Gamers who play violent 3D living room gaming report higher levels of anger than gamers who only play 2D systems, regardless of screen size. The study found a strong correlation between levels of anger (as guaged by participants) and gamers’ perception...
Scientists have developed a prosthetic that allows amputees to regain sensations from lost limbs. Cybernetics – communication between machines and biological tissue – received widespread attention when the Empire Strikes Back hit the silver screen. Luke Skywalker received a prosthetic hand...
When Stupid Jack declares: “Mummy you is 4x dummer than I thunk you was,” my children can’t help but to laugh. The line comes from Willy Claflin’s Stupid Jack & the Beanstalk story right after his mother scolds him for...
Scientists have successfully used light to erase unpleasant memories in mice. You’re next! Sounds scary? Well, maybe this sounds scary if you’re a conspiracy theorist or if you have enjoyed a blissfully happy life but if you suffer from PTSD and...
Often, depictions of fantasy dragons are a huge disappointment. Words like “cheesy,” “trite,” “overdone,” and “disappointing” often come to mind when I look at dragon art (which is not all that uncommon). That day may be over soon. Enter: Eric...
Increasingly savvy movie goers are demanding that Hollywood learn an important lesson: we can tell when your aliens are using bad grammar! Really? Scoff all you want but it’s true and sci-fi/fantasy authors ought to take note because fans are starting...
Most mythological creatures have very interesting real life counterparts, whether they be cyclops, unicorns, giants, or anything else. I’ve seen a number of real “dragons” in my life: winged lizards from Borneo, 1,000 pound alligators, komodo dragons, uber cool and supposedly real spine...
Proposals to produce a Jetson-esque flying car have flooded the industry but we’re just now receiving promising proposals. The European Union is now focusing on “MyCopter” as a solution to the world’s traffic congestion problem. Designing a flying car...
Verdict: Guilty by reason of brain waves. Sound implausible? Not for long. Science Daily reports that preliminary data from the Association for Psychological Science is hoping to keep us from ever lying again … well, at least they are hoping...
Personally, I think great fantasy art has spurred more story ideas in me than anything else. This particular image really caught my imagination (send me a link if you know where it came from – I can’t find it again)....
Threespine Stickleback fish offer scientific reasons to beef up our movie monsters. They “evolve” fast. Really fast. Within ten years, these fish can move from salt water to fresh water, change their skeletal system in a massive way (just...
Are you looking to buy an invisibility cloak? Do you want to hide something really well? You might need to wait a few years but the technology to create outrageously effective camouflage is at our doorsteps. The key? Mother nature...
As usual, the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival was a blast – and it was packed like never before. That said, it never ceases to surprise me how few people attend – considering the size of the potential draw. I’m especially...
About fifteen years ago, I was wowed while traveling in Hong Kong – we rode on a hover craft ferry from one destination to another as if riding a normal boat. At that time, it seemed imminently inevitable that land...
Looking for inspiration for an especially exotic destination? I’ve frequently said that sci-fi/fantasy authors need look no further than our own beautiful planet to find inspiration for unbelievable locations custom fit for any work of fiction. Take Cano Cristales...
Microraptor was a four winged dinosaur that provides clues as to the origins of birds. I was particularly interested in the above documentary for at least three reasons: (1) many of literature’s best loved monsters come from real creatures and/or...
At FantasyCon 2014, an astute panelist brought up an idea that I’ve thought about from time to time but haven’t given serious consideration to … at least not in terms of writing a new book. The idea is to pit...
I once read that a word smith is a creature to be feared above all others. I suppose there is a good deal of historical precedent to support that assertion – just consider Thomas Paine’s Common Sense if you can’t...
Sometimes it is easy for sci-fi/fantasy authors to write about exotic people without really understanding different cultures of their own world. They write about primitive people who are superstitious and usually … well, inept. I ran across this video by...
Today’s featured artwork comes from Wesley Burt … at least, I think it does. I’m not usually one to like barbarian art but this one caught my attention. This “beast rider” image has a great sense of depth, an interesting...
For a brilliant moment, the movie Lucy was gathering an enormous amount of attention. Since I’ve been researching topics surrounding transhumanism, it caught my eye as well. I saw several discussions about the 10% brain myth but I liked this...
Like most authors, I follow blogs and people who are interested in the technical faux pas that grammar police love to impose upon persons of lesser educated-ness. Too bad … they don’t teach as well as Weird Al:
I confess: until today, I’d never read anything by H.P. Lovecraft. Frankly, the “horror” label combined with its awful, original illustrations have kept me at bay for many years. However, at FantasyCon 2014, his name popped up so many times...
At FantasyCon, I heard a quote from Einstein that every fantasy author should know: “When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than...
Lately, I’ve been watching several videos about breaking edge technology, transhumanism, and the like. Among the several video tutorials and documentaries that I’ve been watching, this video by Michio Kaku caught my eye. In high school, I was admittedly...
So you think Legolas was cool? Robin Hood? Well, check out Lars Andersen – the world’s fastest archer. For all of you authors out there writing about archery, you need to check this out. Do you want your character to...
