fantasy, short, stories
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Twitter (or X as it’s now called) Q&A and why I’m taking a break
izaforestspirit
It’s been two years since my last Q&A session on Twitter so I decided to it was time to host a new one. I have close to 6000 followers on there, almost twice the amount I had back then. A lot of my followers are authors too. Yet despite this, only a few people asked…
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New artwork of Harus and Risa at The Desert Lily
izaforestspirit
‘I’ve recently commissioned the artist Syed Muhammad Faizan Hassan, better known as Sora, to illustrate a scene from my new grimdark fantasy short story ‘Fereidun and the Pit of Snakes’. This is the most detailed and complex artwork I’ve ever requested as it includes not just the characters but also some details of the Desert…
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Fereidun and the Pit of Snakes cover reveal and snippet
izaforestspirit
So despite not having much time to write lately due to work commitments, I’ve been playing around with the design webiste Canva (https://www.canva.com/) lately. Whilst I’ve hired artists to create my book covers in the past, this time I’ve decided to create my own. This one is for my upcoming grimdark fantasy short story ‘Fereidun…
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‘Fereidun and the Pit of Snakes’ snippet and sketch art of Harus & Risa
izaforestspirit
So now that I’ve had a bit of break, I’m decided to resume working on my short story ‘Fereidun and the Pit of Snakes’. Progress has been slow so far as I’ve actually had to go back, revise and in some case re-write parts of the text. For now I would like to share a…
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Summer stories update
izaforestspirit
It’s been a while since I’ve posted on here. A lot has happened in my personal life. It’s been a hectic and nerve wracking few months. I’ve embarked on a major lifestyle change, which has affected the time I have available to write. As much as I enjoy working on my book ‘A War of…
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‘Fereidun and the Pit of Snakes’ moodboard and themes
izaforestspirit
So now that I’ve introduced the setting and announced the title the setting of my latest story, I thought I’d share a moodboard I’ve created recently to give you a better an idea of the themes. Despite the title of the story, the main character isn’t actually Fereidun, but his best friend and fellow Saikuda…
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Niralis – A Region Spotlight
izaforestspirit
The desert province of Niralis first appeared in my short story ‘Ieskr and The Orealisi Oasis’ which tells the myth of the Orealisi Oasis and Oreli the water Enai, without whom the land would have been uninhabitable for humans. It’s the setting of one scene in my fantasy romance novella ‘Tiriyanin’s Riddles’ and features prominently…
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The Empire’s Golden Boy part 2. Birth & Rebellion
izaforestspirit
The first year of Vecatian’s reign passed by largely uneventfully. He focused on his duties, doting on his pregnant lover, eagerly awaiting the birth of his first-born child. Suddenly trouble began to stir on the streets of Ifirium. A nobleman named Ergon claimed to have strong family ties to the deceased Emperor Akim. Rumors began…
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The Empire’s Golden Boy part 1. Ascension
izaforestspirit
Despite the lack of tears, Ducissa Ardia’s face was a mask of grief. She made every attempt to maintain a somber appearance, as she walked through the streets of Ifirium, escorted by the imperial guard following her nephew Emperor Akim’s funeral procession. It was important that the crowds saw her mourning the recently departed monarch.…
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How to write a good romance story, advice for writers
izaforestspirit
The month of February always makes me think of two things: my son’s birthday on the 13th and the following which is Valentine’s Day. Whilst the 13th may seem unlucky to some superstitious folk, for my family the February 13th is the day we all have a party in honor of our son. Despite being…