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Speculative Fiction Writer’s Guide to War, part 5: Psychology of War: Essential Fears

Essential fears shape much of what humans do on a battlefield, driving them to fight, flight, or surrender responses. · Travis Chapman

Speculative Fiction Writer’s Guide to War, part 4: Spectrum of Conflict

The spectrum of conflict shows many shades of color when we use the term “warfare,” as illustrated in Tolkien’s Middle Earth. · Travis Perry

Speculative Fiction Writers’ Guide to War, Part 3: Levels and Types of War

As Star Wars: Rogue 1 showed, warfare normally happens at three levels: tactical, operational, and strategic. And has many different types. · Travis Chapman

Speculative Fiction Writer’s Guide to War, Part 2: Balance of Power

Balance of Power–a key factor in how nations reason through whether or not to go to war with each other, in both fact and fiction. · Travis Perry

Alpha–“Fantasy-esque” Pre-historic Fiction

The movie Alpha shows the pre-historic past in a way that reminds me of elements I like from fantasy fiction. I explain why–and broadly recommend this movie. · Travis Perry

Does Anybody Work In Speculative Fiction?

I wonder if our attitude toward work might not improve if we began to see it as honorable and necessary in our fiction. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

Speculative Fiction Writer’s Guide to War–part 1, Reasons

For what reasons do human beings fight wars? And how can we apply understanding these causes of conflict to speculative stories? · Travis Perry

Who Does Maintenance on Your Story’s Weapons? (And Other Stuff)

In the real world weapons need to be taken care of to maintain their usefulness. Have you thought about maintenance in your speculative fiction stories? · Travis Perry

For Writers: The Spiritual Element

So whether it’s overt or subtle, there has to be reflection of something greater for a story to resonate as true. It may take the form of direct allegorical elements or a subtle symbolic thread, but in capturing some element of spiritual truth, our stories will gain impact. · Sarah Sawyer

Here There Be Creatures: Mythology and the Sense of Wonder

Rotovegas author Grace Bridges: “New Zealanders feel a strong sense of identity with our unique culture, and I wanted to convey that in my Earthcore series.” · Grace Bridges

The Metaphysics of Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War

Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War isn’t preachy about any particular worldview, but still reflects a near-ubiquitous belief in a self-generating universe, a universe with no God in control. · Travis Perry

What Is It About Fantasy And Christmas?

The cool thing about good fantasy, however, is that no one explains it. There isn’t a narrator in C. S. Lewis’s Narnia books that says, “Now boys and girls, Aslan is actually Jesus.” Instead, readers are allowed to discover the dots on their own and connect them at their leisure. Or leave them unconnected. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

Holidays And Celebrations – Reprise

Holidays and celebrations seem to be a staple in society. Many pagan cultures held festivals and commemorations, some connected to their religious beliefs, and certainly Western society under the influence of Christianity fostered holidays consistent with the tenets of their faith. Consequently, novels that incorporate familiar festivities seem anchored in reality. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

Guest Post by Chris Morris: Showers, Character Depth, and Chronic Illness

Before I tell this story about chronic illness, you have to promise you won’t picture me naked. Promise? I’m waiting . . . okay, we’re good. I remember the day I knew my seizures were going to be a big […] · Chris Morris

Speculative Stories, The Eclipse, And Other Rare Space Phenomena

What I find interesting is that a solar eclipse or other such space events do not find their way into more stories, either science fiction or fantasy. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

March Madness And Quidditch

The key to Rowling’s worldbuilding is the consistency with which she infuses the different into the normal. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

What Was And What Might Be: The Fifteenth Article

Our guest this week is Linda Rondeau, author of the soon-to-be-released novel, The Fifteenth Article (Elk Publishing). – – – – – When we look back and then forward, we discover that the adage is true: The more things change […] · Linda Wood Rondeau

The Fantasy Itch: Gettin’ To Be THAT Time Of Year

Ah, yes, I’m definitely ready to settle down with a good fantasy. It’s that time of year! Last year I read Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn, first in the Mistborn Trilogy (which, I learned, is actually a five book series). I’m thinking this year I should finish out the rest, starting with The Well of Ascension. · Rebecca LuElla Miller

A Notable Lack

Holidays, and all the expressions of a whole and genuine religion, offer a wide and rich opportunity to speculative fiction authors. · Shannon McDermott
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