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Ultimate Epic Fantasy Writer’s Playlist
"Two boys arrived yesterday with a pebble they said was the head of a dog until I pointed out that it was really a typewriter." ~Pablo Picasso Inspiration comes in many forms. There are as many sources of inspiration as there are artists to be inspired. A simple turn...
3 Things Every Indie Author Needs to Know Before Starting Out
Paths of Alir, the third book in my award-winning epic fantasy series, released in stores on Saturday (Yay!!). Along the runway to this book release, I started my own publishing company and created the imprint Five Strands Publishing. Since starting on the indie...
4 Steps to Writing Organically, Part II – Viewpoints, Mimicry and Imagination
Think of writing like sailing a massive ship. There are an enormous number of mechanical actions that synergistically combine to keep the ship plowing forward through the waves. It behooves you, as the captain of the vessel, to have an understanding of all of those...
Pantser or Plotter: 4 Steps to Writing Organically (and the Science Behind Why You Should) – Part 1
After my last blog post on the four things you must know before starting a novel, in which I suggested not inventing a character, kingdom or creature until the story calls for it, a number of readers wrote in to ask, should nothing be planned? My answer is absolutely...
How to Avoid Cliches (or The 4 Things You MUST Know Before Starting A Novel)
A reader recently wrote to me and asked, how do you write a novel when every time you start (oh, so many times!) you get a few chapters in and suddenly become deluged with doubts? And how, when you’re so well-read in the genre that you’ve read it all and seen it all a...
4 Steps to the Ultimate Compelling Villain
I want to talk about villains. Not the blackened-to-the-core, maniacally twisted kind or the ultimate evil, soul-devouring kind—I’d say genre fiction is all too familiar with stereotypical antagonists of this ilk. No, I want to talk about the villains you love to...
They’re here! Spectacular new covers for A Pattern of Shadow & Light Books 1-3
When I began thinking about cover design for Paths of Alir, the third book in my award-winning epic fantasy series, A Pattern of Shadow & Light, I started looking through covers for similar fantasy books published in the last few years. When I published...
How Not to Write Yourself into a Corner (in Your Novel and in Life)
There’s something known as writing yourself into a corner. This phrase might be used to describe any number of authorial ailments, from the scene that mystifyingly “doesn’t work,” to the sinking realization—many chapters in—that your entire plot resolution hinges on...
#Excerpt from Paths of Alir, A Pattern of Shadow & Light Book 3
Paths of Alir, the third book in my epic fantasy series, A Pattern of Shadow & Light, is in the final stages of pre-production (cover design and layout for press). The publication date is scheduled for October, 2014. Believe me, I understand that...
Breaking Up With Your Novel
Last week I finished penning the third book in my epic fantasy series and sent it off to beta readers. Paths of Alir was two years in the planning/writing, and the final clocked in around 300,000 words. (It is an epic fantasy. Providing a series is well-crafted,...
The Use of Emotion in Storytelling
I was recently in dialogue with a reader about the use of homoeroticism in my novels. She asked if I had intentionally created a correlation between two homosexual characters (Sandrine du Préc in Cephrael’s Hand and the Prophet Bethamin in Dagger of Adendigaeth) and...
An Amuse-bouche for Fans of A Pattern of Shadow and Light
As some of you may know, I’ve been traveling in Europe this month gathering a plethora of research for book three. Much of the third installment of A Pattern of Shadow & Light is set in the Empire of Agasan – specifically in the Sacred City of Faroqhar – which in...
Overcoming Writer’s Block – 5 Unconventional Ideas
As writers, we innately tend to know when our story is working and when it isn’t. I like to describe this awareness as a sort of resonance, but it could just as easily be compared to an engine with all pistons firing. A skilled mechanic can tell just by listening when...
Fear: The Most Undervalued Emotion in Fantasy
I'm thrilled to host this guest post from fantasy author A.E. Marling (@AEMarling) in celebration of the upcoming release of his epic fantasy novel, Gravity's Revenge. “The time for fear is past.” ~ King Theoden, The Lord of the Rings In fantasy worlds, fear is the...
Reviews, Writer’s Block & the Author’s Integrity – A Problematic Trinity
I've been struggling recently with a situation that arose from the number of positive—yes, I just said positive—reviews I've received on my latest novel (which, by the way, was recently selected as a Finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year - yay!) It took me a bit...
The Next Big Thing
By some fluke of planetary alignment, divine intervention, or (possibly) my unexpectedly excellent karma, three authors have nominated me for The Next Big Thing in the same momentous weekend. I'm not sure what I've done to deserve such an honor, but I accept with...
On Reviews, Obsession and Art (and a gratuitous adorable kitty pic)
My cat Sam sits with me when I write, whether I'm working on my laptop or composing on the piano. He likes being around when I'm being creative, which is pretty cool, considering he's a cat. As a child, the idea of having a cat for a writing companion seemed...
Contest Winners – Cephrael’s Hand Whirlwind Tour Wrapup
Thank you so much to everyone who participated in the Cephrael's Hand whirlwind tour by posting reviews, excerpts, interviews, and reviews. I am incredibly grateful for your generous support and interest! I’m pleased to announce the winners of our big contests...
Epic fantasy contest, epic prizes, what could be better?
Okay everyone, it's time to get creative and compete for huge prizes as part of Novel Publicity's Cephrael's Hand Whirlwind Tour. We’re hosting one gigantic contest with two separate parts, which means you can enter once, twice… as many times as you like! Help me...
3 Steps to Happiness – My New Year’s Wish
One can find a plethora of quotes on the subject of happiness, from philosophers and writers to superstars or saints. Happiness seems the most universally sought commodity worldwide. Perhaps my interest in this topic of late is a result of the holidays, or perhaps it...
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