 I went to Nashville, Tennessee in July and met so many fantastic authors and creatives that work tirelessly behind the publishing scene. In a brief few days I felt a part of a much larger world than the little desk I sit at daily, by myself, to write. It occurred to me that I wanted to know these other professionals who toil with words and design and publishing.I put out the call and they signed up to let me stalk their pages and ask them questions. Let me introduce Beth Adams. The Big Ten 1. Your book, Soulbound, is built around an Elvin world. What inspired your world n this novel? How do you go about world building? I've loved elves since reading The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks. [Me: if you guys haven't watched the MtV series, it's worth it.] It's funny, because most people assume it's Tolkien who inspired me. Nope. Terry Brooks. :) When it comes to Soulbound, the world just sort of evolved along with the story. For me, that's often how it happens. I let the story unfold, and the characters reveal their world to me. That....sounds totally strange. :-D 2. You recently tweeted: “Even an elf feels awkward when someone flirts with his mom.” What’s happening? Do tell!!! Ohhh, well, this involves spoilers if you haven't read Soulbound yet. Continue at your own risk! Hehe. In Soulbound, we learn that the healer has a thing for Lyr's mom, Lynia. In Book 2, Sundered, there's a scene where Lynia is arguing with the healer because she needs to strengthen her recently healed back but he wants her to rest. And he starts to make a risque suggestion about ways he could help strengthen her back...in bed. Bwahaha. Poor Lyr shut that down before he had to hear more. It seems you can be over five hundred years old and STILL not want to think about your mom's love life. 3. Tell us about Acts of Bravery and Against the Odds. What major themes run through these short stories? These anthologies were born in the Debut Collective, a group of writers inspired by UTOPiA Con. I have a story in each of those two anthologies. My Acts of Bravery story is "The Golden Queen." It's about a queen cursed to remain in a portrait, only able to leave for one day every decade. She and her guardian, Kenrick, have to marshal all their bravery to get out of that one. For Against All Odds, I have "The Grove Between." Contact with the Eiana, the people of the forest, is forbidden, but to save her people from a wicked plot, Mio must seek them out. She meets one of their people, Faen, but the rest of the Eiana refuse to help. With her greatest enemy closing in, Mio and Faen have to work together to beat the odds. 4. I see you recently attended UTOIPiACon2016 in Nashville. What did you do there? Did you attend any panels? What was your take away from that experience? [me: UTOPiA 2017 is already up and going] I had my very first author table at UTOPiA Con this year. I only made it to a couple of panels because I didn't want to stray to far from my table. I'm a naturally shy person, so it's always an experience to go to such a huge event. But I did have a great time! This was only my second year, and I find that after each year, I make more friends. I'm already excited for next year! 5. You tweet quite a bit about the equality and peace. Tell us what sits on your heart about the world. I hate injustice. I know that life isn't always fair, but if we leave it at that, it never will be, right? But you know, I think what really gets me are the artificial boundaries we use to separate. Nationality, race, religion, sexuality--if you really examine these things, you'll find more commonalities than differences, yet we often don't look beyond the label. We all hurt, love, care for our families. The more we see that, the more we'll live in peace. Maybe someday. :) 6. If you could bring one character alive from your novels, who would it be and why? Probably Lyr. I have such a soft spot for him. He has had so much happen to him over the last few decades that I'd love to see him happy. 7. You’re a busy mom of a little one. How do you find time to write? Do you have any rituals to help you get started and stay on track? Actually, I have two kids. I just try to keep their pictures off social media for privacy concerns. My oldest is 6 and my youngest 3. I find time to write whenever I can, really. I have a standing desk so I can work without my youngest crawling on my head. :-D I typically start work around 9 and get in a couple of hours before lunch. If it's a good day, kid-wise, I work again in the afternoon. Summer has thrown me off, though. The kids are old enough that when they aren't fighting, they're playing loudly. 8. Coffee! I see you love the brew and Ironman. So, if you could sit and share a cup of coffee with Ironman/Tony Stark, what would you talk about? Investment advice? Hehehe. Seriously, I'd probably ask him about all of his cool inventions. I wouldn't understand half of the science, but he'd be fun enough to watch. :-D 9. Who is your fiction hero/heroine? And who is your real life hero/heroine? Why? Do tell. Probably Elspeth from Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar. She begins as a brat, but beneath that, she's hurting. I love how she transitions to a confident, competent, and empathetic person by the end of the series. I guess because I was once that hurting brat, and Elspeth was one of the characters who taught me how to be better. I love Amy Lee, Sara Bareilles, and Sarah McLachlan. Their music has gotten me through some tough times. And my mom, who has an amazing strength of will. 10. At the end of all things, when light fades to black, what’s the only thing that’s real? The Divine Spark that flows through everything. The energy that makes up the core of existence. Love. Keep up with Bethany on her social media. Use the |
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Every story has its kings and warriors, but the women behind them often wield power just as sharp as any blade. Sometimes sharper.
While watching Sons of Anarchy, I found myself thinking about one woman in particular from Greek myth: Clytemnestra. At first glance, the worlds could not be more different. One ruled a Bronze Age palace built of stone and bronze. The other moved through the shadows of modern California, commanding respect inside an outlaw motorcycle club.
Yet the longer you watch Gemma Teller, the harder it becomes to ignore the resemblance.
