Valentine’s fan or not, February puts love on the brain. I think every reader has their favorite book couple. But I’m going to poke some lighthearted fun at the common romance tropes that drive me bonkers. For the record, though, all these tropes can be utilized well, in fresh and less frustrating ways.
Do you fall in love with characters first, or the plot? Characterization has always been my favorite part of reading and writing. A great plot is dulled if I don’t care about the characters undergoing the plot’s hardships. But what makes a phenomenal character like Hermione Granger or Atticus Finch? What does a writer pour… Continue reading Literary String Theory Part 1: Multidimensional Characters
In the Forest of Artemis, a kingdom unto itself where the stag prince wore a wide fan of creamy prongs as his crown and usurper wolves were the sole cause of unrest, a baby cried. Hares perked their ears and the birds grew silent, the foreign sound quickening their hearts. In the recess of a… Continue reading Queen of the Forest: A Short Story
Ensuring that your readers understand the actions and feelings of your characters is the only way to endear them to readers’ hearts for the long haul. Empathy for characters also keeps readers more invested in the plot. It’s pretty easy to have readers empathize with your protagonist(s), especially if you’re working in third person limited.… Continue reading Literary String Theory Part 3: Empathy Trumps Entropy
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash Looking to get your horror fix this October? In honor of Halloween, I’m breaking down my favorite works from the king of horror himself, Stephen King. There is no author who has influenced my writing style and reading tastes more, and ranking my favorites is no easy task. There’s something here for… Continue reading My Top 10 Stephen King Novels
(AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is the third installment in my Order of Perseus series. All three can stand on their own, but if you’d like, you can read Scarlett’s story here and Taiyō’s here. In “Scarlet Warriors,” the two characters come together.) Cappuccino-sipping patrons looked up from froth-lined mugs and craned their necks to see through crowded bodies… Continue reading The Scarlet Warriors (Part 1): A Short Story
A cool breeze stirred the red drapes of the Fielding home—a sign that October 31st, 2002, would be the first real chilly night in small-town Tennessee since April. Freddy Fielding pulled the throw blanket closer around him on the couch, remote in one hand. At the sound of the doorbell, he flew to the foyer.… Continue reading The Puppet Master: A Short Story
My Dearest Friend, Phillipe, I hope this letter finds you in good health, you old egg. I myself have been under siege of late. But of course, that is what happens when you are forged from a different mold, as are you and I. The feeble-minded still inherit the earth, and they try to feast… Continue reading A Drain on the Neighborhood: A Short Story
Fantasy is about making the impossible possible, and even commonplace, in a world that doesn't live by our rules. It is the ultimate escapism genre. But fantasy is a large genre. If you're writing or planning to write a fantasy novel, and you plan to submit to publishers, they're going to want to know where… Continue reading Flavors of Fantasy: List of Fantasy Subgenres
Taiyō scooted in his rickety chair to let the hulking troll woman squeeze by on her way to the golden bar top. Her round, gray face and bulbous nose reflected in the long mirror behind the bar. Taiyō leaned his chair back on two legs, black boots crossed in front of him, and studied the… Continue reading Caged Lightning: A Short Story
