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Great epic fantasy is so much more than just swords and sorcery. To engage a wide range of readers, I set out to write a fantasy that included love, sex, and battles. These three types of scenes presented major writing challenges (especially for me, since Silk & Steel was the first time I'd written any of them!). Love and sex are not required in epic fantasy, but I believe they make any story richer and more compelling. Since my saga explores the theme of how women gain, keep, and wield power in a medieval world, sex and love are both crucial to the story. Of the two, love is by far the harder to write. Perhaps because the world has grown jaded and cynical, it's hard to convince readers that a love story is true, especially if you are writing outside of the romance genre. Fantasy authors who dare to include love risk losing their readers if that love is not believable. The key to believability is showing, not telling. Actions portray love so much more vividly than words. Someone once said, "The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference." There's a lot of wisdom in that saying, proving why actions, even the smallest kindnesses, mean so much when it comes to love. A sharpened awareness of the other person, stolen glances, a first touch that elicits sparks, a shared secret, unexpected gifts, thoughtful gestures, meaningful looks, deep conversations, all provide proof of love. A gift from a lover becomes a powerful talisman, both for the reader as well as the character. Always wearing the checkered cloak he gave her, or clutching the silver warrior ring he left behind sends an enduring message. Once you've established believability, love becomes a powerful force in the story, driving characters to make crucial pivots. True love can evoke extraordinary risks and cause unexpected transformations. These are the story moments readers will remember, but first you have to lay the groundwork. Proof of your characters' love is found in the details, so weave a rich love story with plenty of proof. I hope you'll find the love threads in The Silk & Steel Saga to be both believable and compelling.