Origins 2012 Convention Report
R.T. Kaelin
Four days dedicated to the always wonderful, sometimes unusual world that is gaming. Each summer in Columbus, Ohio, every card, board, or RPG game (redundant) you could imagine—and then some—is…
Elements of Fantasy: Owls
Janie Bill
Of all the bird species, owls have a unique talent for scaring the dickens out of people. They hide during the day and bellow haunting hoots throughout the night. Owls…
The Source: A Look At Inspiration
Sandra Norval
How many times have you wondered where an idea came from? Beyond asking yourself that initial question, have you ever actually traced it back to the source? I’m guessing that…
Bringing the Funny: Weaving Humor Into Your World
Amy Rose Davis
Of all the subjective subjects to tackle, I think humor is the toughest, perhaps even tougher than religion. It’s with a great deal of trepidation that I wade into this…
Want to Self-Publish Fantasy? Think Again.
How do you prefer to enjoy a good book? Are you someone who likes the crisp, dry feel of paper between your fingers as you turn a page? Do you…
Happy You Day – Individual Centered Celebrations
Laura Graham
Throughout our lives and cultures we come across all sorts of celebrations and event focused on the individual; birthdays, coming-of-age ceremonies, funerals, all about that certain person. How that person…
Monthly Short Story Winner: Poetry
Jennie Ivins
Welcome back writers and readers! How was your May? I hope you enjoyed some lovely spring days, because it looks like summer has come early this year, at least in…
Wheel-Mouse vs All The Crazy Robots
Overlord
Wheel-Mouse vs All The Crazy Robots is a joint project between fantasy author Mark Lawrence and his daughter, Celyn. Now, I wouldn’t want Mark to take too much of the…
Balticon 2012 Review
On Friday May 25th, I pulled up to the Baltimore Marriott, ready to begin my first vacation in almost six years. But even the excitement of being ‘kidless’ for three…
Literary Devices: Plot Devices
Continuing my series on using literary devices in fantasy, we come to one that’s sure to create a little controversy in the comments. For some folks on both the writing…
Peter Orullian Interview
Leo Elijah Cristea
Peter Orullian is an American SFF author whose Morningstar shortlisted début, The Unremembered, is published by Tor. A frequenter of SFF conventions and speaker at panels alongside fantasy giants Pat…
In the Face of Adversity: When Loved Ones Don’t Love Your Book
Ashley Barnard
About fifteen years ago, I sent my mom a copy of my manuscript – my very first novel. It was 973 pages long, and was, looking back, pretty much a…