After attending a small Christian college for two years, Laurie transferred to Brown University to finish her degree.
[2] In the late aughts, Marks struggled with a serious injury while also acting as caregiver to her wife, who had become disabled due to her illness.
Some 35 years prior to the first book, Shaftal was invaded by an army of Sainnites who, in an attempt to eradicate the magic which might be used against them, killed all the elemental witches they could locate.
However they failed to realise that magic is inherent in the Shaftali and children have been born since who can wield it.
Among both the learned, peace-loving Shaftali and the warlike, spartan Sainnites, women and men are equals in all things, including military, and both queer and polyamorous/polygamous relationships are common and accepted.