Author: thomasmdbrooke

Blood Ties – Mixing Modern With Old, Guest post by Hazel B. West

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Today,  I have a guest post from the highly successful author Hazel B. West.  Hazel currently has five published novels out, and today she is discussing her latest novel Blood Ties.  I have posted a description of the novel, and it is followed up by a fascinating post by Hazel on how she has managed to combine her love of history with her fantasy writing.  I have also posted a link to Hazel’s website at the bottom of this post where you have a chance to win a signed copy of Blood Ties.  So over to Hazel… Thomas M D Brooke Blood Ties by Hazel B.West In an Ireland that mixes high kings, faeries, and modern warriors who drive fast cars, Ciran, a descendant from the famous warrior Fionn Mac Cool, bands together with a company of young warriors from the legendary order of Na Fianna to go on a quest to recover their missing family members who were captured by the Goblins in a shaky peace between the two kingdoms. Ciran and his companions must …

The Reaper Realm. Guest post by K. A. Lentz.

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I am delighted to share a guest post today, from a fantasy author who has created a world, The Reaper realm, where she sets her novel Threads of Compassion. You can read about the novel in a short description below, followed by a intriguing insight into K.A. Lentz’s writing process and the inspiration behind the novel.  What is so interesting about this post was how important the characters became to her, and how she developed them.  It shows how strong the bond becomes between the writer and her characters.  I’ll pass you over to K.A. Lentz now… Thomas M D Brooke The Reaper Realm: Threads of Compassion Dominated by displaced, malevolent beings enjoying their cosmic game of cat and mouse, the realm is home to a host of unconventional elves, inventive creatures, and intriguing characters. Fantastical friends and foes alike join the group or jostle the ride in this colorfully painted world. Join Thistle, Miach, and a host of companions as they embark on a journey of love and war, discovery and loss, hoping to set right …

Women who took their husband’s throne…

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Sometimes women in literature are portrayed as the power behind the throne, the silent partner who advises from the shadows, or from the other side of the pillow, cleverly controlling the king by their side.  However for some women in history, this arrangement hasn’t been enough to fulfil their ambitions, and they have felt moved to take the throne themselves.  This is the case for the following four remarkable women, all who have seized the crown themselves.  What is interesting about all four figures, is the different motives and methods that each used to achieve power. Cleopatra used her sexuality to manipulate the most powerful men of her age, whilst Margaret of Anjou’s motives were one of a protective mother and guardian of her enfeebled husband.  Isabella of France was so angered by her treatment by her husband and his mismanagement of his realm that she felt she had no choice but to act, whilst Catherine the Great took control so that reason, science, and the arts could hold sway in her adopted land of Russia.  …

Flesh and Spirit, Breath and Bone, by Carol Berg.

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A few months ago I wrote about the novel Transformation, by Carol Berg and I emphasised the strength of the characters in her writing.  For regular followers of this blog, you will know that it is characters that I feel are the key to good writing, and for me at least, the most important aspect of a great novel.  In this novel, Flesh and Spirit, Carol Berg once again shows she is masterful in creating brilliantly realised personalities, but this time she has been even more ambitious than usual.  This is because she created an angry young man, who at times is very hard to empathise with, and makes for a very unusual lead character in a set of novels.  This is both brave of Berg, and clever, because her creation Valen, is the perfect foil to tell this complex tale of family rebellion, bloodlines, and magic.  It covers topics not normally associated with fantasy novels, such as drug addiction and family resentment, as Valen runs from the family life that has been ordained for him …

Fantasy warriors – Those who follow another path…

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herocollector.com Orc.  From The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien. Where else to start than the mythical warriors of Middle Earth, that we meet in the writings of Tolkien.  The term Goblin and Orc are actually synonymous in the world of Middle Earth, however Tolkien tended to refer to them as Goblins in The Hobbit, whereas by the time you reach The Lord of the Rings, the term Orc is more common. In Middle Earth, before the Dark Lord Sauron, there was Melkor – Sauron’s one time master.  It was Melkor who bred the first orcs, by corrupting enslaved elves, by the slow arts of cruelty and his malignant magic with which he infused his dark will.  This is because evil in Middle Earth isn’t capable of true creation, and so the orcs were born as a cruel mockery of the elves who they had first descended from.  The orcs then bred and multiplied in vast numbers, disgorging from the lands of Mordor to swamp Middle Earth with their cruelty and spite. Grotesquely malformed, …

The Rebels of History….

