5 Reasons to Read (and Write) Fantasy

5 Reasons to Read (and Write) Fantasy
Guest Post by Coleen Torres

The genre of fantasy is one that you either love or you hate. Some people find it ridiculous and trivial, others think it is the most creative and freeing genre in the universe. Then there are others that don’t really have an opinion. They can’t say they hate it because they’ve never read it, but they can’t say they like it either. It is just there; dragons and wizards, fairies and wraiths, all those story-book characters come to live in adult novels. But there are good reasons to love fantasy, or at least dabble in it.

1. It is the first--The first books we are ever exposed to as children are fantasies. Princesses and knights fighting dragons. Sea monsters and fairies. Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, all those classic children’s tales are really fantasy. Who says you have to grow out of them? We all enjoyed the freedom of those stories, the unlimited child-like imagination they produced. Why not keep reading?

2. It allows you to be flexible-–People are always advising you to think outside the box. There’s nothing more ‘outside the box’ than fantasy. A complete world on its own, with its own rules and languages and morals. Not only do you learn to think differently by reading such things, but if you write them, you really get to dig deep and come up with your own ideas. Things you could never think of in everyday life now become commonplace in the world of your own making.

3. It allows you to learn–-When you create an entireworld as a writer, you get a better grasp on the one you are in. Why do things work the way they do? What are people’s motivations and desires? Why do they think or react that way or this way? Even more than drama, fantasy lets writer put characters into situations that mimic everyday life, but blow it way out of proportion. By putting characters in those situations, writers learn what makes characters in calmer situations react the way they do. After all, who hasn’t compared their boss to a dragon?

4. It allows you to stretch–-As a reader or a writer, you want to grow. You want to expand your understanding and imagination. What better way to do that than with fantasy. Literally anything you can come up with is fine. Your job is to make it all fit together. You stretch your brain, teaching it new ways of thinking and putting people and situations together to make sense.

5. It allows you to escape--There is enough pain and suffering in the world. Sometimes, you just want to escape from it all. That’s where fantasy really shines. Unlike the real-life drama of a romance novel, a crime novel, or a mystery, fantasy allows you to change worlds completely, with nothing to remind you of the problems you want to forget. Dive into a book and take some time off from the real world.
There are many things to be said for fantasy. It’s not a children’s genre. In fact, some of the best loved and longest lasting novels out there are fantasy. If you’ve never tried reading, or writing, a fantasy story, then try one today. You are sure to find something to love in this genre.

Author Bio:
This is a guest post by Coleen Torres from home phone service. You can find more about her at her profile.

Deseret News Article

(Photo by Freeman Stevenson)

Cool article about one of the book signings I did last week at Eborn Books at the South Towne Mall appeared in the Deseret News.

Both of the signings went really well and between 30-40 of my fans came to see me. There are still a few copies of my autographed books at the Eborn Bookstore at the South Towne Mall (second level right by the Dillards and the coffee shop) and at the Valley Fair Mall, also Eborn Books near the Famous Footwear.

Here's a link to the article in the Desert News.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865550562/Local-sci-fi-and-fantasy-authors-reach-out-to-fans.html?pg=1


Paul Genesse
Author of The Secret Empire
www.paulgenesse.com

Two Book Signings at Eborn Books--Saturday, Feb. 18

This is a big deal. I'm signing books with three awesome writers. L.E. Modesitt (a legend) and Dave Farland (an icon), who are both New York Times bestsellers, and Byran Young, who is made of awesome, practically a Jedi Knight, who has actually met Yoda. I'm not kidding here.

If you come I can promise a free 11x17 inch poster of the cover of my third book, The Secret Empire. I'll also have copies of all my books in trade paperback, and some CD eBooks of both Crimson Pact anthologies.


First up, I'll be at the South Towne Mall from 11-1.
Then I'll be at the Valley Fair Mall from 2-4.

If you can't come, please check out these authors books on Amazon.com. All of mine are now available as eBooks and trade paperbacks.

