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 usual, First Reader and I spent a week in South Dakota during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The ride up and back always seems a little surreal. When I ride, I wear earplugs (yes, I can hear enough with them) and a helmet with Bluetooth communication so FR and I can chat. When the wind … Continue reading My Summer Vacation (2024 Edition)
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
Can you believe that tomorrow is 2022 already? 😳 Twenty-twenty-one was a year of recovery for First Reader and me. We spent much of January, February, and March cleaning up the debris, making a list of possessions, and applying for federal disaster relief. That experience was as emotionally draining as the fire itself. Grief hits … Continue reading Reflecting on 2021
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
I spent the week watching the DIY MFA Master Class videos. While I haven’t been introduced to any “writing” instruction, much of what’s been covered has been about mindset. Writing is a solitary craft. One in which we authors crawl into our own imaginations and listen to the “voices” in our heads. That’s what happens … Continue reading DIY MFA: Plunging Forward
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
A piece of my scattered mind.
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J.J. Shaun 