Salt in Lucardia is never merely a seasoning. Across worlds—ours and theirs—it has always been a thing of reverence. Empires rose and fell upon the salt trade; soldiers were once paid in it, their salary stems from sal, the Latin word for salt. It purified wounds, sealed oaths, and guarded the living from what lingeredContinue reading “Salt and Lucardia’s magic system”
Category Archives: Absolution updates
Playing with Schrödinger’s cat
There’s a strange pattern in my life: whenever I say something with absolute confidence, I end up being wrong. Not just once or twice — consistently enough that my wife has noticed too. It’s become a running joke between us. I’ll declare something as fact, and the universe seems to grin and say, Oh, really?Continue reading “Playing with Schrödinger’s cat”
Preorder Now Available: Duke Rhime of the Spire
After a long journey through drafts, submissions, and soul-searching, I’m thrilled to announce that Duke Rhime of the Spire is now available for preorder, a Lucardian chronicle of power, sorcery, and sacrifice. This book marks a journey back to the early, darker days of Lucardia, set 310 years before the events of the Absolution ofContinue reading “Preorder Now Available: Duke Rhime of the Spire”
Mapping Lucardia: Three Eras, One Fractured Realm
As Koen: Quills from the Raven’s Nest slowly but surely inches toward publication, Grendel Press requested a map. The fantasy world loves maps, so this was no easy ask. I have many versions of a Lucardia map; the one I sent to Grendel is specifically for Koen, but Lucardia has undergone many changes over theContinue reading “Mapping Lucardia: Three Eras, One Fractured Realm”
The Silence Between Pages: On Loneliness in My Books
I’ve always been comfortable being alone. Not in a performative, monk-on-a-mountain sort of way—but in the quiet, backyard-on-a-summer-evening kind of way. I’m an introvert by nature. Growing up, there were stretches when there were other kids in the neighborhood and stretches when there weren’t. During the quiet times, I turned inward. I imagined stories, builtContinue reading “The Silence Between Pages: On Loneliness in My Books”
Defining my world
Recently, I undertook a major project for my website. I’ve always wanted to produce a glossary for my Lucardian world, primarily for my readers but also for myself. Currently, I have completed eight books set in Lucardia (five published and three yet to be published). On top of that, I have about 25-30 other projectsContinue reading “Defining my world”
How Ruins Shape My Imagination
A few weeks ago, standing amid the remains of the Herculaneum in Naples, I was reminded why ruins have such a hold on my imagination. A decade ago, I visited Pompeii — vast, sprawling, monumental in its decay. Pompeii overwhelms with its scale, but it also distracts with its size. The Herculaneum, smaller and moreContinue reading “How Ruins Shape My Imagination”
I Don’t Write Heroes—And Here’s Why
I didn’t set out to avoid heroes. But every time I tried to create one—the kind who stands tall, speaks clearly, and always knows right from wrong—I felt like I was lying. The stories I needed to tell weren’t about saviors. They were about survivors. About what happens after the battle, after the prophecy, afterContinue reading “I Don’t Write Heroes—And Here’s Why”
Forging the Cover: The Evolution of Dawn of the Lightbearer
Every book cover makes a promise. But sometimes, it takes five versions to make the right one. When I first published Dawn of the Lightbearer almost four years ago, I was driven by story, passion, and vision—less so by design experience. I have an eye and real-life artistic skills, but digitally producing a book coverContinue reading “Forging the Cover: The Evolution of Dawn of the Lightbearer”
Before the Lightbearer: Why I Had to Write Koen
Now that Koen: Quills of the Raven’s Nest is back from the editor and getting all patched up (we’re almost there), I’ve fallen back in love with the book. I wasn’t supposed to write Koen. Not yet, anyway. When I began charting the course of the Absolution of the Morning Star series (AMS), I hadContinue reading “Before the Lightbearer: Why I Had to Write Koen”
