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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 epic battles. I've already discussed love and sex scenes in past posts, but this 'tidbit' about writing battles grew long, so I am breaking it into three parts, each with a key writing tip. To be honest, the challenge of writing battles scared me. Epic fantasy, almost by definition, includes sweeping battles, casts of thousands clashing with swords and shields, a struggle for life and glory. The Silk & Steel Saga is no exception. A sophisticated tale of Light versus Dark, my saga brims with a legion of battles. Writing battles was a task I needed to succeed at. Failure was not an option. Movies make battles seem deceptively easy to portray, a cast of hundreds multiplied and enhanced by CGI, and music, always music, to lead the viewers' emotions, prodding the audience to triumph or despair. Books have no music, nothing but words, making battles so much harder to convey. The trouble with writing battles is that in real life they're chaos unleashed, hack and slash, stroke and parry, kill or be killed. Hack and slash gets boring real fast, and 'boring' is the death of books, yet in epic fantasy, battles tend to be crucial to the climax. So how do you write a battle scene and keep from descending into pure hack and slash? Part of the solution lies in the character's perspective. Put a character on the castle ramparts and they can see the bigger picture, they understand the ebb and flow, the how and why, the grand strategy. This makes the battle more intellectually engaging, but protected by a castle battlement the risk to the character is diminished, so the tension is lower. To raise the tension, you can place your character in the midst of battle, but then the chaos of hack and slash tends to dominate...unless the character meets their ultimate nemesis. In LOTR, when Eowyn faces the Nazgul witch-king in the battle for Gondor, all the chaos falls away. The battle becomes a duel and the tension goes ballistic as everything focuses on two key combatants. In The Silk & Steel Saga, I used this "dueling" technique for one battle in The Skeleton King and two in The Battle Immortal, but this technique can only be used a few times (there are only so many nemesis pairs in a book). So think about your characters' perspective when writing battle scenes and save a clash between your nemesis pairs for your ultimate climax battles.

Tidbit Thursday: 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. Last week I talked about love scenes. Writing sex scenes proved a challenge of a different sort (including overcoming my own embarrassment!). One of my top priorities was to make sure the sex was never gratuitous, always integral to the characters' goals and the story's themes. In The Silk & Steel Saga, sex is either part of love or a means to a calculated end. And no one does the second better than the Priestess! Wielding sex for power is the prowess of the Priestess, the succubus of the Dark Lord. "Glamour enough to steal a man's soul...and the skill to use it." The Priestess is seduction personified. Her purpose was always clear, although her methods varied. As an author, my goal was to write prose that sizzled without crossing the boundary into r-rated. For me, the key to writing successful sizzle is to focus on seduction rather than just sex. For example, here's a scene from The Poison Priestess, when she's reunited with the prince of Radagar. “What name do you go by these days?� She never used her birth-name, a secret saved for a future conquest. “I haven’t decided yet. Choose something you like. Any blossom will do.� He shook his head. “Not any blossom. Not for you.� He circled her, slowly, studying the silhouette beneath the layers of sheer silk. “For you it must be something special, something rare, something with a double meaning.� Leaning close, he breathed deep. “Sandalwood beneath honeysuckle, allure hidden beneath sweet innocence.� He came full circle, standing in front of her, a hungry smile on his lean face. “I name you, Cereus, a blossom of the night.� “Cereus.� She tried the name, liking the sound of it. “Is it real or myth?� His gaze traveled her length, pausing at the lushness of her breasts. “Is your beauty real, or myth?� “Perhaps you’ll learn tonight.� “Perhaps it will take more than one night.� She made her voice a purr. “One night will be enough.� ...It's just a short scene, but can you feel the heat? This scene sizzles yet all the words are g-rated. I hope you'll find plenty of sizzle in The Silk & Steel Saga!

The Assassin's Tear, my collection of short stories, including two set in the world of The Silk & Steel Saga is on sale on Amazon for 99 cents from June 15 till June 20. This sale is for Amazon US and international! Explore the medieval kingdoms of Erdhe, raid the tomb of the first emperor of China, and unravel the enigma of Dark Space in this collection of fantasy and science fiction tales from the author of The Silk & Steel Saga. The two signature stories, Prophecy’s Twist and The Assassin’s Tear, are set in the fantasy realm of Erdhe. Prophecy’s Twist discovers the dark deceit that started the War of Wizards, forever changing the kingdoms of Erdhe. The Assassin’s Tear follows the exploits of a petty thief whose ambition leads him to unravel the dark secret of the Mordant’s Citadel. The Emperor’s Shadow is an international thriller in the style of Indiana Jones, combining the power of superstition with archaeology in a desperate attempt to end World War Three. A Man’s World is a post-apocalyptic adventure set in Australia where coal miners discover all the rules have changed. Pieces of the Truth is a time travel story where a young physicist discovers a forgotten truth. In Snakes and Ladders, Lynn Gallant sets out to shatter the glass ceiling by taking a walk to the dark side of New Orleans. In The God Planet, universal dreams spark a religious frenzy, summoning humanoid kind to the riddle of Dark Space. ....Start the adventure! Enjoy!

