Kickstart This: The Hidden Halls of Hazakor

Things are definitely changing the tabletop RPG world, and it's very exciting! Recently, a lot of my gamer friends have sent me a link for The Hidden Halls of Hazakor with excited comments about the kickass female characters on the cover. On the cover, y'all. And lots of text-based squeeing.

Obviously I dropped everything to check it out, and I have to say I'm super intrigued. And I'm not a tabletop RPGer. At least, not yet. If anything would turn me into one, it would be the idea of rolling through a dungeon with these gals! Just look at them -- confident, strong, fierce!

I chatted with author Scott Fitzgerald Gray and illustrator Jackie Musto about this amazing project and the importance of representation and accessibility in gaming, for folks from all backgrounds and all ages.

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SRPS: First of all, can you tell us a little about yourself? What's your background? What inspires you?

SFG: I'm an extremely middle-aged Canadian geek who's lucky enough to make a living through writing, editing, and tabletop RPG design. The latter part of my job has involved a lot of work for Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast over the last fourteen years. I fell in love with fantasy and speculative fiction at an early age, then discovered roleplaying games in high school. Over the long, complicated process that got me into writing and storytelling as first a screenwriter, then a novelist, RPGs (and D&D in particular) were an essential anchor for my creativity and an amazing source of inspiration. I still draw a lot of inspiration from my own gaming, and from being part of the community built around the shared storytelling that's at the heart of what RPGs do.

SRPS: What is The Hidden Halls of Hazakor?

SFG: This book is an adventure for fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons that I've wanted to publish for a while now. It started out as a piece I wrote for the RPG club I ran at my daughters' middle school some years ago, as a kind of "learn by doing" adventure for young Dungeon Masters. Though I wasn't as young as a lot of first-time D&D players when I first picked up the game, I still remember the process of sitting down in the DM’s chair for the first time and how daunting it was for me. The adventure kind of grew out of my own memory of the things I wish I'd known when I ran my first dungeon crawls, combined with some first-hand observation of the things that the young players I was working with found the most challenging to deal with.

SRPS: What inspired you to create an RPG book?

SFG: I've written and edited a lot of D&D adventures over the years, and have published some of my own. But this one always had its own odd place off to the side of other things I've worked on. The kids who ran and played the original version of the adventure really enjoyed it, and I've thought more than once about putting it out just as a free text-only book (which it was in its original RPG-club form). But at the same time, I understood that a full version with awesome artwork would potentially be an even better tool for young, first-time Dungeon Masters, so it always stayed a kind of back-burner project. Then a few years ago, I discovered Jackie's steampunk webcomic Lady Skylark and really fell in love with her art. When I first talked to her about the possibility of working on the adventure, her enthusiasm was the metaphorical kick in the ass I needed to finally figure out how I wanted to do it.

SRPS: I see a lot of people raving about the artwork (myself included!), and especially the fact that it shows amazing, powerful female characters of different ethnicities. Was that a conscious decision on your part?

JM: It is really important to me that we represent the world around us and all the different types of people in it. I can remember growing up and finding it difficult to see representations of women in the industries that I liked that weren't just the same stereotype over and over — so I hope I can help a kid or teen see something of themselves in this genre and think they belong there. Lucky for me, Scott and I see eye-to-eye on this — in fact when he sent me the pitch he made that point super clear and I remember shouting "Yes! I have to do this project!" For me, this project marries all the things I love to draw — cool fantasy settings, rad ladies doing stunts — and it being for a roleplaying game just brings it all home. Roleplaying was my introduction to art as a career as well as a creative force. When I got started it was with an awesome group of folks who encouraged me to play whatever type of character I wanted to, and we crafted these amazing worlds together. It all gelled into a career path when I would draw their characters -- and I guess I've never stopped! My hope is that young folks can look at this game and imagine their characters and be inspired to create themselves.

SFG: The issue of inclusivity in gaming (including tabletop RPGs) has been getting a lot of attention over the last few years — which is to say, it's finally been getting the attention it's long deserved. I'm just about the whitest guy you're ever going to meet, but I've still always been conscious of — and frustrated over — how limiting the traditional Eurocentric/pseudomedieval approach to fantasy has been and continues to be. Fantasy in general and RPGs in particular are built on the foundation of imagination, and it should take very little of that to imagine a fantasy RPG world that reflects the broadest possible range of people who might want to spend time there.

SRPS: Who is your target audience? It's a starter RPG, so does that mean it introduces basic RPG concepts and helps with setting up a new group from scratch?

SFG: The book is just an adventure, so although it provides a lot of advice and tips on how to be a good Dungeon Master and handle some of the situations that can arise at the gaming table, players and would-be DMs need to have the D&D rulebooks as a starting point. Those books definitely address the concepts of what it means to play an RPG and how things work around the game table, and they remain an essential resource even for experienced players. But for me, there can never be enough good starter adventures to go with those books — and the idea of a starter adventure written not just for beginning Dungeon Masters but for young Dungeon Masters has always been something I've wanted to play around with.

