Like I’ve always said, I’m a planner and an outliner. I can’t just wing my way through a novel.I need my big picture. Part of having that big picture outlook […]
Read moreCategory: fantasy
Fantasy Tropes: The Noble Warrior
Generally speaking, the classic Anglo/Francan/Germanic knight doesn’t exist in Druthal or Maradaine. It’s a trope that doesn’t fit with the worldbuilding I’ve done, despite it’s longstanding place in the genre. […]
Read moreA less binary look at Genre Fiction Quality
Earlier this week, Strange Horizons reviewed Michael J. Sullivan’s Thief of Swords, in which the reviewer finds the book quite wanting. Her review is pointed and barbed, though entertainingly so. […]
Read moreFantasy Tropes: The Gentleman Thief
Right now my fiction-reading* is Among Thieves by Douglas Hulick, which I had heard from several sources as being the best fantasy book from a debut author in 2011. So […]
Read moreWorldbuilding: Cultural Perception Filters
My current worldbulding/research read is “Spice: The History of a Temptation” by Jack Turner. It’s a fascinating look at how the search for spices drove European exploration, as most of […]
Read moreFantasy Sports
I’m not going to be talking about Fantasy Football Leagues, or anything of the sort. Frankly, I don’t know much of anything about those. Rather, I want to talk about […]
Read moreAutumn is Upon Us
Ah, September is here, and the leaves are changing color. Of course, I’m in Texas, and that has more to do with drought than seasonal changes. The temperatures here are […]
Read moreScrounging around at the last minute
If you’ve been reading my blog with any regularity, you know that ArmadilloCon is tomorrow, so I’m handling all the various personal last-minute details– household organization and such– before things […]
Read moreNPR’s Top 100, final list.
NPR has now put out it’s final list, based on the votes put in. Of my 10, seven made it in, with Lies of Locke Lamora and the Octavia Butler […]
Read morePre-ArmadilloCon, Part Two: Panels I’ll be attending
In addition to the panels I’ll be on, there are plenty of other panels I’m excited about. (Though possibly the one I’m most excited about, “The Second Book is the […]
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