#fantasyfiction — Public Fediverse posts

#WorldOfOntyre 19

The most mysterious character in Kovenlore Chronicles might not be a person, but instead, a crow.

Mazatta the crow.

He’s introduced early in Book-2. Though he has the equally mysterious ability to speak, he never uses more than three words.

Often he speaks the truth, but it’s his human who misunderstands. Often he makes predictions, but they’re ignored. All with 3 words.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#PhantastikPrompts 19
weather and climate

This is always a backdrop, mood setter, and sometimes a character. In the opening pages of Book-1, Riparia kneels in the drizzle as her life changes forever.

Interesting that it ends the same way.

Book-2 opens with a murder, a raging storm outside. Later, there’s a dry, dusty canyon prone to avalanches, and a dead city that wears a mask of fog to hide what’s alive.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

This week, two favorites return to challenge and entertain us! Lauren Parker and Wole Talabi will read their own SFF stories. Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF #LaurenParker #WoleTalabi #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading https://www.storyhour2020.com/

#WorldOfOntyre 18

Contrast.

Shades of gray make for great mystery, but for defining tension in a story, I like establishing the extremes.

How much easier it is, and more terrifying, to see callousness in the face of innocence. Think of Scrooge and Tiny Tim in a Christmas Carol.

Never underestimate the power of kindness, which evil hates, or the vulnerability that makes the unsociable uneasy.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 17

I’ve been developing a story on the side and now have 4K notes. This is preliminary, and there are few deep details, and no narratives.

It’s funny how one idea doesn’t lead to another, but instead branches into several others.

I MAY set it in the Great Magi Forest.

Meanwhile, here I go again, having decent, intelligent characters who are attracted to one another. •sigh•

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 16

Innocence.

Strangely, it’s something I examine quite often. Even Riparia, who’s suffered greatly in her life, is often naïve, in part owing to self-isolation.

Maybe I look at it because it’s difficult to find these days, or because mine was stolen at a young age, yet, oddly, not in some ways.

People may scoff at this, but I don’t think they would after reading the stories.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 15

Here’s something different…

I sometimes mention the stories waiting in the wings, but they can feel unreal at times.

For instance, Shadow in Winter, the novella I’ll publish in my 1st anthology. It’s the only story I’ve written in Draskrith, which is north of Pannulus.

It isn’t a pleasant place.

Here’s the opening to a teenage girl’s story, a girl with a gift…

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 14

I’ve had enough of reprehensible people.

Yes, I write antagonists, and my characters have flaws, but I’m sick to my withering heart of deplorable people committing indefensible acts against one another.

Most of my characters are decent people. I refuse to dwell on characters who strive to reach the bottom first.

Is that unrealistic? Depends on who you’re measuring against.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 13

A few times in my worldbuilding, I named something, decided it was a dumb name, and then left it.

Case in point: the death spell.

Given its rareness, I decided it was better if it had to be explained, as it is in Book-1 (it doesn’t appear until Book-5).

It’s so named because the spell is cast at the moment of the spell caster’s death, making the result irreversible.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 12

I’m in the early stage of story development where a segment of a scene, a critical moment, becomes a loop in my head that I alter slightly with each rotation of the loop.

That’s how I perfect that moment, but also make certain that it’s viable, that it’ll hold up. If not, I scrap it and change how the scene will unfold.

All this without writing a word, and it works—for me.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 11

If there’s art you wish to create, create it, even if you don’t share it. Be yourself. The world needs honest art.

I spent too long trying to be someone else, and when I at last became brave enough to find me, I lost 8 years to illness.

Honesty, it means everything.

You can’t begin to imagine the feeling, but you can if you try. Life gave me one last chance and I took it.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 10

In my Pannulus mysteries, I often have characters (not typically MCs) make brief appearances in other stories, or they’re mentioned.

That practice actually began in the Kovenlore series. Book-5’s connection to the series going back to the first 4 books is via a character who appears in Books 3&4.

The book is setup, though, via a couple of brief moments in Book-2.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 09

When my old critique partner read my 1st novel, she asked why I suppressed the romance that was obviously trying to emerge.

I withheld that life had denied this hopeless romantic that wish.

Knowing me better than I knew myself, Melissa didn’t give up, instead prodding me to let the romance live. It was hard, really hard, but I’m forever grateful that she tried.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon #Cat #Cats

Astrid’s Reflection: Goodbye (A Westfal Story)

https://gregcmillerauthor.blog/2026/08/09/astrids-reflection-goodbye-a-westfal-story/

#WorldOfOntyre 08

I keep editing chapters in Book-6…

Meanwhile, there’s the story I keep kicking around. I’ve kinda committed to it, but not fully.