SRPS: What about experienced RPGers? Is The Hidden Halls of Hazakor going to be too simplistic for them?

SFG: In terms of the writing style, experienced players will undoubtedly find the adventure giving them tips and advice that they already know. But the adventure itself should appeal to players of any age. There are lots of straightforward encounters, as is true of any adventure for 1st-level characters. But there are also plenty of devious surprises, and a number of sections where more experienced DMs will be able to go nuts with the environment and the intelligent monstrous NPCs to put their own stamp on things. Ultimately, a published adventure is always meant to be reworked and changed up by an experienced DM as they make it part of their own campaign. And The Hidden Halls of Hazakor has just as much raw material for that as any adventure.

SRPS: What else can tabletop gamers expect from The Hidden Halls of Hazakor?

SFG: The adventure holds a fair bit of humor, which I've always found is a good way to keep the interest of younger players (both working with middle-school-age kids in the RPG club, and introducing my own daughters to D&D when they were young). Jackie's amazing art is going to be taking a big role in bringing some of that humor to life. The writing is also intentionally straightforward and explanatory, with the intent of being something that a young, first-time DM can easily process. But aside from that, the adventure is just a straight-up, old-fashioned dungeon crawl, very much in the vein of some of the classic D&D starter adventures. Though its presentation is straightforward, the adventure isn't dumbed down in any way, and I hope it's ultimately something that gamers of all ages can have fun with.

SRPS: It all sounds super fun. Where else can folks find both of you online?

JM: My comics are Kay and P, and The Adventures of Lady Skylark, and I'm on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr.

SFG: I can be found online at my website InsaneAngel, on Facebook, and Twitter.

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Kickstart This! Guardian: A Fantasy Armor Coloring Book

If you haven'y already guessed, I have a special place in my heart for women in armor. So when I saw a notice for a new coloring book filled with all kinds of fantasy femmes in kickass armor, naturally I was all in.

There's something so empowering about seeing a strong woman in armor, ready to defend her friends and family. Heck, I'm also pretty inspired by badass femme rogues and thieves out causing mischief. Illustrator and comic creator Pamela Kotila agrees. And lucky for us, she's turned her talents to creating more of these armored heroines for us to admire.

She started drawing more women in armor and thus Guardian: a Fantasy Coloring Book of Women in Armor was born. It features women and femme mages, rogues, and warriors in a variety of fantasy costumes and armor as the heroes of their own stories, ready for duty and adventure! I'm so excited about this I can't wait to spend some quality rainy day coloring time. Honestly, I think this would make a great afternoon project for a bunch of fantasy geek girls, sitting around coloring and telling stories. (Note: Guardian is slated to deliver in November, just in time for holiday gifting!)

Pamela was kind enough to chat with me a bit about her work.

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SRPS: First of all, can you tell us a little about yourself? What's your background? What inspires you?

PK: Sure. I've been making webcomics since 2003, though I took a slight break while getting my degree. I have a BFA in Fashion Design/ Textiles, where I played with incorporating story into fashion performances and installations. While teaching in Japan I joined a hip hop studio, where I learned to express myself through dance. I don't do much fashion design or dance lately, but those experiences have only enriched my other work.

I launched one of my current comics six years ago, and currently release two webcomics as well as work as a colorist with Ododon Games Company. I've got a wide background of work experience as a freelancer from editing to fashion sketching, as well as teaching (ESL or art).

I love sci fi and fantasy. Watching even some of my favorite movies made me wish there were more fantasies that included more women, queer people, and people of color, so I began writing it. And seeing beautiful diverse work like Dragon Age Inquisition just makes me want to see even more of it. Stories have helped me through hard times in my life, and I hope that my work can have that impact for someone.

SRPS: What is Guardian? What inspired you to create a coloring book featuring fantasy women in armor?

PK: My partner asked me if I'd ever thought about making a coloring book, so I made a few pages which I released digitally. When I shared them on Facebook, my coloring-book enthusiast friends were really excited. I narrowed the general fantasy concept to feature women in armor after feedback from friends.

There are many ways for people to be strong. It was a symbolic thing for me to draw women and femmes in armor as the heroes of their own stories, whatever that meant for each of them. For some this appears to be a scouting mission or guard duty; for others it seems like a peaceful walk or a short rest is in order. These are just snapshots of moments in their lives.

I tend to draw mostly practical armor, but I understand there are aesthetics at play in character design. I just wish that when that argument is used to defend women in fantasy it's less about metal lingerie and more about gigantic pauldrons, spikes, and impossibly long capes flowing in the wind. I just want to see more variety. Sexy characters are fine. What I am tired of is seeing women so sexualized they're basically objects or props.

Guardian is something I want to see more of and knew I would enjoy working on. I really love drawing armor.

SRPS: Looking at the images in the your Kickstarter, it seems like the images in Guardian represent not only a wide range of fantasy races, but also appears to show diverse human-style features and body types. Was this a conscious decision?

