The tragedy that's befallen Minneapolis this week is awful. It's hard to watch, even from over here in the UK. I can't even imagine what it's like living through it. I haven't said much on social media because I didn't see how I could add anything to the debate. But it's since emerged that two… Continue reading Minneapolis Bookstores In Need of Help
Month: May 2020
Fantasy Isn’t Embarrassing Anymore
Sometimes things move fast, sometimes they move slowly. Fantasy's rise to the throne of mainstreamness has happened incredibly quickly. I'm not old, but when I was at school, fantasy was not cool. (Nor were video games for that matter, but now it seems nearly every kid owns a console - which is not a bad… Continue reading Fantasy Isn’t Embarrassing Anymore
The Story of Piers Gaveston
There was once a king of England called Edward II. I've talked about him a lot before, but here are some things you ought to know about him. They thought he'd be a good king. He looked the part and he spoke well. Chroniclers say he was great at persuading people to his side, that… Continue reading The Story of Piers Gaveston
What Did The Anglo-Saxons Think Of The Romans?
The past's not new. For as long as people have been around, they've been thinking about the people who came before them. I find this very interesting. It's not something we really talk about often. I think it's a bit too meta for everyday contemplation. We like to wonder what life was like in the… Continue reading What Did The Anglo-Saxons Think Of The Romans?
My First YouTube Video (Why I Like Fantasy)
Yeah, I bit the bullet and made a video. The first one I attemped wasn't very good. I read from a script, and it really sounded like it. Blah. But I have like 30 draft blog posts for this blog now (most are just titles or notes for when I come to write them). I… Continue reading My First YouTube Video (Why I Like Fantasy)
A Eulogy For Bloomers And Tarts
Bloomers and Tarts was a sandwich shop. There she is. It might not look like much, and it may have been years since I ate from there, but I loved it. I live in a pretty big village. I mean, there are two supermarkets within walking distance, and since it lies beside the M6 toll… Continue reading A Eulogy For Bloomers And Tarts
Tiny Letters From Me
We're told over and over again that we need an author newsletter, right? Well, I was stubborn. "Not me!" I said. I didn't want the stress of managing people's emails. They're trusting you with their personal data, after all. I just wasn't sure I saw the point of them. I subscribed to some people's newsletters,… Continue reading Tiny Letters From Me
A Cheap, Easy Meal for Lockdown Times
When I started this blog, I pondered whether I should make it about writing, history, or myself. A global pandemic was as far from my mind as it could possibly be. Yet here we are. Now I've done a lot of cooking in my life - most of it on a tight budget. I was… Continue reading A Cheap, Easy Meal for Lockdown Times
To People Who Think Adult Fantasy Has No Value
I'm not mad at you, don't worry. But I do think you're wrong. There are two arguments I see people trot out when they're bashing fantasy. They are: In a fantasy story, anything can happen, so you can't make a plot with stakes. And: Fantasy fiction has no bearing on the real world, so it… Continue reading To People Who Think Adult Fantasy Has No Value
Keep Writing
I'm in a mood to say stuff today. Stuff that might motivate you. Stuff that might scare you. But it's stuff I strongly feel I need to say. There are lots of things people don't understand about writing. There's a kind of mysticism that surrounds writers and the act of writing. The 'muse', as some… Continue reading Keep Writing
Dewi Hargreaves 