Writing Fantasy

I’m pleased to announce that my short story, “The Fire Beneath the Sea” has been accepted into the Wicked East Press anthology Here There Be Dragons. This is the first true fantasy story I have written, and it was actually the most fun I ever had writing a story! Ever! Pirates! Dragons! How could you go wrong?

I never considered writing fantasy before. Horror seemed to come more naturally to me. Although I loved The Lord of the Rings, I’ve read many fantasy books that I found to be simply mediocre and overly-packed with clichés, descriptions, and actions that could well have been left out. However, I’ve recently started reading The Name of the Wind, and it changed my opinion about writing fantasy. I found the language in the novel fresh, the structure believable. When I saw the open call for submissions over at Wicked East Press, I figured I would give it a shot. I never thought I would enjoy writing fantasy so much!

I’ve had an idea for a fantasy novel (or perhaps trilogy!) brewing in the backburner of my mind for a few years now. I have some outlines and maps I’ve drawn of the world, and I think I’m going to try to get a good start on it for this year’s NaNoWriMo. I feel like as a writer, drifting between horror, nonfiction, and children’s literature, I’ve always been searching for my niche. Perhaps in fantasy I have found it!