Writing a book about a group of monks who primarily deal with the dead brought me down an assortment of macabre rabbit holes. Some of it was fascinating, and some will plague my nightmares. Although I write fantasy, I write grounded fantasy in the late-medieval period. Patching together the real with the fantastical gives theContinue reading “The Novice of Thanatos and the Real-World Practice of Mos Teutonicus”
Tag Archives: history
The Order of Thanatos and the Mystery of the Threshold
When I set out to create the world of Lucardia, I knew that death wouldn’t simply be an ending—it would be something tangible that shapes the world as much as the living. Many fantasy settings leave the question of the afterlife to faith and speculation, but in Lucardia, there is no mystery about whether ghostsContinue reading “The Order of Thanatos and the Mystery of the Threshold”
From Sathanas to Erikson: The Evolution of Lucardia
As the release of Destiny of the Daystar quickly approaches (book 4 of the Absolution of the Morning Star, January 7th) and I feverishly write Duke Rhime of the Spire, a book set hundreds of years before the AMS series, I find myself pondering the weight of Lucardia’s extensive history. Oh, stop the moans. IContinue reading “From Sathanas to Erikson: The Evolution of Lucardia”
How History Inspires My Fantasy: The Foundations of Lucardia
As a writer of dark, epic fantasy, I often find that the seeds of my stories take root in the fertile soil of history. The Absolution of the Morning Star series, particularly Destiny of the Daystar (releasing January 7th, 2025), and the series’ prequel Koen: Quills from the Raven’s Nest (coming Spring 2025 from GrendelContinue reading “How History Inspires My Fantasy: The Foundations of Lucardia”
Character Study: Erikson Gray from Absolution of the Morning Star
Erikson Gray embarks on a powerful journey across the Absolution of the Morning Star series. In the first four books—Dawn of the Lightbearer, The Mourning Son, Noonday in the North, and Destiny of the Daystar—he transforms from a young apprentice into a figure grappling with power, sacrifice, and identity. But with two more books toContinue reading “Character Study: Erikson Gray from Absolution of the Morning Star”
Zulikaarme: A House of Broken Spirits
I’m continuing my deeper dive into the foundations of my fictional universe. In the world of Lucardia, kingdoms rise and fall, and ancient legacies shape the destinies of those bound to them. The Zulikaarme family and their ancestral capital city of Brae stand at the center of a tragic tale of ambition, sacrifice, and resilience—aContinue reading “Zulikaarme: A House of Broken Spirits”