PK: Absolutely. I've been working on drawing more body types over the years and on paying more attention to facial features. I wanted to focus on the beautiful diversity of faces, hair, and bodies rather than offer the same face that is largely read as white on page after page of a book that's supposed to be about women and femmes in general. I know I cannot do justice to every woman with this one coloring book, but it is a start.

It's repeated often but it's true: Representation matters. When I realized there were gender-ambiguous characters in Attack on Titan, I was all over them. And though I suspected as much, it was great to have such an iconic character like Jughead state that he is asexual in print.

Seeing ourselves in media and genres we love can be validating. I believe in producing positive media: work that can reach out to someone who wants to see it or needs to see it. And I will make more.

SRPS: This isn't your first book, or your first Kickstarter project. Can you tell us a little about your previous work? Where else can people find your illustrations?

PK: I have two current webcomics — both are queer romances and sort of quiet adventures. Spidersilk is an ongoing fantasy webcomic about to hit its six year anniversary; it's part of the webcomic collective Ink Drop Cafe. My first two Kickstarters were to have the first two volumes compiled and edited for print. Fell Swoop is an ongoing science fiction that will end next year and be released as a one-shot graphic novel. It's a featured comic at the monthly online comic magazine, StArt Faire.

My stories and art can be found through my website alakotila. Because I'm in a heavy comic focus, most of my work lately is comic pages, but I keep my gallery updated with my favorite and most recent artwork as well.

SRPS: What has been the initial reception of Guardian among fantasy fans you've encountered?

PK: It was a bit of a pet project at the start so I didn't talk about it early on. I'd meant to rush a few images out and make a few print-on-demand copies to sell at a local art fair to gauge interest in such a product, but early feedback was so enthusiastic I realized I shouldn't rush it. I was excited to hear people say they hadn't realized they'd needed such a thing until now. One person even said it was pretty much their dream coloring book!

I really want this to be something anyone can color. Whether they are seeing themselves as a hero, or seeing women and femmes as heroes, I think those are valuable things.

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Kickstart This! Femme Magnifique

As a history nerd, I'm fascinated with trying to understand how things are connected through generations. I always want to know what has carried down through the ages and how it affects us today. Maybe it's simply a matter of hoping the work of my generation will carry forward in a beneficial way. But, honestly, I think it's a bit bigger than that. It's a feeling of time moving at its own pace, and human progress being greater than any one person or event, but instead made up of the steady accumulation of actions and ideas. There's something marvelously freeing in knowing that social movements started long before me, and will continue long after me, and my job is to help move it along. Studying history has always been my way of tapping into that feeling of being connected backward and forward.

But aside from the philosophical reasons for my research, there's also the wonderfully inspirational aspect of reading stories about people, and in particular the women, who came before us -- the struggles they faced, the hard work they put in, and the impact they had. Learning about their successes without the story of how they got there is an almost tragically inadequate lesson. It's in learning of their struggles and resolutions that we are able to identify with them, and then apply that knowledge as a kind of fortification as we face our own endeavors.



That's why I will never tire of books sharing the stories of important women from history. Each new project shows us a unique perspective on the familiar stories. Each new anthology gives us a new set of women to celebrate, while also telling us a story about the artists involved in the selection process -- why they chose which women and how the group them is also part of the story.

I only just recently learned about a new project honoring an impressive list of women who have left their mark on history: Femme Magnifique. In this case, the stories are being told in a delightfully visual art form: comics. Each profile tells the story of a remarkable woman, and is drawn by a different comic artist. Co-curator Kristy Miller agreed to answer a few questions about this great project celebrating the lives of amazing women throughout history.

SRPS: First of all, can you tell us a little about yourself? What's your background?

KM: I am an archaeologist, a college professor, and I co-own Hi-Fi colour design with my husband. I have a BA in Antiquities, a Secondary Education certificate, an MA in Museum Studies/Anthropology, and I'm currently a Ph.D. candidate in Education.

I am currently the Lab Director and Assistant Field Director for a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Salalah, Oman, called Al Baleed. My husband and I spend between five and nine weeks a year there. I am an Adjunct Professor at a local community college where I teach various Anthropology classes including Women in Other Cultures and Archaeology.

As for Hi-Fi, my husband (Brian) and I started this company over 15 years ago. We are a digital coloring studio that provides digital color for comics, movie posters, games, etc. Brian is the creative director and I oversee the business side of things. Hi-Fi has about 40 employees around the world.

SRPS: You have a wonderfully diverse background including studying and teaching classes on archaeology as well as ancient and modern history. How did you find yourself studying people of past eras?

KM: I have always been fascinated with the past. When I was little I lived in the county and my dad and I would go for walks in the woods and look for old bottles or arrowheads or whatever we could find. I always wondered about the people that used those things. As soon as I learned what an archaeologist was I knew I wanted to be one (at about age 8!). My favorite areas are Greece, Rome, Egypt, and the Middle East and the association between all of them. In college I focused on the Classics (Greece and Rome). I took five semesters of Latin and two of Greek, then my Senior year I was chosen to attend a semester long dig in Oman… that quickly switched my emphasis to the Middle East. As an adult I have visited many of the places I used to read about. It is an amazing thing to actually go inside the pyramids or walk around Knossos.

