Recent content by Lord Ben

I only read the first and last few pages but I have read that the Mary Rose bows were the elite people of their time and not the average longbow type wielders. Arrows were longer and heavier than others found in the time period, etc. Not sure if that's accurate but the English Longbow...

I don't even know what that is.

How it ranks on the Predictability Scale is neither a virtue nor a vice. About the only way to do a twist well is to make it surprising yet predictable on the second viewing. Unusual Suspects is one great example of that. Jon Snow's eventual family history another (if predictions are right)...

I've checked out authors before and when going to their site discovered I really didn't like them much and it certainly dampened my enthusiasm for a book purchase. Whether they were boring in their blogs, overly "preachy" politics, or just gave off the aroma of desperation and amateurishness...

If it interests me basically. A landscape or a color blotch don't do it for me. I avoid photoshopped people mostly, as well as anything with a couple on it as I just tend to assume it'll be a romance book. These were the last two that I added to my wish list of things to eventually read...

You don't have to base it on Christianity specifically but just borrow the method of "answered prayers" where there are results but no showy flash.

What she's specifically going for might be a motivation too. Maybe her brother has xyz disease and she's going to school on full scholarship to be a neurosurgeon or something. A chance of making a difference vs immortal happiness.

I would even question whether or not the tag of fad applies to zombies. They might be briefly more popular now than previously but they've been fairly popular as far back as I can remember. Night of the Living Dead was out in 68, that's 45 years of zombie movies and books. "Zombie" stuff is...

There is nothing wrong with trying to figure out if people will buy it before sitting down to write something you hope to sell. It's probably even wise. Yes, a good zombie story is still probably going to find a market. I like good books in the genre, but I'm more into apocalyptic books...

Yeah, more avenues to avoid it but if one of your millions of kids heads off to another region of the world within a score of generations there is billion of them in that new region of the world too. It's the basic concept of the Most Common Recent Ancestor. It's basically that either...

If at any point in your immortality 1000+ years ago or more you bred with mortals you're going to count nearly everyone on earth as a descendant. On average, 40 generations from "now" (800-1200 years) you'll have about a trillion descendants. If "now" happened a thousand years ago and you're...

While it hurts to hear your story stinks and you don't have a talent in writing it's best to be honest. If there is a positive side go ahead and discuss it with them but if it's horrible to the core don't try to be neutral. I want to learn how to tell a story through the written word, I've...

I had a story idea dealing with this actually? Ever watch Sopranos with the Mobster seeking Psychiatric help to deal with issues? Basically that type of story set in the real world where people aren't aware of immortals. The MC is maybe a student who writes a research paper on dealing with...

I didn't mean anything by it sexism wise. Where a 50's woman didn't really have much of a choice someone today does. But because they have a choice it's fine with them to choose whichever path they want to. But her having a ton of other options that a woman a few generations ago didn't makes...

In general when reading I'm fine with cliches. However, cliche-breaking stories are almost the new cliche IMHO. June Cleaver is the stereotypical 50's mother but in 2013 a woman who gives up on college, a career, etc to spend a life together with the boy she loves is a new idea all over...