This post was originally posted a couple/few weeks ago – but my server decided to make my life miserable and to delete it and some other updates. If you already saw this post on goodreads, there is nothing...
Last year, at WorldCon, I read Nexus by Ramez Naam. His presentation for Nexus was my first exposure to the concept of transhumanism and it was both thrilling and revolting at the same time. I suppose the same can be...
Where else can you find a Borimir-esque cosplay changing a baby’s diaper on a changing table while talking on a cell phone? These bizarre things only happen at the world’s best cons! As promised, I’m writing a little on...
Today couldn’t come with more exciting news for every true sci-fi fan: NASA has announced plans to build a space ship that literally warps time and avoids Einstein’s relativity problems with space travel. Want to visit another solar system?...
The U.S. Army has announced intentions to change rules to enlistment: 25% of all applicants must be robots! Well, that isn’t quite the story but you can click on the image above for the full story. The gist...
Although he is one of my least favorite philosophers and although he has been credited with greatly influencing Hitler’s philosophies that led to the second world war, I have to admit that some of Nietzsche’s teachings are humorous and thought...
Finding pictures of unlikely animal friendships has become unfathomably trendy lately. While I generally find these pictures of interest, this one particularly caught my eye. How did the baby elephant end up on a broken log overhanging a river?...
Today’s inspiration comes from Goethe and deservedly ranks as one of the best inspirational quotes of all time. It is so well stated that I have little to add to it today: Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to...
One of the things that regularly grabs my attention when reading fantasy books/magazines/articles/pitches/short stories is the utter lack of creativity that I see from magicians/wizards/mages/witches when casting spells. Okay, I admit, when I played D&D as a kid, fireballs were...
Alright Sci-Fi fans – here is another reason to be excited about the future: shark skin swim suits! 3D printing has now replicated shark skins – a feat that scientists have failed to accomplish for many years now. Thanks to...
I have tons of dragon pictures. I also have a number of friends who would be embarrassed on my behalf to learn that I admitted that in a public forum! Among that large compilation of pictures, I find myself wondering...
Every once in a while, a great storyteller comes up with a fresh approach to a character. As I think back to some of the most refreshing and unique characters I’ve read about or watched onscreen, one character really...
Mauritius Island boasts one of the very few and indisputably breathtaking underwater waterfalls in our world. One glance is all it takes to see why. I’ve looked it up on a number of sights because they call the waterfall an...
A year or so ago, I picked up a Pamphobeteus Antinuous to mount. A what? An iridescent purple haired bird eating tarantula. I think it is pretty inspiring but not nearly as cool as the cobalt tarantula featured in the image...
One of my favorite roommates in college was a guy named George. As I recall, his mother was Irish and his father was Kenyan – an interesting mix for sure – and he was from Hawaii. There are a few...
One of my lease favorite composers (Arnold Schoenberg) penned these words: “Well borrowed is well composed.” He is indisputably right. Modern viewers almost undoubtedly prefer the Matrix to Plato’s Cave despite the fact that Plato came along much earlier than...
Years ago, I toured China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines with BYU’s Wind Symphony. Unlikely enough, I was featured playing a solo on a tenor saxophone. While touring, my favorite part of each performance was when the rhythm section...
I often think that Asians are very lucky. I spent a month in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the Philippines several years ago. It was the opportunity of a lifetime but it forever made me jealous of their land. They...
I’ll never forget the fateful day I went to the Out of Africa Wildlife Park – twenty years ago. Between the inspirational stories, the albino baby tigers, the baby lion that wouldn’t stop biting the sore bottom of a surprisingly...
Hmmm… Is this a photoshop job or not? The headlines are flooding in: Thirsty Baby Elephant Drowns Self Elephant Banned From Beach After Failing to Keep Its Trunk Up This Year’s Darwin Award Goes to … The image comes...
Although I don’t find the dragon armor or the dragon visage particularly inspiring, I thought I would share this image because it does a fabulous job of instantaneously conjuring up a story. After all, what creatively inclined kid doesn’t dream...
I’m an avowed UFC fan. Most of my friends find that revelation quite shocking but despite my very real fandom, I’ve been somewhat annoyed over some developments in the MMA community. A growing number of fans are beginning to believe...
If you google angel art (or shortcut and go straight to DeviantArt.com), you’ll run across tons of angel artwork spanning from the bloody awful to the doldrumous ordinary to the exquisitely inspiring. Today’s inspiration comes from a relatively new and...
There are lots of fantasy swords out there. Many of them are so over the top that it is difficult to find them very inspiring. Others are cool looking but upon closer inspection, you have to feel a little disappointed....
Author communities often ask questions like: where do you come up with cool names? cool world-building ideas? magic systems? and clothing? To the latter question, one must at least offer an honorable mention to steampunk. Looking for an interesting Alice...
I woke up grumpy today so today’s authorial inspiration comes from H.P. Lovecraft, one of the great masters of scary fiction: The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear...
