From Pokemon to Disney princesses, magical pets are common throughout fantasy fiction. Some are mere companions, others ferocious guardians. But...
You only WISH your pet store carried these!
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Musing & Brain Teasers
Half the fun of speculative fiction is the act of speculation: exploring possibilities by asking “what if?”. And while it’s enormously enjoyable to ask those questions and put my answers in my fiction, it’s more enjoyable sharing with others who appreciate a good brain teaser.
So many of these “musings” are not just my opportunity to share my thoughts, but also to give you a chance to discuss yours.
If the Future Were In YOUR Hands
You have a phone app that tells you what your schedule is for the day, a calendar to tell you what the next few months look like, and the MCU Phase...
Worlds We Just Need More Of
Fantasy fans are nothing if not obsessed with worldbuilding. No one makes it through thousands of pages of text without becoming invested in the...
One Pill, Two Pill, Red Pill, Blue Pill
Well, with the new Matrix movie out (no spoilers at all, perfectly safe to continue), it’s time to revisit the red pill, blue pill debate.I’m going...
Choose Your Own Fantasy Race
After magic, the most defining feature of fantasy fiction is the inclusion of non-human races. While you CAN have a fantasy without them, the...
Who’s Your Crew?
A starship is just a hull with some engines and maybe guns. It’s the crew inside that makes it truly special. Zipping back and forth across the...
Wizarding Real Estate
Fantasy stories take us to wondrous places, whisking us off to the impossible, the breathtaking, occasionally the terrifying. Crystalline forests,...
We’re Celebrating WHAT?
It's autumn in the northern hemisphere. It's a time of changing leaves, football games... and Halloween. There are plenty of holidays on the...
Poll: Imagine it’s 2065. “I believe robots will_”
Back when I first launched my Project Transhuman series (formerly Robot Geneticists), I posed this question to my email insiders. While my series...
Poll: What’s it take to be the greatest bounty hunter?
Back when I first launched my Black Ocean: Mercy for Hire series, I posed this question to my email insiders. The main character, Esper, may be...
Your DIY magic portal
One of my favorite seeds for story ideas is the notion of the crossover concepts. They've been big in comics since forever and huge in fan-fic. But...
Poll: Long-term fate of humanity
Today, I want to gaze into a quantum crystal ball and predict possible futures for mankind, all of which remain possible until the probability wave...
Are You Ready to Upload Your Brain?
So, who's ready for the robot revolution? Will you rise up and join our new robotic masters in a shiny new machine body? Or fight to preserve...
More Than a Sword
The sword is the iconic staple of the fantasy multiverse. It's among the more effective all-purpose melee weapons, while more conveniently portable...
I’m Giving You a Time Machine
I don't know when it will happen, but a time machine will be delivered for everyone to use. Someday, one will get invented, and I'll convince the...
Let’s Talk About Monsters
Monsters are everywhere! In fiction, at least. Fantasy and horror have a particular affinity for monsters, and I'm not really a horror writer...
Science gave us a cool Black Hole photo this week…now what?
So, scientists have now taken pictures of a black hole (or, to be precise, everything BUT the black hole). Dr. Katie Bouman and her team have given...
Game of Predicting Thrones
As a longtime fan of Game of Thrones (in book form, no less!), I'm excited at the prospect of the final season of the TV version wrapping up, even...
Build Your Own Starship
I want a spaceship. YOU want a spaceship. I'm pretty sure, given the chance, nearly anyone on Earth would want a working, interstellar spaceship all...
So You Want to Be a Wizard…
I think anyone who's read books or watched movies has, at some point, contemplated being a wizard. Whether it's a simple wish to levitate traffic...
The A, B, Cs of Fantasy
A - Adventure Because a life of stability and hard work just isn't in the cards. B - Battle Something to break up all the walking, riding, and...
Amazon Lists Their 100 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books to Read in a Lifetime
Amazon just made a list of 100 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books to Read in a Lifetime. I went through the list and I had read 23 (I didn't count...
Why Science Fantasy Works
I hear the question come up every once in a while: "Can I write fantasy set in a sci-fi universe?" There seems to be some cognitive dissonance...
Wonder vs. Nostalgia: Two Reasons to Read Fantasy
There are two reasons people read fantasy. No, really. There are dozens of reasons to read, from escapism to information, spiritual growth to...