Photo by Jasmyne Ray
Teresa Howard, who’s worked in the Birmingham school system for 27 years as a teacher and a technology coordinator, holds her science fiction novel, “The Reluctant Empress.”
Teresa Howard’s love for science fiction began in her childhood when the “Star Trek” series premiered. It was the series, Howard said, that got her into reading science fiction and fantasy books and watching the movies.
Having worked in the Birmingham school system for 27 years, first as a teacher and later as a technology coordinator, the Hoover resident would occasionally introduce her students to the genre through her teaching.
“I used sci-fi and graphic novels to inspire children who wouldn’t be interested in traditional books,” Howard said. “Even if they were struggling readers, they could use a graphic novel to follow along.”
Though her career brought her into the classroom, Howard said she knew from as early as age 8 that she wanted to be a writer. Since 2000, Howard has published more than 10 science fiction short stories and books, spanning a wide range of the genre. She’s been featured in multiple magazines, anthologies, webzines and even iPhone apps for her work.
The draft for Howard’s most recent release, “The Reluctant Empress,” was originally something she worked on for two years during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), where writers attempt to write at least 50,000 words of a manuscript during the month of November. After finishing a full draft and polishing it up with some edits, she submitted it for publication, and Champagne Book Group signed her to a multibook deal for three potential books.
“The Reluctant Empress” follows young Ninallia, who agrees to become a surrogate for an infertile couple in order to save her struggling family from poverty. When the emperor and empress are assassinated, she discovers that her unborn child could possibly be the heir and must protect the child and determine if it is the imperial heir.
“Most of my writing is about people who face struggle and have to kind of reach outside themselves to succeed,” Howard said.
Howard advises anyone interested in science fiction and writing to attend different conventions to find other people that share the same interest.
“I didn’t realize how many people were into science fiction and fantasy until I started going to Dragon Con in Atlanta,” Howard said.
“They have an amazing science track, so you get to meet NASA astronauts, NASA scientists, geneticists — all kinds of people you wouldn’t normally meet.”
Howard’s books can be found on Amazon, and more information is available at facebook.com/teresa.howard1.
