Fantastical Creatures of Greco-Roman Mythology: The Colchian Dragon
Faith M. Boughan
This is the second instalment of a series in which we explore some of the lesser-known creatures and monsters found in Classical mythology, as many of these fantastical beings have…
monsters
The Last of a Kind: Extinction in Fantasy
Nicola Alter
We often hear about extinction in the real world – whether it’s a dodo that’s already died out, a rhinoceros that’s on the brink of extinction, a bluefin tuna that’s…
Create Your Own Fantasy Author Frankenstein Monster
Peter Newman
Last year, in the build up to Fantasy-Faction’s Grim Gathering event, it was suggested to me that I would look a lot better if I had Myke Cole’s arms. One…
Writing The Other Other
Aaron Miles
Writing the other can be a challenge, it’s often difficult to convincingly portray a character that greatly differs from your experiences. Without a personal frame of reference the writer is…
Writer’s Den: Describing the Indescribable
Thomas A. Knight
Hoglers don’t exist. You’ve never heard of them, and I’ve certainly never heard of them. As an object of the imagination, they defy description. This is a challenge that faces…
Fantastical Biology – Part Nine: Fantasy Insects
Shambralyn Baker
Insects represent more than half of all known living organisms on our world. They’re found in nearly all environments, even in the ocean. And yet, it’s so rare to see…
Monster Goose Nursery Rhymes by Henry, Josh, and Harrison Herz. Illustrated by Abigail Larson.
Liz Fellshot Ambrose
Re-imagining fairy tales has been going on since the invention of fairy tales, so it stands to reason that it was only a matter of time until someone did the…
Fantastical Biology – Part Seven: Fantasy Biologists
So far this series has focused on animals and habitats, exploring anything from the relationships between predators and prey to the deepest parts of the ocean. But what is fantastical…
Fantastical Biology – Part Six: Fantasy Creatures & Urban Living
Wildlife isn’t the first thing that might come to mind when you think of the city, but lots of animals make their homes there. Things are no different in fantasy…
Worldbuilding: Creating Bestiaries and Fantastic Monsters
B. Pine
A well-defined bestiary is a must for every fantasy world, unless the creator plans to stick to mundane animals identical to realistic fauna, or there are no animals or creatures…
Sirens
Janie Bill
Sirens were created by the Greek goddess, Demeter. A group of maidens failed to protect Demeter’s daughter, Kore who was the younger version of Persephone, from being kidnapped by Hades.…
Fantastical Biology – Part Six: Symbiosis
Nature is often depicted as being brutal, where only the strongest survive, and fantasy novels often follow this idea. But, predator versus prey is not the only way animals interact…