Don’t Overthink Whatever you say is up to you. Fans regularly ask what they should say in a book review. Most of the time, they are overthinking the process. They see fancy reviews dissecting books into particulate blocks of thematic...
I’ve wanted to spotlight Jason Chan for many months – he’s one of my absolute favorite living artists – but something keeps coming up that is more pressing so for now, enjoy his Servant of the Panther Queen as the...
Free chapters from author Drew Briney’s books (and a couple drabbles for good measure)
I’m not such a dedicated Debbie Downer that I’m going to argue that fine literature will disappear in 2019, but I do believe we are at the cusp of creating an environment where fine literature will become dusty fodder for...
Rising Star Authors in 2019 I’m starting 2019 with a new approach to my blog. I’ll be featuring other authors once or twice a month and then offering a package giveaway of their paperbacks the week or two following the...
While the media steals the spotlight from groundbreaking inventions and incredible technologies, scientists continue to plow through new challenges with a vengeance. What’s new? Hmm. What’s not new? Groundbreaking research in epigenetics is opening the door to understanding latent or “junk”...
The Science Scientists predicted, observed, and proved the evolution of a Florida lizard – but they were shocked at how fast and how much they changed. Within fifteen to twenty generations, green anole lizard feet dramatically changed in size and...
Photo by Hossein Zare Less is More “Less is More” is both the mantra of minimalists and authors. I believe there is truth in the statement from both perspectives but I believe this message of minimalism can be more...
UpJourney just posted an article featuring me, myself, and I as one of 20 expert storytellers explaining the secrets of their craft. Check it out and let me know in the comments below which advice seemed most helpful to...
On the eve of releasing my newest novella, Assassin Hunter, I’m excited to reveal the new cover. A few years ago, I began heavily studying transhumanism and contemplating the various less-pondered ramifications it could be bringing to our species and...
As disturbing as it may be when you take time to investigate and think deeply about it, studies about the depth of inaccuracies we inadvertently create in our memories is quite fascinating. Julia Shaw’s recent book The Memory Illusion shows...
Westworld season 1 left me feeling lost (geek allusion intended) most of the season, which was undoubtedly J.J. Abrams’ fault (he wrote/directed Lost) but Westworld’s season 1 finale was so good and the payoff was so unexpected, I trudged all...
I first started studying multiple personality disorders nearly twenty years ago. I was clerking for a small firm, trying to help a young woman escape a cult. Things happened to her but she wouldn’t remember the details. Occasionally, she’d...
My fans know I’ve been writing a screenplay for my latest novel, Unproven, because various networks have expressed interest in purchasing it for either an animated movie or a 54 episode animated series. What fans don’t know is how awesome...
What do sea dragons, epigenetics, artificially intelligent cyborgs, and magic all have in common? You guessed it: Sea Dragon Apocalypse, my upcoming sci-fi/fantasy novel. Yes, I used those terms correctly. It is both sci-fi and fantasy, not one or the...
Last fall, my family was featured on a reality tv program where we had to leave the state of Utah in a hurry. What TLC didn’t show was how I’d had a job and housing lined up in South...
I originally posted this drabble in early 2014 but a reader recently brought it to my attention with the following comment: “I read your Falling In Love prose. Amazing! It enthralled me in the first few lines.” So, I’m reposting...
Hey! After two years of hard work, Unproven is finally ready for launch and will be hitting Amazon and B&N on Tuesday, March 6. Occasionally, online stores are a smidgeon slow loading new books so if Unproven isn’t live...
Internationally best selling author, David Farland, has graciously offered to give one of his short stories away to everyone who signs up for my newsletter! (You can sign up at the bottom of the homepage or my news and giveaway...
As many of you will know, I’m a big fan of Eric Velhagen’s art. He’s been featured a number of times on my blog and he recently landed a job illustrating every month of George R.R. Martin’s 2018 Game...