SRPS: What is Femme Magnifique? What inspired you to create this collection of women's stories?

KM: Femme Magnifique is a graphic novel anthology which will contain up to 50 short stories about women from all walks of life, past and present. Shelly Bond, former DC Vertigo Editor, came up with the idea and asked Brian and me to help her curate the book and launch it on Kickstarter. There are over 100 artists involved in the project, many with a background in comics.

A few days before the election Shelly called Brian and me wanting to know if we were interested in working with her on a cool, powerful project called Femme Magnifique. We were all upset with the election cycle and how women were being portrayed or talked about in the media, specifically in politics. At the same time, Brian had decided to do something art-based to address these concerns; he just hadn't figured out what. Within a week, we had firm ideas about the kinds of stories we wanted to tell and who we wanted to invite to write and draw them. We all agreed that Femme Magnifique needed to be a book about the achievements of women as told by both sexes. Men cannot be excluded from the conversation. They're pivotal to the advancement of women, so we have an expansive list of male and female talents contributing to the project.

SRPS: It reminds me a bit of The Wonder Women of History comics that were publish alongside the original Woman Woman, only with more modern women to celebrate. How did you go about selecting who to include?

KM: The first step was actually not about the subjects but about the creators. Shelly, Brian and I came up with a list of writers and artists we thought would be great on the project. Shelly opened up her massive Rolodex and started contacting people. Everyone we spoke with was as excited about the project as we were. The next step was to ask each writer to come up with two or three women who were inspirational to them and that they would like to write about. Interestingly we had very little overlap, the list was varied and impressive. We felt the stories would be even more inspirational if they were personal in nature—someone the writer and/or artist was passionate about.

SRPS: It's Women's History Month, which seems like perfect timing to celebrate these remarkable women! Why is it so important to tell the stories of women from history?

KM: The short answer is just two words: Role Models. I do an activity with my college students who take my Women's classes. They are to fill in the name of their favorite/most inspirational women in the following fields: politics, music, science, art, education, women's movement, family, etc. They can all fill in the blank for family and music but the majority are left blank. They are not even aware of the choices in some of those fields. I turn the activity around and ask them to name the most successful/popular people in their degree field. The answers are by far and away male. It's not that women are not in these fields or that women have not been pioneers but that they are often overlooked or forgotten. Many times there was one successful women but 100 successful men, you would think that would make the woman stand out but instead she is ignored.

One of the Kickstarter reward levels is a Teacher's Edition. I am writing curriculum for teachers to go with Femme Magnifique. There will be activities like the one above as well as specific activities that focus on the subjects and they will be adaptable for all ages. I hope that teachers and everyone else will find Femme Magnifique valuable and inspirational and order it from Kickstarter.

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As they reiterate on their website, the folks behind Femme Magnifique are committed to using their platform to not only tell these stories, but to create change.

In every area of the arts and sciences, in tech companies or political campaigns and in the pop music and comics cultural landscape, we have to do better. Reach out together and create a book that will spread the good word about woman whose tremendous accomplishments inspire others around them -- from young girls to entire nations -- not to accept anything less than absolute equality.

I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of Femme Magnifique! If you haven't already backed this project, please consider doing so ASAP! There's only a week left to get in on it. They've already met their initial goal, as well as their first stretch goal. They're super close to their second! Now more than ever, we need more inspirational stories of remarkable women in the world.

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Kickstart This! African American Women Mathematicians Activity Book

Like many of you, I saw the film Hidden Figures and cheered and cried with the amazing women whose stories had been shamefully neglected for far too long. As someone with more than a passing interest in women's history, I was also more than a little frustrated and disappointed that the stories of these women and others weren't routinely taught in school when I was a kid. Heck, they haven't been taught in most schools in the nearly-30 years since I graduated.

I sometimes wonder if learning about the endeavors of women in math and science would have changed the career trajectories of some of my classmates. Would more of us have actually considered a career in STEM? Would we have stuck with science and math even when it got "hard?" It's difficult to tell. If nothing else, learning about the contributions of these women and others who came before them would have given us a richer understanding of the complex history of the eras in which they lived.

Over the last couple of years, there has been a concerted effort to tell the stories of important women in history whose work has overlooked, if not completely dismissed, for decades or even centuries. Most of the women newly-celebrated worked in the fields of medicine or science, with only a few representing mathematics, and even fewer still were African American women.

Until now, that is. Dr. Shelly Jones is committed to sharing the stories of these math pioneers in her work with students and teachers around the country. As someone who works with a diverse population, she knows the importance of creating a more accurate and representative picture of influential mathematicians, which was more than just a bunch of white men with a smattering of white women.

So, as you can imagine I was thrilled to learn about her African American Women Mathematicians Activity Book. It looks like a fun activity book for middle-grade students, including puzzles that will encourage students to learn more about these women's lives and work. This is an especially important age when it comes to determining whether a student with pursue a career in STEM, and it's when the interest in math peaks for many girls. Perhaps by showing them examples of smart women who did great work, more will be inspired to follow in their footsteps.

