Katra Alterian had been trying to call her cousin, Elayna, since yesterday, to no avail. It was not like Ela to ignore her calls. So, she drove to Ela's house to talk to her cousin. Katra ran into Talbot on her way to Ela's room. "Have you seen Ela or Eli?" she asked Talbot, the … Continue reading Chapter 1: Clues
Eliam Alterian peered into the cave’s mouth, his flashlight beam catching a glint in the darkness. “Check this out, Ela,” he called over his shoulder as his twin hauled herself up onto the rock shelf. Avid rock climbers and spelunkers, Eliam and Elayna loved testing their skill in the Rocky Mountains near the family compound … Continue reading Adventures of the Alterian Family: Prologue
(C) 2020, JJ Shaun Looking back on my blog, I realize that my Sunday posts frequently regurgitate what I wrote earlier in the week. First Reader has pointed this out to me on more than one occasion. This observation has given me plenty of food for thought. As I ruminated on the issue, I made … Continue reading Watch This Space
(C) 2020, JJ Shaun As writers, we all want to write the next Great American Novel. But why? What made you realize that you wanted to be a writer? I can only answer for myself. I’m a life-long reader, even though I haven’t been as much of a reader lately as in the past. When … Continue reading Why Do You Write?
If you’ve been reading these pages, you know I’ve been watching the videos to Brandon Sanderson’s BYU course on writing science fiction and fantasy. As I listen, I’ve been brainstorming on what I call my New Concept and decided to make changes to my stories to fit with what I’m learning. If you’ve poked around … Continue reading Finding the Story
(C) EducatorClips.com I have considered going back to university to get my master’s degree in creative writing. Watching the shenanigans in the Dept of Education, not to mention the cost of college these days, has turned it into a pipe dream. That’s if I go the traditional route. Then again, I always have YouTube as … Continue reading The Cost of Education
My day begins something like this: I get up mid-morning and make my coffee. As I sip breakfast, I peruse social media and find out what’s going on in the world. Sometimes I find an article that tickles my brain. I let ideas percolate, then write on whatever subject comes to mind and let it … Continue reading The Value of Play
I’ve spent the last few days reviewing the stories I plan to use in my collection. I took down the works as posted and am in the process of reworking them to fit the new narrative. While I have a long way to go, I can see a possible direction this compilation could take. I’ve … Continue reading When Art Imitates Life
It’s been a wild couple of weeks. With all that’s happening in the “real world,” I’ve had a difficult time concentrating on the characters tiptoeing through my imagination. But as things calmed down to a dull roar last week, I watched a scene unfold with the twins as they discovered a hidden cavern. In this … Continue reading Using Life to Create Fiction
(C) 2020, JJ Shaun Sometimes when I write, I get lost in the story my characters are telling, much like when I read a good book. Other times, it’s like forcing every word through clenched teeth. Recent events have my head spinning. I’m sure I’m not the only writer whose mind is reeling with the … Continue reading Imagine A New (Hi)Story
Dream ✨Imagine ✨ Believe
Books, games, music, and life — filtered through the mind of a writer, drummer, and philosopher who thinks too deeply about all of it. If it moves something in your chest, I'm interested.
Tavern Tales
Poetry BLOG By Edge of Humanity Magazine
J.J. Shaun 