This is a flash fiction story I wrote a couple weeks ago. It follows the same main character from “Shutters on Main” (published at 365 Tomorrows). Ultimately, I felt the story wasn’t really up to par to shop around, so I decided to share it here and then talk a bit about my thought process.
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Deb took a long drag on her cigarette while Darwin tried to scream through his gag.
Read MoreGhorad-Gha, once magnificent city of clay and bronze, crumbles. Those prosperous few burden the shoulders of the downtrodden. In a city of forgotten glory, the lawless thrive.
A monk turns up dead, and Arn is determined to find out why. Along with his stone skinned companion, Rohqim, they'll be dragged deep into Ghorad-Gha's underbelly, where the Horned Scarab reigns.
The Horned Scarab, a fantasy novella set in a prolonged bronze age, is now released for purchase. It's the first part in The Investigative Privateers series. It follows Arn and Rohqim as they investigate a murder and get dragged into a much bigger conflict.
You can buy it now at: Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Nobles, and Kobo.
Add it on Goodreads.
Read the first chapter here.
Chuck Wendig challenged his readers to try and mash two random genres together. The only limitation that the story be 2,000 words. Mine happened to be Time Travel and Comic Fantasy. In theory this should be a juicy match with a plethora of potential goodness, but I struggled with it. I don't know much about comic fantasy, so I did my best to channel a tiny bit of Discworld since that's the only reference I have.
But anyway, let me present...
Read MoreAll the pieces are spread out before you. Trying to find the puzzle pieces isn’t part of the puzzle, it’s all about figuring out how they fit together. Stealth games should be the same. Videogames can do a lot of interesting things, but the stealth genre doesn’t seem to have the same traction as others. I think that’s because the code for what makes great stealth mechanics hasn’t been broken yet. So I’m going to pretend like I have some answers.
Read MoreCan the manticore bite through steel? Does the dragon’s fire melt stone? What happens when someone gets hit with those mage fireballs? Any piece of fiction that has fantastical, sci-fi, superhero, or any variation of those elements needs to have consistent internal logic. It’s the thing that keeps us, the audience, rooted in the world even though Strongman is swinging a bus like a baseball bat.
Read MoreThe Witcher 2 was a huge improvement over the first. I liked the action more, felt more involved with the story, and felt like I needed to rely more on managing which potions and bombs I used. All in all, it was pretty great.
Some minor spoilers below.
Read MoreIt’s always interesting to see everyone’s reflections on a year. For some it was amazing, with career achievements and relationships flourishing, for others it was hellish, with careers failing and relationships breaking. It’s bittersweet to see another year pass.
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