I am serializing several novel projects at Patreon, starting with a few free chapters to let readers and potential patrons know what I’m about. My latest offering, patrons only, is from Xenes, a science fiction adventure set centuries after the humans’ first attempt to colonize nearby space had failed. In the aftermath, humans and their genetically engineered “types” have broken into multiple antagonistic factions that have been kept in an uneasy peace by androgyne somatypes.

But now, recluse Sandalfon Kaffel, androgyne diplomatic officer Vani Matoyan, and the mysterious girl Meyna Jeyen find themselves in an unexpected battle that destroys Sandalfon’s new home planet and corners them between the politically zealous Threaders, strictly religious Bahrí, and philosophical Smoke Hatters.

Xenes was originally serialized at Fresh Pulp scifi magazine, but now has new content as I firm it up for publication as a novel.

This offering is for patrons. If you’d like to support my Patreon page, check out “Šatzrak,” available now!

I am serializing a couple of novel projects at Patreon: Xenes, a science fiction adventure novel, and Goodly Creatures, a gunpowder, age of sail fantasy about colonial ambition, with a large cast of characters. Humans from several civilizations to the west of the Apsamian Ocean have settled on the coasts of the vast and unexplored continent to the east, home to non-human races: the primordial giants and Peyri, and their mongrel  creations, hybrid peoples who dwell in the wilderness of the eastern continent.

A newly elevated lord, Julius Blake, seeks to enhance his station by securing his governor’s trade routes through a wilderness plagued by mongrel monsters. He is confronted by a bear-man, Grigarius, raised from a cub among humans by the governor of Johannia colony.

The rogue Raf Arland, condemned to indenture for his crimes in the Old World, navigates colonial society to find a way to better his low station. He is joined by an unlikely ally, a seasoned  sailor named Jefford Schank who is abandoned in the colonies by a brutal captain.

Lady Snow Bernes struggles to protect the ambitions of her father, the governor of the Royal Colony of Johannia, with the help of manservant Raymond Gamba.  She is torn between her loyalty to her father, her admiration for Lord  Blake, and her inexplicable attraction to Raf Arland. And, she has a magical secret that could determine the course of her schemes.

If you’re a patron, you can continue on to chapter two, ″The Shadow Trade.” Chapter one, “Kings Cove,” is available for free. If you like the story, consider becoming a patron so I can continue writing full-time.

It’s common knowledge that the continent of Westeros in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire (adapted by HBO as Game of Thrones) is loosely based western Europe. I have often wondered how this world would be different if Westeros were based on an American rather than European model.

People often disagree on which kingdom represents what real-world land in western Europe. My general take, based on the series and Martin’s own words, is this: Continue reading →

I am serializing a couple of novel projects at Patreon, starting with a few free chapters to let readers and potential patrons know what I’m about. My second free offering is from Goodly Creatures, a gunpowder, age of sail fantasy about colonial ambition, with a large cast of characters. Humans from several civilizations to the west of the Apsamian Ocean have settled on the coasts of the vast and unexplored continent to the east, home to non-human races: the primordial giants and Peyri, and their mongrel  creations, hybrid peoples who dwell in the wilderness of the eastern continent.

A newly elevated lord, Julius Blake, seeks to enhance his station by securing his governor’s trade routes through a wilderness plagued by mongrel monsters. He is confronted by a bear-man, Grigarius, raised from a cub among humans by the governor of Johannia colony.

The rogue Raf Arland, condemned to indenture for his crimes in the Old World, navigates colonial society to find a way to better his low station. He is joined by an unlikely ally, a seasoned  sailor named Jefford Schank who is abandoned in the colonies by a brutal captain.

Lady Snow Bernes struggles to protect the ambitions of her father, the governor of the Royal Colony of Johannia, with the help of manservant Raymond Gamba.  She is torn between her loyalty to her father, her admiration for Lord  Blake, and her inexplicable attraction to Raf Arland. And, she has a magical secret that could determine the course of her schemes.

Take a glance at chapter one, ″Kings Cove.” And, if you like the story, consider becoming a patron so I can continue writing full-time.

I have been thinking a lot about the rhythms of television drama, and the trouble that showrunners go through when adapting written fiction to the small screen. Which, in the age of giant flat screens and wall-size projections, seems a bit quaint. However, with all of the IMAX films these days… but, I digress.

Television dramas have a rhythm that is very punchy. With written fiction, you can follow a single set of characters through an entire chapter. On television, a few characters have a moment that punches up a plot-line, then hard cut to another set of characters. Usually, you’ll come around to the original set of characters again, but sometimes you’ll only see each set once each episode. Because episodes. And sometimes, you’d only see certain characters once every few episodes, because the viewers will remember them.

It’s fascinating, if you’re a writer. Continue reading →