The project is already 66% (that's 2/3rds in fractions) funded, with only a week left, but it still needs your help to get off the ground. Dr. Jones was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about her work in teaching mathematics as well as explaining the importance of the African American Women Mathematicians Activity Book.

SRPS: First, can you tell us a little about yourself? What's your background? What inspires you?

SJ: Currently, I am an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) in New Britain, Connecticut. I teach undergraduate mathematics content and methods courses for pre-service teachers as well as graduate level mathematics content, curriculum and STEM courses for practicing teachers. I am interested in and conduct research on culturally relevant mathematics, making mathematics and music connections, and the effects of college students’ attitudes and beliefs about mathematics on their success in college.

Before CCSU, I was a Mathematics Teacher and then Supervisor in three Connecticut K-12 school districts and then the Assistant Director for Mathematics at The Project to Increase Mastery of Mathematics and Science (PIMMS) at Wesleyan University. I have been an educator for over 25 years.

I serve the mathematics education community by presenting at conferences at the local and national levels. I also provide mathematics professional development in K-12 school districts around the country. I am member and volunteer of the Benjamin Banneker Association, a national organization who advocates for the excellence in teaching and learning for African American children. I am a contributing author of a book entitled, The Brilliance of Black Children in Mathematics: Beyond the Numbers and Toward a New Discourse. Recently I completed a study on Using Culturally Relevant Cognitively Demanding Mathematics Tasks in Classrooms in the United States and Abroad. I worked with teachers from the United States, Brazil, Ecuador, and Bermuda.

I have two daughters ages 17 and 23.

SRPS: What motivated you to dedicate your life to math pedagogy -- instructing teachers how to teach math?

SJ: I began my career as a computer programmer but didn't like the isolation of creating and troubleshooting programs. I began to train people on the job and found that I really enjoyed teaching. I always hear people say, "I'm not good at math." I want to change that narrative. I think people are better at math than they think. They are just not good at "school" math. We must change what we consider is math. It is so much more than just symbol manipulation and following mathematical procedures. It is a way of thinking that includes patterns and logic.

SRPS: One of the questions I hear pretty often from school-aged kids is "When will I ever use this in real life?" Is this because students don't see the relevance of math in their lives?

SJ: Yes, students and even some adults don’t see the relevance of mathematics because they don't see the connection to real life. It is up to teachers to help students see the connection between "school" math and real-life math. Much of what we do in real life is mathematical. For example, we estimate time, recipes, and budgets. We do scheduling, plan trips, calculate percentages, use spatial reasoning to decorate rooms and create art. We even use math (fractions) to read music and tune musical instruments. This is just to name a few. The key is to point this out to students when appropriate and to use real-life scenarios as much as possible in our mathematics curriculum.

SRPS: What is the African American Women Mathematicians Activity Book?

SJ: This activity book is being created to honor the important work, accomplishments and everyday lives of African American Women Mathematicians. Although the book is geared to children in grades 3 – 8 it is appropriate for all ages. All of the featured mathematicians will have a profile sketch and a short biography followed by an activity page displaying their math interest or a hobby they enjoy. For example, Evelyn Boyd Granville participated on a team that created computer software for NASA's Project Vanguard and Project Mercury space programs. Her activity page will include a coloring page of a sketch of the Mercury space craft. Whether at home or school, children will enjoy uncovering mathematician's names through word searches, unscrambling math vocabulary words, solving equations to decode a mathematics fact, answering math history trivia to complete a crossword puzzle, and using their math brain to figure out a magic square. The book will also include some coloring pages and an eye spy page where students will locate hidden mathematical objects.

SRPS: There is a distinct lack of African American women in math and science fields, and several prominent physicists -- like Jedidah Isler & Chanda Prescod-Weinstein -- are calling attention to that. Many people talk about the "broken tech pipeline." How do we encourage more girls to even consider a career in math?

SJ: Whenever possible we must provide opportunities for girls and young women to participate in STEM activities. We must encourage them to "try it!" Having role models is another important aspect of getting more girls into STEM fields. My university sponsors a Girls in STEM Day for high school aged girls. In addition, I coordinate an annual CAMPY-on-Campus event at my university. CAMPY is the Connecticut Association of Mathematically Precocious Youth. Every year we host over 100 middle school students of which many are girls. The students spend a full day participating in STEM activities. They also receive a cool mathematics related t-shirt. These types of events are needed to spark students interest in STEM fields.

SRPS: How did you decide which female mathematicians from history to include?

SJ: The activity book will start with the "firsts" African American women to receive doctorate degrees in mathematics. They are Euphemia Lofton Haynes, Evelyn Boyd Granville, Marjorie Lee Brown, Argelia Velez-Rodriguez, Gloria Conyers Hewitt, and Sadie Gasaway. I will also feature more current mathematicians such as Etta Zuber Falconer and Genevieve Knight. Dr. Falconer was a pioneer of the computer science program at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Knight was one of the founding members of the Benjamin Banneker Association, Incorporated, an affiliate organization of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). So far, I have 20 women; however, as I work on this project, I am finding more and more women to include. I will make a final decision at the end of my Kickstarter campaign. I was asked to include some young women mathematicians and so I am looking for those women now.

