There are few works as enduring as J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Even now, decades after the books were written, movies and shows are still being made. Books on Middle Earth are still being published. In fact, there's even a Lord of the Rings concert coming to my city soon, and it's a … Continue reading From Hobbiton to Mordor: Creating Your Own World Like Tolkien’s
fantasy
Here’s Your Free Pass to a World of Endless Indie Books
How often do you read indie? As an indie author myself, I wanted to make a commitment to read more indie books. Unfortunately, I've found it's a bit more difficult to find indie books that suit my tastes because quality greatly varies. Even books that have many five-star reviews sometimes turn out to be an … Continue reading Here’s Your Free Pass to a World of Endless Indie Books
Want to Write Speculative Fiction? Here’s What You Need to Know First
Some of the most memorable and lasting stories fall into the speculative fiction genre. Spec fiction lends itself to extensive and immersive series that captivate all kinds of audiences. Fantastical and out-of-this-world elements stick in your mind, and the incredible powers that the characters possess and face make your heart start pumping. Star Wars. Harry … Continue reading Want to Write Speculative Fiction? Here’s What You Need to Know First
Can We Please Have More Soft Sci-fi and Plain Ol’ Fantasy?
I watched Dune for the first time last week (remember how I said I'm late to the party on everything?). Rather than getting me excited for Part 2, it made me think about how hard sci-fi and high fantasy are overrated. Don't get me wrong; I love Lord of the Rings and Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere. … Continue reading Can We Please Have More Soft Sci-fi and Plain Ol’ Fantasy?
Lucky Day: A fantasy flash fiction story
I always knew I had bad luck; I mean, I’m a dwarf with magic. What could possibly be worse? I know the answer now: a dwarf with unpredictable fire magic. The Perlidian Forest, once a place of placid, beautiful nature, now housed a raging inferno. The heat dried my face, my eyes, but I couldn't … Continue reading Lucky Day: A fantasy flash fiction story
Elantris: Do’s and Don’ts at the Beginning of a Book
If you've been keeping up with stuff for the past year or two, you might have heard of Brandon Sanderson (you know, the guy who broke Kickstarter?). You might have even read some of my posts about his books, as I've been reading through them for the past year or so. Sanderson is a fantastic … Continue reading Elantris: Do’s and Don’ts at the Beginning of a Book
The Floating Festival – A fantasy short story
Participating in the Writer's Games last year taught me so much about my writing habits in the short span of a month and gave me tons of great material to work with - even though I was only able to submit one practice story. Since most of the stories I wrote were really close to … Continue reading The Floating Festival – A fantasy short story
The Stories that Shaped Me: Star Wars
How do you like Tuesdays? Specifically, what do you think of my Tuesday blog posts? I think it's beneficial to talk about good (and bad) stories so that we can learn from what others have done. Let me know your opinion in the comments! For now, I'm starting yet another new series about the stories … Continue reading The Stories that Shaped Me: Star Wars
The Pros of Small-Scale Fantasy
When we think of fantasy, we often think of huge, epic quests to save the world. Defeat the dark lord, restore the light, and bring peace to the entire land. But sometimes, fantasy can - and should - be small-scale. While reading The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson after my fiction fast, I was … Continue reading The Pros of Small-Scale Fantasy
Announcing a New Fantasy Adventure!
Last July, I published my first fantasy book, a novella called The Dragon's Den. Putting this book out into the world was a dream come true, as fantasy is one of my favorite genres, and one that has influenced me the most throughout my life. Dragons, especially, played a big part in my dream to … Continue reading Announcing a New Fantasy Adventure!