I’ve been plunging into the weeds of reworking Jezelle: Thief of Forks, the darkest story I’ve written thus far. I’m on chapter 22 of 28, so I’m getting there. Before I began this dissection, I thought it was the best book I had ever written. It is humbling to see how much better it isContinue reading “Pushed deep into Jezelle’s darkness”
Category Archives: Jezelle
Leveraging rejection to be a better writer
First, I would like to thank you all. After posting that I was stepping back from blogging to focus on rediscovering my passion for writing fiction, I received a considerable amount of support. There was also concern that I may be giving up. Don’t worry. I am still writing. In fact, I’ve been doing itContinue reading “Leveraging rejection to be a better writer”
Searching for need
I constantly struggle between being a writer and a bookseller. Really, I just want to write, but why write if no one reads it? So, one necessitates the other. I’m a decent writer. I can at least give myself that credit. It is hard-earned after struggling with self-doubt for years. But I’m not such aContinue reading “Searching for need”
Salt and Lucardia’s magic system
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”
Starting Over: What I Learned Scrapping 94 Pages
There’s a special kind of heartbreak that comes from deleting thousands of words you’ve poured your soul into. But there’s also a quiet kind of triumph. A freedom. And sometimes—if you’re lucky—a better book is waiting on the other side. I want to talk about what it means to start over and why I decidedContinue reading “Starting Over: What I Learned Scrapping 94 Pages”
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”
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”
What Naples Gave Me (Besides Jet Lag and Limoncello)
I know it has been some time since my last post, but I just returned from a much-needed two-week vacation in Naples, Italy. I had planned to schedule some posts before I left, but I simply ran out of time. A week before our departure, I received the line edits and feedback from the editorContinue reading “What Naples Gave Me (Besides Jet Lag and Limoncello)”
Into the Abyss: Who Is the Dark Fantasy Reader?
Last time, I wrote about how I didn’t set out to write dark fantasy but found myself here all the same, drawn by the arcane, the spiritual, and the broken beauty of stories that don’t look away from pain. I’m still learning the boundaries of the genre (if there are any) and figuring out whereContinue reading “Into the Abyss: Who Is the Dark Fantasy Reader?”
Dark Fantasy: Rising from the Ashes
I never set out to follow trends, but now that I’m here, I’m curious. My love for the arcane, the spiritual, and the unsettling pulled me into dark fantasy long before I realized that was where I was heading. I’m ashamed to admit, I’m not well-read in it—at least not in the way others canContinue reading “Dark Fantasy: Rising from the Ashes”
