Travelogue: Hawaii
At the beginning of 2015 I lost my dad. My wife and I had just bought our first house and begun planning a family. Juhi was only a couple of months pregnant when Dad’s health suddenly declined. We rushed to…
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Travelogue: India
In 2007, I made my first research trip. I’d had an enduring interest in Indian mythologies and architecture since I was a young teenager, so I decided it was finally time to head to India and see the culture and…
Children of Ash and Elm by Neil Price
By the time Children of Ash and Elm released to some acclaim (I saw it recommended from several sources), I had already finished my Norse-inspired work. Nevertheless, I eventually intend to return to the Ragnarok Era, so I purchased a…
A Gathering of Ravens by Scott Oden
I had read one of Oden’s works of historical fiction before, so I knew I was in for quality. I bought A Gathering of Ravens when it launched, but got so caught up in other projects I didn’t make time…
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
With her debut novel, Tan combines lyrical prose evoking Madeline Miller with a reimagining of the beloved Chinese myth of Chang’e, the Moon Goddess. As a mortal, Chang’e steals the elixir of immortality that was a gift for her husband.…
A Sorrow Named Joy by Sarah Chorn
In lyrical, metaphor-laden prose, Chorn muses on what it means to be human and space between contentment and deeper happiness. She asks the question, if we define ourselves solely in regards to another person, are we really anyone at all?…
Career Revivifaction
In 2016 I rebooted my author career. While I was originally referring to this as my 2.0 phase, given that my company is Incandescent Phoenix Books, the phrase revivification (“to impart with new life”) seemed more apt. I’ve been telling…
Eschaton Inception
I have occasionally heard from readers under misapprehension that I created the Eschaton Cycle as an expansion of my Gods of the Ragnarok Era series. This led me to want to clear up the genesis of some of these ideas. I mentioned previously…
On Appropriate Uses of Culture
The other day, an author friend whom I hold in esteem told me she was considering dropping her work on a planned novel. She had already invested time, money, and—perhaps most important of all—heart into the work. Had dreamed of…
Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff
There is something strangely compelling about supernatural horror. A paradox of attraction that has sparked whole books intended to explain and examine. Thus, no surprise I find myself with an enduring fascination with such horror, especially where it intersects with…