Monthly Archives: April 2014

Mythology World Tour, Observations

Russia: An Introduction

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So, the shit storm settled and I have emerged from it with the intention of getting back on the horse. And as I was doing before my little hiatus, I intend to put a spotlight on alternative mythologies for the sake of expanding the fantasy genre. After having dealt with some ideas out of East Asia and South Asia, I turn towards North Asia, where I find… a bunch of white people.

Ah, Russia, the drunk uncle in the Caucasian family. There’s a lot of things about the Russian people that we don’t really understand in the west. From the moment you cross the Slavic countries in Eastern Europe you will find quite quickly that people stop understanding what the fuck is going on in Russia. But that won’t stop us from doing a ceremonial war dance across from them like Kirk and Spock going after some Vulcan booty.

So when faced with the prospect of covering the culture of Russia, I decided they really deserved to have every post this week devoted to them. Because, come on, have you seen their dash-cam footage? These people are fascinating. So may I now present you with…

Continue reading Russia: An Introduction →

Agent of Argyre, FICTION, Mythology World Tour, Satire

Putting To Rest Old Rivalries

Times are hard, we’ve all seen it and we’ve all experienced it. Bad things happen to good people and that can leave some pretty heavy rifts in family. Sometimes you might find yourself at odds with a cousin, an uncle, maybe your own mother. But these are things that are thinner than blood, these are things that should be something you can get over. Maybe it’s easier said than done, but there shouldn’t be impossible to cross chasms in relationships born out of a mutual origin.

Let’s face it guys, it’s time to mend the broken fences. It’s time to come to terms over the past mistakes and move on with all of our lives. It’s time to…

Continue reading Putting To Rest Old Rivalries →

About me, Publishing, Writing

Keep Moving

I’m not sure how many people that have reached this blog are actually writers. Though I devote a lot of posts towards the inner workings of the profession as I see them, from tropes to alternative mythologies, I can’t be sure who’s reading it. There is no survey that has you tell me your profession and I’m not entirely sure who does follow the links more often than not. Still, in my heart, I like to think that there’s at least a few of you out there who are writers and appreciate where I’m coming from. And I want you to know I appreciate you too.

Group hug time

Almost every writer I’ve ever talked to has had a similar problem in their life: feeling accomplished. Even Isaac Asimov, famous as he was, still feared the idea that he could be rejected with his next manuscript. JK Rowling started writing new books under a pseudonym so she could see if she could sell her writing and not just her name. Even the most successful of us feels they stand in a precarious position overlooking a pack of hungry wolves.

So where does that put people like us? Continue reading Keep Moving →

Agent of Argyre, Alterpedia, FICTION, Mythology World Tour

Alterpedia: Naga

In the Alters’ World (and the series of books found here), creatures of legend reveal themselves to the world. Born through genetic abnormalities, defects and mutations, the Alters have lived for centuries as outcasts of human society, hiding their true nature from the world while colorful stories have been written by many to describe what they’ve seen. How are these creatures different from what was described in the stories? What relationship do they have with humanity? Every entry of the Alterpedia will delve into a new creature from around the world. This week we cover:

Naga

Source: Ninsianna

The enemies of Garuda, the Naga is an entity of many forms and functions in Hindu mythology. Though they are often depicted as violent aggressors, the tormentors of all living creatures, they also have been known to serve the gods and bring balance to the Earth. Because of this, Naga, and the snakes they are based on, have a love-hate relationship in many parts of South East Asia, with some villages even worshipping cobras and the deities they represent.

But are they just snakes or is there something more to them? What are the Naga really? Continue reading Alterpedia: Naga →

Observations, Publishing, Writing, WTF

WTF Wednesday: Publishers Price-Fixing?

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Years ago, when the eBook market was just beginning to form, there was a problem that everyone faced: what the hell do you charge for digital content? To this day, we still don’t have an absolutely settled price-point and it’s hard for all of us to come to a decision just what our work is worth (especially for independents).

But then along came this strange stigma that made some sense in a way but in truth was a fabrication. According to conventional wisdom; if it’s priced low, it’s a shitty book that wasn’t ready for prime-time. This perception is guided primarily based on the fact that the higher-end authors came onto the market with books that were near or completely full-priced compared to their print companions. In essence, the stigma of the vanity press started to bleed into the image of independently published eBooks.

And it makes sense, doesn’t it? Obviously, those big names were offering their books at full price and managing to do really well despite competing against each other. The traditional publishers were right: quality material didn’t have to drop below a certain price to get a market shar-

Oh, they price-fixed the market and made back room deals so they wouldn’t have to compete with each other?

Well then… Continue reading WTF Wednesday: Publishers Price-Fixing? →