Before I write this review, I would like to offer my apologies to Mr. James Dashner. You see, I hate to criticize authors. I do not review books to make myself seem more knowledgeable, or my work more favorable, but rather, to explore fiction, why it works and why it doesn't, to have open discussion... Continue Reading →
I do not typically review games. The last time I did, with Mass Effect 3, I was attacked by a gang of nerds, and it took me a good few months to get rid of them. I review books, on the other hand, because I have insight into authors' mental processes, understanding what choices were made... Continue Reading →
What is marriage? How has it changed between cultures, time periods and individuals? And what, if anything, does it have to do with love? However we choose to define it, morality is the glue that holds marriage together. For decades, I have passionately argued that nudism does not = sex, and clubs like AANR (the American Association... Continue Reading →
One of my many challenges, as a striving author, is figuring out what people read and why. Why is Game of Thrones so popular, for instance? Is it mainly due to the TV show? No doubt, cross promotions boost sales, but HBO would not have spent millions bringing the book to life without an established fan... Continue Reading →
When I was a kid, I used to play what I called "episodes". Suffering from the writer's disease at a tender young age, and with no time to get all the stories constantly popping into my head on paper, I resorted to the medium of toys. I did not know another kid who did this;... Continue Reading →
Long before Superman and Batman became household names, there was Tarzan. Originally published in 1914, Tarzan predates Superman by a good twenty-four years. In many ways, he is the first superhero. Children growing up in the '20s and '30s were as familiar with the ape-man as the most beloved DC/Marvel characters of today. He appeared... Continue Reading →
I knew the genre I would be writing in by age six, in 1981, after I'd just unboxed my first He-Man action figure. Masters of the Universe was my introduction to all things fantasy and Sci-Fi. With his furry loincloth and rippling muscles and interchangeable sword, ax, and shield, He-Man set my imagination ablaze. Even... Continue Reading →
Since Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, world building has become a mainstay of fantasy fiction, gaining a resurgence among budding novelists after the release of the film adaptations. Much of the love lavished on George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire has a great deal to do with world building. But this phenomenon is unique to the... Continue Reading →
I try not to do this. Honestly, as a fellow writer, I don't want to. But there's simply no way around it. The book I am reviewing today just isn't very good, not for me, at least. For many people, this is a classic. I know this because the cover states, "50th Anniversary Edition" and... Continue Reading →
These are my rules for advanced combat in Quest for the Talismans and the Quest RPG. You can also add these rules to any d20 gaming system. For more about the Quest Gaming System, choose the RPG link above.The QUEST RPG motto is “if you can think it, you can roll it.” This mechanic allows... Continue Reading →
The Art of Storytelling 
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