Picture an American storyteller who spins tales of magic, intrigue, and Renaissance-inspired heists—meet Cate Glass! Known for her fantasy adventure series Chimera, Cate Glass is the pseudonym of Carol Berg, an award-winning author whose knack for crafting intricate worlds and complex characters has enchanted readers worldwide. With a background in mathematics and software engineering, she brings a unique precision to her storytelling, making her novels both thrilling and deeply immersive.
Under the Cate Glass name, Berg dives into a lighter, caper-driven style, blending political drama with forbidden magic. Her stories are like a fantasy version of Mission Impossible, set in a richly detailed world reminiscent of Italian Renaissance city-states. Ready to explore the magic of Cate Glass? Let’s dive into her journey and legacy!
The Making of Cate Glass
Carol Berg, born in 1948 in Texas, never imagined she’d become a fantasy author. With degrees in mathematics from Rice University and computer science from the University of Colorado, she spent years designing software before a friend nudged her into writing fiction as a hobby. This spark ignited a prolific career, with Berg publishing over a dozen epic fantasy novels under her own name before adopting the Cate Glass pseudonym to explore a fresh, adventure-driven style. Her love for literature, history, and art, nurtured during her studies, deeply influences her vivid world-building.
Growing up, Berg was captivated by stories of Middle Earth, Camelot, and Victorian London, which fueled her imagination. Living in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain foothills with her husband and three sons, she balances writing with hiking, camping, and binge-watching well-crafted TV series, all of which inspire her dynamic narratives.
Cate Glass’s Unforgettable Stories
As Cate Glass, Berg crafts the Chimera series, a fantasy adventure saga that blends heist plots, political intrigue, and forbidden magic. The series kicks off with An Illusion of Thieves (2019), where Romy, a former courtesan with a secret magical gift, assembles a ragtag team to thwart a conspiracy in the city of Cantagna. Its sequels, A Conjuring of Assassins (2020) and A Summoning of Demons (2021), deepen the team’s bonds and unravel the world’s mythology, earning praise for their vivid characters and Italian Renaissance-inspired setting.
Berg’s writing as Cate Glass is lighter than her earlier epic fantasies, focusing on fast-paced capers and ensemble dynamics. Her magic systems are meticulously designed, with limits that add tension—sorcery in Cantagna is a death sentence, making every spell a risk. Readers love her ability to weave complex plots with emotional depth, creating stories that feel both intimate and grand. Whether it’s Romy’s shape-shifting illusions or the team’s clever schemes, each book delivers a satisfying, self-contained adventure within a larger arc.
Berg’s earlier works under her own name, like the Mythopoeic Award-winning Lighthouse Duet and the Rai-Kirah series, showcase her knack for epic fantasy with darker, character-driven narratives. As Cate Glass, she leans into a more playful tone, proving her versatility across fantasy subgenres.
Why Cate Glass Matters
Cate Glass has carved a niche in fantasy by blending the thrill of heist stories with the depth of epic world-building. Her Chimera series redefines team-driven narratives, emphasizing trust and friendship over clichéd betrayals. Berg’s background in logic and structure shines through, grounding her fantastical worlds in human experience, which resonates with readers seeking both escapism and relatability. Her influence extends to aspiring authors, as she mentors at writers’ conferences and conventions, sharing insights from her decades-long career.
With multiple Colorado Book Awards and a Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, Berg’s work as Cate Glass continues to captivate a global audience. Her stories inspire fans to embrace creativity and explore the power of unlikely heroes, making her a beloved figure in modern fantasy.
- Born: 1948, Texas, USA
- Key Works: Chimera series (An Illusion of Thieves, A Conjuring of Assassins, A Summoning of Demons)
- Awards: Multiple Colorado Book Awards, Mythopoeic Fantasy Award
- Pseudonym: Cate Glass is Carol Berg
Snag An Illusion of Thieves and dive into Cate Glass’s thrilling world of magic and mischief—you won’t be able to put it down!