… more than fantastical wor(l)ds!
For today’s mermaid week post I’d like to welcome Rosalyn Briar to talk about her interest in mermaids and the sea. Which historical myths did you draw from when creating your stories? I adore Hans Christian Andersen’s literary fairy tale, “The Little Mermaid,” and enjoyed how much it focuses on souls. I definitely played with … Read more
Welcome! This year I’m sharing a week-long virtual tour with a few other authors and artists who share my fondness for denizens of the deep. We’ll be sharing stories, artwork, and lore about the mythology of merfolk. I hope you’ll stick around, and maybe learn a few things about merfolk! Who knows, it may save … Read more
I have a special treat for my subscribers today–a sneak peek at a revolutionary new tech start up I’ve been working with in my spare time. I was approached by the good folks at Cognoscribe to advise them on their new app, and let me tell you, the technology is impressive. The founders clearly understand … Read more
Another year of changes, of ups, of downs. And the illustration “The Huckup,” seems an apt one. But here’s to looking for silver linings in the darkest of storm clouds. To my readers, thank you, and may you find your ‘inner Darin,’ regardless of what life throws at you. One of the changes you may … Read more
Hello friends, The novella Love, Death, or Mermaid? releases on November 14, 2021. And Papaya outdid herself on the cover again! This is another stand-alone, set several decade prior to Harpyness is Only Skin Deep. Though long-time readers might catch a cameo here or there. Opportunity knocks on the humblest of doors. But it knocks … Read more
Today’s post is aimed at my fellow writers. Let’s talk pirates. Arrgh, matey! Listen up or the capt’n ‘ll send ya ta Davey Jones’ locker! Wait, that’s talk like pirates. I’ll start again. Who doesn’t like pirates? I mean, sailing the high seas as a dreaded corsair, plundering, pillaging, and swashbuckling? But there’s another type … Read more
Hello friends! Hazelhearth Hires Heroes is now live. This one is a stand-alone, so no cliffhangers, I promise. I experimented with several new things for this novel, I hope you enjoy the result. First off, you’ll notice that although it’s set on Arvia, it happens over a century earlier to the events of the two … Read more
Hello friends! With the cover of Hazelhearth Hires Heroes now public, I thought I’d share a few more images and a bit about the process. I’m a fan of huge fantasy panoramas, so even though hardcover books aren’t big sellers these days, I’ll always jump at the chance to have a masterpiece created. In this … Read more
To say the last year has been a turbulent one is an understatement, but it had its bright spots too. For me personally, the warm reception my first two published novels received was a highlight. A big thank you to everyone who read Tales of Arvia, and a harpy-sized thank you to those who wrote … Read more
When we think of fantasy worlds, many of us think in terms of epic battles, of knights fighting dragons, castles, strange creatures lurking in the woods. But every valiant hero had to grow up somewhere. In the spirit of this I present to you: Xin Elementary School Second grade class Teacher: Mr. Klein “All right … Read more