L.G. Estrella's Blog, page 60

Everton Needs You!

Do you have special abilities that could potentially end the world or usher in an age of unlimited woe and darkness? Have you ever set an entire forest on fire by accident and then tried to blame it on somebody else? Is re-animating zombies and unleashing them upon your hapless enemies your idea of fun? Can you melt a mountain and conquer a country all before breakfast?

If any of the above describe you, then you are almost certainly a wanted criminal, and Everton’s law mages are probably on...

Using The Rules To Your Advantage

Over time, each genre develops its own rules and customs. Identifying these rules and using them to your advantage can make your life as a writer much easier.

The rules and customs that govern a genre range from the subtle to the famously cliche. In the case of something like fantasy, readers have come to expect things like magic and adventure, and they will generally react positively to writers who can deliver those things. However, these rules and customs can also be restrictive. There is a...

Are You Looking For Perfect Minions?

Are you looking for perfect minions? Perhaps you’re a necromancer whose rivals are constantly trying to assassinate you, perhaps you’re an apprentice who’s trying to overthrow her master, or perhaps you’re a bureaucrat who needs protection from rampaging carnivorous plants. Whoever you are, a clan of ninja rats that can turn invisible is perfect for your minion needs!

These fiendishly clever and terrifying determined rodents offer a wide range of services at very competitive prices (room and...

For The Love Of Writing

I’ve been asked on many occasions about what makes a good writer. The most obvious answer is talent. Surely, there are people out there who are just blessed with so much talent that everything they write is awesome and wonderful and good.

Bullshit.

I won’t lie to you, talent does exist, but it’s not the key to becoming a good writer, not even close. In my opinion, the thing most likely to make someone a good writer is very simple: they love writing.

But how can this be? How can simple love of...

Is Your Apprentice Planning To Overthrow You?

If you’re a necromancer withyour own castle, beneath which are lightless chasms of endless horror and despair (not to mention beings of a distinctly inter-dimensional nature that want to obliterate the world), then you need to ask yourself a very important question: is your apprentice planning to overthrow you? If you think that your apprentice might be planning to overthrow you, here are five signs that you’re about to be overthrown:

KatieShe cackles whenever she sees you. It is perfectly a...

The Last Huntress Free Today On Amazon (Sunday 21st June, Pacific Standard Time)

The Last Huntresswill be available for free on Amazon today(Sunday 21st June, Pacific Standard Time). Get ithere. If you enjoy fantasy with a healthy dose of atmosphere and action, give it a try! Here’s the blurb:

Scarlett is the last of her line – a huntress sworn to kill all monsters.

Rose is a girl searching for the power to take back her homeland.

In the icy forests of the north, on the trail of the only werewolf to escape her, Scarlett will teach Rose what it means to be a huntress. Ther...

On The Relationship Between Theory And Experiment

A theory is a set of propositions or beliefs that is used to account for or explain a particular phenomena. However, multiple theories can (and often are) proposed to account for a given phenomena, which makes being able to distinguish between competing theories extremely important.

But how are we to choose between competing theories? Presumably, there is one theory that is better than the others, which is the one we should select. One possibility is to simply accept whichever theory appears...

A Quick Word On Personality Dynamics In Fiction

This is a topic that I’ll definitely come back to in more detail at some point, but I just want to say a few quick things about personality dynamics in fiction.

There are many components to a good story, but having good characters is a big step in the right direction. But what makes a good character? One of the most important aspects of a good character is depth. A character with depth feels real to the readers and comes across as someone with their own personality, motivations, and desires,...

How Not To Run A Dinosaur Theme Park

Are you a billionaire with way too much time on your hands? Do you want to bring nature’s greatest killing machines back to life? Do you think that the only thing cooler than playing tag with a lion on safari is playing tag with a giant dinosaur? Then you’re in luck because today, I’ll be talking about how not to run a dinosaur theme park.

Genetically engineer a super dinosaur. Make sure it is carnivorous.It’s not enough that the dinosaurs were some of the largest, most vicious predators to...

Things I Wish People Would Include When They Write Smut

Smutty fiction is very serious business. Well written smut can leave a reader feeling all hot and bothered, but poorly written smut can leave a reader in hysterics. To help make your life as a writer a little easier, here are a few things that you should prioritise when you are writing smut.

Sex is basically combat. Tongues duel for dominance. People writhe and scream. There are copious amounts of bodily fluids. To make your smut stand out, take this analogy a little further. Why have tongue...