The Best Fantasy Novels You’ve Never Heard Of by Andrea Lundgren

November 23, 2017November 22, 20172 Comments

I frequently get questions from fellow readers for fantasy book recommendations. I have well-known favorites (The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit) but then my list goes off to books that are less known, so I wanted to share the best with all of you. These have been picked based on the quality of writing, world-building, characterization, and the fact that…well, I love them all! 🙂

Check out Andrea’s list of The Best Fantasy Novels You’ve Never Heard Of
I’m happy to say that my Wind Rider Chronicles series made the list!

Andrea Lundgren is a Book Coach, Editor, and Author who enjoys books and all things writing–why we write, how we write, and what we read to write better.
Visit her blog at https://andrealundgren.com/into-the-writer-lea/

Fantasy Art Wednesday

November 22, 2017October 27, 20175 Comments

Get inspired with this week’s Fantasy Art Wednesday, where fun fantasy artwork is combined with a writing prompt to get your creative juices flowing.

Warm, golden sunlight spills onto this hidden city. Its location a well-guarded secret, you will not find it on any maps, nor does any road lead to it. Sheltered by the branches and roots of ancient trees, it seems untouched by time and the cares that plague the rest of the world. This is a city of light, of wisdom, of beauty…or so the legends say.

Many have lost themselves seeking it, both in body and mind. Some believe the desire to find it becomes a curse–one created by its inhabitants. Those who persist in their search become obsessed to the point of insanity, leading themselves ever further away. Whether or not anyone has made it to the golden city is a mystery that cannot be solved by anyone beyond its borders. Once there, it is impossible to leave. Only you can decide if that a blessing, or just an extension of the curse.

Concept Art by Snow Skadi

Fantasy Art Friday

November 17, 2017October 26, 20172 Comments

Get inspired with this week’s Fantasy Art Friday, where fun fantasy artwork is combined with a writing prompt to get your creative juices flowing.

These cold, still waters are known to be among the most treacherous in the world. Many ships have foolishly sailed them, only to mysteriously vanish beneath the dark, glassy surface. Only those who dare the voyage finally learn the truth...too late. Who would ever believe that the surrounding snow covered peaks are not made of earth and stone, but dragon? The heart of these mountains are not filled with gold and silver, but blood and fire. Will this ship manage to flee in time? Does it have any defense against the monster rising above it, or are we about to witness its complete destruction?

Unknown title and artist

Want to see more Fantasy Art posts? Find them here.

Fantasy Art Wednesday

November 8, 2017October 26, 2017Leave a comment

Get inspired with this week’s Fantasy Art Wednesday, where fun fantasy artwork is combined with a writing prompt to get your creative juices flowing.

An old stone tower rises up from this idyllic mountain valley. Fingers of vine are clinging to its once intricate and polished carvings, and time has allowed brush and trees to crowd in close. No one remembers anymore who built it, or why. Its entrance has long been sealed over. There seems no way in or out, except for the birds who fly freely through the upper windows. But where there is a lack of knowledge, there are plenty of rumors to fill curious minds. It is said that anyone brave enough to camp within its sight will see lights moving about in the dark of night. Perhaps it is not abandoned after all. Can you solve the mystery of the sealed tower?

Title and artist unknown

Fantasy Art Friday

November 3, 2017October 26, 20175 Comments

Get inspired with this week’s Fantasy Art Friday, where fun fantasy artwork is combined with a writing prompt to get your creative juices flowing.

Cold and beautiful. Arches and spires lift your eyes to the sky; an outdoor cathedral that sends your soul soaring into the heavens. Yet as you press closer in, a quiet inner voice makes you pause. A single figure stands before the massive double doors. Something about his stance makes you wonder if he is a friend or foe. You suddenly notice the antler-like shapes rising up all around you, like defensive spikes protecting a fortress. What would a cathedral need defenses for? Then you finally notice it. High above the door hangs a white skull–at first imperceptible among the intricate designs embellishing the structure. Just what, or who, is being worshiped here, anyway? You know what they say about curiosity…is this just another beautiful structure, or in going forward do you risk having your own skull added to its adornments?

Title and Artist Unknown

Fantasy Art Friday

October 27, 2017October 26, 20171 Comment

Get inspired with this week’s Fantasy Art Friday, where fun fantasy artwork is combined with a writing prompt to get your creative juices flowing.

It is All Hallows Eve. Under the rising moon, shadows stir, taking physical form as they can only do on this one night every year. The pumpkin patch is the perfect place to gather. The perfect pumpkins have already been selected and carted away. What remains are the scarred, malformed, broken, and rotting pumpkins; perfect vessels for an unholy ceremony–the selection of the coming year’s shadow king. Surrounding him are those pledged to follow his reign as he spreads fear and chaos among the humans. They circle him, taking part in an ancient dance, disguised as Jack-o-Lanterns, scarecrows, cornstalks, and dead trees. The Shadow King rules them all.

But the farmer sees the glow, and hears the commotion coming from his field. He slowly approaches to stare down the king. He has something in his hand–what is it? Has he come to stop the shadows, or will he fall prey to them? Perhaps he has been part of the shadow world all along, and he is only his true self on Halloween night. What happens in this spooky tale is entirely up to you…

Happy Halloween!

(Title and Artist unknown)

Want to see more Fantasy Art posts? Find them here.

Is it possible to complete a novel in one month?

October 26, 201711 Comments

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is almost here! Today I’m sharing a post from author Jean M. Cogdell on whether or not it is possible to complete a novel in one month.

I’m not a particularly fast writer, and I have a very demanding schedule, so the thought of writing 50,000 words in just one month is very daunting to me. So far I’ve only been successful with Camp NaNoWriMo where you can set smaller goals, and even adjust them as you go along. Yet I know people do this every year, and I’m going to give it a try–with some helpful tips from Bridget at Now Novel! If you’re planning to join me in November, be sure to check these out.

If I succeed next month, I will have the next book in my Wind Rider Chronicles series nearly complete. I know my readers are eagerly waiting! But even if I don’t succeed, I’ll have more words written than I would have if I’d never participated, right? So really, I can’t lose.