Narcisse Navarre's Blog
June 18, 2021
I Didn’t Write a Word in 2020, But I Did Dare Mighty Things
Thursday, June 17th–one day before I head to the airport for a flight to Italy. Did you ever think you’d vacation again? I can tell you that for a long while, I certainly didn’t think so. The last year and a half has been filled with worry, depression, joblessness, sickness,...
May 29, 2020
COVID, Life, Works in Progress, Italy, And Everything In Between
February feels like years ago, doesn’t it? Since then, we’ve launched and completed our first successful Kickstarter (which Marzio will tell you more about in a later blog post), shipped out hundreds of hardcover first editions of The Unseen Hand around the globe, and yeah… we’ve been hit by a...
February 2, 2020
Our Epic Fantasy Novel The Unseen Hand is Published!
Our Epic Fantasy Novel The Unseen Hand is Published! Woohoo! And one lucky winner will win a copy! I wrote about the decision to self-publish in my last post— We Are On The Road To Self-Publishing. That update covered the reasons for our decision to print The Unseen Hand ourselves....
October 20, 2019
We’re on the Road to Self-Publishing
Perhaps another query might have done it, or the one after, or the one after that. Who knows? However, after banging our heads on the barred gates of traditional publishing, Narcisse and I had to make a decision. What do we really want to happen with our book? Sure, we would love...
September 16, 2019
Cogs, A Science Fiction Short Story by Marzio Ombra
The year is 2041. Cybernetic implants enable the linking of man and machine like never before. These enhanced soldiers are called 'Cogs,' as in the term 'cogs in the machine.' Adrejan "Wr8th" Romero is cybernetically enmeshed with a hovertank he calls "Kate." When he is plugged in, Kate becomes an extension of his mind and body. In the hellish chaos of war, Romero will discover his true calling. If he can survive combat with his greatest enemy.
January 21, 2019
The Death of a Witch, the Inspiration Behind My NaNoWriMo 2019 Story
Not too long ago, a tweet in my Twitter feed polled, “How do you come up with ideas for stories?” The thing is, there really is no singular way inspiration strikes. At least not for me. Most of the time, my ideas stem from one of two sources. Primarily, I...
October 23, 2018
Fantasy Map Tutorial: Part III, Naming and Typography
In Part II of the tutorial, I discussed iconography. In this post, I will show you how to add place names and use typography to further clarify places in your world. A settlement’s location affects everything about the way it develops, from the reason it exists in that spot, to what...
September 27, 2018
Fantasy Map Tutorial: Part II, Next Steps
In Part I of the tutorial, I explained some of the basics of making a map. In this post, I will go further into the process by showing you how to add shorelines and cities. The picture I’ve drawn above shows a river flowing out to the sea with various...
September 26, 2018
Fantasy Map Tutorial: Part I, The Basics
A map adds a wonderful dimension to a fantasy book. It inspires curiosity, helps you visualize your world, and transports the viewer/reader to another world without the need for text. Maps immerse the reader in the author’s imagination and add an extra layer of plausibility and depth. Maps consist of...
September 20, 2018
A Shadow In The Ice: A Short Story by Narcisse Navarre
When calamity strikes, an ancient queen is banished by a clan of prehistoric nomads. Five thousand years later, she returns to the world of men.