I’ve written a number of posts about memory implants, memory erasure, and mind control. Scientists have inserted a brain into a robot and done several other unbelievable things in the recent past so I thought I should write a little...
Many modern authors write while listening to music soundtracks. I’ve been doing that for a number of years now. “Cornered” from Salt has pushed me to write faster paced scenes and nothing has deluged me with a sense of fantasy more than...
In one of the more poignant philosophical scenes in Westworld, William decides to stop holding himself back from the park and decides to love Dolores despite his commitment to his fiance back home. He passionately tells her: I’ve been pretending...
Richard Browning, a UK inventor, created a real life Iron Man suit he dubs “the Deadalus” and gave it a test flight in front of a TED conference last month. Even though the suit can fly around 200 mph,...
Vuk Kostic (aka Chevsy on DeviantArt) has a very developed style – this is one of my personal favorites. I don’t know if it is deliberately (albeit loosely) based upon the golden mean or if his sense of design is simply...
The image is from an Ardella Cosplay When I started kindergarten, my teachers (including an assistant) suggested to my mother that I be advanced to the third grade. That was neither the first, nor the last time someone remarked about...
The brass at Wattpad.com invited me to approach their editors to have Moon 514 considered as one of their featured science fiction novels. Soon afterwards, they informed me that they had read Moon 514 and that they were excited to have...
Whether you’re aware of it or not, artificial intelligence is all around us and what constitutes “artificial intelligence” is becoming as definitionally nebulous as … well, whatever. Should we call your thermostat artificially intelligent because it regulates temperature in your home...
What is it? Bulldog face, humanoid alien eyes, reptilian neck and skin flaps, tattoo-esque markings, and no discernible ears. I decided to post this as an inspirational work of art because it represents everything good about monster art. It...
Long before Shelley’s Frankenstein, we were sharing stories about changelings, transmutations, and various forms of magic that create new forms of life. As real science has contemplated the possibilities of real life Frankenstein breakthroughs, various transhumanist experiments in 2015 more than humbly suggested...
Once again, acclaimed author Jaime Buckley redesigned the always entertaining WantedHero.com … you should check it out. Really. This isn’t a legitimate blog post. It’s a shout out. That’s it. Get movin’! Click on the picture to learn more...
Today’s inspiration comes from this overdone, classic knight versus dragon fight concept. I think the ambiance and unique setting are what sets it apart from other pieces that often makes this concept so stale. I’m curious what you think –...
I just finished reading the first volume of Game of Thrones. I know – I’m really behind the times here – but to be fair, most Game of Thrones fans haven’t read the books either … and it isn’t too...
Hollywood (and book publishing) are possibly the only industries where an 80% failure rate qualifies you to be an unchallengeable authority. Then again, maybe that’s all in the accounting. Jabs aside, I’m happy to see more strong female characters climbing the...
I’ve kept my eye out for the artist responsible for this half-dragon for a couple years now without any luck. It deserves attention for a few reasons: It is a beautiful example of how to subtly use the golden mean....
I was more than a little shocked to see how Disney treated Cinderella in the newest film. They got so many things right with this film adaptation that I nearly left the theater dumbfounded, wondering if I’d mistakenly heard...
I confess: I have almost zero knowledge about Skyrim. I understand that it’s a video game, that it has a beast logo, and from screenshots, it appears to have some pretty legit graphics. Beyond that, I know nothing. I do...
At long last, 5 Blades: Riveting Realms of Adventure is about ready for publication launch – and here is our sweet cover! I’ll be featured alongside veteran sci-fi fantasy authors Jaime Buckley, David West, Jason King, and Lewis...
Jetman Dubai recently released a jet pack that has been lauded as the modern day Iron Man suit … and while that’s only marketing hyperbole at this point in time, there is little doubt that the real Iron Man suit...
A little inspiration today from either X-Men fan art, Chandra fan art, or someone who felt nostalgic about their old D&D fireball throwing mages. I like this image compositionally and in concept. It feels very engaging, it has a nice...
