Tag Archives: Fiction

A Gothic Symphony: Beginning

It is a dark city on such a late summer evening. The sun is blood over the rooftops, and the girl in the park is sitting in the last rays passing between the old brick buildings.

It is a small park, of course; not much more than a few benches and a couple of old trees, but it is a refuge in a town that is huge, and busy. The trees haven’t begun to turn yet, and the grass and paths are golden in the spaces between their leaves. There are people, and they pass through, but they are few, and don’t spare the girl a glance.

The girl is sixteen; looks fourteen. The cigarette hangs in her hand, ash burned back almost to her fingertips. Black hood over her head and black jeans to her boots, she’s like a darker shadow in the shade of the trees. A lock of crimson hangs forward, and the small silver nose ring glints a little. Under the hoodie is a lace top, black also, and at her breast is a silver pendant: a silver crucifix entwined with snakes. A choker holds a black glass heart with a skull inside to her throat. […]

Read the complete chapter here.

Back to Work

When I finished writing the first draft of The Redemption of Erâth in June, I decided it would be worthwhile to give the story a rest; take a break, relax, think of other things, and not even read it for some time. I originally intended only to take this break for a month, but a month turned into two, which turned into three…

Anyway. It’s the first of September (yes, yes…don’t correct me), and it’s time to begin a new resolution. I would very much like to have this story finished, in publishable form, by the year’s end. If I can achieve this, it will leave me in a good place to begin writing the second book at the start of next year. The pattern of completing one chapter each week has worked out pretty well so far, and I would to make an attempt at this again.

Now, at the risk of stretching myself and completely destroying my sanity, I feel it’s also time to turn my attention back to a long-neglected project, very near and dear to my heart. Many, many years ago I discovered a story, one that spoke to everything that was in me, that embodied my very person, and it was a story that I knew I must tell. However, I was younger then, and unprepared for the task of writing a book. However, the story has stayed with me, always, and given that its events have remained unwavering in my mind, I know it is a project I must complete.

I write, of course, of A Gothic Symphony, a tale of the struggle against despair and depression. For those of you who have enjoyed the dark-tinged fantasy of The Redemption of Erâth, this will be nothing like it. Not even close. Autumn – the fading death of the world and the descent into long, cold nights – is at the very heart of this story, and coming into this time of year, I can’t but imagine this is the time the story must be told.

I don’t know if I will manage; editing The Redemption of Erâth is, above all, my priority. I very much want to continue the story next year. But I feel I have waited too long, and this story must escape me onto paper. If you are interested, please stop by; perhaps you will find something new to enjoy.

The Redemption of Erâth: History of Erâth – The Second Age (Part IV)

(iv) The Corruption of East and West

So the lands of Aélûr and Cathaï were corrupted by the Duithèn, under the deathly watch of the Namirèn. Eight kingdoms of Men were under the influence of darkness, and tended less to their own, and instead turned to their neighbors and sought to conquer them. Each kingdom saw itself as the one true ruler of their land, and tension began to mount between each realm.

The Duithèn, of course, encouraged this hostility, for it was in their plan in the conquering of Erâth that the kingdoms of the West and the East should mount a unified assault against the lands of Thaeìn. So divided, each kingdom would do nothing more than squabble among themselves; should one kingdom arise dominant, however, that ruler would have the power of an entire continent at their hand. The Duithèn were certain of their success.

The Exile of the Illuèn

Before the dark peoples of Men could be united, though, the Duithèn perceived one force that could yet bar their way. As long as the power of the Illuèn was felt in the realms of Men, the full influence could not be realized, and the beasts of […]

Read the complete section here.