S.E.’s Comments (group member since Nov 01, 2012)

S.E.’s comments from the Sword & Sorcery: "An earthier sort of fantasy" group.

Jason M wrote: "kudos to Fafhrd and the Mouser for a job well done to date; well-met to Jack on joining the fray!

as fer yer handle, I'm thinking '24' will fit jest fine."

Jason, Your fine '24' suggestion made into a vote-able item!
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/8...

All,
(this duplicates a broadcast email)

This announces that Jack has become a co-moderator this group. For this he gets no salary or fame, just the opportunity to try out the joys of keeping conversations rolling. We appreciate him helping out.

Expectations Don't expect drastic changes. Periklis and I still plan to co-moderate. We have a great culture here that will be maintained: low-key, zero-flame-wars, unobtrusive, consistent groupreads etc. But it was time to ensure volunteers could participate and Jack answered the call (every year or so we ask for input).

Moderator Moniker You may notice that moderators are blessed with optional titles (look at the right hand menu bar or under our pictures). Periklis = Fafhrd ; S.E. = Gray Mouser. .... Jack may need assistance choosing a name...

Group growth: It is timely to offer a state-of-the-group address, I suppose. The group is steady and strong. Periklis started this group ~2012 and then kindly offered sharing the role with me. I started moderating in 2013 and it has been a great way to simultaneously network and read all those books I felt obligated to read as a fan. We gain ~100 members per year. It is great to see so many established and aspiring authors here. Likewise, it is great to see that the genre is not stagnant---our current Anthology themed group read is a testament to that; lots of great anthologies were released in 2015 (and several e-zines).

Thanks to all for being sincere, civil fans.

Cheers, S.E.

G.K. wrote: "Hi folks!
Really glad to have found this group. I’ve been skulking around for some time and thought I’d introduce myself. I write fantasy and historical fiction, and I’ve been a fan of sword and ..."

Welcome GK, you fit right in.

Jason M wrote: "I reviewed Swords & Dark Magic for Black Gate Magazine online, oh, back in 2010 I think. lots of great authors, lots of great stories, not so much S&S, in my view."

Jason, glad to help. Here are direct links to your two topics:

Black Gate: A review of Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword & Sorcery by Jason Waltz.

Goodreads review of The Best of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly: Volume 1, 2009-2011 by Jason Waltz.

Dan wrote: "^Despite my previously voiced displeasure with name "grimdark", though I had more of problem with the name for a subgenre than a magazine title, I have to say this greatly interests me. Do they pri..."

Just electronic....

"Grimdark Magazine IssuesGrimdark Magazine is available on Kindle (.mobi), iBooks/Nook/ (and all other ePub devices), and as a PDF - all from GrimdarkMagazine.com! "

http://grimdarkmagazine.com/

Note, GdM (Grimdark Magazine) #6 was just released. 2.99 USD.
Grimdark Magazine Issue #6
GdM 6 Link

"Issue #6 is dedicated to our colleague, friend, and fellow grimdark enthusiast Kennet Rowan Gencks, who unexpectedly passed away on the 6th of November, 2015.

Fiction:

At the Walls of Sinnlos by Michael R. Fletcher (a Manifest Delusions short story)
A Fair Man by Peter Orullian (a Vault of Heaven short story)
Twelve Minutes to Vinh Quang by T. R. Napper
Excerpt: Blood of Innocents by Mitchell Hogan
Non-Fiction:

The Grimdark Villain by C. T. Phipps
A review of Larry Correia's Son of the Black Sword (review by Malrubius)
An Interview with Aliette de Bodard
Publisher Roundtable with Tim Marquitz, Geoff Brown, Katie Cord, and Shawn Speakman
A Review of Dishonoured by C. T. Phipps
Art:
Hassebrand by Jason Deem"

Jason M wrote: "hey all, read and thoroughly enjoyed (well, not so much the final entry, so 99% enjoyed) HFQ's Best of Our First Years anthology. not only is it a great compilation of many of their best tales, it'..."

Thanks Jason for sharing about: The Best of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.

I have yet to check out their site regularly, which has gotten good reviews. It is pretty cool they are compiling anthologies.

