Stephen King Kicks My Ass

Stephen King came to my house and kicked my ass. Yeah, you probably think I mean this in some sort of metaphorical way ... as in, his books are so much better than mine they put me to shame. But nope. Let me backtrack a little. My nights, as you may know, are filled with... Continue Reading →

Why MAUS Matters

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about MAUS, Art Spiegelman's moving holocaust graphic novel, now recently banned by the Tennessee School Board. Schools in Tennessee are run by ninnies, apparently, because all seven members voted to keep the book from the hands of middle schoolers owing to the book's depiction of... Continue Reading →

Aenya Lore: Queen Lumina and the Unicorn

The World of Aenya is vast and varied. Its geography encompasses disparate landscapes, city-states, races, cultures, histories, and myths. For 2022, I am introducing a new series, Aenya Lore, to showcase the tales that exist within the larger narrative of the Aenya Series, some of which, you may remember, come straight from the novels. While... Continue Reading →

Ecthros: The Archer with Bad Aim

Ecthros, or "Ecks", as he is called by his friends, first appeared in The Princess of Aenya and is set to appear in my forthcoming novel, The Children of Aenya. Unlike your typical fictional archer (looking at you: Robin Hood, Legolas, Green Arrow, Hawkeye, Katniss, Merida), Ecthros isn't very good at shooting things with his... Continue Reading →

The Nine Types of Writers

Three times this week, I've had the same dumb conversation about becoming a writer. One person queried me through my author site, asking simply, "how can I get published?" A second person told me he didn't actually have any experience, but had a good idea for a book and wanted me to write it for... Continue Reading →

My Literary Journey | PODCAST

If you've ever wondered, "Who's this Nick guy, anyway?" Well, this episode is for you! Learn all my dirty secrets as I reminisce about my long, winding, and sometimes harrowing literary journey, from my childhood days writing on the backs of pink pizza tickets to kind-of inventing Power Rangers to dragging my dad to NYC... Continue Reading →

It, Carrie, and Taboo Subjects in Literature

No discussion of Stephen King's It would be complete without tackling that scene---a scene not surprisingly omitted from every film adaptation---and if you don't know what I'm talking about, just read the book! Hint: sex + children. Historically, taboo subjects in fiction challenge readers to examine social norms, and forces us to consider whether anything... Continue Reading →

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