On the basis of trailers, I don't have high hopes for John Carter, the movie adaptation of E.R. Burroughs' Mars adventures. Some thoughts on why I love the Barsoom books and how this movie appears to fall short. [Continue]

How can a short story writer make a reasonable profit in today's ebook publishing market? Here are a few approaches that might help. [Continue]

One game designer's fantasy setting plays with gender roles and has women, rather than men, in the position of dominant power in a society. Why the upset responses from some male readers? Some thoughts on the subject. [Continue]

Need to overthrow a kingdom in a story or game setting? Here are five ways to do so, in a 5-part series. Part 1 talks pros and cons of armed conflict and 3 things to keep in mind if you go that route. [Continue]

Writing in a different time period? Here are resources to help make sure you're using the right slang and old language for the setting. [Continue]

Here's a tale of a vengeful ghost. The story is one of many that will be in Sa'adani Tales, a folklore collection from my fictional worlds. [Continue]

I've written some folklore for my fictional worlds, and decided to expand this into a book. "Sa'adani Tales" is the collection name. Soon I'll be seeking crowdfunding support for this project. [Continue]

Fairy tales are powerful, and symbols from them need to be used with care in a story. Here are 5 tips for using folklore symbols and allusions in a way that doesn't derail a tale. [Continue]

In creating an alternate history that allows for the paranormal, I considered how the paranormal - ghosts in particular - might have affected historical events. This post takes a look at the link between highwaymen, ghosts, and rural Surrey in the [Continue]

Alternate history: love reading it (here are book suggestions), and love writing it. History plus alternate timelines plus a measure of fantasy if needed or desired: what's not to love? This is Part I of a series looking at why a writer might [Continue]