This past week I had the privilege of participating in a dialogue called the Coming Home Dialogues. This organization works to provide venues where veterans can use the humanities as a means of exploring their experiences. The content includes "DIALOGUES ON THE MORAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND SPIRITUAL IMPACTS OF WAR." The group is supported graciously by … Continue reading Coming Home: Dialogue and Poetry
Story
Let’s Save Princess Penelope: A Call for Help
Team Thorium, If you're here, you're one of my fans, friend, or family. I'm in crisis. Kind of. I mean, it's just a story, right? [said Bastion as he paged through The Neverending Story in a dark attic....] Princess Penelope is a story idea I've had for a while, inspired by my friend Eddie whilst … Continue reading Let’s Save Princess Penelope: A Call for Help
Tick Tock… Time as a Writer’s Ally
Tempus fugit. I've been enjoying a few of my favorite films recently and noticed a common pattern. The use of time as a controlling element. When we build worlds and stories as author we are conscious of the passage of time, yet I wonder how often we are intentional about using time to keep our … Continue reading Tick Tock… Time as a Writer’s Ally
Once Upon A Time….
Once... Once upon a time, there was an orphan princess. She was a prisoner in a dark tower. After much cunning and bravery, she escaped and was rescued. Once upon a time, there was a broken knight who defended the helpless at great cost. He stood when many fled and was changed. Once there was … Continue reading Once Upon A Time….
Shooting The Devil: Strategy, Tactics, and Tips For Crafting Compelling Combat in Your Novel
I've had this post in the wings for a while, trying to "strategerize" how best to communicate the message. Guest post? Breaking it up into smaller bits? New website? I figured it was worth getting something out there for now, and I may revisit the content in different forms later. This is primarily written for … Continue reading Shooting The Devil: Strategy, Tactics, and Tips For Crafting Compelling Combat in Your Novel
Donald Trump is the Best Thing to Happen to Authors
But before we get into that, an uplifting moment. We've had unusually good weather the past week here in Maryland, and I've tried to take advantage of morning/evening walks when I could. This is a delightfully comfortable evening stroll in our neck of the woods. Great opportunity to decompress from the day and try to … Continue reading Donald Trump is the Best Thing to Happen to Authors
Exiles of Heaven: Sneak Peek
This week I've got a sneak peek at Exiles of Heaven, Book 2 in the Chronicles of Outremer series. I'm in the editing process so some of this may change in final form, but I thought it was a good segment to include. If you're a newsletter subscriber you saw this in my 1st quarter … Continue reading Exiles of Heaven: Sneak Peek
Serial Goodness: Comparing Hit TV Now and Then
My wife and I watch TV. We're American, right? We've come to know the excitement of a new series, the heart-pangs of a long-running series ending, and the all-to-frequent sigh of "Well, that was a good season and we'll never see it again. Thanks for axing that one." We were fans of The Office. We … Continue reading Serial Goodness: Comparing Hit TV Now and Then
Why
Sakichi Toyoda formalized the 5 Whys technique as a part of improving the manufacturing processes at Toyoda Motor Company. While I don't intend to iteratively delve into the why's behind the why's of my writing, I do want to share a few of the reasons I feel compelled to put fingers to keyboard and produce … Continue reading Why
Zorro, King Arthur, John McClain, and Crafting Combat
(This photo isn't too far from the truth: I had mock-ups of who is where in Exiles of Heaven) Ascent of the Fallen has a handful of fight scenes, and most of those were reasonably easy to visualize and write. When I got to Exiles of Heaven though, my skills were challenged. It's hard work to craft … Continue reading Zorro, King Arthur, John McClain, and Crafting Combat
Travis A. Chapman 