My Top Ten Moments at LTUE 2012

Top Ten Moments for me at Life, The Universe and Everything (LTUE) a writing conference held at Utah Valley University (UVU). This was its 30th year and still going strong.





#1 My friend and fan Lyda Mae doing a spontaneous tai chi routine for me in the middle of the lobby at UVU on the first day. She’s been confined to a wheel chair for years, but after a successful surgery SHE CAN WALK AGAIN! This was the best news of the weekend.


#2 James A. Owen’s keynote address, which was so incredibly inspiring (listen to the audio here, it’s worth your time). James is not only a motivational speaker, but is an amazing illustrator and author. Please check out his books after you listen to his speech.


#3 Having dinner with James A. Owen and some of my friends Thursday night. The best dinner ever at LTUE.


#4 Tracy Hickman saying he was having a “fan boy moment” when he ran into me while I was being interviewed on Residual Hauntings Revived


#5 Attending a seminar on how to give a good reading by Hugo and Campbell award winning author Mary Robinette Kowal—she’s the best reader in sci-fi fantasy writing today. She also did a two minute shadow puppet show—she’s a professional puppeteer and totally awesome.



#6 Listening to Mary Robinette Kowal read from her upcoming novel, Glamour in Glass, coming in April 2012. It’s Jane Austen with magic.






#7 Getting to hang out with Patrick Tracy, my best friend.




Authors Dan Wells, Paul Genesse, Larry Correia, and Zachary Hill

#8 Seeing so many friends and fans.



# 9 The Secret Empire (my third book) hitting number 57 on Amazon.com’s eBook bestseller list the first day of the conference. It went from 20,0000 to 57 that day.



#10 Selling out of Book 1, The Golden Cord in the UVU bookstore.

Residual Hauntings Revived Interview

Hello Friends,

Here's a link to a really fun 15 minute interview I gave at a writers conference this past weekend on Residual Hauntings Revived with Tom Carr, Jess the Ghost Girl, and Russ Cook. My interview starts at the 35 minute mark.

Tracy Hickman came by during my interview and said some really nice things about me. It was so unexpected for him to say he was having a "fan boy" moment about me. Wow. It was so surreal.

Before my interview you've got a great interview with Charlie Harmon, the program director of LTUE, and then a hilarious interview with author David Butler, who has written some awesome novellas called, Rock Band Fights Evil 1 through 3 right now. You should hear Dave because he's so funny.

There's also an interview with New York Times Bestseller Larry Correia; horror writer and professor of creative writing, Michael Brent Collings; and the hilarious author Bill Housley.

http://residualhauntings.podomatic.com/entry/2012-02-11T20_05_15-08_00

Paul Genesse
Author of The Secret Empire, Book Three of the Iron Dragon Series
Editor of The Crimson Pact anthology Series
www.paulgenesse.com

Making a Book Trailer

I'm on a panel at 2:00 PM today Feb. 9, 2012 at a writing conference, LTUE, on making a book trailer, which is something I have some experience with. Below I've pasted some videos and links for people's reference.

Here are some questions we're going to answer:

How do you say enough about the book with out giving away too much?
Short answer: you use your elevator pitch line, a modified version of that for the text.

Are the worth they worth the expense and the hassle?
Yes, and possibly no.

Where are the best places for book trailers?
On your website and YouTube.

What are some good examples of book trailers?
Check below and look at the trailer for A Girl of Fire and Thorns and also look at The Crimson Pact trailer.

What equipment do you need?
Money or video editing software, and/or free images--I've posted links below to some stock photo sites I use.

This is the best book trailer I've ever seen. The book the trailer below is about is: A Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns - Book Trailer from Hilly and Hannah on Vimeo.

Go to Rae's website to learn more. She got this trailer for free. It showed up one morning in her inbox. She had no idea it was even being made. Totally amazing. http://www.raecarson.com/

This is the book trailer I made for The Crimson Pact Volume 1



Please check out The Crimson Pact story trailers for volume 2 on thecrimsonpact.com, or on The Crimson Pact YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCrimsonPact?ob=0

This is the book trailer a friend of mine made for The Dragon Hunters.



