The dissonance eased as Lyryk reached the ballroom. The varied shades of crimson, red, burgundy, and maroon affected her mood and her music took on the tones of a march. Eliam glanced at her from the corner of his eye and changed the tempo. She tried to follow his lead, but the weight of the … Continue reading Framed, Part 3
My friend Danny Wright wrote this story. I helped polish and edit his words, but the story is his. Thorim is one character he plays with our small online Dungeons & Dragons group. Dreamstalker is, of course, my goliath barbarian. Thorim Deepbreaker stopped at the bottom of the stairs of the Hammer and Anvil Inn, … Continue reading Thorim Deepbreaker
As I learn the writing craft, I've spent a lot of time on a site called writing.com. The site offers writers a place to hone their skills and get feedback on their stories and poems. Over the years, I've taken part in many of the daily contests the site offers. This is one of the … Continue reading The Parcel
Malusk shook Skrie awake. Seeing Garrick huddled in front of the fire brought her out of her nightmare and into full wakefulness. “I ran as fast as I could to find the villagers,” Garrick said, his voice strained, “but I was too late. I found Mayze and several of the hunters dead, along with two … Continue reading Garrick’s Tale
Think about some of your favorite books. What makes the story memorable? Was it the non-stop action? Maybe it was the extraordinary way a tired old plot was presented. Or maybe, it was the protagonist. Who were those characters? Why did they out in your mind? One of the most standout protagonists for me was … Continue reading DIY MFA: What’s in A Character?
(C) 2020, JJ Shaun A lifetime ago, I searched for my niche in the world, wishing for a close-knit family to watch my back. When the path I’d chosen for that family veered in a direction I didn’t anticipate, I left my ex- everything of real value to forge a new life for myself. Dreams … Continue reading DIY MFA: My Support System
It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve worked on my DIY MFA. Part of the reason has been the massive forest fire in my back yard. Fortunately, we had an unseasonable snowstorm that helped the hotshot crews to get critical fire-breaks in place. Temperatures are on the rise again, so our break might be … Continue reading DIY MFA: The Importance of Reading
If you are writing fantasy, chances are your story has magic. A few of the questions that arise should include: What kind of world are you building? Does your world have magic? What kind of magic is available? Is the environment permeated in magical energy? Or does the magic only work under certain conditions? Does … Continue reading DIY MFA: The Limits of Magic
As a fantasy writer, how do you unfold your world in a way that is interesting and makes sense to the reader? Some writers fold elements of their worldbuilding into the action and setting as the protagonist moves through their environment. Others describe the surroundings, then launch the action, not always explaining how some elements … Continue reading DIY MFA: Imagining a Magical World
If you read much, you already know novels are not limited to a single plot thread. A lot of books I’ve read have a main plot, at least one subplot, and a character arc. Your main plot is the scaffold on which you build the story and measure progress. Character arcs and sub-plots add depth … Continue reading DIY MFA: Growing Your Character
A piece of my scattered mind.
Tavern Tales
Poetry BLOG By Edge of Humanity Magazine
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J.J. Shaun 