Elements of World Building – the Map

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The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion: Map

As a child playing jrpg’s like Final Fantasy or adventure games like Zelda, I’d always spend several minutes with the included map, gaping at the large continent and the smaller islands scattered over some imaginary ocean.

I loved looking at the mountains and rivers and villages, ancient ruins and mysterious caves, anxious to start my adventure as a character dropped off at some random point with nothing but a sword and a sack.

Even today, when I start reading a new fantasy novel, I obsess over that first page with the map of the world, trying to remember the locations of roads and cities that I’m certain the protagonist would visit.

So seeing that I have this passion, it surprises me that one of the mistakes I made when I first started writing fantasy was not truly mapping out the world […]

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Writing like Usain Bolt Running a 200m Olympic Final

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Usain Bolt in Olympics 2016

The journey has been made. The torch has been lit. Now it’s time for the world’s best athletes to compete in the greatest show of skill known to mankind.

The Olympics is always a thrill to watch, and while I respect champions like Michael Phelps, Andy Murray and Simone Biles, I don’t hold every sport equally exciting.

The one discipline that’s always caught my attention and I always look out for above all others is the 200m sprint.

It blows me away to witness human beings barrelling down a track at seemingly impossible speeds to a finish line in under 20 seconds. Of course, the world record and fastest man to date is none other than Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt.

Once again he’s proved to the world that there is no one faster, and seeing him win the 100m and 200m events made […]

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Writing Update May 2016

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Image courtesy of blackzheep at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Unbelievable that it’s May already.

It feels like the year just started and in a couple of days, months sped by.

This post is an update I plan to do every four months, not only to keep you guys informed on the progress of my writing, but also to give myself a report on how things are going, see where I’ve placed too much focus, and where I need to pick up the slack.

Writing Progress

Unfortunately I haven’t switched back to my main novel Guardian of the Cursed Crown yet. Things have picked up so much in my life that writing has really taken a step back, the major change being the birth of my son Demarion.

Yes, I’m now a father, and it’s a great milestone. But that doesn’t mean I’ve given up writing. I just need to juggle it.

Currently […]

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Review of 2015 and The Way Forward

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Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

2015 is over and we’re in a new year.

And after all the fireworks and champagne and resolutions, it’s time to get back to work, and get back to writing.

But before I start, it’s good to take a moment to reflect on last year’s accomplishments, plan the way forward, and give readers an idea of what I’m working on.

Here’s how my 2015 writing went and what I have set to achieve for the new year.

Writing Progress

My main project is my novel Guardian of the Cursed Crown.

In April, I hired editor Jesse Rebock to look it over. I worked with him before and I was happy with the results so I’m confident he can really push the story forward.

In May, I started a collection of short stories which I’m calling Chronicles of the Cursed Crown. These short […]

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5 Ultimate Fantasy Weapons They Actually Made

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Men-at-Arms

Admit it!

You love fantasy swords so massive they seem impossible to wield, and so mystical they have their own life story.

But these swords are pure fantasy, right? Any real version is just a disappointing mockup of cheap plastic, right?

Well that’s what I thought until I came across Men-at-Arms, a reality show about awesome guys creating the awesome swords we love – out of actual reinforced steel.

So Which ones are the greatest?

Here’s my list of the top five ultimate fantasy weapons they actually made.

Sword of Omens: Thundercats

Men-at-Arms: Sword of Omens

In the Thundercats series, the Sword of Omens is a legendary blade that can only be used by the Thundercat Lord. Being indestructible, razor-sharp, able to shoot blasts of energy, and giving Sight Beyond Sight are all just samples of what this sword is capable of.

While this

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5 Fantasy Creatures You Probably Never Heard Of

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Image courtesy of vectorolie at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Where would fantasy be without mystical creatures and fearsome monsters?

Even though the average logical adult dismisses them as unrealistic, there was a time people swore they exist.

And sure, we’ve all heard about dragons and unicorns and sparkling vampires, but what about the creatures that people use to talk about that for some reason never made it to this century. They deserve some credit too, right?

If you agree, then here are five interesting fantasy creatures you probably never heard of.

The Parandrus

the Parandrus

The Parandrus grew to the size of an ox, had the head of a stag, the branching horns of an ibex, the shaggy coat of a bear, and the legs of a deer.

Originating in Ethiopia, this creature was admired for its ability to adapt to every challenge. Like […]

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5 Real Chambers of Bones and Human Remains

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Image by Satish Indofunk at flickr cc

I’ve seen them in movies like Indiana Jones. I’ve seen them in novels like Gotrek and Felix. I’ve seen them in games like Dark Souls.

And every time characters come across a chamber full of them, it’s meant to be so horrific that the weak-hearted screams while dramatic music plays.

What am I talking about?

Human skulls, bones, and corpses decayed beyond recognition.

You would think that a room or cave filled to the brim with this stuff would be too horrific to keep close to society, right?

Well they’re not. In fact, they’re actually considered great tourist attractions.

Where are these places?

Here are 5 real chambers of bones and human remains.

Capuchin Crypt, Rome

When Capuchin monks arrived at the church of […]

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