Expanding to Substack and YouTube
I apologize for several years of silence on this blog. The purpose was to ensure my primary focus was on completing my next series of books and the months of…
Writing is like a Simile
I’m feeling a bit whimsical so we’re going to do something a little different this time. We’re going to talk about writing as a simile. I often wish I could…
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…
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…
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…
He Who Knows No Fear
After spending the past couple months delving into fantasy races, monsters, and the nature of villains, I thought it was time to change things up a bit. Let’s return to…
Nefarious Villainy!
The latest string of articles continues to evolve. We began with elves and the Aestari which included a discussion of good and evil. This led to talking about the nature…
Here there be Monsters
With the previous article concluding on the nature of good and evil, it felt appropriate to follow that discussion with one on monsters. There is a growing trend in epic…
A Tale of Too Many Tales
How long should a book series be? Is there really even an answer to this question?I believe there is an ideal length for a series… somewhere between three to six…