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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Read this: Damsel to the Rescue

Amidst sabotage, assassination attempts, and rampant cronyism

Damsel to the Rescue
by Kaia Sønderby

I've been dealing with some extra stress lately, and have been pulling out all the stops in my self-care activities. There's been lots of dance-it-out music, silly movies, and garden therapy.

And reading. Lots of reading tried-and-true favorites: Anne of Green Gables, Pride and Prejudice, and A Wrinkle in Time. In addition to these classics, I also revisited Damsel to the Rescue by Kaia Sønderby, a book she sent me to review. I read it and was working on a review when I first got sick and it kinda fell off my to-do list. But it never fell off my favorites list.

I mean, it's got a smart, witty and brave damsel who would rather be tending her garden and perfecting her plant magic than off tromping around in the wild rescuing some silly prince.

Yes, you read that correctly. Our heroine Terrilyn Darkhorse lives in a somewhat gender-flipped magical world where girls are expected to learn how to use a sword or bow (or in Terrilyn's case, some kind of magic) in order to rescue whatever prince has gotten himself kidnapped by some evil, scheming, shape-shifting Dark Lord.

There is so much about this book I absolutely love. First, of course, is that it's chock full of brilliant, brave young women off on adventure in a magical world, competing to see who can win the favor of the queen by rescuing the prince from some far-off tower.

As expected, over the course of the adventure, Terrilyn Darkhorse has to face her many external and internal challenges, recognize her strengths and weaknesses, and come to terms with her own desires in a world that holds high expectations for her.

Terrilyn Darkhorse descends from a long line of successful, prince-rescuing damsels. Now that she's sixteen, she's expected to uphold the family tradition. But Terri would rather remain at home, tending her garden, perfecting her plant magic, and staying far away from the highly competitive world of damsels.

Then the local prince is kidnapped and Terri's mother makes her an offer: If she rescues the prince, Terri can have the family's second estate, Trellis, to turn into her own gardens. Terri has wanted Trellis since she was a little girl, so she sets out with her best friend Rune as her official sidekick, hoping to avoid the other damsels altogether.

Try as she might, she just can't seem to get away from the other damsels. As frustrating as it is for Terrilyn the introvert, it's actually quite enjoyable for the rest of us to watch her as she's called into action time and again to rescue some poor hapless damsel. As she goes along, we meet more and more of her so-called competitors and get to know a wonderfully diverse group of young women, each of whom has her own fascinating story. 

Which would be easier if they didn't have to keep rescuing rival damsels from basilisks and man-eating trees. But Terri can't justify abandoning them, because the monsters are being controlled and directed at her and the other damsels—a feat only a Dark Lord could accomplish. Terri's magic improves with every challenge she faces, but she knows it's not enough. If she wants to succeed, she'll need to break the rules and recruit her rivals to help her defeat the most powerful Dark Lord the world has seen in five-hundred years. 

The story could very easily be simply a series of battles between different girls until the ultimate winner takes home the prize (er... prince), but it is so much more than that. Damsel to the Rescue is a charming story about unlikely friendships, and the importance of not just accepting differences but embracing the power of diversity. And because of that, it has unequivocally earned the Self-Rescuing Princess Society seal of approval. I highly recommend Damsel to the Rescue for teens and adults looking for an empowering and inspirational book about smart, brave, and kind young women.

Not only was I lucky enough to get a review copy, but I was also able to chat with author Kaia Sønderby about her story, her process, and her call for teenaged girls to buck expectations and do what they want.

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SRPS: First of all, tell me a little about yourself. What's your background? What inspires you? What are some of your goals?

KS: I was born and raised in America, mostly in Rhode Island. I admit, I didn't have the easiest childhood: My father passed when I was nine, I was diagnosed with autism shortly after, I was bullied pretty severely in school. I'm still not sure how I made it through high school, and I couldn't afford much community college. But here I am, living in Sweden, happily married. Life is far from perfect, but all things considered, I feel like I landed on my feet.

I'm inspired by so many things, but I especially love speculative fiction. Ever since my father died, I've found solace in strange and magical worlds. Those worlds were where I hid when I was lonely or upset from being bullied. I want to pay that forward, to provide readers with the shelter and escape fiction provided for me. I want to diversify spec fic, to write a wide variety of works that people from all manner of backgrounds can see themselves in. And I want to be a voice advocating for disability in speculative fiction -- from more disabled characters to more disabled authors.

SRPS: I absolutely love Terrilyn Darkhorse. She's such a great mix of an introvert, reluctant leader, kickass fighter, and tender-hearted gardener. Where did she come from? What was the inspiration for her character?

KS: I'm not sure how well I can explain my process. My characters sort of... unfold as I write them, as I get to know them. Some of Terri's grouchiness is for humorous effect, obviously, and that's where I started from. She's got a chip on her shoulder, and she's not a very patient individual when it comes to people. But as I started to see her through Rune's eyes, her softer side came together. Her tenderness and patience for plants started to grow into understanding for her companions' troubles, her temper and frustration channeled into a will to fight, and her organization and control of her gardens became a talent for organizing and leading her friends. All the ingredients were already there.

