Kameron M. Franklin's Blog

Relvan returns from Black Gate

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:30:09 -0800

I heard back from Black Gate today on "Relvan's Rescue". Return time was about 6 months. John O'Neill, Publisher and Editor of Black Gate, was nice enough to send a personalized email, which included an apology for the delay (their stated return time is 3-5 months). Fellow author Marcy Rockwell often comments about the nice rejections she gets, and I finally understand what she means. I think this was the first rejection that made me feel good. Here's what Mr. O'Neill said:

Almost. I was...

posted by Kameron M. Franklin on November, 25

Cult

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:09:52 -0800

I should have known better. I wondered if this was the line he used on every weak-willed fool he tried to lure into his cult. It didn't matter, but it confirmed my fears. What had Pelban tangled himself in this time?

"Ha! I highly doubt that," I said. "Your god considers me an idolater."

"Don't be so modest," Sahllos said with a smile. "You're more than a mere idolater. You are a priest of a false religion."

"Was a priest," I growled. I wanted to ask how he knew about my former service, but I...

posted by Kameron M. Franklin on November, 28

The Bible as a storytelling pattern

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:34:22 -0700

I know I have readers who are neither christian nor religious. Most of what follows may not have relevance to you, but I do make some applications to fantasy fiction writing with regard to presenting deities and embedding messages in your story. I encourage you to read through the entire post and take from it what you can.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be...

posted by Kameron M. Franklin on October, 12

Treating it like a second job

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:34:07 -0700

I began the process of dissolving my company earlier this summer. Goldbox Media Group incorporated back in June of 2006, and for the past three years, I poured time, money, and less tangible resources into the production of an online game. It was my second job.

The decision to quit that job was not an easy one. It meant swallowing my pride. It meant asking my family to shoulder a financial burden that I had promised they wouldn't need to. It meant letting go of a dream.

I picked up an old...

posted by Kameron M. Franklin on October, 05

My trip to Barsoom

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:54:57 -0800

I owe a large part of my love for fantasy fiction to my parents' bookshelves, upon which were stacked the works of Brooks, Eddings, Lewis, McCaffrey, Tolkien, and others. There was a mix of science fiction as well, but I shied away from the likes of Asimov, Bradbury, and Clarke. (I did read Chalker's Rings of the Masters series). Perhaps that is why I never got around to reading my father's collection of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series. While the Frazetta covers certainly drew my eye...

posted by Kameron M. Franklin on December, 22

Heroic Fantasy Quarterly publishes first issue

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:24:14 -0800

I think I've found the next market I will submit "Relvan's Rescue" to, barring acceptance from Black Gate. Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, an ezine that began accepting submissions back in February of this year, published their first issue at the end of June. (I just heard about it last week via Grasping for the Wind.) HFQ publishes three pieces of short fiction and two poems per issue. I read all three stories and found them to be fun, entertaining examples of heroic, sword-and-sorcery fantasy (even

posted by Kameron M. Franklin on November, 06

Fire and prophecy

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:03:20 -0800

The orange light of the campfire glinted off the spear tips thrust in our faces. I held my hands up to show I posed no threat.

"We are arrows in the dark," Pelban said. I saw him hold up his silver pin from the corner of my eye. The sharp metal point inches from my forehead persuaded me from fumbling for my own pin. Pelban's guard grunted his acknowledgment of the passphrase and spears were lowered. We climbed to our feet and followed the two men into the camp.

The guards deposited us at the centr

posted by Kameron M. Franklin on December, 19

Training my inner editor

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:49:00 -0700

I am not a prolific writer. I like to attribute this to my struggle to maintain a regular schedule of writing, and that once I establish a habit, my productivity will increase exponentially. There is some truth to this assessment, but it is only a part of my problem. I need to train my inner editor if I really want to pump up my word count.

Your inner editor is that little voice in your head that tells you when something in your writing isn't working: plot points, characterization, and language.

posted by Kameron M. Franklin on August, 18

Power levels fluctuating

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:47:27 -0700

I recently watched disc 1 of Justice League animated series' first season. I've been a fan of Bruce Timm's other DC universe productions, but found myself sorely disappointed in this particular endeavor for one reason alone: lazy writing.

How do I know the writers were lazy? Because they committed a cardinal sin of comic book writing. Rather than coming up with creative ways to foil the combined (or individual) might of earth's greatest superheroes, the writers opted to simply cripple their power

posted by Kameron M. Franklin on July, 28

Outlaws

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:41:46 -0700

I ran until my lungs burned and moving my legs felt like pushing boulders uphill. The buildings on the outskirts of town had long since faded into the night. I wanted to stop, to fall to the ground, my chest heaving as it sucked in air with the urgency of a parched man lying on the bank of a mountain spring, but Pelban showed no signs of slowing as he led us toward the foothills of the Arunwol Mountains.

"Pelban…where…are we…going?" My gasping question reigned Pelban in until we both stood pantin

posted by Kameron M. Franklin on July, 24