M.D. Massey's Blog, page 5

Urban Fantasy Author Update May 2021

Time for another (long overdue) urban fantasy author update. Drum roll, please!

What I’m Reading

Eh, not much. I’ve been doing so much writing and editing, the last thing I want to do at the end of the day is look at a page.

Well, I take that back. I have been slowly working my way through the first Burke novel, with intentions of reading the entire series again. But, I’m basically just reading a paragraph here and there at odd intervals a couple of times a day (like when I’m in the car wash, or...

Shade Cursed Sample Chapter!

Shade Cursed is the first entry in The Shadow Changeling Series, a Colin McCool Junkyard Druid spin-off series set in M.D. Massey’s Druidverse urban fantasy setting.

If you enjoy dark urban fantasy books featuring haunted antiheroes in the tradition of Snape, Walker Boh, and Constantine, you’ll love this story about a human changeling prince fighting to overcome the tragedy of his tortured past.

Grab your copy of the first novel in this urban fantasy trilogy today at: https://geni.us/shadecursed...

Urban Fantasy Author Update for February 2021

Hey folks, it’s time for another urban fantasy author update! Here’s what I’ve been up to…

What I’m Doing

As I write this I’m watching the snow fall outside my window, after a week of freezing temps in an area of the country where temperatures rarely get below the forties. For me, this is enjoyable weather, as I spent over half my childhood and teen years in the Midwest.

I tend to prepare for such things, so this has been a minor inconvenience at most for my family. For others, not so much, and ...

Urban Fantasy Author Update for January 2021

I checked my calendar, and it’s time for another urban fantasy author update. Here’s what I’ve been up to lately…

What I’m Reading: Fantasy RPG Rules

Recently, my friend Scott—the guy who does the animation for my book trailers—asked me if I would run a D&D campaign for his son and mine. Apparently, his kid has been dying to play D&D the entire time they’ve been cooped up during the pandemic.

How could I resist introducing a new generation to the world’s greatest tabletop fantasy role-playing ga...

Confessions of a Plotser

“‘The king died and then the queen died’ is a story. ‘The king died, and then the queen died of grief’ is a plot.”

—E.M. Forster

Fiction authors have been romanticized in popular culture for so long, the average person likely thinks we sit around all day waiting for inspiration, only to zip over to an old-school typewriter when our muse strikes, banging out a novel in a mad, all-night writing spree.

I. Wish.

The truth is much more mundane. You have to write every day, even when you don’t feel li...

November Author Update

Looks like it’s time for another urban fantasy author update from yours truly. Here’s what I’m up to this month…

What I’m Reading

Currently I’m reading through The Morganville Vampires novels again, and I’m on Book 3, Midnight Alley. After Rachel Caine’s recent and untimely passing, I decided that the series deserved another read. Rest in peace, Ms. Caine.

On the non-fiction front, lately I’ve had my nose stuck in Teri Tom’s excellent text on the Jeet Kune Do straight lead. When I initially came...

I Call It… Book Research!

Update on Druid Master:

Not much of an update this week, as all I’ve been doing is writing Druid Master and working on my bike doing book research:

 

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Finally got most of the mechanical issues sorted on my #triumphlegend. Finished #writing then took it out for a longer #ride, even though it was a wet day. Runs well, but found a few minor oil leaks. Gonna fix those and then move on to cosmetic issues. #triumphmotorcycles #hinckleytriumph ...

Urban Fantasy Author Update for October 2020

Hey folks, it’s time for another author update from yours truly. Here’s what I’ve been up to lately…

What I’m Reading

After slogging through a slush pile of recommended books (mostly from Amazon’s suggestion engine), I finally picked up Dakota Krout’s book Ritualist, the first in his popular LitRPG series.

I enjoy a good LitRPG story, and this series has all the humor and lightheartedness I look for when choosing books in this genre. If you’re a LitRPG fan and you haven’t read it yet, I recommen...

My Favorite Books On Writing

As a somewhat well-established novelist, I regularly receive requests for writing and publishing advice from aspiring authors.

In some cases, those questions are from readers who have an idea for a novel, and they want my opinion on their concept. And in other cases, the requests are for writing tips, or for advice on how to publish a novel.

Typically I answer those requests by pointing the person who contacted me to a particular book or resource that will thoroughly answer their questions. Th...

Urban Fantasy Author Update for September 2020

Raven’s Mark trilogy by Ed McDonald. A...