There’s a wall by your house. It’s old, decrepit. Sad thing, really. There’s bound to be little furry, slimy things living in its stones. Maybe some beautiful, rare flowers grow just on the other side. Or this is the refuge of the Fairy Queen & her Sparrow Prince.
Writing has always felt like this to me: a curiosity, something to step towards slowly so I don’t disturb the rest of the world. To stand before, nervous because I don’t know how to find my footing. To finally grip, slip, & fall. To grip again, & again, until I pull myself over the ledge.
I’ve come to find my footing in writing fantasy with characters who crack wise, screw up, and hurt. Hard. Come with me now, and find them in worlds of magic that sing with the elements and race beyond the stars.
Welcome back my fellow creatives! In the midst of surviving Midwestern snow, rain, more snow, more rain, and a single epic sledding trip– –my family and I find warm solace in rereading old favorites. Bo explores his biographies of the … Continue reading →
Happy New Year, my fellow creatives! I hope 2023 is a kind one to us all. I’m eager to work with my university to develop strong goals as an educator, an advocate, and as a writer. That includes chatting with … Continue reading →
Yes, I know that hashtag #characterdesign is more of an art-related thing, but it fits with this little lesson learned, believe you me. This week started with its usual chaos: calls at 5am for a substitute teacher in 5th grade–no … Continue reading →
Rarely do I allow myself to write with lyrical music on in the background. The words don’t always jive with what I picture in my head, and tend to distract me from the goal of the scene. And yet, there … Continue reading →
When I saw the inside of the book cover was filled with unique world-related ads and propaganda, I knew I was in for something fun.
As writers, we hear all the time that we’ve got to hook readers in just the first few pages or else. We’ve got to hook agents in the first few pages or else.
Whether you’re looking to get published or just hoping to hook your reader, first impressions are vital. Compelling opening scenes are the key to catching an agent or editor’s attention, and are crucial for keeping your reader engaged.
I find myself in a sequel with Jim Butcher’s The Olympian Affair.
Book 2 of The Cinder Series takes a smart approach: start with one character walking through a town with a destination in mind. When a writer takes this narrow focus, they not only give themselves a chance to reacquaint readers with a specific character, but to also re-establish the setting of the world, too. Granted, it’s one town in a fantasy world, but it’s enough to get a sense of what the world is like and how it operates.
Airships are the name of the game here, which is always a fun steampunk concept, and I love that spires take on a whole new meaning through this world. (The fencing swords on the cover are what drew me to pick this book up in the first place.) The writing itself has an interesting rhythm; Butcher deploys short, strong sentences in the midst of long, active prose in order for those brief descriptors to pack a real punch–“The new vatteries stank.”–is a personal favorite of mine. Sensory details like this mixed with banter between two airship captains made the opening pages an intriguing read. If you’re ready to take off for a break from this world (I know I am) then I have a feeling Jim Butcher’s Cinder Spires series would make for an excellent escape.
Jean Lee's World 