James Downe's Blog, page 4
December 24, 2018
NaNoWriMo – What is it Good for?
For a few weeks now I’ve wanted to do a post about my experiences with a little thing call NaNoWriMo (or National Novel Writing Month). For anyone who doesn’t know what it is, well, writers at various stages of their careers try to write a 50 000 word novel in one month. It begins every … More NaNoWriMo – What is it Good for?
Published on December 24, 2018 06:23
October 12, 2018
From Parts Unknown – Grimdark Story Battle Royale
This is a short story I wrote for the Grimdark Fictions Readers & Writers group. They hold a Grimdark Story Battle Royale, where members submit a short story (1000 – 4000 words) based on a chosen theme. Once the gruesome tales are submitted, everyone votes on the best of the bunch. 16 stories were submitted, … More From Parts Unknown – Grimdark Story Battle Royale
Published on October 12, 2018 13:12
September 1, 2018
Book Review: Promise of Blood
I picked up Promise of Blood from the bargain bin of my local Chapters on a whim. I’ve heard a few people talk about McClellan, but it always involved the French Revolution so I figured it was historical fantasy. But it’s not. At all. I started Promise of Blood and knew I was hooked about … More Book Review: Promise of Blood
Published on September 01, 2018 06:27
July 26, 2018
An Interview with Chuck Pineau
Comic books have always been important to me. As important as fantasy books and D&D. Right up there with Chrono Trigger and Dragon Warrior. I remember mowing lawns with my friend Jeff one summer to make sure I could buy the Death of Superman and then the Reign of the Supermen comics that came out … More An Interview with Chuck Pineau
Published on July 26, 2018 21:03
July 9, 2018
Book Review: The Court of Broken Knives
Every so often on facebook, or on somebody’s blog, some post somewhere, someone will post a question asking what qualifies a book as grimdark. “What is grimdark?” the person will say. “What are the key five books that will tell me everything I need to know about this weird subgenre?” I hear it in podcasts, … More Book Review: The Court of Broken Knives
Published on July 09, 2018 20:44
May 13, 2018
The Cartography of Celduras – My 30 Day World Challenge – Day 30!
It’s the last day of the #My30DayWorld challenge! Day 30! ANd we’re only… like, a month behind! Oh, well, we did it! Today’s post is all about the cartography of the world. The Legacy of Ash began as a role-playing setting for us, slowly evolving into fantasy fiction as the characters and cultures we created … More The Cartography of Celduras – My 30 Day World Challenge – Day 30!
Published on May 13, 2018 04:31
May 9, 2018
Playable Characters and Relics of Power – My 30 Day World Challenge – Day 28 and 29
We’re nearing the end of the #My30DayWorld challenge, and though we’re many days behind we are still going to finish. It’s a double today, one question about characters we’d like to play in our world, and one about relics of power. The Legacy of Ash began as a role-playing setting for us, slowly evolving into … More Playable Characters and Relics of Power – My 30 Day World Challenge – Day 28 and 29
Published on May 09, 2018 04:32
April 29, 2018
Do Any People in Your World Revere Nature? – My 30 Day World Challenge – Day 27
We’re nearing the end of the #My30DayWorld challenge, and though we’re many days behind we are still going to finish. Today, well, today I’m posting a little story about a city called Sharkspawn and a night called the Sovess Moon. The Legacy of Ash began as a role-playing setting for us, slowly evolving into fantasy fiction … More Do Any People in Your World Revere Nature? – My 30 Day World Challenge – Day 27
Published on April 29, 2018 14:02
April 27, 2018
What Deities Dwell in Your Realm – My 30 Day World Challenge – Day 26
We’re nearing the end of the #My30DayWorld challenge, and though we’re many days behind we are still going to finish. Today, Æsc unveils one of the principal deities of t’Avallin. The Legacy of Ash began as a role-playing setting for us, slowly evolving into fantasy fiction as the characters and cultures we created began to take … More What Deities Dwell in Your Realm – My 30 Day World Challenge – Day 26
Published on April 27, 2018 08:46
April 21, 2018
Misunderstood Races – Part 2
We’re nearing the end of the #My30DayWorld challenge, and though we’re several days behind we are still going to finish. For this question about misunderstood races, we’re dividing the post into two parts. James already gave a glimpse of the rittauri, and for part 2 Æsc has written a grimdark short about the varukhiri. The … More Misunderstood Races – Part 2
Published on April 21, 2018 20:51