I guess you could say Terri formed much like her beloved plants. At first there was only a seed, but it time in grew into something much bigger and more complex. I was a little afraid people might find her too grumpy, so I made sure to show her more vulnerable moments, as well. It's such a relief to know that people like her.

SRPS: Actually, if I'm being honest, I think all the characters in Damsel to the Rescue are great -- such a wide variety of personalities and backgrounds. What was the decision behind including so many types of characters in the story?

KS: Believe it or not, Damsel to the Rescue contains one of my smaller casts! I love writing a huge variety of characters, and so I have to be a little careful or my casts get completely out of control. There's so many types of people in the world and as a writer, it makes my job more interesting and fun for my cast to be diverse. I think it adds verisimilitude for the reader, as well.

Even though I sometimes have to wrestle myself over cast-building, it proved to be very useful for Damsel to the Rescue. One of the main themes is that people are not necessarily who they first seem to be. Insecurity, disappointment, loneliness, disillusionment, etc., these things can shape our impressions of people a lot. I wanted readers to be surprised by these characters, to see that beneath some of their cliche surface traits, they were much deeper and more complex people. Thus I was really able to make something out of my natural inclination towards variety.

---

I want to be a voice advocating for disability
in speculative fiction -- from more disabled characters
to more disabled authors.

---

SRPS: Terri and her mother and grandmother do not see eye to eye on much. I can't help but think that their relationship is, in a way, a kind of analogy for modern feminism -- with the third wave feminists continually butting heads with the old guard, so to speak, and bucking the outdated ideas in favor of more modern and inclusive path. Is there any of that in the story behind the story?

KS: I wish I could say there was. I thought of a lot of feminist elements, and the story deals a lot in things like girl-on-girl hate, how we're trained to see each other as competition, etc. I guess that one slipped by me.

It is, though, a story of generational divide, even if it's not specifically the feminist one. The world has changed so much, as have the paths the current generation can take through life. But some of the older generations have a real problem with that. They get so mad over current technology, current trends, the fact that younger people aren't following the same route through life that they did--even though that's just not possible anymore! We're called the "entitlement generation" simply because we'd like to be able to college without racking up massive debt, like they did.

Terri and her friends, the things they do, their desires and their actions, stem in part from the frustrations of a society that expects them to follow in the exact paths of their forebears, whether it makes sense to do so or not. They're reacting to a world that is trying to restrain them based on gender, age, social caste, etc. Fantasy as a genre is often too busy romanticizing the past to consider the present, but I wanted Damsel to really speak to what the current generation is feeling.

SRPS: What is the take-away message you hope your readers will get from Damsel to the Rescue?

KS: There are quite a lot of minor take-away messages in Damsel, but to me the most important one is the one I put in for teenage girls. That they don't have to bend to society's expectations. They don't have to hate each other or view each other as competition. That's it's all right to stray from the path that society dictates, to want different things from what society expects you to want. That as girls and women, we all win when we work together and make an effort to understand where each other is coming from.

Like I said before, I was bullied badly, and most of that was by girls. Now that I'm older, I realize that while yes, some of those people were just toxic, so much of what I went through from these awful things we teach girls. We need to stop seeing each other as the enemy, so I wanted to show a really positive friendship between girls that strengthens them so much more than infighting and hatred.

---

There are quite a lot of minor take-away messages, but
to me the most important one is the one I put in for teenage girls.
That they don't have to bend to society's expectations.

---

SRPS: I think I speak for all your readers when I ask about the timing for the second book. I need to know what happens with Terri and her group of friends! Can we expect it anytime soon?

KS: Oh boy... I hope this doesn't disappoint people too much. The second book, Damsel in Shining Armor, is actually about Terri's eldest daughter, Alyssum. Characters from the first novel will get appearances, and young Rune and Terri will return for a companion novel starring the character Zelle.

Damsel in Shining Armor is actually written, but it needs editing. Hopefully I can get that sorted out in time to release it later this year.

SRPS: Where can people purchase their own copy of Damsel to the Rescue?

KS: Right now, Damsel to the Rescue is available for Kindle on Amazon. I may put it up elsewhere in time, but as this was my first independently published book, I wanted to start with one website.

SRPS: What other projects are you working on? Anything fun or exciting?

KS: Part of the reason why I put my work on Damsel in Shining Armor on hold, as to work on my Xandri Corele scifi series. The first book -- Failure to Communicate -- is out and doing quite well. It features an autistic protagonist and her quest to help her crewmates negotiate with an alien species that may hold the power to change space combat for the worse, amidst sabotage, assassination attempts, and rampant cronyism.

This, too, is a story I believe strongly in. I believe it's so important to have a voice for those of us who are disabled, to show us as something other than issues or victims. And there's a strong feminist theme to it as well, with a wide gamut of female characters front and center.

SRPS: That sounds so great! I've already added it to my TBR pile. When you're not writing, where else can people find you online?

KS: I'm not as good about being social as I should be. It's not exactly my strong point. I am on Twitter, and I can also be found as neuroatypically-speaking.tumblr.com.

If you like the work I do here on SRPS, please support me!

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