How did you decide to write Horror? Have you always pursued this, or did it crystallise as your writing developed? I write horror fiction for several reasons. First off, it’s a safe scare, and safe scares are the best. That’s why we go on rollercoasters and visit haunted houses where some dude in rubber mask … Continue reading Author Interview: Matt Hults
INTERVIEW: DARK FANTASY AUTHOR TRACIE MCBRIDE
Today's guest is dark fantasy author Tracie McBride, renowned for her reality-twisting short stories. What do you enjoy most about writing fantasy fiction? The license to make stuff up! How would you describe the flavour of your fiction in five words? An Amazon reviewer gave me the first three adjectives – disturbing, surreal, otherworldly. I … Continue reading INTERVIEW: DARK FANTASY AUTHOR TRACIE MCBRIDE
Short Story: Cup of Wine
In vino veritas, isn't that what they say? From wine comes truth. From the drunk comes enlightenment. Bullshit, in my view. Absolute bullshit. What I said last night wasn't truth, wasn't enlightenment. Nothing more than sludge emerged from the drunk slug I'd been. Not as bad as that idiot, Jon, though. Jon the Judas, the … Continue reading Short Story: Cup of Wine
An Interview & Review: The Garden Black by Frank Prem
Hello, Frank. I thoroughly enjoyed The Garden Black and I’m wondering what the inspiration behind each piece was, and how you created the relived moment? Frank: All the poems in the Garden Black collection come from the same root – an idea of fantasy and broader speculation. They are also rooted in a mood – … Continue reading An Interview & Review: The Garden Black by Frank Prem
An Introduction to …
Slinky, a new member of our household, adopted from AWL-SA A five-year-old grey and white bundle of expressive sounds (especially at 0300), who's taken over the house and a little bit of our hearts. He sleeps on Pepsi's blankets, plays with her toys, and reminds us that Pepsi lives on in the things she left … Continue reading An Introduction to …
Review – Storm Dancer, by Rayne Hall
A reblog, because I missed the firing up on the right day ... sorry. First up, a warning – this story is dark fantasy. Dark, dark fantasy with potential triggers re physical abuse/rape. I've posted about another of Rayne's stories, and always enjoy the the style and tone. This is the darkest of them all. … Continue reading Review – Storm Dancer, by Rayne Hall
A Pitched Effort
A short short story: -It’s 2245 on Monday 4 July 2022. My name is Detective Inspector Jan Bricker, and with me is Sergeant Milnet and George Dulmer. Please state your name and address for the record, George. -Why am I here? -Come on, George. You’re not under arrest. We just want to have a chat. … Continue reading A Pitched Effort
A Farewell, Friend, Until …
Princess Pepsi, farewell, my friend, until we meet again
It’s a Story this Week
Salt Lake Blues Pink lakes are down south. There's a red lake on the south-east coast. Here, in the badlands of salty sands and nothing to hold water on the surface, there's only the blue salts. Like a cloud of colour. Insubstantial drifts of colour. Blue, the type of blue that comes with summer skies, … Continue reading It’s a Story this Week
Flawed Heroes – What’s Their Appeal?
This is a great story, and although I didn’t want to like Dahoud I ended up desperately wanting him to come through as the man he fought to become – and I’ll be doing a short review next week!
This is a guest post by Rayne Hall. You may know Rayne from her successful Writer’s Craft series. And you may remember how we wrote together Copywriting: Get Paid to Write Promotional Texts. Rayne is also the author of Storm Dancer, one of the finest fantasy books I’ve ever read. It features a flawed hero, which is the subject of her post. The book will be on a special 99c offer until April 30, 2022, to celebrate the launch of the new edition.
Flawed Heroes
I like characters with weaknesses, because they’re like real people, and their flaws make the story vivid. What would Charles Dicken’s tale ‘A Christmas Carol’ be without the sour stinginess of Scrooge, or Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ without Mr. Darcy’s arrogance?
Unlike those dull characters who are already perfect at the novel’s start, flawed heroes need to learn lessons, often difficult and…
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Cage Dunn - Fibber, Fabricator, Teller-of-Tall-Tales 