Because who doesn’t need a bit of escapist fun on occasion? What to Expect Expect a light-hearted comedy, a satire about Dungeons & Dragons and similar fantasy role-playing games. A city guard finds himself accompanying a team of professional dungeon-clearing dwarves due to mistaken identity, and everyone gets a bit stressed when they find his […]
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Book Review: Coffee Cakes & Dragon Aches, by Cherie Baker
This came up as a random recommendation, and looked cute enough to try. What to Expect A modern day, hard-to-classify, fantasy tale about an apprentice magician and unusual circumstances. AS Raj is following various assignments towards graduation as a ‘mathemagician’, he runs further into all sorts of situations. At the same time, Eliza, a baby […]
What’s alternate about history?
This post originally appeared on Simon Williams newsletter. He writes dark fantasy, and we’ve hosted his characters on The Protagonist Speaks. Go check his work out! Readers are often surprised that straight-up historical fiction requires “world-building,” a term most often associated with fantasy and science fiction. I mean, it’s just history, right? Don’t we know […]
Book Review: Vanishing Falls, by Poppy Gee
Continuing my quest of reading Tasmanian crime fiction and mysteries. What to Expect Expect a psychological thriller set rural Tasmania, in a fictional village that feels true to real life. A husband comes home late at night to find the front door open and everything in place except his wife which seems to have gone […]
Researching Historical Architecture (and its Embedded Ghosts)
In writing the Sydney Sandstone novella, the very first DI Jack Finkel case, I ended up doing a lot of procrastination research into the early history of the City of Sydney. In the process, I uncovered some amazing material, which I thought I’d share with you here. This is both about the beautiful historical nuggets […]
TWO new DI Jack Finkel stories!
For those who missed them, you can now enjoy two new Detective Inspector Jack Finkel mysteries! Pixie Dust & Fireworks Sydney is famous for its New Year’s Eve’s fireworks show. Every year tens of thousands flock around the famous harbour to view them in person, and millions more around the world watch the spectacular welcoming […]
Book Review: Deadman’s Track, by Sarah Barrie
This came up in a list of Tasmanian thrillers to try, and I do love Tasmanian crime/gothic novels for their uncommon settings. What to Expect A romantic suspense and crime thriller, set in Tasmania. While the story’s point of views shift between a few characters, the first half is centered around crimes (robberies escalating to […]
Book Review: Funny Fairy Tales. by Reut Barak
Who doesn’t like a twisty fairytale, and could use a bit of comic relief these days? What to Expect Sixteen re-telling of classic stories, from The Frog Prince to Alice and Wonderland. These aren’t your traditional versions, but tongue-in-cheek wild twists, rife with pop-culture references. They are funny with mildly risqué humour, and are sure […]
Philosophical Discourse about the Nature of Stories, wrapped inside a Book Review
I’ve heard Matt Dicks on a podcast, and since I’m always trying to improve my storytelling craft I dove into his books as well. What to Expect Expect a very easy to read book, filled with stories and anecdotes that helps explain Dicks’ take on storytelling. Dicks takes you through recognising moments in your life […]
At the end of the Rainbow is a Sandstone building (a new Jack Finkel mystery!)
The guys at Purple Toga are happy to announce that we are releasing this month our second anthology: Rainbows Aren’t Just For Leprechauns! Why is red so crucial for the making of Red Riding Hood? Or, how could emperors distinguish themselves without the color Purple? What would the Discworld be without octarine? This time we […]
FELIX THE FOX MYSTERIES 