The Darkest Part of the Forest seems brief as a stand-alone novel, but it's packed full of events, action, and twists, traipsing all over the fictional town of Fairfold, through the woods, and down below the Faerie hill.
The Hopeful Wanderer – Living Art
Beneath the tiny bristles of a street artist's paintbrush, an alien landscape spread across what had once been a blank wall. I caught glimpses of her progress in flashes, around the bodies of people moving up and down the sidewalks between us. Some of these, like me, stopped to watch, mouths open and faces tipped … Continue reading The Hopeful Wanderer – Living Art
Book Review: The Rook by Daniel O’Malley
When I got the hankering to reread The Rook, I thought I'd give it a review this time.
The Hopeful Wanderer – A Waymarker
There was a light shining from beneath the sand. I spied it while walking along the seashore late on a moonless night, chilly surf chuckling around my bare toes. Just a steady glow ringing a patch of emptiness. I guess I already knew what it was when I started digging there, because this had happened … Continue reading The Hopeful Wanderer – A Waymarker
Writing Update: Logo and Short-Stories Goals
Last week, I reached two goals: raising enough funds to commission a logo for Word Nerd Scribbles, and revising/submitting the third of this year's short-stories. Logo Goal I mentioned in a previous post about how my Ko-Fi goal was to raise $30 in contributions to commission a logo design. The accompanying image, with its whopping 193% … Continue reading Writing Update: Logo and Short-Stories Goals
The Hopeful Wanderer – Catching Strays
Pure white light blazed in my eyes. A moment before, it had been the kind of vast, empty night that only farmland can offer. Corn rows marching away into the distance. Stars blazing overhead, etched sharply against the shapes of distant trees and a cluster of silos on the horizon. No artificial light for miles … Continue reading The Hopeful Wanderer – Catching Strays
Writing Life: First Rejection Letter
I have had, I would say, the unusual experience of receiving an acceptance letter before getting a rejection letter (as opposed to stunning, echoing silence in response to various queries). Yet you can't win them all, so here is my first rejection letter, from Dark Regions Press for their Deserted Island contest. Writers receive piles … Continue reading Writing Life: First Rejection Letter
The Hopeful Wanderer – Butterfly Breaths
I drew in several deep breaths and blew them out, preparing to hold as long as I could. By my count, the constant practice while traversing this twilit forest had me up to a solid two minutes, though I still struggled. I had a feeling two minutes wouldn't be long enough for what I wanted … Continue reading The Hopeful Wanderer – Butterfly Breaths
Book Review: The Death of the Necromancer
High jinks rule the day throughout The Death of the Necromancer. The narrative comes packed with every aspect Victorian-era criminal life has to offer, plus necromancy.
The Hopeful Wanderer – Fishing for Fears
"It contains your greatest fear." The kingfisher perched in the branches above me preened its green and gold feathers with a long beak and a self-righteous air. "I can see into it. Want to guess what's inside?"