Check it out: African American Women Mathematicians Activity Book

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Kickstart This: Queen Girls

Several weeks ago I received an email about Queen Girls, a new series of picture books featuring the stories of real women from history told as though they were fairy tales, and was immediately intrigued! I have always felt as thought many of these women's stories are magical, so to learn that there are others who not only agree but who have the talent to create something this beautiful is remarkable!

Earlier in December, before I got terribly sick, I was able to chat a bit with Andrea Doshi, one of the three amazing young women involved in the Queen Girls project. They have since met their original funding goal, but I still recommend backing this project. The artwork is beautiful and the stories are so very important!

SRPS: First, can you tell us a little about yourself? What's your background? What inspires you?

AD: Of course! My name is Andrea and I was born and raised in Chicago by a multicultural family. I graduated with a Master's in Speech Pathology and worked within the Chicago Public Schools. I have spent the past couple of years on the road, exploring different countries and cultures.  I am inspired by traveling, the beauty of nature, and the true feeling of joy -- and I am determined to share what it feels like to be driven by inspiration with as many children as possible!

SRPS: What is Queen Girls? Where did the inspiration for this project come from?

AD: Queen Girls is a collection of children's books. The stories are based on inspirational women from the past and turned into fairy tales, inspiring girls to follow their dreams. We are using a one for one model meaning for each book purchased, we will donate another to national and international organizations that empower women and fight illiteracy. Our first book is just about ready to be sent over to the printers. It is about Bessie Coleman, the first African American female pilot in the world!

The Queen Girls project was born about a year ago. After my sister-in-law had her first baby, she started taking a closer look at children's literature and realized that they were full of stereotypes. She saw that there were not many empowering books for girls. When she mentioned the idea, it didn't take me more than a second to make a decision! From my experiences, I know first hand that girls from all over the world struggle to dream. We started brainstorming Queen Girls immediately!

SRPS: Why is it so important to you to tell the stories of real women in history?

AD: Because we believe it will help girls envision their dreams as real. Books often act as mirrors in which young girls see their reflections and the impact of that is huge!



SRPS: The artwork is beautiful. And they convey so much about the lives and dreams of these women on each page. Can you tell me a little about your process of sharing the stories in pictures?

AD: The illustrations have been done by Chiara Fabbri, a good friend of ours from Italy. We all worked together, giving each other space to express our ideas. We've done it remotely since Chiara is in Italy and Jimena is in Charlotte, NC. We've worked slide by slide, with a lot of back and forth, and a lot of love and patience. We've managed to make it work wonderfully and Chiara has surpassed every expectation we could have possibly imagined!

SRPS: Jimena is your sister-in-law and Chiara is a close friend. How has the experience been working together on this project with two women you are also close to personally? Have you learned anything new about yourself or each other?

AD: Where to begin!! We are three extremely passionate women and I would say that is what has gotten us to where we are now! We've spent countless hours connecting remotely. Lots of three-way calls with a talking baby in the background! It's been challenging at times considering we speak 3 different languages and are on 3 different time zones, but we have managed to make it work!

For me, and I think I can say this for all of us, we've learned how important communication is. It is key to understanding one another and making sure everyone is on the same page at all times.
I've had this conversation with Jimena before - working with family can be intense. Sometimes you get to be a little too honest, but at the end of the day, family always is more understanding and loving with each other. It is so special to share this journey with each other!

SRPS: Your Kickstarter campaign is doing well! Do you have any plans for stretch goals?

AD: We are so amazed at the love and support we have already gotten from the community! We cannot believe we've already reached our goal! We want to reach as many kids as possible, so we plan on continuing to spread the love and collecting as many funds as possible to print more copies of Bessie, Queen of the Sky and get them into the hands as as many kids as possible. Stretch goals are being discussed as we speak!




SRPS: After Bessie, Queen of the Sky, what comes next?

AD: We'll continue creating Queens of all kinds! Queen Isadora and Queen Savi are next on the list! Queen Isadora is inspired by the life of Isadora Duncan, the first ballerina of Modern dance, and Queen Savi inspired by the life of Savitribhai Phule, a woman poet, an educationalist and a social reformer.

SRPS: You have been working on this project for a year. How exciting is it to finally see it so close to complete?

AD: I can't believe it has been a whole year! It feels surreal to be honest. It is truly amazing seeing our idea turn into a dream and now our dream into reality. "Almost complete" is far from where we are. We have so many more books to write and so many hands to put books in. This is just the beginning, and the support and love we've received shows how much this type of content is needed and is fueling even more inspiration! We envision creating a community where other authors and illustrators can bring their own Queens on board of the collection, so there is a lot more to come!

SRPS: Where can folks find out more about Queen Girls?

AD: We'll be available on Kickstarter through January 15th. There you can find more information regarding our collection and campaign! We also have our website, where you can go to check the latest updates, as well as checking us out on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.

