M.D. Massey's Blog, page 4
September 20, 2022
Writing Villains And Recognizing Unstable Personalities
When readers ask me how I learned to write believable villains, I simply shrug and say, “By meeting them in real life.”
It might seem an odd thing to say, especially if you grew up in a completely normal and functioning family, but I spent a lot of time around broken people during my childhood. And by “broken,” I mean people with dangerous personalities—narcissists, sociopaths, and psychopaths.
I gained an intimate, firsthand understanding of criminal predation and violence during my childhood a...
August 18, 2022
My “Off the Beaten Path” Urban Fantasy Book Picks
Q: This week, reader Steven P. asks:
“I was wondering if you could point me to some new authors that are similar to you. They don’t have to be exactly in your same realm. I do like apocalyptic, some sci-fi, futuristic stuff as well. Just gotta keep me intrigued. If you have any suggestions, shoot ‘em my way if you will. Again, hope all is well with you and yours.”
A: Hey Steven! Sure, I can do that. Grab some coffee, because this turned into a somewhat lengthy list…
First up, I really like The D...
July 17, 2022
Druid’s Bane Drops On Kindle And Kindle Unlimited Tomorrow!
Hooray, Druid’s Bane drops on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited on Monday, July 18th (note: you can already order the paperback version by clicking here).
My beta readers have been going over the ARC with a fine-toothed comb for the last week, helping me make last-minute improvements to the manuscript.
That said, they’ve also been going crazy over it, with several ARC readers calling it my best work yet:
“I don’t give 5 stars indiscriminately. They have to ...
May 25, 2022
May 2022 Urban Fantasy Author Update
Hey folks!
It’s time for a long overdue urban fantasy author update. Here’s what’s brewing in my world currently…
What I’m Watching
My wife and I just finished watching Moon Knight, and although we enjoyed the show I have mixed opinions on it. While I thought a few of the episodes were strong (Episodes 2 & 4 and the final ten minutes or so of the season finale), I believe that much of the final installments were wasted on needless exposition and excessive character development.
It’s a shame, rea...
January 14, 2022
January 2022 Urban Fantasy Author Update
It’s a new year, so I guess it’s time for another urban fantasy author update…
What I’m Reading
Fiction-wise I’ve been looking for a decent cultivation fantasy novel, just to check out what that sub-genre has to offer. To that end, I picked up Tao Wong’s first A Thousand Li novel, and the first book in Sarah Lin’s Street Cultivation series. I’ll let you know what I think after I’ve spent some time with those stories.
Besides that, I’m reading various non-fiction titles in the self-publishing and...
January 6, 2022
Cliffhanger Endings And Why Writers Use Them
Every once in a while, I’ll scan my reviews for reader feedback in hopes of finding ways I can improve future novels. I usually stick to middle-of-the-road reviews, because IMO reviewers who are “meh” about a book often offer useful feedback for authors who are willing to listen.
However, I recently happened to stumble across a negative review from a reader who complained about a “cliffhanger ending” in one of my latest novels. “Never again!” they cried, before detailing the extensive emotional ...
October 22, 2021
October 2021 Urban Fantasy Author Update
It’s time again for yet another urban fantasy author update. Here’s what’s happening in the Druidverse this month…
What I’m Watching
Not Squid Game, because f*ck conformity. No, I’ve been watching Ted Lasso, of all things, because “yay, conformity!”
After a year of hearing people rave about that show, I finally gave it a try and it did not disappoint. I can honestly say it’s among the best television series I’ve ever watched.
Never mind that the show was exactly what the world needed in the midd...
September 15, 2021
Druid’s Curse Drops on September 24th!
That’s right, Druid’s Curse drops on September 24th. This is the second novel in my Trickster Cycle series and the fourteenth Colin McCool novel to date. So, what can you expect from this latest entry in Colin’s saga?
For starters, this book is a return to some of the madcap antics from previous novels that readers seemed to love. Druid Master and Druid’s Folly were pretty dark, so I wanted to lighten the mood a bit and remind people that Colin is still a major goofball and p...
August 19, 2021
August 2021 Urban Fantasy Author Update
Hey folks, it’s time for yet another urban fantasy author update. Here’s what’s new in the Druidverse this month.
Not book research. Nope, definitely not that. Blech.
What I’m ReadingAt present, I’m finishing up Richard K. Morgan‘s excellent A Land Fit For Heroes series. Most of you probably know Morgan best for his science fiction works, most notably Altered Carbon, which was picked up for series production on Netflix (and very much worth watching). However, his fantasy novels a...
June 10, 2021
What No One Tells You About Being An Indie Author
Before We Begin, A Disclaimer…Before I delve into this topic, I’d like to start with a caveat or two. First, these are my own opinions, based on personal experience and observation. Do not treat these opinions as the gospel truth, because YMMV.
Second, I am not bitching about being a successful indie author. Honestly, it’s my dream career, and it sure beats the hell out of digging ditches.
That said, it’s not all sunshine and unicorn farts—far from it. Since I’m frequently contacted by aspiring...
