Speculative Fiction
Date Published: May 21, 2026
Continuing from THE SIMPLER, Senga Munro’s disappearance prompts
discussion as to -what- she may be. Her herbal notebook has been discovered in
an old man’s medicine bundle from the 1800s, wherein Senga details her
captivity in an underground cave. One morning, she awakes in a Cheyenne camp,
believing she is part of a living history project. Upon her extraordinary
return, she discovers a world altered and transformed by “The
Phenomenon,” an evolutionary leap in consciousness that has reshaped
global values and circumstances.
Through its rich tapestry of characters, historical elements, and
philosophical musings, the series explores the complexities of human
experience, the sacredness of the Earth, and the transformative power of
compassion and understanding. It is a meditation on the struggles and triumphs
that define both individual lives and collective humanity.
Renée Carrier and her husband, a retired school superintendent, tend a
small apple orchard, two gardens, and raise garlic and herbs—medicinal
and culinary. Renée is a past recipient of the Frank Neilson Doubleday
Writing Award by the Wyoming Arts Council. She continues to sing and play the
odd musical performance and practice family herbalism, which wends its way
into her writing “like a possessed vine.” She enjoys knitting, walking,
reading, viewing good films, and traveling.
