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Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
The problem with funny books – I mean, really funny, giggling-uncontrollably-whilst-everyone-in-your-crowded-train-car-speculates-about-whether-perhaps-someone-ought-to-call-the-paramedics sorts of books – is that you can get so wrapped up in the pleasure of reading…
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Turmoil & Tribulation in Series Fantasy: Why Authors Torment Your Favourite Characters
I slammed down my copy of George R. R. Martin’s Storm of Swords on top of the bed. It bounced. “That son of a—” “Please stop yelling at…
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The Music of Traitor’s Blade
By far the most common question you get asked as an author is “where do your ideas come from.” Of course, my ideas come from the same places…
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5 Tips For Fight Scenes
Fight scenes are dangerous territory for writers. On the surface, they seem as if they’re guaranteed to keep the reader glued to the action in the same way…
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The Sword on the Stage and the Page
Note: I originally wrote this for ScienceNow.com back in 2014. Human beings have a complicated relationship with the sword. On the one hand, it’s an instrument of violence…
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Why I Hate Knights
I hate knights. How is it that the biggest bunch of self-involved bullies in all of European history became the most prominent heroes in fantasy literature? These are…
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Balancing Wit & Grit In Fantasy
Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is a tragic play fraught with intrigue, betrayal, and murder that makes us question the very foundations of human nature. It starts with a joke…
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The Perfect Blade For Every Battle
It’s a dangerous world out there, and if you’re not careful you could soon find yourself on the wrong end of an opponent’s knife, a zombie’s tooth, or…
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The Story Behind Traitor’s Blade
Note: I originally wrote this for Upcoming4.me back in 2014. There are a number of things you try do in the middle of an fencing match: concentrate on…
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The Reader Is The Choreographer: Writing Fight Scenes
I’ve been getting asked about how to write fight scenes a fair amount these days so let me start with a first principle: Violence is boring.