All, the page may not be so bad after all. I got the activity viewable under a GOODREADS tab.

I intend to keep the page for a while, but only for purposes of announcements and enabling others to discover this community--for example, I will not encourage chatting.discussions there....but having the announcements there will enable others to share/post.

So.... please "like" the page and use it to share announcements.
https://www.facebook.com/Sword-and-So...

Jack wrote: "S.E. wrote: "Epic/Immortal Interview with Stephen Leigh (link)

Since 2014, I've been running a series of interviews on "Art & Beauty in Weird/Fantasy Fiction" that engage contemporary authors & a..."

Thanks! These interviews have been very rewarding--this is the second one in which an author shared his fine art (Dean Andersson was the first). I enjoyed communicating with Stephen Leigh. He teaches creative writing by day, and has some realistic/inspirational commentary for aspiring writers. I copy some the "dirt habit" quote below:

"... What I slowly realized was that if I hoped to forge a career as a writer, I couldn’t wait for the fickle muse to appear. I had to write without her… because once you start writing, the muse can’t stand to be left out and eventually shows up at your side. The very act of writing attracts the muse to you." - S.L. Farrell"

Not a huge Reddit guy, but BLACKGUARDS just won the 2015 Reddit Fantasy Stabby Award.


http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/1292...

Epic/Immortal Interview with Stephen Leigh (link)

Since 2014, I've been running a series of interviews on "Art & Beauty in Weird/Fantasy Fiction" that engage contemporary authors & artists to reveal their muses. This is my seventh one--it features Stephen Leigh, author of many books including Immortal Muse, which is a beautiful blend of historical fiction and alchemical fantasy.

Stephen Leigh hails from Cincinnati and has professionally published over 26 novels and ~50 short stories (including those in George RR Martin's WILD CARDS). Steve has several identities, having also written under the pseudonyms “S. L. Farrell” and “Matt Farrell” in both the Sci-Fi and Fantasy genres. He is a musician and vocalist too, active in several local bands. Stephen teaches creative writing at Northern Kentucky University and has mentored many via his teaching and his online essays.

https://www.facebook.com/Sword-and-So...

A tab called GOODREADS appears on the facebook page that seems to show our activity....and when a link is clicked it redirects to the actual goodreads.com group site. Unfortunately, the TIMELINE tab appears as the main default landing page.

I wonder if this is worth keeping, if only to enable others to invite people to the this group.

Dan wrote: "If I were on Facebook I would join... but since I'm not..."

Dan, no worries. So far I've done a few tests and it doesn't work as I would like. One could argue that it doesn't work at all.

According the app description, it should duplicate the activity from our group. But I'm not sure what that means. It does not seem to post comments (like this one).

Crew,
I am just experimenting with a Facebook application that is supposed to link the activity here on Goodreads to a Facebook page.

I am not sure if this will work...and am not necessarily advocating doing this. Just wanted to see how it may work.

I personally like keeping the chats in goodreads, and distancing chats from Facebook nonsense... but it may be good way to share information.

Check it out if you want:
https://www.facebook.com/Sword-and-So...

I've only read one Kothar. Was not impressed.

Welcome Arley!

Another year transpires, and this group continues to move forward in its unobtrusive, leisurely way. Woo-hoo. We've a nice crowd here.

Expect the same pace and moderating style for 2016.

Of course, if there is someone who would like to share group-moderating by listening & engaging members (while keeping the civil tone, lack-of-flame wars, balanced promotional postings, etc.), that is possible. Please message Periklis and myself if so.

Dan wrote: "Aye, aye!

AlamoJack wrote: "Finally getting around to We Are All Legends. Better late than never." Never heard of this before, but if it's anything like Wagner and Howard I am very..."

Based on your insightful review of Swords Against Darkness IV, I am pretty sure you will enjoy We Are All Legends. It is full of prose that elevates the weird story of an apostate crusader.

Dan wrote: "Indeed! Lord Dunsany's prose is fantastic, different than many other authors of the time, and very captivating. I finished off Swords Against Darkness IV and wrote a comprehensive review:
https://..."

Awesome Dan, please repost in the "Anthology" group read area too!
Link=
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...