Writing Wild with Verna McKinnon

I have posted another " Tales of Obsydian Nights " short story for your reading pleasure.  It is the darkest and most violent of my Obsydian stories and was one of those published in Descending Darkness as part of my series (sadly that webzine is no longer).  Obsydia is darkness personified and clever in her cruel recruitment.   She demands worship and sacrifice, and knows how to play the weakness of the human soul.   This story is important for another reason.  At the end of the story, when those poor folk that have not succumbed to darkness are escaping the city, we meet a powerful wizard helping those people.  His name is Neelam and he is important for many reasons, not only because he is a strong adversary to Obsydia in several stories, but because he is an important character that will be in my Familiar's Tale series starting with book 2, Tree of Bones .  Neelam is a wonderful no-nonsense character.   He is strong, gritt...

Okay, just in case you are a devoted Arnold fan and love the original film version of Conan the Barbarian, stop reading now.  Because as a devoted fan of Robert E. Howard and his work, the new Conan the Barbarian film with Jason Momoa rules in my world. Few film adaptations of an author's work are like the original stories and  I was not expecting it to be.  You can only hope for a tribute of the writer's original perspective.  The 1981 film missed on every possible level, and though it can be viewed as a fun fantasy film, it was never Conan to me.    However, this new film possesses the wild sensation and gritty life of Conan's world that I remember from the original stories.  Jason Momoa does a great job of portraying the bigger than life action hero.  He is basic and elemental.  A born warrior, wild and free, with an odd sense of chivalry and basic code of honor.  In the film, which is very violent as Cona...

Hello Familiar's Tale Fans! I have posted the first of several short stories set in the world of  "A Familiar's Tale" in my featured story section of my website.  "The Bloodstone Queen" is the first story and recounts the birth of the dark immortal Queen Obsydia.  These stories are set a thousand years before Gate of Souls, A Familiar's Tale book One , but are very integral because it reveals important events of this world's past and also many important characters that are central to my current book series.  Every world has a past and this one is a stage of darkness where light was challenged.  You will meet a young Cathal and Belwyn, Neelam the Wizard and his familiar Surya, who are important characters in books 2 through 4 of my Familiar's Tale series.  You also will get to know first hand Obsydia, who will be a major force of wickedness in books 2-4 of my book series.  My second book is coming out soon, I just wish I could reveal more. ...

I'm very annoyed.   As time goes on, the more the media (books, but especially TV & Film) focuses all the their science fiction and fantasy efforts on the adolescent boy, or the adult male with adolescent perspectives.  The films are bigger with poofy special effects, but the stories are almost non-existent.   It is like bad junk food that lacks nutrition-no thought required.  It is all done to attract the male species into theaters.  But what about us girls, huh?  Those of us, and I know there are many of us girls, that love science fiction and fantasy. The powers in suits think that they need only make certain romantic comedies for us, (though those are even degrading into toilet humor-laced duds with one dimensional scripts) but I shout my defiance.   I love science fiction and fantasy-big or small, silly or serious, but I demand some quality.  I am also one of the few women writers out there that loves Rob...

Hello out there!  My time has been crazy of late, so I have neglected my time blogging for my readers and friends.  Am so sorry.  But I have been writing and waiting to see the new cover work for my new book Tree of Bones .   Am so excited that Rob E. Brown is doing it.  On the personal side,  I have been watching Game of Thrones on HBO.  The casting is superb and the writing excellent.   I hope George RR Martin is happy with it too.  The production values are amazing, but more importantly, there is a real adult fantasy on television worth watching.  Each episode leaves you hanging and breathless for the next episode.  It is not for children under a certain age, but that is fine.  A lot of great fantasy is for the adult mind, not kids.  I think people have forgotten that in the age of Harry Potter.  I am not knocking that, as my books fit the for all ages readership.  But there is a wealth...

I am barely over the fact that the world no longer has Brian Jacques or David Eddings in the fantasy/sci-fi world, but now another icon has passed-Elisabeth Sladen, the wonderful actress who immortalized the companion Sarah Jane Smith in the "Doctor Who" universe, died today of cancer.  She was the first companion of the Doctor I saw when I first began watching reruns of Doctor Who on my local PBS channel, and also enjoyed her character's return in the current run of Doctor Who adventures (with Tennant)and her own spin-off, The Sarah Jane Adventures.   I always liked the actress and the character.  She was one of the first great heroines on science fiction TV.  She was brave, plucky, caring, and clever.  She will be missed. The world just sucks sometimes.

Hello Fantasy Fans!  I am very excited that my publisher Joseph Dickerson has made arrangements with Rob E. Brown to do my next book cover for the upcoming Tree of Bones.  Rob Brown is an amazing artist that has worked for many impressive venues such as Marvel Comics!  Also Rob is doing black and white drawings for inside the book.   I am thrilled and cannot wait to see his artwork for my book. Also, tonight is a sacred time.  The first episode of "Game of Thrones," based on legendary George R.R. Martin's wonderful fantasy series starts tonight.  I have already watched the mini specials for Game of Thrones on the HBO and love the cast!  Some of my favorite actors are in it (Sean Bean!!!!), Lena Headey as Queen Cersei, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, and more great actors.  The new faces are impressive too, such as Emilia Clarke they cast to play Daenerys Targaryen.  I will be watching these episodes over and...