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.

I just read some great advice for writing a successful fantasy series and I thought I'd share it with you. The difference between a series and a saga is that the books in a series are stand alone. You can read them out of order or individually, but to really be successful, the author hopes to compel the reader through the entire series. Many authors count on the appeal of their characters to keep readers engaged, but JK Rowling used a better strategy. All of the Harry Potter books had two story arcs, the individual story arc for that book, like discovering the chamber of secrets, and the larger macro story arc that spanned the seven book series. JK Rowling's macro arc was defeating Voldemort. In every book, Harry Potter gains more clues and resources to defeat the dark enemy. This macro story arc draws readers through the entire series, racing to the final confrontation. Most series authors understand the need for compelling story questions for their individual books, but many neglect the greater story arc. The greater story arc is the real key to a super successful series. If you are writing a saga instead of a series, then by definition, the greater story arc spans across all the books. The secret to making a saga work, especially a long seven book saga like Silk & Steel, is embedding strong underlying themes. Strong themes keep the writer focused and on track, they buttress the central story arcs and compel the reader to the last page of the last book. I believe success is in the big picture, in using greater story arcs and powerful underlying themes. If you're courting success, consider the big picture when you write your sagas and series.

To trope or not to trope, that is the question. What is a trope, you might ask? Tropes are the classical elements that define a story as belonging to the fantasy genre. A knight in shining armor, a princess who longs to wield a sword, the forces of evil personified in a dark villain, and of course, the all important quest. Most of these tropes have been immortalized by JRR Tolkien and his Lord of the Rings, but rightly or wrongly publishers today are looking for something "different", a new magical system or a bizarre monster-villain. Professional critics say the classical tropes are tired and worn out, unimaginative and dull, but as an author, I think it's how you use the tropes that truly matters. Why not weave a story in bright colors, gold, maroon and midnight-blue, instead of rust and grit and endless shades of gray? Why is gritty more interesting than vibrant? Like many die-hard fantasy fans, what I truly love are well-told stories steeped in the classical fantasy tropes. I yearn to dawn burnished armor, greaves and gorget and gauntlet, and to take up a sword and fight for love and justice, for kingdoms and crowns. To ride a foam-flecked mare through a moonlit forest in a desperate bid for escape. To weave sticky strands of politics with the Spider Queen in the hopes of snaring a traitor. To discover a sanctuary of knowledge where all the hallways are jewel-bright with calligraphy, every wall echoing with prophesies. To explore a land of towering castles and mysterious mists, where all the sunsets are crimson-red, the star-strewn nights are cobalt-blue, and the summer fields are malachite-green. And beneath it all, I want a tale well told, a tapestry brimming with complex characters, each with their own motives and aspirations. Give me a story bursting with plot twists that evoke surprise and wonder. And woven through it all, I want themes that pluck the heartstrings and challenge the mind. The classical tropes are not dead and boring, they are merely waiting for a fresh imagination to take up the sword and lead them on a new adventure. This is the epic fantasy that I love to read. This is what I strove to write in The Silk & Steel Saga.

