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 →
World Building Aenya
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 →
It was a dark and stormy night, and this book sucks . . .
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 →
ADVANCED COMBAT
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 →
QUEST: ADVANCED SKILLS
Updated 10/08/2015 The QUEST System is all about simplicity, creativity, and imagination. The goal is to maximize fun while minimizing complexity. To start playing, you must first make your own hero (or villain): Guidelines for Making Your Own Hero (or villain): STEP 1: Who do you want to be? There is no wrong answer—no choice that isn’t... Continue Reading →
Lost in the Woods and Naked!
Image courtesy of Searching4Eden Do you ever feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day? You know, where he wakes up every morning to the same song, "I've got you babe . . ." because his entire life is a repeat of the same day? Last Thursday, I was in that Groundhog Day rut, and wanted to do... Continue Reading →
The Naked Heroes
The Greek hero, PerseusThe idea of nude heroes is nothing new. In Ancient Greece, nearly every hero went without a loin cloth, whether depicted on canvas, pottery or marble. Among these were Heracles, Perseus, Theseus and Achilles. After the Renaissance, some Biblical heroes also went nude, as portrayed by Michelangelo's David. By the 19th century,... Continue Reading →
Aenya News: 3/28/2014
My wife says my brain must be on fire. I am hard at work on the second novel set in the Aenya universe, The Princess of Aenya, and I am excited to announce plans for TWO more Aenya books. Tentatively titled, Skyclad Warriors, the direct sequel to Ages of Aenya will continue the adventures of Xandr and... Continue Reading →
Noora’s Song
I sing the Goddess that is in all, who gilds the wheat and sun born rye, who, in dreaming plains we seek her call In the greenwood, in the elms that fall from sundered root to shaken ply Her eternal verse brings breath to all In the hornèd moons that nightly rule her silver sisters... Continue Reading →
Inverted World
My Norwegian friend, who is studying to become a philosophy professor, is currently taking a Science Fiction and Philosophy course, and I am intensely jealous. Where was that class when I attended USF? Despite the anti-philosophy taboo trending or perceived to be trending in fiction these days (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone had to be re-dubbed the Sorcerer's... Continue Reading →

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