Rennie St. James's Blog: Ramblings, page 8

Guest post: Selene Kallan [Supernatural creatures]

Fangs? Fur? Wings? Feathers?

We all have favorite tropes and story lines we love, right? These are the things we simply can’t resist even if we’ve watched or read many versions. I have a weakness for supernatural creatures! My favorite shows to re-watch are Grimm, Supernatural, and the original Charmed. My favorite books to snap up are paranormal romances such as the Nocturne Falls series by Kristen Painter. I love seeing the unique spins for each interpretation.

Creature stories reveal so muc...

Guest Post: Richard H. Stephens [The Publishing Experience]

As we are all self-isolating and social distancing, hopefully there are many great books being written during this pandemic. Do you know what happens after youve written your book? This guest post just might have some answers for you.

BTW, do you know that it is #indieApril? There are many authors who have taken the self-publishing path, and the business is constantly evolving around us. It can be difficult for all of us to keep up and understand the details.

However, author Richard H....

What do you see: #PricelessMovement

I love writing warriors and hunters fighting evil! Those fictional works are fast-paced action full of tension, betrayal, and snark. Danger and drama coat each chapter as the characters fight for not just their honor but their very survival. However, our real world lives arent like that. We rarely need to make snap judgments to ensure we live. We often even refer to our trials as #firstworldproblems, and its true for many of us. Why then do we judge so quickly? Why do we judge so harshly?

A...

Pandemic survival: Lessons from martial arts [Part 5]

There is one meme that always makes me laugh during these crazy times! It’s those the apocalypse we expected vs the apocalypse we got!

I think there’s a discrepancy in expectations for martial arts too. Most of us have various images in mind when we think of martial arts (at least before we start training anyway). Anyone see a samurai sword fight? Maybe stealthy ninjas? Bruce Lee? Kill Bill movies?

I have none of those skills…but, we do use staffs and (wooden) swords in our dojo!

This brings me...

Pandemic survival: lessons from martial arts [Part 5]

There is one meme that always makes me laugh during these crazy times! Its those the apocalypse we expected vs the apocalypse we got!

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I think theres a discrepancy in expectations for martial arts too. Most of us have various images in mind when we think of martial arts (at least before we start training anyway). Anyone see a samurai sword fight? Maybe stealthy ninjas? Bruce Lee? Kill Bill movies?

I have none of those skillsbut, we do use staffs and (wooden) swords in our dojo!

This brings me...

Pandemic Survival: Lessons from martial arts [Part 4]

Sometimes, we just need a break from the pandemic crazinessso lets take one with this post! BTW, even without the Covid-19 fears, taking a break is a good thing and should be a regular part of your life! I do love the current trends on social media to share music, movies, and more. Those are such a bright spot in my feed and I want to do the same thing.

This will be positive post sharing some of my favorite things which I am grateful to have in my life!

If you follow any of my social media...

Pandemic Survival: Lessons from martial arts [Part 3]

Can someone please explain the toilet paper thing to me??

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On the plus side, I did get to include a Supernatural meme so I think this post is starting off well, dont you?

Yes, the craziness continues, my friends. So, how about another martial arts lesson that can be applied to the pandemic panic? First though, have you read Parts 1 and 2? Start there and then come back here to continue!

Aikido is known as the gentle martial artwhich has often made me laugh. Id never had a black eye or broken...

Pandemic Survival: Lessons from martial arts [Part 2]

It appears the pandemic panic continues, so this blog series will too. In Part 1, we discussed responses and taking your power back. I want to delve into that a bit more now. Of course, that means we have to get back on those aikido mats to find our martial arts lessons.

In our dojo, we joke that a black belts job is to make the technique look easy. Theres nothing more frustrating than believing something is easy to do and then failing at it. This brings me to one of my favorite martial arts...

Pandemic Survival: Lessons from martial arts [Part 1]

Social distancing is the latest buzzword, and its meant to ensure our survival. Proper distance and survival have always been part of martial arts.

Okay, I cant say always or even all martial arts, but I can speak from my personal experience in aikido over the last fifteen years. My martial arts training has had an incredible impact on my daily life and my writing (how can one write modern warriors without training and fight scenes??!). Its not surprising to me that I turn to it now to...

Guest post: Michael Darling [Magic, Science, and Magical Science]

Genres can be difficult for readers and writers alike. Readers may find it annoying when trying to search for specific books while authors often stress over what is appropriate for  reader expectations and for sales.

I used to mumble and stumble when telling others I write fantasy. The word always brought to mind Medieval magicians and sword fights or even scenes from Lord of the Ringsand my writing is nothing like either of those! However, I not only embrace being a fantasy author, I also...