Category Archives: Koen

Visitor Reviews of Lucardia

Last week, the official travel agency of Lucardia offered a carefully curated introduction to some of the kingdom’s finest destinations. You can find those here. This week, in the interest of transparency, we have agreed to publish some of our best comments from travelers who actually visited them. The Lucardian Tourism Board has graciously providedContinue reading “Visitor Reviews of Lucardia”

A Traveler’s Guide to Lucardia

So, you’ve decided to visit Lucardia. Excellent choice. Whether you are searching for breathtaking mountain vistas, ancient cities, unspoiled forests, vibrant local traditions, magnificent ruins, fascinating religious history, or the exhilarating possibility of being chased across a field by something considerably larger than yourself, Lucardia offers an unforgettable travel experience. Few destinations can boast suchContinue reading “A Traveler’s Guide to Lucardia”

The Words That Remain: Editing Sylvanus

I have spent an enormous amount of time editing Sylvanus: Swords and Sons over the last three weeks. More time than I typically do for pure writing, and probably more than makes rational business sense, but I am in love with this tale and want to make sure it is as good as I canContinue reading “The Words That Remain: Editing Sylvanus”

Timelines: The Bane of My Existence

There are certain things that keep a writer up at night. Is this character interesting enough? Does this chapter drag? Did I use the word just seventeen times on the same page? And then there is my particular torment: Timelines. My formal Lucardian Timeline covers roughly a thousand years of recorded history, but once youContinue reading “Timelines: The Bane of My Existence”

Two Hundred Knights, a Bed Warmer, and a Tornado

Last week, I was on a stay-cation, which, for me, apparently means spending most of my “relaxing” time finishing writng a novel. I had been aiming for 2,000 words a day as I pushed toward the end of Sylvanus: Swords and Sons, but once I could see the finish line, that goal pretty much wentContinue reading “Two Hundred Knights, a Bed Warmer, and a Tornado”

Sylvanus’s first draft is complete!

I typed the final words of Sylvanus: Swords and Suns this morning. The first draft is officially complete at 31 chapters, 468 pages, and 136,765 words. Those numbers will certainly change as I work through the manuscript. Some things will be cut, others expanded, and there are already places I know I want to revisit. ByContinue reading “Sylvanus’s first draft is complete!”

Every Wound Has an Ancestry

I have spent some time beating myself up for not finishing Absolution of the Morning Star sooner. The series was moving along nicely. Four books were complete, and only two remained. I knew where the story was heading, even if some of the roads were still obscured. Then I got sidetracked by Koen. At first, Koen:Continue reading “Every Wound Has an Ancestry”

Chasing the Current

Sylvanus: Swords and Sons has now crossed 60,000 words, placing me roughly at the midpoint of the novel. After a long and arduous journey, Sylvanus and his remaining companions are preparing to cross into the Northlands and enter the realm of his brother, Koen. It is a major transition in the story, but also inContinue reading “Chasing the Current”

Writing in the Gray

I have never been all that interested in stories that divide the world neatly into good and evil. I hope that if you have read my work, it is immediately apparent. That may sound strange coming from a dark fantasy author. My books are filled with tyrants, monsters, witches, fallen powers, corrupted faiths, ancient evils,Continue reading “Writing in the Gray”