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What is it that makes someone rebel against insurmountable odds? When an occupying force or despot King or Queen holds complete power over you, why do some still somehow find the power to say no, and rebel against their all-powerful overlord? Sometimes the reason can be the sheer brutality of their rulers, whilst others are inspired by an idea or a fierce sense of independence.  Either way, they are a constant presence throughout history.  Some were successful, most were not, but they left an indelible mark on history to inspire others.   Here are a few of my favourites… deadliestfiction.wiki.com Bessus.  Alexander the Great is possibly the greatest conqueror of all time, he swept into Asia defeating the Persians at Granicus and Issus, before driving into the heartland of the Persian Empire and crushed the vast Persian host at Gaugamela.  After taking the Persian capitals of Susa, Persepolis, and Babylon his complete dominance of the ancient world seemed complete.  However one man thought differently, Bessus, a one-time ally of the Persia Emperor Darius.  Darius was fleeing …

Somewhere to write…

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So far in this blog I’ve written a few articles on the process I use when I write, the aspects of writing that are important to me, and also how I avoid issues such as writers block.  This time I want to discuss WHERE I write.  This may seem strange topic, as everyone’s situation is different, and a where a writer lives should never be a hindrance to writing – after all, most of my writing is done from my South London flat which is hardly exceptional.  However, sometimes London doesn’t provide the necessary inspiration, or the peace and tranquility to write my best work.  It may be because I am approaching a particularly difficult section of a novel, or I just feel flat and not in the correct frame of mind.  In these situations there is just one place for me to go, and that is my family’s cottage in Northumberland.  Far from the nearest city or town, the cottage truly is isolated in the Cheviot Hills, alone on a hilltop miles from the …

The characters of Game of Thrones are what make it..

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What makes Game of Thrones such a fascinating and exciting series, in both the books and the TV series, is the vast array of brilliantly conceived characters, with unique backgrounds and complex personalities.  A great lesson, to anyone wishing to write a novel, is to look at the great breadth of characters, and how the story comes alive due to their differing nature and personal values. I couldn’t possibly describe them all, but here are a few. nerdist.com Daenerys. One of the most intriguing characters in Game of Thrones is the exiled queen across the sea, who we follow as she builds support in foreign lands in the hope of one day reclaiming her rightful crown of the Seven Kingdoms.  The reason she is so intriguing is seeing the progression of her character.  She moves from naïve young girl, being advised by Sir Jorah, through a young marriage to a Dothraki Khal, and into a regal and valiant queen capable of both great empathy with her subjects and terrible wrath with those who cross her.  …

The amazing Game of Thrones TV series: This changes everything.

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Whilst travelling in Australia back in 1999, I started reading the first novel in the series of a Song of Ice and Fire.  This novel was of course Game of Thrones, and I knew straight away that this book was something that went beyond any normal fantasy epic – this was excitement bound up with characters of rare depth and intrigue, and a story of such magnificence that it could rise to the top of the fantasy genre.  Little did I expect back then however, that Game of Thrones would change the rules in how we now define commercial success. gamesofthrones.wikia.com However, when I first heard that HBO were going to make a TV adaptation of one of my favourite fantasy series, my overwhelming thought was not one of enthusiasm or anticipation, instead it was trepidation – please don’t let them mess it up!  Why the lack of faith?  Apart from the obvious fear that they might try and dumb it down or water down the more shocking bits (Ha! If anything, they made it more …