Author: admin

Black River Book Trailer

A book trailer for my fantasy novel Black River. Father-and-daughter made. No better way to start winter break.
Black River Released

Folks, I am pleased to announce the release of Black River, a full-length novel and the second book in my grimdark fantasy series The Hounds of the North. Black River begins where The Witch of the Sands left off and follows Shield Scyldmund and his aging comrades as they return to the North after a…
From Fighting to Writing: How Competing in Martial Arts Helps in the Creative Process

The lessons I have learned in my study of martial arts, especially competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, have made me a stronger writer. Here are the 5 top lessons. Here are the top 5 lessons I have learned competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that have made me a stronger writer.
Top 5 Exotic Chinese Weapons

While my fantasy series The Hounds of the North takes place in a thinly disguised European- and African-inspired world, I have a strong background in the study of Asian martials arts. So this got me thinking. If my next series were to be written in a Chinese-influenced fantasy world, what would be the outlandish Chinese…
Cover art: Grimdark Fantasy

This week’s cover art post focuses on grimdark from some of my favorite authors including Joe Abercrombie, Glen Cook and Mark Lawrence. First up, Lord Grimdark himself: Joe Abercrombie. One of the interesting things about Red Country is that while it is a grimdark fantasy, this one was written through the lens of a Western.…
Top 3 Viking Weapons

In my books The Witch of the Sands and Black River, my main characters, the Hounds of the North, are loosely inspired by a range of warrior peoples: Picts, Scots and Vikings. Given that, I added a heavy influence of Viking background weapons in the stories. Part of the fun in the stories was supplying…
How to Read a Kindle eBook on an iPad or your Computer

Since I published my grimdark novella, The Witch of the Sands, in October, a number of people have asked how to read a Kindle formatted ebook on their iPad or computer desktop since they do not own a Kindle reading device. The good news is that you can read your new ebook on a range…
Why Every Aspiring Author Should Try NaNoWriMo

For aspiring authors, November is all about NaNoWriMo. Here are 3 reasons why authors should give this month-long writing challenge a try.
The Witch of the Sands Released

Folks, I am pleased to announce the release of my novella The Witch of the Sands, the first book in my grimdark fantasy series The Hounds of the North. The Witch of the Sands is available on Amazon. Summary Shield Scyldmund captured his prize: the bloody head of a desert chieftain. But despite the promise…
Top 4 Lessons about How to Deliver a Better Author Reading

The best part of my recent author reading was not what I delivered. It was what I learned.
Cover Art: Bran Mak Morn

This week an assortment of covers for Bran Mak Morn, the Pictish hero created by Robert E. Howard, best known for his Conan stories.
Excerpt from The Witch of the Sands

An excerpt from the grimdark novella The Witch of the Sands published in October 2014.
Novellas Versus Novels: What a Difference a Few Words Make

One of the wonderful aspects of being an author chasing down the self-publishing route is that I can also explore literary forms that traditionally are difficult to sell, such as the novella.
How many coppers for the head of a warlock?

When two beta readers questioned how much my band of mercenaries were getting paid to kill a warlock, I knew I had to take a step back and figure out the economic system.
Join Me at a LitQuake Event on October 11th

I am excited to announce that I will be the local author host for renowned sci-fi author Hannu Rajaniemi who will be reading at the LitQuake event on October 11th in San Rafael.
The 7 Deadly Sins of SciFi and Fantasy Writing Critique Groups

While I was recently listening to the Writing Excuses podcast on writing critique groups, a flood of memories came back to me from the various critique groups in which I have participated. With these memories of marked up manuscripts and lively exchanges, another set of memories have returned: the Seven Deadly Sins of critique groups.
Trying to decide on a cover

Help me decide on the cover for The Witch of the Sands, the first book in the Hounds of the North series.
Cover Art: Edgar Rice Burroughs

In honor of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s birthday this week, I am sharing the covers of a few of his books that I have on my shelves. Which one do you like best?
5 Writing Books to Burn

Writing is the art of strangling distraction. Mostly what we do is sit alone at our desks and do whatever we can to not write. Some of the worst distractions to the act of writing are books on writing.
Cover Art: Kane

This week’s look at fantasy book cover art drills down on Karl Edgar Wagner’s Kane. Which one do you like best?