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Cal Black

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September 2013


Cal Black is a Canadian writer who enjoys telling stories about messy people who try to improve their situation, for better or worse. Cal has a short story published in the Advent of Winter anthology, was runner-up in the 2023 SFINCS novella competition, and is the author of the Legends & Legacies series, a gaslamp and western fantasy series full of adventure.

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Cal Black I understand this concern is coming from a place of wanting to help, but it confuses representation and appropriation in a way that can actually lead …moreI understand this concern is coming from a place of wanting to help, but it confuses representation and appropriation in a way that can actually lead to harm in an unintended way.

I have indigenous readers both sensitivity ones and regular, and have had multiple extensive conversations with folks of different first nations or folks who are involved in the communities of nations to ensure that the Ghost Eye Clan portrayal is respectful and not portraying anything sacred that should not be shared with settler folks. While the Six Fires people live in tipis and use smudging to clear the air, those are not what defines a nation's culture. All the beliefs mentioned in the book are fiction, and are not taken from a real-world culture.

No Land for Heroes is a western at heart, and a key factor in the 'wild west' is the presence of indigenous peoples who have traditionally been represented negatively or as the 'noble savage'. While this has changed over the years, a new trend has emerged that is equally concerning: the erasure of indigenous people from western stories completely. Instead of erasing a group that is already facing difficulty gaining recognition in popular culture, I chose to portray a group that has it's own motivations, goals, and subvert the typical tropes of a western, similar to how Millie subverts the grizzled pariah who lives on the edge of town.

If you are first nations, metis, or inuit and would like to discuss this or even just let me know if you disagree, you are welcome to reach out. I promise to listen with the intent to improve. However if you are not from these cultures, I respectfully request that you trust the voices I have engaged to know how they would prefer to be represented. (less)
Cal Black "Thank you for calling 9-1-1, our emergency services are unavailable at this point in time. Please leave your name and number and a detailed message a…more"Thank you for calling 9-1-1, our emergency services are unavailable at this point in time. Please leave your name and number and a detailed message after the tone."(less)
Average rating: 4.19 · 424 ratings · 186 reviews · 5 distinct worksSimilar authors
The Advent of Winter

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4.15 avg rating — 254 ratings3 editions
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No Land For Heroes (Legends...

4.12 avg rating — 100 ratings — published 2022 — 6 editions
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Shattered Spirits: The Fall...

4.14 avg rating — 77 ratings — published 2023 — 5 editions
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No Port in a Storm (Legends...

4.67 avg rating — 21 ratings5 editions
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Strange and Sundry Magics

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More books by Cal Black…

Happy Book Birthday, No Land For Heroes!

My first published novel is now available on amazon! No Land For Heroes - A Gaslamp and Western Fantasy began as a silly story for friends, then ended up winning a Wattpad Watty award, then sat for half the pandemic as I thought about how to rewrite it and make it better.

It's a book I wanted to get right, not only because it was my first, but because it was about something that was important to me Read more of this blog post »
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Published on May 10, 2022 17:26 Tags: book-launch, fantasy-western, legends-legacies
No Land For Heroes No Port in a Storm
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Blood Echoes: A B...
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Save the Cat!® Wr...
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Botanical Folk Ta...
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Blood Echoes by Simon Parking
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The Caretaker by Marcus Kliewer
The Caretaker
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Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke
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Cal Black liked an answer from Jonathan Nevair:
Jonathan Nevair
A dark fantasy standalone in the world of Arsel (the setting of The Curse of Dragon Tail Island). This one takes place on the mainland in the city of Drakeland. Title and cover reveal late summer!
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Save the Cat!® Writes Horror by Jamie Nash
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Cross the Line by Simone Soltani
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Cat Rector
Cat Rector is 23% done with Model Home
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What Hunger by Catherine Dang
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Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman
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Learning To Bleed by Cat Rector
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Quotes by Cal Black  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“Even after all these years, Fred’s words could knock the air from her. Millie grit her teeth, refusing to let him see just how deeply that had cut. Ryan wasn’t like that, she wasn’t like Fred at all.

“No masters,” Fred said. “No kings. Remember?”

“You don’t get to say that,” Millie snapped.”
Cal Black, No Port in a Storm

“Even after all these years, Fred’s words could knock the air from her. Millie grit her teeth, refusing to let him see just how deeply that had cut. Rhiannon wasn’t like that, she wasn’t like Fred at all.

“No masters,” Fred said. “No kings. Remember?”

“You don’t get to say that,” Millie snapped.”
Cal Black, No Port in a Storm

“Gilbert had cut his teeth working for international financiers in Newhaven, where he learned the trade of rubbing two coins together to produce a third. He could have chosen a life of comfort and security by staying the employee of one of the large firms, but why settle for comfort when he had a chance at luxury?

‘Settling’ only entered Gilbert’s vocabulary when it came to two things: lawsuits and land claims.”
Cal Black, No Land For Heroes

“Gilbert had cut his teeth working for international financiers in Newhaven, where he learned the trade of rubbing two coins together to produce a third. He could have chosen a life of comfort and security by staying the employee of one of the large firms, but why settle for comfort when he had a chance at luxury?

‘Settling’ only entered Gilbert’s vocabulary when it came to two things: lawsuits and land claims.”
Cal Black, No Land For Heroes

“That won’t be a problem, will it, Sheriff Collins?” Isaiah asked. He grinned, his attempt at a beard made him look like he had mange. “You keep your attack dog over there with your furry friend, and I’ll be happy to pay you with a good time.” He reached down with his free hand and wiggled his belt buckle suggestively. Ryan made a face at the suggestion.

“You bring a babysitter with you?” Millie ‘the attack dog’, asked.”
Cal Black, No Land For Heroes

“Even after all these years, Fred’s words could knock the air from her. Millie grit her teeth, refusing to let him see just how deeply that had cut. Ryan wasn’t like that, she wasn’t like Fred at all.

“No masters,” Fred said. “No kings. Remember?”

“You don’t get to say that,” Millie snapped.”
Cal Black, No Port in a Storm

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