Writing Jewish in Urban Fantasy

I'm Jewish. For those of you who know me, or who have been following me for a bit, this isn't a big revelation. For those of you who just tuned in, it's kind of important. I will say here before I start in, this is my experience only. I have no intention of speaking for other Jewish authors in or out of the genre, male or female. What I want to do is relate my personal experience writing a story that does not assume the default social norm, which in this case is Christianity.

It started when in one urban fantasy novel it was pointed out that a person couldn't use a Jewish Star against vampires because it's a racial symbol not a religious one. The author had people using tiny versions of the Hebrew Bible. Now any Jew who knows anything about our faith will tell you that's a no no. You don't thump the Torah, it's disrespectful. And that's not really as funny as it sounds. To Jews, the Torah is the Word of God. The idea that anyone of Jewish faith would use it in such a manner is just wrong. And to make it worse, the author didn't even state if the characters who were using the books as a ward were Jewish.

Now, by the time I'd read this book, I'd gotten a good idea of what it is to be a minority religion. It was something I hadn't experienced until college since I grew up in an area that had a Jewish majority. It meant we got the Days of Awe off, and nobody looked at the more devout of us funny when their kids took the first day of Passover off either. Then I got to college and it all changed. I got weird looks for asking for that time off from work or school (from people who should have known better), and had certain organizations that claimed they were open to all faiths not bother to check the calender while scheduling mandatory events. This last bothered me even more because the events were open to non-members as well, but would exclude Jewish individuals who were thinking of joining from attendance. This seemed to be part of Jewish in America, and since I wasn't of any inclination to convert, I accepted I'd have to open my mouth every so often and say, 'Hey, I'm here too!'

There were other things that annoyed me, sometime more, sometimes less. Willow Rosenberg having to use a cross comes to mind. And yes, I realize that the show was playing with the standard horror tropes, but it still was annoying. I mean, how did people ward vampires off before the Crucifixion? Think about that if you will. Honestly though, if I listed them all we'd be here all year.

But it did get to a point where I had to say enough. Up until this time, I'd been toying with some urban fantasy ideas (I go into that elsewhere in this blog) but in a way, all of this underscored something I needed to do. I need to be Jewish when I write, and in Magister, I do just that.

One of my two main characters is Jewish. In fact, not only is she Jewish, she's a Holocaust survivor. Oh, and she's a vampire as well. Being undead hasn't diminished her faith, and it plays an important part in how she sees the world. And because of her faith, she able to do some rather unique things for a vampire. But this is just the beginning. Christianity is not the default state of the supernatural world in Magister. The story doesn't assume that society's ingrain perceptions about religion are right. In fact, Magister takes some of those perceptions and turns them on their head. It may make people uncomfortable, but uncomfortable is good sometimes. Uncomfortable can make a person think and be more aware. And, in part, that's what I hope to do.

I'm out here, I have stories to tell, but never assume they're going to be the default setting.

Copyright Penny Horwitz 2014

The Detective of Rosewall... a partial prologue

Prologue

            The young man stood in the office of his superior, his posture containing the appropriate amount of deference without sliding into sycophancy. Gwendolyn Askew, Chairwoman of the Physicians and Healers College at Rosewall Academy, studied him as she sat down behind her desk. Benson Miles, Physician of Mental Health and Healer Prime Certificate, had been one of her best students and was still one of the best operatives the Rosewall Parliament had dealt with mental health issues of both refugees from the Plague Wars and citizens. His current assignment, however, was neither and seemed to vex him to no end.

            Four years ago there had been a rash of odd thefts in the city among the merchant nobles and the mages. Someone had deftly circumvented security measures, both arcane and mundane, to steal oddities that were then returned a few nights later. Even magic could not identify the thief other than to say someone was there. But that someone never registered as an intruder to the matrices of Weave that formed the mystical security in many of the afflicted homes. It wasn't until Mistress the Honorable Charity Jones walked into the Garden Street Guard Precinct, at the end of the second year of the thefts, and began detailing several of her exploits. Unfortunately, the thief was the sister of Earl Cygnus, Mathias Jones, which made the matter even more sensitive. Rather than prosecute her directly, Charity was turned over to the city's Board of Mental Health for evaluation, and the conclusions had been startling.

            Charity's mental state was stable but her intelligence levels rose well beyond even the brightest students at the Academy. She admitted that the thefts had been a way to keep herself sharp as the only employment a woman of her estate was expected to pursue (at least in her brother’s mind) was that of marriage. This was especially true since Charity not only no ability to manipulate the weave, thus could not succeed to her brother's dignities, but she moved through the Weave without disturbance, thus the traps’ magic never “saw” her, easily allowing her access to the secrets of the powerful. But while she was both mentally and physically agile, Charity displayed little ability with people to the point of needing something of a translator who could keep up with her intelligence. So instead of sending her to prison, the Mistress Jones was employed as an investigator for the city and one Doctor Benson Miles had been assigned as her handler. That had been six month ago, and in that time, Mistress Jones had solved some of the most serious crimes in Rosewall. However, her inability to function within normal human spheres remained, and so had Dr. Miles, much to his own frustration.

            “Please, Ben, be seated,” Askew waved to the chair on the other side of the desk. The doctor shifted his stance and sat with an economy of movement. It was easy to forget before Miles received his original training as a medic with the Steel Gauntlet, the mercenary company which held the contract for protecting Rosewall for over a century.

            “My apologies, Doctor Askew, but Mrs. Tate and Mistress Jones had a small tiff before I left.”

            “A tiff?”

