Today we are excited to have Ronie Kendig with us. You may know her for her rapid-fire fiction and military novels, but she also writes fantasy! Not just that, but the final book in her epic fantasy series, Fierian, came out this week (wahoo!). An Army brat, Ronie Kendig grew up in the classic military family, with her father often TDY and her mother holding down the proverbial fort. Their family moved often, which left Ronie attending six schools by the time she’d entered fourth grade. Her only respite and “friends” during this time were the characters she created. It was no …
Enclave Tournament of Legends Character Sheet
Hi everyone! Who’s ready for the battle of epic proportions? Here’s a list of the characters competing in this year’s tournament of legends. First, the heroes: Lohlyn is one of the feared Charab—a king’s assassin—but instead of using her fearsome skills to kill, she is now a secret protector. Don’t be fooled. She may look like a mere lady-in-waiting to the queen but there’s a sharp and deadly blade hidden in her robe. And she’s watching…everyone. Princess Brierly is beautiful and Fairy-Gifted, but also…daft. When a prince finally comes and wakes her up with a kiss, she believes the rescue …
In Defense of Fun
By Sharon Hinck Fun frightens me a bit. As a product of a strong work ethic from both sides of my family, I grew up believing that all work must be completed before indulging in play. Since the work never seemed to end, a time for play rarely felt appropriate. Even when I worked hard enough to earn a little relaxation, I tried to justify this free time to be sure it wasn’t “wasted,” by focusing on activities that were educational or strengthened me for more work. Because of this predisposition, when I’ve spoken about the value of fantasy and …
Seven Questions with Joshua A. Johnston
Hi everyone! This month we have Joshua A. Johnston with us. During the day, he’s a high school teacher and at night he’s spinning stories about space. His first novel, Edge of Oblivion is available now and his second book, Into the Void, comes out February 6th. Yes, that’s right, in a couple of days! In the meantime, here he is to answer seven questions. 1) What is your favorite part of speculative fiction? I love venturing into worlds that I could never see in real life. The idea that I could visit an alien world light years from Earth, or a …
What Video Games Taught Me About Speculative Fiction Writing
I’ve being playing video games since I was a kid. As a child of the 1980s, my earliest gaming happened on a TRS-80 with a tape drive, followed a few years later by a DOS-based PC. My first console was an NES, which I received—along with a stern lecture from my father about not playing it too much—not long after the system released in North America. From the beginning, it was clear that games with more involved storylines appealed to me, such as Zork or Final Fantasy. I didn’t mind playing games like Zaxxon or Super Mario Bros., but …
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Seven Questions with S.D. Grimm
Hi Everyone! We are excited to have S.D. Grimm with us today, especially since her latest fantasy novel, Amber Eyes, comes out this month *squee*. So without further ado, here are Seven Questions with S.D. Grimm. 1) What is your favorite part of speculative fiction? Possibilities. There’s something majestic about watching a gryphon fly over a battle scene. Something amazing about a ship that can “make the jump to light speed.” The thought that things outside of our “normal” realm of what’s possible holds a magical quality that makes me feel like a kid experiencing wonder, and I love it. …
Keep the Candy, Crush the Saga
By Joshua A. Johnston, originally posted 7/29/2013 at Nintendojo If you are a regular to Facebook, you may have noted a recent uptick in the word “saga” in your news feed. (By leading off with this I am probably dooming this article to being outdated if it is read even six months from now.) Candy Crush Saga and its various kindred apps (Farm Heroes Saga, Papa Pear Saga, Pet Rescue Saga… you get the idea) have become mainstays for gamers using Facebook or packing a smartphone. Nary a day goes by where I don’t have several people reminding me that they’ve completed Level 164 …
Interview with Charles Franklin
Hi everyone! Today we have debut author Charles Franklin with us. Charles was born and raised in Texas. From there, he joined the United States Army and has traveled the world. Along the way, he saw the most beautiful set of eyes he had ever seen. They belonged to a girl … and he married her right away. Twenty years later, they have three children and are finally headed back home to Texas for good. Upon retiring from the Army after 23 years, Charles will continue to serve others as a teacher in the town he grew up in. When he’s …
The “Saviors” of Speculative Fiction
By Joshua A. Johnston FAIR WARNING: there are spoilers here of various science fiction and fantasy movies and novels. In general, I’ve tried to avoid spoilers from less than 5 years from the time of this post (2012 and later) but if you’ve never watched Star Trek or read Lord of the Rings, expect spoilers. “Well, look on the bright side. We’ll all have high schools named after us.” – a crew member of the spaceship Messiah in the 1998 film Deep Impact, after the crew realizes they all have to die to save Earth. Whether you’re a Christian or …