Today’s inspiration comes from Svetlin Velinov who envisions an omnivorous hydra (are those teeth really plant worthy? Perhaps omnivorous means something more nefariously cache…). I found this piece inspiring because Velinov’s imagination pulled him far afield from the traditional dragon...
While tattoos are all the rage, I have to wonder why they are so prominent in sci-fi fantasy art lately. Okay – maybe I’m a bit stodgy (none of my friends got tattoos when I was growing up because...
I know, I know: Episode VII concept photos were leaked quite a while ago – but I still know people (*cringe*: I shouldn’t admit that but … I know people) who still haven’t seen any of the leaked pics so I...
I had a near death experience (NDE) years ago. I find it somewhat amusing that NDEs continue to ignite such intense controversy but recently, some German scientists determined the controversy wasn’t brewing hot enough so they made it boil over....
When Terminator first came out, the ideas behind it would have been laughable but for Arnold Schwarznegger’s boss appearance. Time travel and cyborgs were so far from realistic science ventures that we all watched the movie with our reality regulators...
What happens when you mix Jane Grey (the Phoenix in X-Men) with an angel, add a pinch of innocent baby face, and throw the mix into modern combat? I’m guessing today’s inspiration is the answer to that question. I’m uncertain why...
In a day when safety from political incorrectness and psychological trauma are nearly universally esteemed as inalienable rights, it is occasionally difficult to imagine a world where public executions and talionic (physical) punishments are the norm. After all, we’re half way across...
You might think mermaids have been on my mind this week by my posts – and you’d be wrong – but if they were, it would have to be Sacha Kalis’ fault. I wish it was me swimming in the...
As soon as an idea inspires myriads of people, thousands of aspiring artists throw their hand at it until the very idea becomes trite or overdone. Mermaids are like that. A quick google search for mermaid images offers hundreds of unpolished...
Science Fiction has inspired many innovations over the past few decades. Cloaking devices, chameleon-esque camouflage, memory manipulations (including erasures and implants), suspended animation, artificial intelligence, underwater breathing without tanks, Jedi mind control (almost), total immersion gaming, mind controlled prosthetics, personal...
First, MIT came out with an unbelievably effective invisibility cloak and now, engineers from the University of California at Berkeley have created a new, very thin and flexible chameleon like artificial skin. Okay – it might not make you...
Dr. Denys Makarov would have Marvel fans pretty excited if they were paying attention. He’s recently invented a new “magnetic sensor, which is thin, robust and pliable enough to be smoothly adapted to human skin, even to the most flexible...
Lagiacrus, the flagship monster of Monster Hunter 3, deserves your attention – and not just because this picture is so boss! For some reason we can all probably relate to, fire breathing dragons hog the press – and maybe that’s...
Too often in SFF, the arts are blandly portrayed, as if the arts will never flourish in the future – or in fantasy cultures. Occasionally, in quasi-visionary movies, we see glimpses of creative new ideas for the arts but they...
Drew hangs out with all-time bestselling authors on a YA recommended reading list. Okay, it’s not a Hugo Award and it didn’t land me on Oprah but sometimes a relevant People’s Choice Award is even better. After recently being voted a Top...
Charles Schulz has to rank among the very few comic strip authors who are both humorous and philosophical, pragmatic and ridiculous. As a kid, I related to Charlie Brown much like many other kids my age: he was struggling to...
How is it that our PC saturated culture has created so few disabled protagonists in modern literature? After all, aren’t our heroes supposed to have some weaknesses that they have to overcome so they don’t become a stale character? Hat tip...
Suspended animation conjures images of a frozen Hans Solo, Avatar-esque space travel, and Star Trek’s infamous Khan. Doctors have been seriously experimenting with possibilities since the 1950s when space travel was first becoming a reality. Sixty years later, we’re still waiting for...
All too frequently, fantasy art falls a little flat and often worse … it gets downright cheesy. Flying gorillas usually fall into that latter category – just google them and see for yourself. **shudder** “You Shouldn’t Be Here” by Ben Wootten...