Both women are mothers first. Not gentle, passive mothers tucked quietly behind the scenes, but women who understand that survival sometimes demands decisive action. They are protectors of their bloodline, guardians of legacy, and architects of vengeance when they believe their families are threatened.
Clytemnestra is often remembered for one act above all others: the killing of her husband, Agamemnon. To later audiences, it reads as shocking betrayal. But within the logic of myth, her actions are rooted in grief and rage. Agamemnon sacrificed their daughter, Iphigenia, in exchange for favorable winds to sail to Troy. A king secured glory. A mother buried a child.
Years passed, but grief does not fade simply because time moves forward. When Agamemnon finally returned from war, Clytemnestra did not hesitate. She exacted revenge with deliberate precision. Her violence was not wild or reckless. It was planned, measured, and rooted in the belief that justice demanded action.
Gemma Teller operates from a similar place of conviction. When she believed that Tara posed a threat to her son Jax and the future of the club, she acted with terrifying certainty. Like Clytemnestra, Gemma did not view herself as a villain. She believed she was protecting her family, preserving order, and defending what mattered most. Her choices were brutal, but in her mind, they were necessary.
That is what makes both women so unsettling. They do not act from madness. They act from purpose.
Both understand that power does not always sit on a throne. Sometimes it moves quietly behind the scenes, shaping events long before the world notices what has happened. Both women wield violence not as an emotional outburst, but as a calculated tool. They believe that hesitation invites weakness, and weakness invites ruin.
Yet there is always a cost.
Clytemnestra’s vengeance secured justice in her eyes, but it also set into motion the downfall of her household. Her son, Orestes, would one day return to avenge his father. Blood called for blood. Revenge created more revenge.
Gemma’s story follows a similarly tragic path. Her decision to eliminate Tara did not preserve her family. It fractured it. Her attempt to protect Jax ultimately contributed to his unraveling.
That is the quiet truth both stories reveal.
Women like Clytemnestra and Gemma Teller are not powerless figures reacting to events beyond their control. They are decision-makers. Strategists. Women who step forward when others hesitate.
They wield authority not through title, but through will.
And perhaps that is why they endure as unforgettable figures in their respective worlds. Not because they were gentle. Not because they were forgiving. But because they were willing to do what others feared. Queens of vengeance do not wait for justice. They create it.
— Janell Rhiannon
© 2015, revised 2026 Janell Rhiannon. All rights reserved.
While watching Sons of Anarchy, I found myself thinking about one woman in particular from Greek myth: Clytemnestra. At first glance, the worlds could not be more different. One ruled a Bronze Age palace built of stone and bronze. The other moved through the shadows of modern California, commanding respect inside an outlaw motorcycle club.
Yet the longer you watch Gemma Teller, the harder it becomes to ignore the resemblance.
Both women are mothers first. Not gentle, passive mothers tucked quietly behind the scenes, but women who understand that survival sometimes demands decisive action. They are protectors of their bloodline, guardians of legacy, and architects of vengeance when they believe their families are threatened.
Clytemnestra is often remembered for one act above all others: the killing of her husband, Agamemnon. To later audiences, it reads as shocking betrayal. But within the logic of myth, her actions are rooted in grief and rage. Agamemnon sacrificed their daughter, Iphigenia, in exchange for favorable winds to sail to Troy. A king secured glory. A mother buried a child.
Years passed, but grief does not fade simply because time moves forward. When Agamemnon finally returned from war, Clytemnestra did not hesitate. She exacted revenge with deliberate precision. Her violence was not wild or reckless. It was planned, measured, and rooted in the belief that justice demanded action.
Gemma Teller operates from a similar place of conviction. When she believed that Tara posed a threat to her son Jax and the future of the club, she acted with terrifying certainty. Like Clytemnestra, Gemma did not view herself as a villain. She believed she was protecting her family, preserving order, and defending what mattered most. Her choices were brutal, but in her mind, they were necessary.
That is what makes both women so unsettling. They do not act from madness. They act from purpose.
Both understand that power does not always sit on a throne. Sometimes it moves quietly behind the scenes, shaping events long before the world notices what has happened. Both women wield violence not as an emotional outburst, but as a calculated tool. They believe that hesitation invites weakness, and weakness invites ruin.
Yet there is always a cost.
Clytemnestra’s vengeance secured justice in her eyes, but it also set into motion the downfall of her household. Her son, Orestes, would one day return to avenge his father. Blood called for blood. Revenge created more revenge.
Gemma’s story follows a similarly tragic path. Her decision to eliminate Tara did not preserve her family. It fractured it. Her attempt to protect Jax ultimately contributed to his unraveling.
That is the quiet truth both stories reveal.
Women like Clytemnestra and Gemma Teller are not powerless figures reacting to events beyond their control. They are decision-makers. Strategists. Women who step forward when others hesitate.
They wield authority not through title, but through will.
And perhaps that is why they endure as unforgettable figures in their respective worlds. Not because they were gentle. Not because they were forgiving. But because they were willing to do what others feared. Queens of vengeance do not wait for justice. They create it.
— Janell Rhiannon
© 2015, revised 2026 Janell Rhiannon. All rights reserved.
Janell Rhiannon
Historian, Author, & Podcaster
“Tell me, O Muse…”
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