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I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of Bessie, Queen of the Sky! If you haven't already backed this project, please consider doing so ASAP! We need more inspirational stories like this in the world.

I can't do the work of SRPS without your your support!
If you like what you read here, please share this post with your friends.

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Kickstart This: magnifiqueNOIR

If you don't already know about Briana Lawrence, then do yourself a favor and look her up on Facebook or Twitter right away! You won't regret it, I promise! I featured Brichibi (Briana's cosplay stuff) on a Follow Friday post a while back. I love following her on social media because she shares so much really fun and geeky stuff. She's one of the people I think of whenever I imagine what a self-rescuing princess looks like.

As soon as I heard about her newest project about magical queer black girls, magnifiqueNOIR, I was immediately on board and ready to throw my money her way! She's already the living embodiment of a magical queer black girl, so of course I already know her story of other black, queer, magical girls saving the world "with the power of friendship, glitter, and fantastic hair" is going to be absolutely fantastic!

I'm so glad she took the time to chat with me about this project and about her love of anime, games, and cosplay! As I'd long suspected following her online, she's a truly remarkable woman doing really amazing geeky stuff that just warms my heart and inspires me and countless others to go do our own thing, loud and proud!

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Kickstart This! Science Wide Open

It seems like every other week there's another awesome project celebrating women in science! And you know what? I love them all! I really do. They're all so great and I just have to back as many as I can afford. This week's amazing project I can't help but put my money behind is Science Wide Open, a series of beautifully illustrated children's books designed to teach basic scientific concepts -- chemistry, biology, and physics -- and featuring important women in each field.

I absolutely love everything I've seen about this project. The illustrations are colorful and clear. The text is simple and leaves room for questions, allowing the kids to explore on their own, following their interests. And, what really appeals to me, each woman featured is shown in full-on science-mode. Active shots are so important for the littler kids to imagine themselves doing the same things. And the focus is on resilience and curiosity -- two qualities every little self-rescuing princess needs to be successful in whatever she pursues.



When I first heard about this project, I just had to know more about it. Fortunately I was able to chat a bit with Mary Wissinger, the author of Science Wide Open, and John Coveyou, editor and founder of Genius Games, about the importance of getting kids interested in science early, and some of the important women in science history who have inspired them.

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Kickstart This! Super Cool Scientists Coloring Book

There have been so many really great "women in science" Kickstarter projects lately, it's hard to keep up! So many are about the influential women in history who've contributed to their scientific fields but who've been left out of the history books. This kind of re-writing history is, of course, very close to my heart. But I also think it's important to share the stories of contemporary women who are doing super cool science stuff right now!

Sara MacSorley agrees! And that's why she came up with the fantastic idea for her Super Cool Scientists Coloring Book. Sara, a science-lover herself, wanted to share the stories of some of the amazing women out there working hard in their fields as a way of inspiring other young science-lovers to pursue their dreams. Of course, I wanted to know more about her inspiration and this project. She was kind enough to chat with me about the importance science plays in her life and a couple of stories about the women she's been inspired by.

SRPS: First of all, can you tell us a little about yourself? What's your background? What inspires you?

SM: I studied marine biology in college, thinking from a young age that I wanted to be a research scientist "when I grew up". However, when I had my first independent research project, I realized it wasn't really for me. It was nerve wracking because no one had ever told me what else you could do with a science degree besides research.

Luckily for me, I had some great mentors that got me into science outreach, education, and communication. Turns out there is a whole lot you can do with a science degree that takes place outside of research/field work and with out a lab coat.

After college, I got into higher education work which included a tuition waiver. At that point, I completed a Masters in Business Administration in the evenings while working full time. Eventually, I got more into project administration and am still working in higher education.

I'm inspired by the stories of dynamic people making incredible scientific discoveries. It's amazing to me how much we still have to learn.

SRPS: What is it that attracted you to marine biology, and science in general?

SM: I've always been a planner and organizer, my brain works very analytically so the scientific process made sense to me. I grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, surrounded by rivers, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. Trips to Ocean City and the National Aquarium sparked my love for the oceans and all the creatures in them at an early age.

SRPS: Why is it important to you to share your love of science with others?

SM: Science is around us every day and it helps us to understand so much about how systems work - from technology to our own bodies. Plus, there are an influx of science and technology careers out there and we need the full diversity of our communities to help solve today's global challenges. Different perspectives and creative thinking help us come up with new ideas.

Science can also be intimidating. We tend to be uneasy about things we're unfamiliar with so that is why I think science communication is so important. We can start breaking down those barriers by sharing the stories of individuals to make scientists more relatable and by explaining scientific concepts and issues in ways that non-scientists and non-academics can relate to and care about.

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Kickstart This! P is for President!

Last year I interviewed Charles Dowd, creator, writer & artist of Lilith Dark, Kidthulhu, and Penny Powers, about his Kickstarter project launching The A to Z Guide to Jobs for Girls board book. (Which is totally awesome, by the way!) So when I saw he was doing a new very special project P is for President Coloring and Activity Book, I literally ran to my desk to send him a note about it! Unbelievably, he's agreed to answer a few more questions about this new project.

