Empathy and Fiction
“Fiction gives us empathy, it puts us inside the minds of other people, gives us the gifts of seeing the world through their eyes.” – Neil Gaiman In a world that often feels divided, empathy is a trait that bridges gaps between people. It opens us up to seeing and understanding differences; it helps us…Read More
The Mystery of Consciousness
“Science’s biggest mystery is the nature of consciousness. It is not that we possess bad or imperfect theories of human awareness; we simply have no such theories at all.” – Dr. Nick Herbert. Consciousness is our awareness of ourselves and the world around us. It covers everything we experience—sight, taste, touch, sound, and smell, as…Read More
Authenticity in Historical Fiction
“If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” – Rudyard Kipling Historical fiction combines made-up characters and plots with real people, places, or events from the past. The genre encompasses a diverse range of stories, including action, romance, horror, and mystery. This provides readers the opportunity to experience different…Read More
Dystopia: Liberty vs Power
“Power is not a means; it is an end…The object of power is power.” –Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell. My novel Graëlstorm delves into the timeless tug-of-war between liberty and power. In this fictional cosmos, three immortal beings called Arkheïa reign over the mortal realm using a genetically engineered race of Graëlheem to impose their will….Read More
Landscape as a Muse
“… a huge peak, black and huge, As if with voluntary power instinct, Upreared its head. I struck and struck again, And growing still in stature the grim shape Towered up between me and the stars, and still, For so it seemed, with purpose of its own And measured motion like a living thing, Strode…Read More
Introducing New Webpage
Reshaping Myths for The Cathar Grail Quest Saga I am delighted to announce the latest addition to my author’s website: a dedicated page entitled Story World: The Cathar Grail Quest Saga. This new page delves into the creative process behind my novels Graëlfire and Graëlstorm. Fascination with history and mythology has been the driving…Read More
Creating Great Stories
The Alchemy of Imagination, Creativity, and Technique “Creativity is putting your imagination to work.” – Sir Ken Robinson Storytelling comes to us in so many ways. Through novels and games to the stage and the screen, writers entertain us with their imagination, creativity, and mastery of technique. Although creativity is used broadly to mean making…Read More
Hallowed Trees
Hallowed: something that is respected, admired, or considered to be holy. We got a Christmas card last year featuring the Sycamore Gap Tree on Hadrian’s Wall. Now there is a void in the landscape where it used to be. Dubbed the most photographed tree in the UK, it became famous after appearing in the 1991…Read More
Dual Timeline Stories
“Every why hath a wherefore.” – William Shakespeare. Dodging the Information Dump Writers sometimes take their readers back in time to promote a better understanding of the story. We use several techniques to achieve this goal, such as prologues, flashbacks, or dual timeline threads. These reveal background information through dramatized scenes rather than a character…Read More
Achilles’ Heel: The Art of Vulnerability
“Achilles, without his heel, you wouldn’t even know his name today.” – Stan Lee. Speculative fiction is full of heroes and villains who have superhuman powers. From sorcerers to warriors, their strength, speed, and skill dazzle us. But while these mighty figures might appear exciting, their appeal would dwindle without a flaw or weakness to…Read More
