Matters of Perspective
As I contemplated an article for this week (all my current ideas having failed to garner any inspiration), I got to thinking about legacies. Although the events of the past…
Talikae – The Breath upon the Blade
In the previous article, we looked at how Talikae, though she began as a fleeting character upon the page, rose to play a significant part in the arcs of the…
The Unexpected Talikae
I’ve heard about TV shows hiring an actor for a two-bit role that becomes more. Perhaps it is just a line at first, maybe two, but in their brief moment…
Tyranny of the One and the Many
As the last act of “Tears from Iron” gains momentum into the climax, the Empress Kayrstana worries about the undercurrents of the Syraestari imperial court. From these concerns, she makes…
Stick Figures from Iron
As Christmas fast approaches, this article will take on a lighter tone than recent ones.In one of my first articles, I commented on how I’ve always wished I could draw. …
A Yearning for the Epic: Belarrin’s Path
**********WARNING! This article discusses core plot and theme ideas, including major spoilers of what occurs in the climax of the story. I strongly encourage that you only continue reading this if…
A Yearning for the Epic II: The Last Stand
Last article, I began the discussion of how we all yearn for the epic and, even if our lives are more mundane than our childhood dreams, the paths we choose…
A Yearning for the Epic
I think there is a part in all of us that yearns for the epic. It begins with the unfettered dreams of childhood with aspirations to be an astronaut, a…
The Ritual of Writing
Every fiction author works in a different way, even if the final output (at the broadest level) is the same… words on a page formed structurally into a story. I…
Blooms from Iron II
Last article, we looked at the role of smelting in “Tears from Iron.” This time, we’re taking a step back to ask not only what smelting is, but why it…