SRPS: First of all, let's do a little catching up. What have you been doing since we chatted last year? You launched The A to Z Guide to Jobs for Girls last year. How did that go?

CD: It was amazing! I was nervously biting my nails throughout the whole campaign, but it all came together at the end and overfunded. The campaign raised enough to print a run of board books and a softcover version. The book also raised enough for my wife Crystal and me to start our own small press, Riveting Press. Our goal is to eventually begin helping others who are writing girl-positive children's books get their books into print and onto bookstore shelves. We're not quite there yet but the wheels are in motion.

SRPS: I know I love my copy and it gets lots of fun comments from folks during game night who find it on the coffee table. What has the reception been for you?

CD: Overwhelmingly positive! I just got back from the Baltimore Comic-Con last weekend and the response was incredible. The A to Z Guide to Jobs for Girls was by far my best seller, and has been moving steadily on Amazon as well. At the show last weekend people kept thanking me for making it, which is a great feeling.

SRPS: You're back on Kickstarter again, so you must have found it to be a positive experience. What was the most interesting thing you learned last time around?

CD: I learned that there are a lot of people out there who want girl-positive material that isn't all about princesses. I'm not necessarily anti-pink, but I think there should be a balance, and judging by the feedback I've received a lot of people seem to agree. Boys can choose to be scientists, construction workers, politicians, truck drivers, or any number of other things, but girls get to be princesses. That's just not fair!

SRPS: I love the idea of a coloring and activity book -- so much more interactive! What inspired this latest project?

CD: Well I love the idea of the board book for the wee ones so they can learn from the very beginning that girls can be anything they want to be when they grow up, but older girls may not want a "baby" book. So I decided to make a coloring and activity book for those kids. The book reinforces the ideals of the original, and the activities like word searches, mazes, and scrambles help promote literacy and cognitive skills for kids in the elementary school age range. Also coloring is just fun!

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Kickstart This! Velara Warriors

"We want to change the misconception that boys don't want to play with female action figures or that girls only want dolls."

A couple of weeks ago, a friend shared a story with me about a pair of sisters who decided to make a line of female warrior action figures. Their goal, they said, was to create a set of figures that exploded the myth long held by manufacturers that boys and girls want different types of toys. After extensive interviews with kids about what they want, and parents who were fed up with the limited selection of toys, they decided to create their own line: Velara Warriors

"The Velara warriors are strong and heroic but they are also feminine. We want to show children that women can be heroes,"

Of course, I was immediately intrigued and sent off a note to these amazing young women to learn more about their project and its inspiration. Roobini and Trisshala Sittampalam were kind enough to answer a few of my questions, and chat with me about the importance of representation in the toy aisle.

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Kickstart This! 2017 Young Explorer’s Adventure Guide

Reading has always been my preferred means of escape. As a child, I have a distinct memory of the excitement of getting my first library card, immediately followed by the very real disappointment upon learning I could only check out 10 books at a time. I loved adventure stories of all kinds, and (this will shock no one who knows me) I read practically every biography of important women in history I could find. I loved learning how they did whatever amazing thing it was they did. It was a thrill to imagine myself doing the same exciting things -- exploring a jungle, flying an airplane, discovering some rare scientific insight.

I credit my love of reading as a child for my sustained sense of curiosity and wonder as an adult. As I've grown older, I recognize the role of science fiction and fantasy worlds in helping us explore solutions to real world problems, and the critical importance of including a diverse audience in these explorations. Especially the need to provide these worlds to younger readers.

Over the last couple of years there has been a clear call for more diversity in young adult literature in general, and in science fiction and fantasy in particular. It has always struck me as somewhat ridiculous that science fiction and fantasy worlds were so predominately white and male when the writer could create a whole new world from scratch. I mean, it makes sense to me in a kind of anthropological sense, seeing as how society at large was not exactly working on issues of race and gender without a serious fight. But still. How curiously limited for a genre which is supposedly all about possibilities!

So many of the few stories that did break out of the white-male paradigm have been much beloved by generations of readers, and lovingly handed down to newer generations of readers. Even so, it's still vitally important we write more, making sure everyone has a chance to see themselves in these stories, and to see a wide variety of others in them as well.

Corie and Sean Weaver have been working on this task for several years now. They founded Dreaming Robot Press with the goal of creating opportunities for more diverse stories. Like those you'll find in their current Kickstarter project, the 2017 Young Explorer's Adventure Guide. Corie sent me a copy of the anthology to review and I have to be honest, after only ready a handful of short stories, I am in love and am already making a list of all the young readers in my life who need a copy! There's something magical about reading a story about a bright, somewhat precocious explorer and to immediately think of your favorite 11 year old girl, knowing she'd enjoy seeing herself in the pages of a story set on a moon colony.

Corie Weaver was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about the importance of representation in kids literature, and to discuss her inspiration for this fantastic project.

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