The biggest issue is that I’m not sure if I have a mystery. It’s a story, no doubt about that, but I may be trying to impose a mystery on it.

Write the story wanting written!

I didn’t see this coming, but the “problems” are why I love what I do.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

The Old Ways: Chapter 25–Duncan

https://gregcmillerauthor.blog/2026/08/08/the-old-ways-chapter-25-duncan/

#WorldOfOntyre 07

I think I have a story to work on while I’m editing.

All the signs are there. I’ve written over 2,400 words in notes in a few days. I’m “seeing” the story, scenes forming when I go for walks.

There’s a preliminary title.

Meanwhile, this is energizing me, my editing sharper. I couldn’t have balanced both 2-years ago. Instead, I needed to learn my editing system first.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

We had a very companionable evening with Story Hour cohost Daniel Marcus and occasional guest host Douglas Gwilym. Their stories, now—those were melancholy, full of ghosts and time displacement. You can still watch! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF #DouglasGwilym #DanielMarcus
https://youtu.be/IxZdgtVZpVc

#WorldOfOntyre 06

I’ve been feeling nostalgic for NaNoWriMo lately. Not the abomination it became its last years, but the early version.

I wrote a lot of books during NaNo, and have a story for each experience.

I hope new writers gets to experience, not just the thrill, but the self-discovery.

Image: NaNo 2018. I was working then. That book became Book-4 of Kovenlore, published in the spring.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 05

One reason I write stories is because I’m often not fond of reality. I learned young that it could be harsh, often horrible, and I’d try to escape, at least for a while.

While little, I started creating my own reality. I couldn’t live there physically, but it was always waiting in my imagination.

That expanded to, maybe, just maybe, I could improve this reality for others.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

This Story Hour, SFF is on the way! Mainstays Douglas Gwilym and Daniel Marcus will take us to some very strange places. Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF #DouglasGwilym #DanielMarcus
https://www.storyhour2020.com/

The Old Ways: Chapter 24–Argus

https://gregcmillerauthor.blog/2026/08/04/the-old-ways-chapter-24-argus/

#WorldOfOntyre 04

August seems to be the month for new story ideas to try and force their way into my brain.

Perhaps it comes from all the years of doing NaNo? Aug (idea), Sept (notes), Oct (plan), Nov (draft)?

I suspect it isn’t that simple, but I do wonder if there’s a cycle. Regardless, I no longer have the time to do things that way with my publishing schedule. I may have to adapt.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 03

Much of Book-5 of the Kovenlore Chronicles, which will release this autumn, takes place in a region known as the Lost Hills.

*Anyone who has read Book-3 might remember a classroom discussion concerning the region.

It’s dense forest over large hills that border on mountains where it often rains. Wild rivers flow through it, but the biggest flows slowly on its eastern border.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 02

I write otherworld historical fantasy, but it helps to touch real history.

This was the train station for the Milwaukee Line. It’s still there, and looks no different. A city trail now follows the empty tracks to the right, trees between it and the river.

The buildings in the distance on the right are now a park. In the distance on the left is Blue Mtn. I’ve climbed it.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

Astrid’s Reflection: Compassus Memoriae (A Westfal Story)

https://gregcmillerauthor.blog/2026/08/01/astrids-reflection-compassus-memoriae-a-westfal-story/

#WorldOfOntyre 01

I’ve made it.

July is, overall, our hottest month here, and my least favorite month for writing/editing. August brings cooler nights, and more temptation to hike.

I’ll hike, but otherwise I’ll write. If there’s anything I have, it’s discipline. Heat, illness, it doesn’t matter. I get it done.

If I’m serious about publishing, then I have to be serious about my effort.

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon

#WorldOfOntyre 31

🔆

Illegal lighting. Everywhere. Enough to light every poverty-stricken home in Transgamete, the chandeliers blazing with magic. Literal dancing flames turned the hearths into art. A minor wizard performed tricks with glowing orbs.

Hands fisted, outrage wanted the pistol hidden on her thigh.

~ from Buried Remembrances, Book 4 of the Kovenlore Chronicles

🔆

Be everwell.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity #AmWritingFantasy #Fantasy #FantasyFiction #Bookstodon