Review: Cirsova Magazine of Thrilling Adventure and Daring Suspense: Vol. 2 No. 1 (Spring 2019) – by Cirsova Publishing

You thought I would review only one issue of Cirsova, correct? Guess again, readers! Since she was curious about the story on the cover, this author decided to pick up the 2019 Spring Issue some time ago. It was a good decision. Since Halloween is approaching, I thought revisiting this issue of Cirsova would be …

Review – Wild Souls: A Werewolf Anthology by Julie Frost

A howlingly good series of stories waits for intrepid werewolf fans in this collection! Wild Souls: A Werewolf Anthology* has some of the best werewolf fiction I have ever read within its pages. From the back of the book: Julie Frost is best known for her Pack Dynamics series. However, in this collection, she explores …

The Battle of Sitka

Anyone who has read Louis L’Amour’s* novel of Alaska, Sitka*, will find this article especially interesting. Never one to shirk his historical research for his writing, Mr. L’Amour likely investigated the extant records of the Russians’ battle with the Tlingit tribe to ensure that he placed the story and the tribe in the right position …

Review – Cirsova Magazine of Thrilling Adventure and Daring Suspense Issue #6/Spring 2021 by Cirsova Publishing

Here we have a special review, readers! I was privileged to receive an advance copy of Cirsova Magazine’s 2021 Spring Issue* in order to review it. From the description: The Artomique Paradigm (Part 1 of 3) by Michael Tierney           Earth is now in contact with their intergalactic cousins! But during recent conflicts with aliens …

Review – Galen’s Way: A Starquest Novel of the 4th Age by Richard Paolinelli

Well! That was quite the ride, readers. I received this book as a free eARC in order to review it, and it was enormous fun. It felt like going to see a film you think you will recognize, only to find that there is a new movie on and you like it! From the blurb: …

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The Iconic Hero – Is He Impossible and Unbelievable, or Not?

Previously, I have mentioned the term “Iconic Hero.” Some of you might be wondering what that particular expression means. Once upon a time, this author would have been confused by it, too. However, I came across an article defining the “Iconic Hero” many moons ago. This article described the archetype and went on to say …

The Three Main Categories of Villainess

Misha Burnett made a comment on my article “How Do You Create Strong Female Leads?” where he suggested that an essay on Villainesses was in order. Specifically, he said, “Female villains who are schemers rather than fighters are somewhat more common, perhaps because it’s easier to write an unsympathetic manipulator than a sympathetic diplomat, but …

Why Writing Fan Fiction Is Good Practice for Beginning Authors – When They Do It Right

First things first: unless you have sold your own stories that feature your own characters, events, and worlds, you will likely be unable to sell any fan fiction you write. It is not a good thing for a beginning author to put on his/her resume when trying to sell a manuscript, either; everyone and his …