Fictionwise.com. I like it, but … Continue reading →

Kage Baker practiced the stratalogical method of filing. She employed piles, heaps and towers of reference material. Continental drift moved information around; sometimes where she could find it, sometimes where it could ambush her with a new idea. Ritual objects, … Continue reading →