The sword is the iconic staple of the fantasy multiverse. It's among the more effective all-purpose melee weapons, while more conveniently portable...
More Than a Sword
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J.S. Morin
In Honor of Mother’s Day
In honor of Mother's Day, let's talk about the greatest mothers in sci-fi and fantasy. Sadly, thanks to cloning vats and a bias toward orphan...
Meet my cat, Soria…
The life of a writer can be lonely and isolating at times. When I first started writing full-time, my wife was still working a day job. That left me...
I’m Giving You a Time Machine
I don't know when it will happen, but a time machine will be delivered for everyone to use. Someday, one will get invented, and I'll convince the...
Let’s Talk About Monsters
Monsters are everywhere! In fiction, at least. Fantasy and horror have a particular affinity for monsters, and I'm not really a horror writer...
Science gave us a cool Black Hole photo this week…now what?
So, scientists have now taken pictures of a black hole (or, to be precise, everything BUT the black hole). Dr. Katie Bouman and her team have given...
Game of Predicting Thrones
As a longtime fan of Game of Thrones (in book form, no less!), I'm excited at the prospect of the final season of the TV version wrapping up, even...
Build Your Own Starship
I want a spaceship. YOU want a spaceship. I'm pretty sure, given the chance, nearly anyone on Earth would want a working, interstellar spaceship all...
So You Want to Be a Wizard…
I think anyone who's read books or watched movies has, at some point, contemplated being a wizard. Whether it's a simple wish to levitate traffic...
Are any shows “appointment television” for you?
"Appointment television" hasn't died, but Netflix sure is trying to strangle it. And while I'm certainly one to binge whole seasons or series in a...
I’m battling cyborgs, building Dyson spheres, and corrupting primitive societies with advanced tech…
I can't be the only gamer around here, can I? My wife and I just got back from a publishing conference, and I'm still recovering. Between shoveling...
Year 6 of My 5-10 Year Overnight Success Plan
Well, here I am, yet again. It’s time for Firehurler’s 6th birthday, marking the end of Year 6 of my 5-10 Year Overnight Success Plan. I’ve made a...
Poet Fleet Night Before Xmas
'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the sector,Not a starship was inbound on any known vector. The cargo was stacked by the freight...
Year 5 of My 5-10 Year Overnight Success Plan
Well, one of the hallmarks of my annual plan update seems to be posting it later and later every year. This year I’ve somehow made it to June with a...
Inside Scoop on Black Ocean
As I started planning 2017's 4 Black Ocean missions, I realized that the main story is coming to a close. But even though the characters have...
Year 4 of My 5-10 Year Overnight Success Plan
So… January 31st marks the 4th bookiversary of Firehurler. I’ll have been a self-published author for four full years. At this point, I have vague...
What’s coming in 2017?
“The time has come,” the Writer said, “To write of other things. Of robots, clones, and aliens, Of shadowbloods, and kings. And why V.R. is killing...
Worldbuilding: Cultural Values
What separates one culture from another. It's more than clothes and language, though those are important for making them look and feel distinct from...
Who Can Practice Magic
So, your world's got magic. Great! Since you're in charge, it's up to you to dole out that mystical power to your characters. Time to decide who...
Naming as a Worldbuilding Tool
Many writers struggle with naming characters. I'm not here to help them. I'm actually going to make it harder by giving them another consideration...
When to Start Worldbuilding
One question that an aspiring worldbuilder is going to ask is when to start. Can you build a world without knowing anything about the story you're...
How to Write Ensemble Scenes
Writing a scene with one character is simple. Two isn't much harder, and introduces the possibility of conversation. Even three characters in a...
Worldbuilding: Government
One of the main goals of worldbuilding is to create a believable backdrop for telling a story. But after figuring out geography, magic, and...
Worldbuilding: Animals (and Monsters)
From chulls to owlbears, wargs to thestrals, fantasy has taken to the creation of its own wildlife. They make a world feel separate from the Earth...