Seven
I inherited my love of reading from one of my older brothers, and naturally – like a lot of boys – gravitated to the allure of fantasy. Reading The Lord of the Rings as a 12-year-old was as close to a divine experience as I’d ever had. It wasn’t just the story, although there’s enough in that to inspire awe and wonder. But what overwhelmed me more was the history this world contained – a history that spanned millennia and was imbued in every bit of geography, motivated every character, and contextualized every event. One of my issues with storytelling is when it feels like the story, or the world…
Midnight’s Dawning: An Opening
In the very early 1990s, I wrote a fantasy epic entitled Midnight’s Dawning. Ever since, I’ve toyed with a word-one rewrite. Here’s the very first chapter roughly redrafted … * Arim bolted down the winding mountain trail, knowing that if he was late getting back he would be flogged – if not worse. Although he was only twelve, he was still a slave, which meant the Tybrans would discipline him if they saw fit. The sun beat down on his head and his breath was ragged in his chest. It was only morning, but already scorching – although it was always hot in the morning. He slowed down as…