This is the book trailer for The Golden Cord, made by a friend of mine, with music by another friend of mine.


You can get awesome music for book trailers at http://www.shockwave-sound.com/

Find awesome pictures here:
http://www.istockphoto.com/

and here: http://www.sxc.hu/

You can see how my book trailers are posted on my website, here: www.paulgenesse.com

BookBlastMessage

The Secret Empire: Book Three of the Iron Dragon Series


The only outsiders who know the truth are dead.



To reach the secret lair of the dragon king, the last of an order or dragon hunters must cross a brutal desert defended by savage nomads and angry ghosts, uncover the hidden truth of the desert people, then on the eve of their final battle, survive a betrayal that will tear their group apart.



View the book on Amazon.com.





Hello Friends,



Today is the official “Book Blast” day for my third novel, The Secret Empire. After a two year and three month wait, the third book in the Iron Dragon series out!



You can find all three books in the series on Amazon.com as eBooks and trade paperbacks right now, or you can get them from my CreateSpace eStore, links below, which is part of Amazon.com.



Book one, The Golden Cord is available for only $2.99 on the Kindle, or FREE if you have a membership in Kindle Prime. The trade paperback is only $14.99. Book two and three are only $4.99 as eBooks.



Today, please help me get the word out, by forwarding this with a personal note, posting something on Facebook, blogging, tweeting, and telling your friends about this series. Word of mouth is the key, and is by far the most powerful thing you can do to help. Let your fantasy reader friends know the books are out.



As a favor to me, even if you’re not into these kind of books, please go to Amazon.com and click the orange colored “Like” (thumbs up button) beside any or all of the Iron Dragon book titles, and put them on your wish list. It’ll cue Amazon to promote the book. Just click on the links below.



I really need your help telling readers about my series and will appreciate anything you can do to help, and would love your support.



Here’s what the critics have said about the series:



“This is a story that’s worth your time. It’s almost like going back to that first fantasy novel that totally captivated you and you read it over and over again. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.”

—Russell Davis, author, editor, and President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America about The Golden Cord.



“Genesse stresses the necessity of trust between races and cultures and the perils of bias and dissention, and he keeps the plot moving quickly . . . ”



—Publishers Weekly



“With vivid world-building, Paul Genesse sets his characters on paths that wind and twist through the world as they try to reach their almost impossible goal—the death of the Dragon King. The characters are driven, each for their own reasons, united by their desire for honor, and vengeance for their kin. In the midst of a fantasy, Paul weaves in realistic themes of family and honor, prejudice and hate, love and redemption.”



—Elizabeth Vaughan, USA Today bestselling author of The Warlands trilogy



Thank you for reading this message, and please visit my blog where you’ll find a lot more information about book three, read the details of the publishing saga I’ve been through, and can read or download samples of the books on my website.



If you buy the books on CreateSpace—my personal affiliated Amazon.com storefront page, I get double the royalties. Do whatever is easiest for you, and thank you in advance for your support.



The Golden Cord, Book One of the Iron Dragon Series (399 pages)

• Trade Paperback at CreateSpace ($14.99):
https://www.createspace.com/3770179

The Dragon Hunters, Book Two of the Iron Dragon Series (414 pages)
• Trade Paperback at CreateSpace ($15.99): https://www.createspace.com/3772631

The Secret Empire, Book Three of the Iron Dragon Series (666 pages)
• Trade Paperback at CreateSpace ($18.99): https://www.createspace.com/3759937

Or go to the regular Amazon.com store site by clicking on the links below my signature file. I’ve also got some signings coming up in Utah, Feb. 10 at Utah Valley University from 8-10 PM Feb. 10 (Friday night), Eborn Books at the South Town Mall from 11-1 PM on Saturday Feb. 18, and Feb. 18 at the Valley Fair Mall at Eborn Books from 2-4 PM. Free 11x17 posters to anyone who comes.



I’m also available to do free school visits, book club visits, or teach writing workshops.



Best wishes and thank you again for all of your support.

