books

  • I Try to Remember the Plot of “Harry Potter”

    I’ve long toyed with the idea of an audacious Harry Potter fic, where I attempt to fix all the plot holes and whip the characters into something resembling a consistent shape. Or, at the least, just re-plot all seven books so they make more sense. I haven’t quite gotten around to that yet; but amid…

    Read more →

  • The Four-Element Plot

    The Four-Element Plot

    You’ve all heard of the typical five-act plot structure—exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. And it’s an excellent structure—bare-bones enough to apply to just about any story, while providing enough of a framework to fit your elements inside. But there’s another structure that comes in handy, especially when you’re dealing with a work…

    Read more →

  • Character Profile – Elodie

    Full name: Elodie Sweeney Powers: not awakened yet Dedicated and poised, Elodie is a hard worker and a caring friend. Though she’s about to receive the most stringent test of her loyalties upon starting at the House of the Scroll… Her family descends from old Castillan nobility, bestowing upon her the title of Viscountess. EXCERPT…

    Read more →

  • “The Horse Came Back Alone”

    The horse came back alone. The stable hand stuttered to a stop. Was that the prince’s horse all by itself? Grady never dismounted before reaching the stables. He always walked Benny back to his stall, or at least into the care of a hand. The saddle was still attached, and none of the affectations had…

    Read more →

  • Book Review – “Impossible Creatures” by Katherine Rundell

    Check out the corresponding Goodreads post here! I was pretty tame in my analysis over there; but I had a lot more (admittedly salty and spoiler-laden) thoughts–so I figured, what better use than to commission them for my blog? Obligatory disclaimer: these are my opinions. This is in no way a commentary on anything other…

    Read more →

  • Why Do The Redemption Arcs Fail in Harry Potter?

    Harry Potter features the outright or implied redemptions of several characters—most notably Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape, and Regulus Black. But, even in the cases where the character is supposed to have made a complete switch, their motivations and behaviors still don’t make complete sense with someone who’s begun to understood the evil they’ve committed, and…

    Read more →

  • Character Profile – Hayden

    Full name: Hayden Alve-Sacha Caerleon Powers: emotional and physical darkness Intuitive and pensive, Hayden picks up on a lot more than most kids his age. He enjoys equal parts solitude and companionship, and is happy merely sitting and reading in silence with his friends. Hayden is fluent in four different languages. EXCERPT Hayden tiptoed into…

    Read more →

  • Stop Worrying About Strong Female Characters

    Certain female characters can spark a passionate debate just by their mention. And it’s all about the same basic question—how objectively “good” is the character in the eyes of the fans? Rating objectivity in matters of taste is, simply put, a futile matter. The only metrics by which we can judge the “goodness” of a…

    Read more →

  • “Antoni’s”

    “Antoni’s”

    The pendant was old and bulky, decorated with the delicate touch of enamel flowers. Emily’s mother Rachel had discovered it a few months ago, helping her own mother Lucy to clear out the relics collecting dust in the woman’s attic. Despite the flickering bulb in the ceiling and the abundance of cobwebs, Emily and her…

    Read more →

  • Character Profile – Emery

    Full name: Itachar Emery Powers: not awakened yet Sweet and bubbly, Emery loves playing with her cat Fluff, listening to music, and escaping into imaginary worlds with a good book. She’s the only of her immediate family and relatives to have been born with magic. EXCERPT They’d known from birth that she’d be special. Aside…

    Read more →