James D. Macdonald is the award-winning author of over forty fantasy and science fiction novels, including his most recent work, Lincoln’s Sword. I recently chatted with Jim about his frequent collaborations with co-author Debra Doyle, as well as his work in educating writers about publishing scams. You’ve had a pretty amazing career as a fantasy … Read more
This article is by Terry W. Ervin II. It is often said, “Write what you know.” This can be a stumbling block for some writers. How do you convincingly write a dastardly or evil character in a novel if you’ve never acted or done such things? That is where Role Playing Game (RPG) experience can … Read more
This article is by Darren Andrews. Generations have been enthralled by Tolkien’s epic fantasy, “The Lord of The Rings”. Its pages have been studied alongside the works of C.S. Lewis in Christian-literature classes, a society exists dedicated to preserving it in the spirit of its author, and back in the 1970s (in England at least) … Read more
This article is by Darren Andrews. Fantasy can be a potent form of writing if you understand how to use symbolism and maintain the inner consistency of reality. J.R.R. Tolkien, perhaps the greatest of all fantasy writers, observed that “the realm of fairy-story is wide and deep and high and filled with many things…” (“On … Read more
I love books. I love the way that they feel in my hands. I love how they smell. To me, every book is a treasure. Hence, when the eBook craze began I was a doubter. In fact, I was a fairly vocal critic of the movement. I couldn’t imagine why anyone would choose to download … Read more
We’ve previously discussed some of the best fantasy movies of all time. Now we’re going to look at the opposite side of the spectrum. The following films are not necessarily the “worst” of their kind, but they are major disappointments. In other words, these are fantasy films that had the potential to be great, but … Read more
Here in the United States we just celebrated the holiday known as Thanksgiving. It’s a time to gather with family and friends and count our many blessings. This year my wife and I traveled to my parent’s house, along with our precious 16 month old daughter. This was a wonderful time for our little one. … Read more
Imaginative Realism is the art of painting or drawing what doesn’t exist. It’s the act of bringing visual life to fantasy, often based on the words of fantasy authors. Several months ago I knew Marc Fishman to be an amazing artist and an insightful human being, and A Song of Ice and Fire was just … Read more
One of the most important – and difficult – tasks is to make writing a priority. There are so many other things in life that can distract you from your work, including family and career responsibilities. On November 11, a new distraction arrived on my doorstep: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. I’ve been waiting for this … Read more
Ten years ago I began writing a fantasy epic. I spent months building my own world, complete with fresh mythologies and exotic cultures. I had a great villain and an original plot. Everything appeared to be in place for me to write a first class novel. Sadly, a quarter of the way through a terrible … Read more