I am working on two books at the same time. One book will be my second dinosaur book and the other will be my second superhero book. I have done the prologues of both books. I have started the first chapter of the superhero one and finished the first chapter of the dinosaur one. I am also working on the second chapter of my dinosaur book. I will shift from one project to the other depending on what mood I am in. With any luck, I may finish both at the same time when I’m done, which will be another notable feat in my writing career.
Tag Archives: FICTION
MY NEW WRITING MENTOR
I have a new writing mentor now: my favorite author, Christopher Paolini, author of the Eragon books. I asked him for some pointers on how to improve my future writing and this was our conversation:
Me: “May I ask you for some author advice? I am in the middle of writing my own fantasy book, but there is a bump in the road. There are some characters that I plan to introduce as companions for the main characters, but I cannot decide how best to introduce them. What would you recommend regarding this?”
Paolini: “It depends. Are they a group who travels together? Or do they each join the hero separately? Whatever you do, make the initial meetings interesting and entertaining, and try not to drown the reader in tons of exposition. We don’t need to know everything about these new characters’ backstories. Not right away. It’s good to keep a few secrets. And good luck with the writing!”
I hope this will be the first of many lessons I will receive from Mr. Paolini. It is not every day you receive training and advice from your favorite author! Paolini has become the Master and I have become the Apprentice. A dream come true!
INSPIRATION: NORSE GODS
Among the subjects I have researched for my fantasy book, I found a number of sources of inspiration in Norse mythology; particularly the Norse gods. I am thinking of including features from the Norse gods into some of my characters. For example, Odin sacrificed his eye in order to gain wisdom and Tyr lost a hand while fighting a demon wolf. This will also give me a chance to reconnect with my Viking roots. I look forward to finding out more to use for my project.
BOOK REVIEW: THE FORCE UNLEASHED II
Drath Vader’s secret apprentice is back with a vengeance as he goes on a quest to rediscover his identity. A great story that has twists and turns around every corner. See Yoda and Boba Fett like you’ve never seen them before as they play a significant role in Starkiller’s quest. Vader even more mysterious in this book than he was in the first one. It is a classic combination between The Fugitive, The 6th Day, and The Empire Strikes Back. A highly recommended story to anyone who enjoyed the first Force Unleashed game.
BOOK REVIEW: DYNASTY OF EVIL
Dynasty of Evil demonstrates the core philosophies of the dark side of the Force and describes the background of an even more complex and dangerous character than Darth Vader. This is a highly recommended novel to any Star Wars fan or for anyone who just enjoys science fiction as a whole. I hope every science fiction devotee will enjoy this particular item. May the Force be with you!
FANTASY DISCUSSION GROUP
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/214623-fantasy-writers-and-readers
I have started a new fantasy discussion group on goodreads.com. If you are interested in joining, please feel free to click the link above.
GAME OF THRONES SEASON 7 TEASER
The teaser for Game of Thrones Season 7 has finally been released! We get to see the various sigils of the noble houses clashing against one another with a foreshadow of the White Walkers’ return. Enjoy!
GOODREADS: THE YOUNG GUARDIANS CHRONICLES: COMPENDIUM 1
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31424815-the-young-guardians-chronicles
My Kindle Book, The Young Guardians Chronicles: Compendium 1, is available on goodreads.com! It received a rating of five stars out of five!
I GOT ATTACKED BY A GRABOID!!!
At my latest book signing, I had a close encounter with a Graboid from Tremors! I didn’t make much noise, but the creature found me out! Still, it was an unforgettable experience and made my book signing all the more worthwhile.
WRITING UPDATE: FANTASY BOOK (CHAPTER 12)
I have started the twelfth chapter of my fantasy book and things are getting interesting. In addition to exploring characters I based on my Celtic heritage this is where the main character will come face to face with one of the greatest beasts in my fantasy world. It is going to be a chapter that is both cultural and epic at the same time.