Tag: fantasy

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The “Misery” Effect #Writing #Author #Advice

Hi Jim, I was hoping you could help me here. I have a series of short stories that I’ve published and have a niche following on a couple of sites. I recently decided to take the story in a new direction and killed off the main character. It turns out that this character was a lot more popular than I thought. Now I’m getting … Read More The “Misery” Effect #Writing #Author #Advice

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Destiny: Divinity’s Finale, Book 2, Chapter 4

IV   San Sebastián appeared on the horizon as the Sun reached its height. Baltazar watched as the port grew larger in the distance. He turned the wheel a few more degrees to port and headed straight in, “My lads, we’ve come home.” The wind was at their backs as the Specter glided into the […]

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Rooting for the Bad Guy #Writing #Author #Advice

Hi Jim, I was hoping you could give me a little advice on how to write perspective. The main character in my story is going to be a bad guy. When I say bad, I mean the story is going to revolve around the villain. I’m just really not sure how I can write that effectively. I mean typically you try to get people … Read More Rooting for the Bad Guy #Writing #Author #Advice

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The Ins and Outs of Publishing, A Directory of Advice. #Writing #Author #Advice

Okay, so it looks like I’m still getting a lot of publishing questions. These are recurrent questions I get on a regular basis, and while I want to try to respond to everyone who reaches out to me, I don’t want my blog becoming redundant. So I think I’m going to repost this on a weekly basis from now on to help people navigate … Read More The Ins and Outs of Publishing, A Directory of Advice. #Writing #Author #Advice

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Characters First, Stories Second. #Writing #Author #Advice

Hi Jim, I was wondering if you talk a little bit about how you create characters for your book. I’ve got an awesome idea for a story, but I’m having a hard time creating characters to go along with it. Do you have any advice? Thanks, Kris Hello Kris, In my personal opinion, you’re doing this backward. You’ve got a great story, but no … Read More Characters First, Stories Second. #Writing #Author #Advice

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Drakin, An Empire of Ashes Sample Chapter #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi

Synopsis: Two hundred years have passed, and the Red War has become a distant memory for most. Dragons and humans now live together in peace… but one powerful woman who has been deranged by her own history unleashes her vengeance on a helpless population. Now, the world’s only hope for survival rests with Kaori, a naïve and wayward princess of the Eastern Empire. Having … Read More Drakin, An Empire of Ashes Sample Chapter #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi

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Destiny: Divinity’s Finale, Book 2, Chapter 2

II   As Baltazar predicted, within two hours, the storm hit. Waves crashed over the deck and rain poured down on the crew. Though the ship was secured to prevent it from taking on water, they were still struggling to tie down the cannons on deck. The men had gotten the sails up and the […]

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Audience/Reader Sensitivity #Writing #Author #Advice

Hi Jim, I have a problem I was hoping you could help me with a rather… sensitive issue. I’ve written a book that deals with a lot of cultural issues. I’ve gone to great lengths to keep my writing as inoffensive as possible, as I want people from all walks of life to be able to read it, enjoy it, and maybe find themselves … Read More Audience/Reader Sensitivity #Writing #Author #Advice

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Drakin, The Orphans of Haven, Sample Chapter #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi

Drakin: The Orphans of Haven Book Synopsis: The Red War may be over, but not all wounds have healed. For Sergeant Radley Zall, the nightmares never end. After years of struggling for survival, he finds himself in a dead end job, deporting wayward dragons to the Exclusion Zone. The horrors of his past have left him a broken man, slowing killing himself in a … Read More Drakin, The Orphans of Haven, Sample Chapter #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi

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Destiny: Divinity’s Finale, Book 2, Chapter 1

Book 2 The Pirate Heroes I The next two days were spent refitting the Specter for its next journey. Melisande worked hard to make sure that she won the acceptance of the crew. She served the meals promptlyand then helped clean below decks. She made sure to help out anywhere that she could, but made […]

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Choosing a Name? #Writing #Author #Advice

Hi Jim,  I was hoping you could help me out. I’m trying to choose a name for my novel, but I can’t seem to figure out a good one. Every one I choose doesn’t really sum up anything about the story or seem to stick. Do you have any advice for choosing a title? Thanks, Aubri Hi Aubri, I do indeed. The best way … Read More Choosing a Name? #Writing #Author #Advice

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Drakin, The Story of Raiya Sample Chapter #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi

  Drakin: The Story of Raiya Book Synopsis: ‘ “Abomination, freak, monster…”  You get used to names like these when you have yellow eyes, horns, and scales, but Raiya could have really cared less. After being forced into exile because of her appearance, Raiya’s mind has been focused on one goal; hunting down the dragon lord that killed her parents. For over thirty years, … Read More Drakin, The Story of Raiya Sample Chapter #Writing #Fantasy #SciFi