LOWER LAKE — The second annual Festival of the First Harvest, being held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 25 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Tuscan Village/Terrill Cellars Winery, located at 16175 Main St. in Lower Lake, welcomes back author Diana L. Paxson for a speaking and book signing engagment at 2 p.m. Aug. 26.
Paxson”s published works include pagan, fantasy and historical fiction novels and numerous short stories. In addition to her multiple novels and collaborations, her best-known works are the Westria novels and the later books in the Avalon series, which she first co-wrote with Marion Zimmer Bradley, taking over sole authorship of after Bradley”s death.
Paxson”s other books include “Taking Up the Runes,” “Essential Asatru” and “Trance-Portation.” She also writes a regular column for Sagewoman, the women”s spirituality magazine.
Paxson has been active in the leadership of a number of organizations. She founded and hosted the first activities of the Society for Creative Anachronism and was the western regional director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. She is also a frequent panelist at science fiction conventions, especially Baycon, where she was the 2007 Fantasy Guest of Honor.
Also joining the festival for the second year in a row is actor/author Jon DeCles. In the early 1960s, DeCles was adopted as a foster brother to Bradley and Paul Edwin Zimmer. He was initially known as a short story writer until 1984 when his first novel appeared. Three years later he produced “The Particolored Unicorn,” a science fantasy piece that is the first volume of a 12-volume epic. The second volume, “Storm Wars!,” is finished and is now available in an Xlibris edition. He has begun his third volume, “The Revenge of the Countess.” A collection of his short science fiction, science fantasy and fantasy is also available.
When not at his mountain writing lodge, DeCles can be seen on stage doing character parts, the most celebrated of which is his portrayal of the young Mark Twain. In that capacity he was Dead Guest of Honor at the World Science Fiction Convention in San Francisco in 1993, a convention that also honored Mary Shelly and H. G. Wells.