Paul Genesse, Author and Editor

Author of The Iron Dragon Series (Now out in trade paperback and as eBooks!)
The Golden Cord: Book One
The Dragon Hunters: Book Two
The Secret Empire: Book Three (Released January 2012!)

Editor of:
The Crimson Pact Volume 1
The Crimson Pact Volume 2
The Crimson Pact Volume 3 (coming in April 2012)

Author Website: http://www.paulgenesse.com/
Author Blog: http://paulgenesse.blogspot.com/

Join me on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter @Paul_Genesse

Please book me for an event or school visit
by calling me at 801-282-5393 or email me at pgenesse (at) msn dot com

The Iron Dragon Series

The Golden Cord: Book One of the Iron Dragon Series
Some bonds can never be broken. A hunter must leave behind the woman he loves, give up all hope of survival, as he is forced to guide his most hated enemies on a suicidal journey to the lair of the dragon king.
The Golden Cord: Book One of the Iron Dragon Series (Volume 1)

The Dragon Hunters: Book Two of the Iron Dragon Series
On this hunt, you give up everything. The last of an order of dragon hunters must track down the Dragon King’s daughter and stop her from getting the Crystal Eye, an ancient artifact that will cause the destruction of their world.
The Dragon Hunters: Book Two of the Iron Dragon Series (Volume 2)

The Secret Empire: Book Three of the Iron Dragon Series
The only outsiders who know the truth are dead." To reach the secret lair of the dragon king, the last of an order or dragon hunters must cross a brutal desert defended by savage nomads and angry ghosts, uncover the hidden truth of the desert people, then on the eve of their final battle, survive a betrayal that will tear their group apart.
The Secret Empire: Book Three of the Iron Dragon Series (Volume 3)

AVAILABLE AT EBOOKS AND TRADE PAPERBACKS ON AMAZON.COM

Praise for Paul Genesse and The Golden Cord

“This is a story that’s worth your time. It’s almost like going back to that first fantasy novel that totally captivated you and you read it over and over again. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.”
—Russell Davis, author, editor, and President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.


“A good mix of action, angst, and romance. The Golden Cord has fine action sequences, like many a fantasy novel, but Paul Genesse takes the time to make the protagonist and his companions much more than hack and slashers. They have hopes, fears, doubts, secret motivations, and backstories that give the action gravitas. Plenty of swordplay and slaying for the action junkies, but also plenty of self-doubt and romance for those looking for a deeper story.”
—Donald J. Bingle, author of Forced Conversion


“Paul Genesse’s tale is elegantly written and filled with rich, believable heroes and villains. He transports you to a vibrant fantasy world that feels so real and complex you won’t want to leave. It is irresistible.”
—Jean Rabe, author of the Finest Trilogy from Tor Books

Praise for Paul Genesse and The Dragon Hunters

“Genesse stresses the necessity of trust between races and cultures and the perils of bias and dissention, and he keeps the plot moving quickly . . . ”

—Publishers Weekly

“Paul Genesse is a talented writer with two rare gifts: the ability to create wonderful worlds, and the skill to share them with his readers. Through his deft handling of magic and mythic creatures, Paul Genesse transports us into a realm of wild imagining. Taut suspense and fantastic imagery make the The Dragon Hunters a tale no fantasy fan will want to miss.”

—Michael A. Stackpole, New York Times bestselling author of The Star Wars novel I, Jedi


“With vivid world-building, Paul Genesse sets his characters on paths that wind and twist through the world as they try to reach their almost impossible goal—the death of the Dragon King. The characters are driven, each for their own reasons, united by their desire for honor, and vengeance for their kin. In the midst of a fantasy, Paul weaves in realistic themes of family and honor, prejudice and hate, love and redemption.”

—Elizabeth Vaughan, USA Today bestselling author of The Warlands trilogy


Mr. Genesse has created a rich and interesting fantasy world, where man lives on top of giant plateaus surrounded by a demon filled void of mists. Terrible creatures own the sky, and everyone lives beneath cover in order to survive. Humans are slaves to the Drobin empire and wizards have been hunted almost to extinction by war priests.