I perform nearly every year at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival in Orem, Utah. While everyone has their favorite teller for various reasons (comedic, historical, lovable, liar-able, etc.), I have yet to find a young child who didn’t love Willy Claflin...
I was reminded the other day of something my son said to my wife when he was very young. She was looking and feeling very pregnant and had been teaching our children about the importance of eating healthy foods and...
Bad guys are a dime a dozen but something about this illustration whisks my imagination away to discover an uber-villain beyond comparison. Noseless – perhaps only because the stench of Hades is so strong – this uber-villain doesn’t really need...
The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress. Joseph Joubert 1754-1824 I’ve been helping a client deal with a problem off and on for about ten years now. It seems like every time we come...
In Asia, if you have a great product, you are very likely to be successful in selling your product – word of mouth and reviews is everything. In the U.S., advertising is the true king for large businesses – I...
Another piece of prose from Orson Scott Card’s Seventh Son: Although the Seventh Son did not rank among one of my favorite books of all time, there were several places in the book where his really down to earth, organic,...
Over two decades ago, I came across some similes that ignited my imagination – not because they were particularly poetic or because they were particularly profound … they ignited my imagination because they are particularly creative in their use of...
I found this Guatemalan sinkhole image on a site that seemed to suggest that it came from the Associated Press. Here is another one from New Zealand: Given the immediate drama of these photographs, it surprises me that sinkholes have...
Any aspiring fantasy author ought to have one of those “Wonders of the World” type books to look to for inspirational settings for their stories – whether they take place on earth or some other place. There are enough truly...
I once sat in an arbitration hearing where an unrepresented party was grumpily babbling over a number of trivial irrelevancies that were wearing on my nerves. This particular instance left me wishing that there was something I could do to...
In modern film, we usually find very bland, direct slams and insults. Occasionally, a marginally subtle and humorous attack is aimed towards a dense character who fails to understand the biting remark but rare are the times when ad hominem...
Every once in a while, I come across an idea or image that seems to write a story for me. The above image is one of those images. Some time ago, I was pondering over the success of the Star...
A what? A drabble. And that is ??? Drabbles are short stories that verge on poetry that last only 100 words long. I suppose they could be considered solely as poetry by some. I’ve only written two – both...
Years ago, I began a lifelong juggling addiction (although I’m too stubborn to join any 12 step program to help me stop). In 2000 or perhaps a little earlier, I began to tell stories while juggling. To my knowledge, I’m...
I subscribe to David Farland’s blog “A Kick in the Pants.” It is dedicated to helping aspiring writers hone their writing skills but I read his articles for ulterior motives: occasionally, he cites interesting studies about reading and writing and...
In keeping with my last post (about refined and beautiful things), here is one of several gestures from Grant M. Hansen who is painting the cover for my upcoming book Moon 514: Blaze and the White Griffon. Here are some...
I’m obsessed with beautiful things. I’m currently listening to my “inspiring” playlist on itunes. I own a butterfly store. I collect beautiful images for my screensaver and I have beautiful sculptures, feathers, shells, and various forms of art all over...
I co-own thebutterflystore.com. My partner and I have been working like crazy to do a huge butterfly display for BYU’s Bean Museum. The image above is the morpho flight that we are doing – in progress. I’ll be adding a...
One thing I enjoy about comedians is that they try to look at the world from outside the box. Thinking outside the box can change our paradigms. Some of those paradigm shifts are life changing – others are simply delightful....
In my database of inspirational images, I have a fair number of creative merfolk. While most artists use standard fish tails, several use tentacles and a very rare few use jellyfish motifs. However, I haven’t found a single other well...
I’ve always appreciated people who are punctual but I couldn’t help laughing when I read Evelyn’s quote. However, you should be careful before joining in my mirth: this may be a controversial topic. Surveys have shown that some business executives...
As a teenager, I was probably more drawn towards the Dragonlance series than any other work of fantasy – though the Shannara series may have been a close second for a season. Something about Raistlin drew me in. Despondent, cynical,...
Attending various “Cons” can be quite an eye opening experience in many ways. Everywhere you turn, you can expect to see celebrities, die-hard fans, outlandish costumes, amazing artistry, pathetic artistry, bad humor, good humor, and just about anything a fantasy...
I’ve heard my fair share of lawyer jokes in my life. Most of the time, I don’t think they are very funny because they either demonstrate a failure to understand the legal system or more likely … they demonstrate a...
Here is Grant’s latest update on the cover. He got a bit shy about the swamp idea and went back to the field idea. What do you think?
Two similarly pointed quotes for consideration today: Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one. Malcolm Forbes Clarifying that point a little, Alec Bourne pointed out that a student does not become well educated by filling...
It’s happened twice in my recent past: I’ve seen a picture and thought “Now I have to rewrite a scene to match that painting!” James Wolf’s picture above made me want to rewrite a scene in Moon 514 where a...
I have a good friend (Jaime Buckley) who writes full time. He doesn’t just write books – he authors games. Normally, I’m not the type who really enjoys games (I make very few exceptions to the “I don’t play” much...
