Tales From the Grimdark Side… 😈
Smackdown: Grimdark vs Horror–Is There a Difference?
“Ernest Hemmingway once said: ‘The world is a good place, and worth fighting for.’ I agree with the second part.” William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) in Se7en The last line of this horror movie, in my humble opinion, can sum upContinue reading “Smackdown: Grimdark vs Horror–Is There a Difference?”
Trust in the Grimdark
There are neither traditional heroes nor villains in the grimdark. One-dimensional bad guys are boring in any genre. Forget one-dimensional good guys. No one buys pure heroes anymore, and the grimdark tends to chew honorable actors up and spit themContinue reading “Trust in the Grimdark”
St. Olga: Saint of Revenge
Well, goddess would be a stretch. But close. She’s a patron saint, and she kicks ass. If there were any patron saints right now that I’d ascend from canonization to godhood, it would be her. And my spiritual little heartContinue reading “St. Olga: Saint of Revenge”
Heaven or Hell: The Afterlife in Grimdark Fantasy
“Dearly beloved, we’re gathered here today to get through this thing called life.” In the words of Prince, I think that’s why we read. Or write or do anything that sparks joy because at the heart of it, life sucksContinue reading “Heaven or Hell: The Afterlife in Grimdark Fantasy”
Beyond Lovable Rogues: Making Evil Characters Likable
It’s delicious as hell to root for a wicked character. That’s why the lovable rogue archetype lives on in literature and pop culture, from Han Solo to Aladdin. It’s fun to break the rules once and a while. Add aContinue reading “Beyond Lovable Rogues: Making Evil Characters Likable”
Lovers in the Grimdark
Every fucking book, grimdark or not, has some love plot. Of course, people fall in love often enough that we have a day to celebrate it! 90% of pop songs? Talkin’ bout love. 99% of stories you read? Same. There’sContinue reading “Lovers in the Grimdark”
Women in Horror, Fantasy & The Oscars™
When it comes to the Academy Awards™, there’s an annual elephant in the room for grimdark nerds like us: Will any horror, sci-fi or fantasy films get Oscar™ noms/wins outside of the obligatory costume, sound, and visual effects categories thisContinue reading “Women in Horror, Fantasy & The Oscars™”
2022 Production Schedule
In the interests of getting this out there for my own motivation and accountability, here’s The Plan™ for this year. The next novel in the Temple of Vengeance series, is Raven Queen, Avenge. I expect her to be about 100kContinue reading “2022 Production Schedule”
Women in the Grimdark: Surviving a Cruel World
In a world where might makes right, you’d expect the protagonist to survive if he’s brawny, muscular, and can outfight and out-Machiavelli his opponents. But … what if the protagonist isn’t a brawny beefcake that can cleave anyone in twainContinue reading “Women in the Grimdark: Surviving a Cruel World”
The Highlands Are Grimdark: How Scotland Influenced My Raven Queen
Scotland is a beautiful country. The mountains, rivers, forests, and lakes are really something to behold. The entire country looks like it was molded straight out of a fantasy world. A grimdark fantasy, that is. Everything about Scotland, the HighlandsContinue reading “The Highlands Are Grimdark: How Scotland Influenced My Raven Queen”
Diversity in the Grimdark
The denizens of my fantasy realm are essentially color and genderblind. I don’t think having a society where this is possible is a further stretch than magic. Nor is having a diverse cast. Think about this: the potato was introducedContinue reading “Diversity in the Grimdark”
Six Magical & Monstrous Winter Movies to Watch
That fuzzy Omen Punxsutawney Phil has declared we’ve got six more weeks of winter ahead. Whether you believe in groundhog shadow magic or not, February can be a little… blah. So let’s escape together with a movie marathon in theContinue reading “Six Magical & Monstrous Winter Movies to Watch”
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Terrible things always happen in between heartbeats.
Love is never dead if you’re a necromancer.