I read the Golden Cord first and enjoyed it. The sequel, Dragon Hunters, is even better. The characters fight the traditional fantasy quest foes of dragons and evil cultists, but in addition, they have to grow as people, and also face their fears and prejudices. Overall the characters are believable and struggle with issues of faith and determination.

I'm eagerly looking forward to the rest of the series.

—Larry Correia - Author of Monster Hunter International



Vital Links:

The Golden Cord, Book One of the Iron Dragon Series
• ISBN-10: 0985003820
• ISBN-13: 978-0985003821

• Trade Paperback at CreateSpace ($14.99):
https://www.createspace.com/3770179

If you buy the book on CreateSpace I get double the royalties. Thank you!
• Trade Paperback at Amazon.com ($14.99):
http://www.amazon.com/Golden-CordBookIronDragon/dp/0985003820/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1328274199&sr=1-1-catcorr

• eBook($2.99):
http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Cord-Iron-Dragon-ebook/dp/B006PU7PIE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328150820&sr=8-1


The Dragon Hunters, Book Two of the Iron Dragon Series
• ISBN-10: 0985003812
• ISBN-13: 978-0985003814

If you buy the book on CreateSpace I get double the royalties. Thank you!
• Trade Paperback at CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/3772631

• Trade Paperback at Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-HuntersBookTwoIron/dp/0985003812/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328274298&sr=1-1

• eBook ($4.99):
http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Hunters-Iron-ebook/dp/B006PU7Q4M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328150875&sr=1-1


The Secret Empire, Book Three of the Iron Dragon Series
• ISBN-10: 0985003804
• ISBN-13: 978-0985003807

If you buy the book on CreateSpace I get double the royalties. Thank you!
• Trade Paperback at CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/3759937

• Trade Paperback at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Empire-Book-Three-Dragon/dp/0985003804/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328701296&sr=1-1

• eBook ($4.99):
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Empire-Iron-Dragon-ebook/dp/B006V5Q3PY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1328150911&sr=1-1

Acknowledgements Page from The Secret Empire

Acknowledgements Page from The Secret Empire:

I finished the first draft of what has become The Secret Empire in 2002. Ten years later the book is finally coming out, though this version bears little resemblance to the manuscript I wrote back then. The story is roughly the same, but I’m a much better writer now, though I know I still have a lot to learn. It took me years to become a good enough writer to break into publishing, and in 2006 I sold book one, The Golden Cord, to John Helfers at Five Star Books, which came out in 2008, followed by book two, The Dragon Hunters which released in October of 2009. There has been a two year and three month gap between book two and three coming out.

Traditional publishing is a rough business, and despite The Golden Cord becoming Five Star Books bestselling fantasy of all time, their fantasy/science-fiction line was not doing well overall, and they cut that whole segment of their business. The publisher tried to keep me alone, and finish the series, but upper management said no, as one book could not make enough money to keep an entire line open. So, I was orphaned in late 2009, with no publisher for the rest of the proposed five book series of which I had manuscripts already written, and plenty of fans who wanted to read them.

I soon learned that the major publishers will not touch orphaned series, and all the small presses I spoke with offered me very little aside from long wait times to hear back from them, which is normal, and awful contracts.

I went from being ecstatic after book one was so successful, my very first published novel, to very depressed when I heard my publisher was stopping all fantasy publications. It’s been a rough three years for most everyone, (2009-2011) as the U.S. and world economy has taken a dive, and the worst I can say is that my 401K lost some money and I lost my publisher. Some people lost their house, or their lifesavings, and so I do not have a lot to complain about.

Fortunately for me, the paradigm of publishing has changed in the past couple of years. Electronic books are making huge gains, and print on demand services like CreateSpace by Amazon.com have become part of publishing that will never go away. I finally chose an outlet for the Iron Dragon Series and in late 2011 decided that I would put the rest of the books out myself, with the help of my published writer/editor friends and Amazon.com. The need to get the books out there became an obsession, and after years of little progress I was sprinting to get the manuscript I’d had for years, rewritten and edited.

