Ready. Set. Fly!
When we are young, still in that coalescing of personhood, we have certain experiences that brand us, for better or worse. Things we see on TV, things our parents say, and the things that inspire us for all our lives.
I do not remember a time when I did not know that distinct sound of the hiss of a lightsaber. I remember discovering Avatar: The Last Airbender and wanting to bend the elements and fight alongside Aang. I remember the hot summer sun as I pretended to bend the water to make waves when I was just splashing in the pool escaping to another world. I remember the year I discovered the intrigues and deadly politics of Westeros and could not stop thinking about the vast world of dragons, magic, mysteries, and fallen empires.
Fantasy and science fiction have been my companions as I navigate what we call life. Hours of school time daydreams provided an escape from the boredom of everyday drudgery, and especially from the harsh realities life constantly throws all of us. Later, though, Fantasy and Science Fiction became a mirror of our own world and go beyond escapism.
Yes, dragons, fireballs, and magical portals don’t exist, but sometimes you read a character that reminds you too much of your close friend you no longer speak with, or your worst enemy at work, your nation’s leader, or some public star. You run into a description that calls back some deep memory of your own life, one of sadness, or one of great joy. Fantasy may be a spectacle, but it provides so much beyond just fairies and trolls. It touches something more ancient. It reminds us to keep going, to fight even in the darkest of times. Sometimes you find authors that tells the dark stories of the heroes that don’t win, the Greek tragedies, or the nihilistic ends of would-be heroes and the victories of terrible villains. It’s what makes writing so special.
For over ten years, I have been quietly committing myself to the craft of writing, specifically those stories involving magic, dragons, and gods. I have learned a lot, but most importantly I have learned there is still much to learn. I have completed various short stories, poems, and a handful of novels, along with other works of short fiction. Now, after many long years toiling away in privacy, I venture out and prepare to share with the world, both my findings, and my creations.
What to Expect from the Blogs
Over the course of my writing journey (a never-ending journey) I have come across a wealth of information that has been both helpful to my personal process and things that have not fit into my system. My goal with this blog is to give you tools that I wish I knew and had far earlier on. New things that appear as I keep learning, insights on the process, and more. Commentary on trends and opinions floating around in the writing and book spaces can also be expected. While my focus is fantasy, science fiction, and more broadly speculative fiction, I hope that anyone who comes across these articles can take something with them when they decide to click away.
Expect blog posts on how to structure a story, character building and back stories, creative processes, commentary on the wider ideas of fiction, mythology, updates on my own projects and annotations of my work, and how all of these come together with writing as the glue. Even though I am one person I hope that the information I gather, and post here will be helpful to writers of all sorts, and we can learn together as we go! Blog posts will occur twice monthly on the second and fourth Friday of every month.
Up Coming Projects
So, what else can you expect from me outside of this blog?
Sometime soon I will be announcing my 100 Days of Flash Fiction challenge. Flash Fiction is categorized by its short length and mostly focusing on vibes and quick twists. Normally these stories range from 6-1000 words. Details on this specific project will be out soon.
Outside of this challenge, you can look forward to short stories, both serial and stand alone, illustrations, social media content, and of course novels!
This marks a new page, a new chapter in my own story, let’s see where it takes us all.
You can find me on my socials @astonetablet pretty much everywhere for updates, and more social media fun.
Ready. Set. Fly!
- JS