            “Mrs. Tate has always been aware of Mistress Jones presumed social status, and as such believes that a well-born young woman should not leave the house in trousers, especially when she has a wardrobe full of gowns acquired for her by her brother. I swear Earl Cygnus' 'generosity' might be as bad as Charity's pigheadedness, or even the cause of it.”

            Gwen swallowed a laugh as she spoke, “Oh my,” she took a breath and managed, “Mistress Jones and my daughter would agree on that, I think.”

            Ben nodded, “Sigrun began her Journey year with the Wayfarers, hasn't she?”

            “Yes, and I don't expect I will hear from her until she's passed through White Ridge Cross. She's never traveled that far from the city before, and in winter no less, so by the time she reaches the Cross, the excitement of being on her own will most likely have worn off,” Gwen cleared her throat, “but we're not here to discuss Sigrun, Ben.”

            “Of course, ma'am, I'll begin with saying...” the frantic knock at the office door stopped Miles dead, as Gwen's face hardened.

            “Come in.”

            A guardsman diffidently made his way inside and bowed to the Chairwoman. “Apologies, Ma'am, but there's been a body found on the Academy grounds, and the Guard Captain would like one of your people to take a look.”

            Before Gwen could say a word, Miles offered, “I will fetch Mistress Jones,” slipped by the unnerved guardsman on his way out the door.

***

            The steam carriage pulled up in front of the Seven Sails tavern, a surprisingly well kept place for the Harbor Crescent of Rosewall. Miles requested the carriage driver wait, handing him a half dozen silver coins in exchange for his patience, and went inside. The owner's wife waved to him from behind the bar as he made his way down the stairs to find the tail end of a boxing match in play.

            Standing over a much larger man was a wiry young woman, whose strawberry blond hair was tired in a serviceable knot at the nape of her neck. She turned to the stairway allowing Miles to observe the rest of her condition with dismay. Her shirt was a man's cut, white, with the sleeves rolled up, and a button undone- something that must have driven Mrs. Tate to apoplexy. Her knickers were tweed, but allowed for freedom of movement, but the most distressing part of her attire was the recently acquired black bruise that ringed her right brown eye. And adding to Miles' distress was the bleeding cut above the left matching eye.

            “Ah, the good Doctor Miles has come to minister to the wounded victor in her hour of need,” she called out as she took her winnings from the owner. Counting the coins out quickly, she handed several back to him with a smile. “There's your cut, old man, but I think I must bow out of the next match as Doctor Miles looks about to have some sort of fit, which means something is afoot that needs my undivided attention.”

Project Renaissance

I've been focusing thus far on the first book of Magister, but I have several other projects underway as well, in various stages. Project Renaissance came to me, in of all things, a dream. Cliche, I know, but true. And not only did I dive for my laptop when I woke up, I called my husband to tell him since he has such a good memory, so I wouldn't forget anything.

This time around I started with notes on the story rather than diving into the story itself and then writing the world down as it developed in the manuscript. Some of those notes do take story form, however, and I want to share some "confidential memos" that passed back and forth before the start of the genetic engineering project called Renaissance.

Project Renaissance
To: Mister Mateo Velasquez, President, En Gene Limited
From: Doctor Saito Hatsuto, PhD, senior researcher, Genetics Division

Abstract: Project Renaissance follows the development of twenty six children of different genetic background and ethnic types, enhancing genetic traits such as intelligence, strength, dexterity from implantation to age eighteen. Embryos will be acquired by soliciting couples who have used in vitro fertilization services, and no longer need the excess embryos created. All acquisitions will follow strict National Genetic Ethics Board guidelines, and the project will be monitored by NGEB for the duration of the project. Both sexes will be required for the experimental group.

Intention is to discover how we can not only gene engineer with the new artificial womb technology, be develop better methods of repair and modification within the womb itself now that the Food and Drug Administration has approved nanotech usage in medical situations. Genetic modification will also be done in a mild form during adolescence, and monitor will be constant during that period.
Due to the nature of the project, the Ethics Board will wish to insure that the children raised in the project will be treated humanely, and I concur.

Project Renaissance Approval
To: Doctor Saito Hatsuto
From: Mateo Velasquez
Doctor Saito,

Provisional approval is contingent on agreement on join funding between En Gene, and the Department of Defense, who’ve shown an interest in gene engineering for soldiers in order to improve performance and survivability. I’ve informed the DoD that we intend to follow strict NGEB guidelines and that these children will not be turned into weapons. The Secretary of Defense has agreed to those terms, as national interest in the project is not in developing new biological weapon systems, but seeing the applications of those enhancements. The caveat is that the last three years of the program the children receive training in military specializations suitable to them. With this contingent the federal government will reserve placement at any military academy, or will give financial assistance to any child who wishes to enter the private sector and receive higher education from public universities. To that end, En Gene will also subsidize the education of any Project child who wished to go to a public university rather than enter the military academies.

RE: Project Renaissance Approval
To: Mister Mateo Velasquez
From: Doctor Saito Hatsuto

Mister Velasquez,
The Secretary’s terms are acceptable, but the caveat that the NGEB guidelines and monitoring of the project must be followed to the letter. We cannot afford to treat these children as anything but human beings. I sincerely believe that there is an inherent danger in doing otherwise.

I admit many might find this project in the vein of Mary Shelley’s tale, but I refuse to follow that path, thus my insistence on the treatment of the children. If the Department of Defense can truly accept that, with no hidden agenda, we can begin preliminary screenings as soon as three weeks from this date. 

Copyright Penny Horwitz 2014