I was fortunate to have the editorial help of Bradley P. Beaulieu, the acclaimed author of the Lays of Anuskaya series from Nightshade Books. Book one, The Winds of Khalakovo}, and book two, The Straits of Galahesh are both incredible fantasy novels, and Brad is a far better writer than I will ever be. He helped me improve this book tremendously, and I know that Brad would be a fabulous editor for any major publisher. I’m fortunate to have him as a friend, and next time I promise I’ll give him a lot longer to look at the manuscript, as I really wanted to get this book out there, and made him rush. His ideas were gold and I did my best to implement his thoughts in this final draft. The mistakes are mine alone, and the awesome ideas mostly come from Brad and the other big influence on this book, Pat.

Patrick M. Tracy, my college roommate and best friend, has been the most influential person on this book, my life as a writer, and the whole series in general. Pat suffered through this manuscript back in 2002 and earlier, and has helped me craft and shape this story more than any other. He and I have spent hundreds of hours talking about these books, and he’s been patient and kind the whole way. I need a lot of hand holding sometimes and Pat is the best guy ever to brainstorm with. I come up with an idea and he makes it nastier. Pat and I have been going down this author path together for years and I’m so impressed with his skill as a writer and poet. Find his short fiction and you’ll see what I mean. Some of the best lines in this book are Pat’s. He helped keep me going during those tough times after my books were orphaned and I could not ask for a better friend.

My loving and beautiful wife, Tammy has been extremely supportive as well, and allows me to write and keep crazy schedules. I read her all the proof pages out loud and she’s put up with this story the longest out of anyone. We’ve been together since 1995 and soon after that I was thinking of the world of Ae’leron and the Dragon King. Tammy has been the most important person in my life, and I am blessed with a lot of great friends and family, but without Tam, nothing would be possible.

I also want to acknowledge the amazing cover artist, Ciruelo Cabral, whose images have graced the covers of the Iron Dragon Series. His yearly Dragons calendars are stunning, and please find them every year, as they are available in all the stores. He inspires me a lot and his work is perfect for the Iron Dragon Series.

I want to thank my amazing fans all over the world who pushed me to get this book out there, and especially my readers in Utah where I live. Thanks to Jordan Stephens, Jason and Natalie Wilson, Cheryl and Chris O’Malley, Katrina Miller, Glenn Lee, Barbara Webb, Seth Warn, Rebecca Shelley, Adam Davies, K.C. Anderson, Craig Lloyd, my parents, my friends at the hospital where I work as a cardiac nurse, and all the writers, librarians, and teachers who have inspired me to follow this dream.

Thank you all for your support and I hope you enjoy reading The Secret Empire.

Paul Genesse
January 2012

Life, The Universe, and Everyting 2012

I'll be a guest at a writing conference, Life, The Universe and Everything, Feb 9-11, 2012 at Utah Valley University in Orem.

My schedule is as follows:

Thursday Feb. 9:
Lunch with friends: who wants to come along?
2:00 PM -Making a Book Trailer
(Paul Genesse, Heather Monson (M), Dan Wells, Angela Corbett, Lani Woodland)

Friday Feb. 10:
Lunch with friends: who wants to come along?
Book Signing 8-10PM
Please come and get a FREE DRAGON 11x17 poster!

Saturday 12 Noon Feb 11:
-Religion in Science Fiction: Is It Possible?
(L. E. Modesitt, Jr., Zachary Hill, Paul Genesse, Scott Parkin, Dan Lind (M), Eric James Stone)

Lunch with friends, who wants to come along?

3:00 PM Reading for 25 minutes. I'll be reading from The Secret Empire, and there will be death, mayhem, an ambush, and free stuff! I'll give out at least one free book.

More Information: http://www.ltue.org/LTUE_2012.html

Paul Genesse
Author of The Secret Empire
www.paulgenesse.com

Guest Blog by Joshua Palmatier about Gritty Fantasy

I met author and editor Joshua Palmatier in 2005 at the World Fantasy convention in Madison, Wisconsin. We had breakfast and later at the convention I heard him read from his novel, The Skewed Throne, book one of his “Throne of Amenkor” trilogy. I was blown away by the reading, and his novel, The Skewed Throne became my favorite book of the year. It’s an impressive, realistic, and dark fantasy novel with awesome details, and tons of action. Here’s a post he offered to allow me to share from his blog about gritty fantasy, which he does so well.