This might surprise you, but one of my favorite characters to write in The Silk & Steel Saga is the Priestess. Yes, she walks on the Dark side, but she's such a delicious character, full of potent twists and turns. One of the main themes explored in The Silk & Steel Saga is how women gain, keep and wield power in a medieval world. To do justice to this theme I had to include sex, the good, the bad and even the ugly (my goal was to write sizzling hot, but never R rated). The Priestess was the perfect dark foil to explore this theme. I've read many fantasy books with female assassins and a few with succubae, but to be honest, none of them, not one, ever met my expectations. None of them were smart enough, or bold enough, and all too often both the sex and the poison had little to do with the plot. I wanted the Priestess to be different, a unique character in the fantasy genre, a beautiful, mature woman with a rapier wit who enjoys coiling men around her little finger. She plays the Dark side with gusto, intent on winning immortality. Seduction and poison are her weapons of choice, and she uses both to stunning advantage. Nothing is ever gratuitous, always devious with layered intent. The Priestess comes into her own in the 4th book of the saga, the book that bears her name, The Poison Priestess. "Like seduction, the Priestess took poisoning to an art form. Any assassin could slip hemlock into a flagon of wine but it took an artist to design the perfect death. Part of the secret lay in understanding the possibilities of each poison. Symptoms could range from the dramatic to the subtle, from tortured convulsions and visions of gods, to falling deep into a fatal sleep. And then there was the choice of dosage, strong enough for an instant kill, or parceled out to appear like a lingering malaise. But the real finesse came in the delivery, like slipping into a garden to paint baneberry on an apple just before it was plucked, one bite away from death. The Priestess smiled. She prided herself on creative kills, death by design, the artistry of murder." But poison is not her only weapon. "Glamour enough to steal a man's soul...and the skill to use it." Read The Silk & Steel Saga and discover a scintillating succubus wielding seduction like a siren and poisons like a master assassin, one of the most potent female characters in the fantasy genre.

"Maps are a military art form," thus says Kath of Castlegard in The Silk & Steel Saga. The tradition that epic fantasy should have maps started with JRR Tolkien. His map of Middle Earth is laden with secretive forests, intimidating volcanoes, dividing mountain ranges, and lush grasslands all embellished with beautiful script and scrolled dragons. Echoing old world maps where sea serpents frolic in unexplored seas, Tolkien's Middle Earth combines beauty and mystery laden with meaning. For The Silk & Steel Saga I wanted to do no less. As an amateur artist, art matters to me. When I first sketched the Dragon Spine Mountains, I made the mountain chain descend into the sea, forming islands in the shape of a dragon's head. This distinctive feature makes no difference to the story or my characters, but it makes my map of Erdhe both beautiful and unique. My readers recognize Erdhe in a single glance. But function is also built into the map. Hidden by mountain ranges, intimidating forests, and great distance, unique cultures flourish in the lands of Erdhe. These hidden peoples add spice and depth to the saga. Geography also matters a great deal in warfare. Famous generals like Caesar, Boudicca and Napoleon exploited geography to win brilliant victories. Authors need to be aware that boring geography yields boring battles. The Dragon Spine Mountains and the Snowmelt River both provide geography that matters in war. But in the far north, I did something that I believe is fairly unique. Kath first discovers it in The Skeleton King. " The trail curved out onto a rocky promontory, offering the first unfettered view of the north. Kath pulled the stallion to a halt. A sea of grass stretched to the horizon, golden grains rippling in the wind. Untamed by trails or roads, the vast steppes of the north almost seemed benign. Duncan joined her on the overlook, the wind tugging at his dark hair. “Don’t let the grasslands fool you. It looks peaceful enough, but it’s really a trap.� Kath studied the north, judging the vast grassland with military eyes. “No trees, no high ground, no chance for stealth or strategy.� She nodded, seeing the trap beneath the stark beauty. “It’s like a great greensward, a moat of grass. Naked and exposed, numbers and speed are the only advantages. And the Mordant always has the numbers.� Kath is struck by the chilling realization that the Mordant deliberately placed his citadel in the steppes, creating a vast killing field where strategy is negated by geography and might matters more than wits. In the far north, the map heralds the evil brilliance of the Mordant. Maps are an important part of world building. Make yours beautiful and laden with meaning. You can find the maps of Erdhe at my author website.

"Descriptions should be far more than just verbal photographs. Taken to its highest form, descriptions should be like magic mirrors, reflecting the inner emotions and experiences of the point-of-view character. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," powerful advice for any writer." Read more in my article "Through the Eye of the Beholder" published in the March edition of InD'tale magazine!

It's nearly Valentine's Day, so let's talk about love. The Silk & Steel Saga is set in a medieval world, but the story is very modern, full of political intrigue, fanatical religions, hatred, misogyny, greed, lust, and love, all woven together in complex plots. Of all the emotions portrayed in this saga, love is by far the most challenging to write, because the bar for believability of this emotion is set so very high by readers. Perhaps we are all too cynical and jaded in this modern age. Or perhaps it is because I write epic fantasy, not romance, so my readers are even more skeptical, pushing the believability bar even higher. Either way, as a writer, love is a the most challenging emotion to write convincingly. Readers must not only believe it, they must feel it. And it cannot come across as sappy or corny or clichéd. And the challenge becomes even more difficult when the reader views the relationship from both points-of-view as in the Silk & Steel Saga. But if done well, love adds a deep dimension to any story, especially epic fantasy. In my view, the reward is well worth the risk.