It’s official: I’m an entrancer
I think it's safe to say I'm not just a storyteller, a competent marketer, or a handsome heretic… But apparently, I'm also something of an entrancer, or at least according to a Patron last week: 13 days later I have purchased and started the final book. When I'm listening and working it's like a trance […]
Why I may never go on a podcast
It's not uncommon for authors to appear on book podcasts to talk about their work, spread the word of their tales, and ultimately conjure some fresh royalties. A scribe’s gotta eat like everybody else! That said, I've never really been appealed to this form of marketing for a number of reasons. 1. I just don't […]
Fantasy purists didn’t like what I said
I got a lot of stick the other day when I made a post on how the 90s ruined fantasy. What I meant is that, before the late 80s and 90s, fantasy books weren't always these 200,000-300,000-word snoozefests. They were shorter and more consumable. I gave examples like Conan the Barbarian, Foundation by […]
What Net Zero has taught me about publishing
I watched a video on the decline of Germany's economy, and in turn, much of Europe, including the UK. A fascinating watch, even if somewhat depressing. Anyway, much of their demise is claimed to have come from their pursuit of "Net Zero" – a luxury goal that could only be set by once-prosperous countries. […]
A truly terrifying dream
I had a dream the other night — scratch that, a NIGHTMARE — where I fell into a crocodile pit similar to the one we visited in Morocco circa 2023: Lady Laura, I, and Some of Our Friends After dodging a number of basking Niles, I clambered onto a rail that's supposed to catch anyone […]
Something strange is happening at Amazon
Long-time readers will know I lurk in a number of author groups, and by lurk… I really do mean skulking in the digital shadows. I rarely socialise or partake in the rantings of my comrades there, but there is one conversation cropping up an awful lot recently. And it's quite concerning. At least for the […]
The big, fat fantasy problem
As I get deeper into promoting my fictional wares on unsocial media, I find myself calling upon performance props. Yes, your Overlord & Saviour isn't just a word slinger and email evangelist… I'm now something of a "performer" too. (The things I do to bring readers into my world!) One such prop I've been ordering […]
Calling all Progression Fantasy + LitRPG readers
For much of the past decade, I've avoided LitRPG and Progression Fantasy for the very simple reason: I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT. While yes, I'm no stranger to RPG video games like Skyrim, this concept of literature merging with role-playing had my brain fried. Until the other day, when I stumbled on an interview […]
Why I don’t strive to be a “great” writer
Fun fact: Every time I've tried to channel my inner Shakespeare to write prose so slick the ink slides off the page, I almost always end up cutting it from the draft. Either it's redundant or could be said in fewer words, and it's this 'ruthlessness' that (from what I'm told) so many of you […]
This 3-hour soundtrack will release all tension
I don't know about you, but I hate working in silence. As the cliché goes, silence can be deafening — and deafening it is. So one of the things I do to mitigate this vacuum of noise isn't to sing mantras to myself all day long (though I have tried), but to let wordless soundtracks […]
“Booktubers are idiots”
The other day, while Lady Laura was chewing my ear off about Halo, our new robot vacuum, I was somewhat pleased for the following distraction comment from this newcomer: You will see all these book tubers say crap books like The Blade Itself are 5 star must reads so you go out and purchase them […]
My biggest gamble yet
One of my goals for 2026 is to really make some noise in fantasy, but as you can imagine — even for someone as powerful, handsome, and charismatic as your Overlord & Saviour — this is no stroll around the Shire. Among my usual day-to-day workflow of writing, producing emails, social media, and welcoming new […]
This photo is downright spooky
The other day, while working away in my writer's cave, my WhatsApp pinged. It was Lady Laura. There was no message, just a photo. To my bemusement, it was a picture of a crow perched on a branch in front of the house. I replied with a series of question marks, to which […]
Why fantasy needs more racism
I stumbled upon this video, and I highly recommend giving it a watch. For those who can't be bothered, or are too mad to even click the link, here's the long and short of its thesis: The video argues that modern fantasy often feels weightless because, too often, it strips out believable racism, prejudice, and […]
A question only you can answer
I got quite a few replies to yesterday's email regarding my recent (and criminally low-cost) acquisition of Conan the Barbarian: The Complete Collection by Robert E. Howard. Some thanked me for the recommendation, while others praised my decision to pick it up. And it got me thinking… Could there actually be a dormant market […]
I feel like I’ve committed a crime
The other day, I unceremoniously decided I wanted to get back into reading fiction. I love me some audiobooks, but there's something about sitting down somewhere quiet and turning pages that audio narration — as marvellous as it is — doesn't come close to. However, there were conditions: The books needed to be fast, bingeable, […]
There’s a war going on in fantasy
With everything that's going on in the world right now, it made me ponder how big changes almost always start subtly and brew over a long time horizon. In fact, some changes can be downright invisible to the human eye. Let me 'splain: The same way you don't realise you've put on 10 pounds until […]
Fantasy author had this to say about The Divided Region
The other day, I saw one of my posts had been shared not by a raving fan or troll, but by fellow scribe and self-published author, Andrew Ducharme. I dare say, it might've left my cheeks a little rosy. I came across this author and his book series Exiled and fell in love with the […]
BBQ wedge fantasy
Yesterday, Lady Laura and I were out with the boys, making the most of the rare sunshine here in Greater London. As we were heading back home, the waft of our local chippy practically dragged us into the establishment, and so we made our usual order. That's when I finally took the plunge. For months, […]
My audiobooks are helping horses now?
A Patron and Legionnaire (who I'm not sure wants to be named) writes in with the following: I'm an audio book junkie, I have horses and I'm in the barn feeding or cleaning stalls a couple hours a day, everyday, so it's the perfect time to have an audio book to listen to; that and […]