“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.” –Dr. Seuss “You need to believe in things that aren’t true. How else can they become?” –Sir Terry Pratchett “Fantasy is silver and scarlet, indigo and azure, obsidian veined with gold and lapis lazuli….” –George RR Martin “Fantasy is … Read more
The current beginning to Brood of Bones is in media res, which I prefer. That said, the original start to Hiresha’s tale is something of a short story unto itself and gives insight into a girl cursed with endless sleep. I cut the prelude in an early draft, when the novel was still titled GRAVID. … Read more
Right-click on link and Save Link As to ensnare a PDF for later, covetous reading: GRAVITY’S REVENGE, preview I’m as happy a djinn freed from his bottle to include multiple internal illustrations in this first act of my upcoming novel. I hope to garnish this section with three to four more internal illustrations, pending the … Read more
First, think of your favorite fantasy book or series. Now, pick a single word that describes what made you love that story. Have the word yet? If so, skip down to the comments and enter it. Do not let the words of others influence you. In Worldcon in Reno, I pounced on many an unsuspecting … Read more
This is a story tag-teamed by Genre Underground authors. It’s shaping up to be in the vein of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. First, delight in the earlier entries: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, and part 5. ~~~ “Indubitably, we are hunting an imposter.” Forcing in an uncertain breath, the lawyer stepped … Read more
I happen to love both reading and dancing, two activities that no sane person would seek to combine. Since this site is dedicated to the Impossible, I decided to put my feet where my mouth was in a new, creative way. What if other people could see the joy we experience when reading a good … Read more
Chapter 2 The Skyway The girl let loose a hissing gasp. The fox squeaked. Hiresha felt her own insides shift forward and down as the magic reoriented her to the side of the cliff. To her, the moment of disorientation felt like coming home. More concerning to her was the cold. She felt it at … Read more
Chapter 3 Mind’s Gate Hiresha locked eyes with the woman dropping to her death. Her brows arched up a narrow forehead, pale lips puckered in a circle, eyes popping, the tip of her nose nipped red. She looked surprised but also questioning, as if begging Hiresha to know why, for what reason she had come … Read more
Chapter 4 Academy Plateau “Chancellor?” Hiresha turned to regard the elder enchantress. With a long neck and a narrow face, the approaching woman resembled a worm wearing a wig. The chancellor’s lavish black braids were decked with gold beads, and kohl paint shaded her eyes after the fashion of the Oasis Empire’s capital. The chancellor’s … Read more
Chapter 5 The Grindstone Hiresha opened the door of the lecture room to find Minna already close to tears. Another novice was taunting the girl. The heckler seemed too engrossed in her sport to notice the inrush of the enchantress’s gowns through the doorway. “…nomad men all wear veils. Are you a shiftless nomad? Are … Read more
