So I had an extremely vivid dream last Friday night where I got cancer and learned that I had only a month to live. Among other things, I found myself asking: “What am I going to do about my writing career? Who is going to finish all these books? Are they going to fade into… Continue reading Rethinking some things
Tag: death
Trope Tuesday: Death Seeker
The Death Seeker is a character who wants to die, but for whatever reason isn’t willing to commit outright suicide. The TVtropes page has a good summary: At some point in the past, some characters have had a traumatic experience, found themselves dishonored, committed a crime they could not repay, or lost everything worth living… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Death Seeker
The Legend of Deathwalker by David Gemmell
I’m not even going to try to write a synopsis of this story. It’s just like all the other books in the Drenai series, which is why I love it so much. Basically, this one gives the story behind the rise of Ulric, khan of the Nadir, and the origin of the Nadir people. Interestingly… Continue reading The Legend of Deathwalker by David Gemmell
Trope Tuesday: It Has Been an Honor
If there ever was a phrase that invoked manly tears, it’s this one. “It has been an honor” is pretty much the go-to catch phrase for any Heroic Sacrifice or Bolivian Army Ending. It’s often a precursor to a Crowning Moment of Awesome, and as far as last words go, it ranks right up there… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: It Has Been an Honor
The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend by David Gemmell
Before Dros Delnoch, before Skeln Pass, before the Legend there was a seventeen year old woodsman and his young bride Rowena. They lived a happy, simple life until slavers attacked their village and carried her away. But Druss would stop at nothing to save her. With the demon-cursed blade Snaga, he crossed oceans and continents,… Continue reading The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend by David Gemmell
Trope Tuesday: Came Back Strong
This trope, also kown as apotheosis, is by far my favorite part of the hero’s journey. Up to this point, the hero has faced a lot of tests and trials. Some of them he’s passed, some of them he hasn’t, but the setbacks haven’t yet been enough to stop him. Sure, the costs have been… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Came Back Strong
Trope Tuesday: Mentor Occupational Hazard
Being a mentor to the hero can be a pretty tough job. Don’t believe me? Check out the tvtropes page: If you don’t have to convince The Chosen One who just wants to be normal to grow a spine and accept the Call to Adventure, you have to convince your blindly excited and dangerously eager young pupil that You Are Not Ready to learn the Dangerous… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Mentor Occupational Hazard
Trope Tuesday: Belly of the Whale
The last stage in the departure phase of the hero’s journey is called the Belly of the Whale, after the Biblical story of Jonah. After receiving the call and passing the threshold to the land of adventure, the hero faces what may quite possibly be the darkest hour of his life and dies in some way… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Belly of the Whale
Trope Tuesday: Hoist By His Own Petard
One of the most satisfying ways to defeat the villain is to have his own nefarious scheme bring about his downfall. In Hamlet, Shakespeare described this as “hoist by his own petard,” or blown up by his own bomb. Basically, it’s a self-deposing villain whose evil plans have gone horribly right. Not only is this a… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Hoist By His Own Petard
Character Interview: Master Sergeant Roman Andrei Krikoryan
So I recently heard about a really interesting blogfest, where the goal is to blog about the characters in your story, as well as have a little fun with flash fiction. The prizes look pretty good, too: a couple of free books and a manuscript critique, from a couple of up-and-coming editors. Not bad…but the… Continue reading Character Interview: Master Sergeant Roman Andrei Krikoryan