You might’ve noticed: I love Eric Velhagen’s artwork – he doesn’t fail to offer plenty of action, movement, interesting poses, and often, an intuitive storyline. I haven’t read the Silmarillion yet (yes, that is a shameful admission coming from an...
The rise of artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction. Scientists have replicated the machinations of a round worm’s brain and have given it a robot body. Okay, so watching the robot move is just about as boring as watching a...
Today’s inspiration comes from Jason Chan. Featured on Magic the Gathering cards and several book covers, Jason Chan’s art work is gaining momentum – you can see more by clicking on the image above. To be fair, “City of...
Any great author must intimately confront the machinations of human nature in order to make characters believable. Sometimes, that means studying the thought patterns and habits of children, psychopaths, naive onlookers, cannibals, animals, and serial killers. There are several ways...
Recently, I’ve reviewed the D&D alignment systems for the purpose of looking at characters from a different angle. Simultaneously, I found myself looking at a quote I have on my bedroom wall: “I will always maintain a true principle even...
Breaking edge science can now create false memories, erase memories, and recover lost memories. Fascinating – and scary – scientific discoveries about memories abound lately. Fairly recent research from MIT discovered that memories are not stored in synaptic tissue as...
Asked what he would do if he lost an upcoming fight, Jon Jones responded: “I don’t allow myself to think about that.” I’ve pondered that response every day since I heard it last week. He didn’t elaborate much on that thought...
Today’s daily inspiration: Earl Norem’s Dragon-slayer. Best known for his Conan illustrations, Earl Norem gets my vote for best small sized red dragon. While the style is noticeably outdated to the art critic, you have to give Norem...
I’ll keep it short and sweet: today, SciFi Fantasy Freak recognized me as one of their top 5 authors. Check out their tweet below and then check out some of my story excerpts to tell me if you agree! ...
Star Wars depictions of diving technology may have been prophetic … so forget Harry Potter’s invasive spell for fish gills – that’s just uber unnecessary! The University of Southern Denmark has been developing crystals that absorb oxygen and then release that...
I just finished “Assassin Hunter”, a short story I wrote for the quarterly Writer’s Village competition so today’s inspiration comes Assassin’s Creed art by Chaoyuan Xu: A Leap of Faith. While my story deals with transhumanist themes, including memory erasures, memory...
Gollum may well be the most interesting non-protagonist character ever developed but I have to wonder who is more to blame for that fact in light of the recent LOTR franchise? There is a strong argument that Peter Jackson may...
The most erroneous stories and those we think we know best – and therefore never scrutinize or question. Often, great quotes grab my attention only to fall into the trash bin the more I think about them. That is,...
Ten years from now, teenagers may not believe Jedi mind tricks were once fiction – and it may not matter whether or not you are weak minded. I mentioned in previous transhumanist posts how mind controlled prosthetics are becoming surprisingly sophisticated,...
Today’s inspiration comes from illustrator Sakimi Chan. I know … it really doesn’t make any sense at all. Why is an Irish girl becoming a Samurai and why is her facial shape so … un-Irish? And why are there...
You can’t help but to love a cool picture that immediately inspires a story. Today’s inspiration comes from an anonymous artist with a strong sense of irony. I snooped around to see if I could find the illustrator but...
Years ago, my then favorite cousin introduced me to this fun song: the Monster Rap by Bobby Pickett. It was a modern take on the Monster Mash but now, it’s sort of an undiscovered classic that ought to get loads...
Have you ever wondered why countless fantasy books offer little more than bland descriptions of a “dense forest” for elves to dwell in? If you’re lucky, the author may throw an extra bone into the pot by describing a...
Singing harmony by yourself is admittedly an exotic talent but Anna Maria Hefele can make it both exotic and … beautiful. Tuvan throat singing has been an Inuit (Mongolian) tradition for … who knows how long (not even Wikipedia knows). Even...
