That title is not, in fact, the name of my new series about an incredibly flamboyant serial killer (OC, do not steal). Torso-cutter is a literal translation of the Japanese term Doutanuki, referring to a particular style of nihonto known for their solid construction and (supposedly) power to cut through Samurai in full armor. I’ve made one […]
One of the big problems I’ve seen among genre fiction authors in recent years is an obsession with explaining things no one wanted explained. Some prime examples include Prometheus, because what everyone really wanted from the Alien franchise was a prequel movie entirely focused on humans (down to a ridiculous HUMANS ARE ACTUALLY ALIENS plot point), and that […]
Every so often, if I determine that the pieces hold up and they’re not surging with precious, precious lore that must not be subjected to thieves (a lot of my better stories take place in the same, closely-guarded universe, sorry about that and also here comes the end of the main sentence so sorry about that too), I’ve decided […]
After considerable delays due to post-RenFaire fatigue (more on that later) and another article I wrote as a sort of lexical fighting retreat, we come round once more to the Wheel of Archetypes. This time, a man you know. A man whose words are few but potent as the broadside of a battleship, a man […]
While sifting my thoughts for the next Wheel of Archetypes article the way a smith tries to find usable iron in a heap of rust and tin, it’s occurred to me to start this series for ideas that I feel don’t get enough attention in media. And, because it wouldn’t be my blog if we […]
I was going to write an article for you guys today, but you see I fell in with this lovely lady while I was out buying coffee and I just couldn’t tear myself away. No, seriously, I mean she handcuffed me and arrested me for harassment. The above is lies, obviously. North does not “go […]
Ashenvein Gate: Stories & Dreams 