First off, thanks, Paul, for inviting me to guest blog today. I really appreciate it.

I recently attended Arisia, an SF&F con in Boston, and while there I participated in a panel called “Mud and Blood: The Grittier Side of Fantasy.” This was not a surprise, since the most common adjective used to describe my book is “gritty.” But the basic idea behind the panel was to talk about dark fantasy. I thought it would be a good topic for my guest post.

The main question is, what is it about dark fantasy that intrigues me as a writer, and do I really need to include all of the mud and blood, the dirt and grit? The answer is yes. *grin*

I have to admit that I don’t sit down and intentionally write “dark fantasy.” I never thought of my books as dark, I simply wrote them, the way they wanted to be written. (I’m an organic writer, which means I just sit down and write to see what happens; very little planning ahead of time.) And for me, a book and the characters in it aren’t realistic unless they have to deal with the mud and blood, dirt and grit. Those are the elements that make the world real for me, and so I include them naturally. They’re a part of life.

I also feel that people don’t change unless they’re forced into it. We’d all rather stay the way we are, so in order for a character to have a believable character arc in a book, some rather serious and significant emotional pain needs to be inflicted. We often joke that writers like to torture their characters, but it isn’t really a joke. If we expect the character to change, SOMETHING has to happen. Often, that “something” isn’t nice. And in the end, this is what makes characters interesting and gets the reader involved. Being forced to deal with the gritty reality of life is what draws the reader in and makes them sympathetic to the character.

That doesn’t mean that, as a writer, you can’t take it too far. There is a line that has to be drawn by every writer and every book, a line that the mud and blood, dirt and grit, shouldn’t cross. It differs from book to book, but a reader can only take so much grime and so much character torturing before they lose their sympathy and simply start thinking the writer is cruel. Writers need to balance the “dark” with some hope. In my first book, THE SKEWED THRONE, my character, Varis, starts out in the slums called the Dredge. I spent a lot of time trying to make the Dredge as real and believable as possible. Varis is struggling to merely survive, and for a while it feels as if she may not succeed. I couldn’t possibly write an entire book where this was the dominant feeling. At some point, you have to introduce something to counter the grit and give the reader hope that things will change. In my book, Varis meets a Seeker named Erick, who begins training her to be an assassin. That doesn’t mean there aren’t painful experiences yet to come, even after she escapes the Dredge, but at every stage there is hope that, sometime soon, good things will come. And eventually, they do.




So, in my opinion, you need some mud and blood, some dirt and grit, in order to make the world feel more real, and in order to make the character arc believable. Making the world believable in a fantasy novel is even more important than in other novels. But you have to be careful that you don’t take it too far an alienate the reader from not only your world, but the sympathy they have with your characters as well.




Joshua Palmatier (aka Benjamin Tate) is a fantasy writer with DAW Books, with two series on the shelf, a few short stories, and is co-editor with Patricia Bray of two anthologies. Check out the “Throne of Amenkor” trilogy—The Skewed Throne, The Cracked Throne, and The Vacant Throne—under the Joshua Palmatier name. And look for the “Well” series—Well of Sorrows and the just released Leaves of Flame—by Benjamin Tate. Short stories are included in the anthologies Close Encounters of the Urban Kind (edited by Jennifer Brozek), Beauty Has Her Way (Jennifer Brozek), and River (Alma Alexander). And the two anthologies he’s co-edited are After Hours: Tales from the Ur-bar and the upcoming The Modern Fae’s Guide to Surviving Humanity (March 2012). Find out more about both names at www.joshuapalmatier.com and www.benjamintate.com, as well as on Facebook, http://jpsorrow.livejournal.com/ LiveJournal (jpsorrow), and Twitter (bentateauthor).