Today I'm joined by my friend and fantasy author Deborah Kalin to celebrate the impending Easter launch of her collection, Cherry Crow Children from Twelfth Planet Press. I'm reliably informed they are four dark and disturbing stories, but they are also full of heart and emotion and beautiful imagery. I've spent hours writing in cafes … Continue reading Cherry Crow Children ~ A fantasy collection from Deborah Kalin
ZILLAH We're back at the cursed crater. The one where Calwyn was killed by Ammonite. That odd local fellow, Squirrel, has accompanied us, along with two of his friends, Xolra and Ragal, who were the ones to approach us and persuade us to return. I'm regretting it already. But at least they acquired us some … Continue reading D&D Chronicles: Back to the crater where there are centaurs
ZILLAH At first light I lead our group into the crater forest. It's dark and muted. Eerie. An overgrown track threads its way through thick undergrowth roiling beneath towering trees. Progress is slow as we clamber over fallen logs and try to avoid touching a dark and scaly lichen I have never seen before. This … Continue reading D&D Chronicles: Calamity in the forest, disaster at sea
ZILLAH We have made it to the island of Mycross -- but we have no weapons. This is not a good thing. I do have my dagger and necklace of exploding beads around my neck. And my bracers. But we are forced to trust an unknown organisation that our weapons will be returned to us... … Continue reading D&D Chronicles: The island, the mage and the volcano
And so we come to the third and final installment of The Hobbit - The Battle of the Five Armies, which wraps up this humble little story well. In the context of the first two Hobbit movies I was not disappointed. It's always wonderful to sit back and experience a few hours in Peter Jackson's … Continue reading Thoughts on The Hobbit – Battle of the Five Armies
ZILLAH It's taken us four more days, but finally we have retrieved the final two silver items we need to defeat the sorceress. Four days in which we have trekked and crawled all over this awful dungeon, back and forth, in and out. It's been one enormous puzzle. We found the silver chime swiftly enough. … Continue reading D&D Chronicles: A puzzle solved and then a test
Here's my wrap up of books read in November... One for the money - Janet Evanovich This is the mega best-selling first novel in Janet Evanovich's widely acclaimed Stephanie Plum crime series, which is now up to book #21 or something... I've been intrigued to read it for a while, and was thrilled when one … Continue reading What I read in November
I am lying on the couch doing nothing. At least, I was before the urge to tell everyone about my state of nothingness rose to the fore and I grabbed my computer out of the bag that’s never too far from my side. Nothing. Mulling. Daydreaming. Writing in my head. This is one of the … Continue reading Journal ~ Lying on the couch doing nothing (and why it’s important)
I'm starting to think about my next adventure. And it's exciting. Where in the world (literally) shall I go next? I was originally intending to trek around Mont Blanc in central Europe. It's a 180km Alpine route through France, Switzerland and Italy, taking about 11 days. I've been wanting to do it for a while … Continue reading Contemplating Wild China
ZILLAH Three days it's been. Three days mired in these underground corridors and chambers that seem to go on and on and on. My cousin Schill remains a corpse and I fear the others have given him up... I suppose after three days the chances of bringing him back are diminishing. But I refuse to … Continue reading D&D Chronicles: The Silver Whistle
Ellen Gregory 