Guest Blog: Mark Lawrence, Author of PRINCE OF THORNS

I’m writing this in the dark in a cubicle at the children’s hospital in Bristol, UK. If I lean the laptop screen far enough forward to illuminate the keys with its glow, I can type but not see what I’m typing. If I lean it further back I can see what I’ve typed, but not……

The Writer’s Craft #35 – How to keep up readers’ interest in a series

M. D. Benoit is the author of the popular Jack Meter Case Files (http://mdbenoit.com). She lives in Ottawa, Ontario, where all of Jack Meter’s Case Files are solved—with a few jumps throughout the universe…and beyond. In the first book, as with any stand-alone novel, the readers should get a good idea of who the protagonist……

Spec Tech: Learning the Drill

I know I’ve got a request for a topic (don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about building things with sandstone!) but this last month I spent a week on drilling rig in the wilds of Wyoming, so I thought I’d write about that experience while it was still fresh in my mind. Other than looking at……

Writer’s Craft #34 – What are Your Characters Consuming?

Kelly A. Harmon defines “Dischism” for us as this week’s guest on the Writer’s Craft. Kelly writes fantasy and dark fantasy with the occasional science fiction piece. See her list of publications and honors. In the novel I’m shopping, one of the main characters, Karis, is distraught over having (perhaps) killed someone by accident. He’s……

Spec Tech: Conlanging 5 — In which more vocabulary is needed

This is the fifth in a series of posts “live-blogging” the creation of a fictional language from scratch, with the help of our readers.  We plan to construct a functional language one piece at a time, incorporating suggestions and preferences from our audience along the way.  You can read previous installments here: one, two, three,……