by RDC | May 30, 2018 | reading
I didn’t have much time for reading this month, since I got married (!) and spent two weeks in Ireland on my honeymoon. But I did get some reading done on the eight-hour flight across the pond. I first intended for this month’s theme to encompass fantasy in general....
by RDC | May 9, 2018 | writing life
I’ve heard much discussion on the subject of what it takes to be a writer—more specifically, a successful one. What must you do, what qualities must you have, to set yourself up for success? Is it a degree in creative writing, an MFA, a certification of some kind? Or...
by RDC | May 2, 2018 | reading
Like all books, a good fantasy needs a solid plot, three-dimensional characters, and enough emotion to make the reader care. But a great fantasy also needs a clever magic system to distinguish it from its peers. Here are five of the niftiest, most memorable fantasy...
by RDC | Apr 25, 2018 | reading
Since my wedding is rapidly approaching (May 13th–less than a month away!), my reading habits have rapidly declined over the past few weeks. I had big plans to dive into young adult literature this month, but I only ended up getting three books finished: Freaky...
by RDC | Apr 18, 2018 | writing tips
This month, I reread the upper middle grade novel Tangerine by Edward Bloor. I remembered loving it as a kid, but that was about all I remembered. So, I got to reread the story with completely fresh eyes. Tangerine turned out to be a well-written, thought-provoking...