Into the Woods … and onto the Bestseller List

Into the Woods … and onto the Bestseller List

Standing on the steps of Texas A&M's Cushing Memorial Library and Archives in the spring of 2024, Kristian Britain '87, surrounded by more than two dozen heroes and villains in fantasy costumes inspired by her books, looks almost apologetically humble.

While it might resemble a scene from a Halloween party or a Renaissance fair, the setting was actually an exhibit hosted at the Cushing, home to a world-renowned science fiction and fantasy research collection, in honor of Britain's Green Rider fantasy book series.

Those devoted fans who'd been following the story of Britain's protagonist, Karigan G'ladheon, since her first appearance in 1998 should break out their costumes and prepare to be lost in the pages of the series' eighth book, Falling in a Sea of Stars , which was released this week, on September 30.

The exhibit at the Cushing, titled, "The Rider Call: Kristen Britain's Fantasy Work and Fan Response" ran for six months, including the three-day event of panels, talks, and activities, which featured hand-written manuscripts of the books, and fan-made costumes based on the novel's characters.

Britain was the first living female author to have an exhibit at the Cushing, which also features work by genre luminaries such as Ray Bradbury, Phillip K. Dick, and George R.R. Martin.

"I was taking a course with her called Women in Writing, and the class took a trip to the Women's Rights National Historical Park at Seneca Falls," Britain recalled. "Unfortunately, I couldn't go, but I kept it in my mind, and after I graduated, I decided to go on my own. And I absolutely loved it."

That's how one of fantasy's most renowned female writers began a decade-long career as a ranger in the National Park Service, working in six different parks across the country.

"I loved doing that," she recalled. "I worked in the Division of Interpretation, and I interpreted the cultural and natural history at whatever park I was working in, whether leading walks or hikes with visitors, or writing materials to hand out to them about the history and stories of the area; the explorers who came through the area, or the wildlife in the caves. At Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, I'd take tours underground, turn out the lights as a demonstration of what it was like to be in complete darkness and see my senses just taken away."

After graduating, Britain spent a decade working as a ranger in the National Park Service, spending time in the Division of Interpretation at six different parks. (Photo submitted)

And it was her time as a ranger that inspired the Green Rider series.

"In 1992, I was working at Acadia National Park in Maine, and my job was to bicycle through the park on its historic carriage roads to interpret its history and the park in general, help visitors with directions and First Aid, and encourage courtesy among park users, she said. "The carriage roads I bicycled on did wind through forests and by lakes and one summer day, I was riding and I thought to myself 'what about a novel with a setting like this, but more dangerous and with horses? And I thought about the idea of a king's messenger.'"

In addition to her love of fantasy novels and riding through parks and trails, Britain had long had a love of horses-growing up she had worked a farm in exchange for riding lessons.

With all those roads coming together, Britain decided to stay at Acadia through the fall and winter-rather than going to work at a winter park-and write the first steps of Karigan G'ladheon's journey. The process continued into the summer of 1993, and Britain took advantage of her location.

"I loved being immersed in the park and nature, because any time I was stuck, I could take a walk and get inspired," she said.

After finishing the draft, Britain spent four years revising it, while simultaneously researching the publishing process. While her initial submissions were rejected, she incorporated suggestions from another author, and eventually, the revised manuscript for "Green Rider" was accepted.

"I wrote the first book as a standalone novel, because I didn't expect them to want more books," Britain admitted. "But when we were finalizing the deal for the first book, they started asking for details on another one.

"That changed everything," she continued. "Because you set the first story in motion, and you have to continue the story threads from one book to the next. By trying different things and taking chances, one stretches their skills and often a book is the better for it."

With eight novels in the Green Rider series under her belt, Britain isn't done, and she's anxious to see not just where Karigan, but the genre she inhabits, goes to next.

"The bias against women writers in the science fiction and fantasy field is evaporating," she said. "There are so many more women writing it, as well as writers in under-represented populations, such as BiPOC and LGBTQ and they're taking it in new directions. It's exciting."