Barbara Russell's Blog

I'm very pleased to host today Cindy Tomamichel, author of paranormal/time travel
romance and contemporary romance. Cindy has recently published The Organised Author, a
book to help authors with their platforms. 


The Organized Author  
Buy link: https://books2read.com/organizedauthor
About CindyCindy Tomamichel is a multi-genre writer. Escape the everyday with the time travel action adventure series Druid’s Portal, science fiction and fantasy stories or tranquil scenes for relaxation. Discover worlds where the heroines don’t wait to be rescued, and the heroes earn that title the hard way. Cindy Tomamichel is also the fiendish mind behind the empire of The Organized Author. She is bent on world domination ... hmm, sorry, did I say that out loud?  ... making life easier for authors by sharing tips that can streamline their author platform.Contact Cindy onWebsite: https://www.cindytomamichel.com/ Newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/AdventureNewsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/CindyTomamichelAuthor/Twitter: https://twitter.com/CindyTomamichelAmazon Author page: https://amazon.com/author/cindytomamichelAuthor services: https://tinyurl.com/OrgAuthorInfoPA

365 Days of Writing Prompts for Romance Writers Savvy Writers Book 1 by Kim Knight Genre: Writing, Self Help 

With 365 Days Of Writing Prompts for Romance Writers, there’s no need for additional notepads or places to store your ideas. For each day of the year there’s a dedicated space for plotting your ideas, with a writing prompt to create an outline for a romance short story, novella, novel or even flash fiction. All you need to do is adapt the characters or setting to your sub-genre of romance. For each day of the year you’ll find a creative, engaging, fun and challenging writing prompt, with situations or people to craft your next story. There is also a personal blogging challenge with writing prompts, for romance writers to engage with their readers, grow their following, find new readers and allow their audience to get to know them via their own personal blog or author site. With 356 Days Of Writing Prompts For Romance Writers you’ll never be stuck for a romance story idea, or blog topic again! Each month has a focus and fully adaptable to your sub-genre, dip in and out of each day, week, month as you wish. 

January- New Directions LoveFebruary- Unexpected New LoveMarch- Fresh Starts and New BeginningsApril- Love in Unexpected PlacesMay- Historical, Regency and MulticulturalJune- Contemporary RomanceJuly- Paranormal, Horror and Dark RomanceAugust- Christmas and Holiday LoveSeptember- Mixed Bag of Goodies!October- December Romance Writers’ Blog Writing Challenge PromptsAward-Winning Romantic Suspense and Thriller Author Kim Knight, also shares her secrets on writing realistic, page-turning romance. Also her experience with writing prompts, which has allowed her to co-author two novels, and seventeen short-stories to date. So, romance writers around the world, grab your pen and your copy and get ready to write every day of the year and never run out of creativity. Note the paperback version will allow you to plot your ideas all in one space in the book, and let go of your hundreds of different idea notepads. 
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Kim is born in 1983 and from London in the UK. She's a mother to a beautiful little boy, and a proud award winning author (awarded Best Romance 2017 title for A Stranger In France). Kim started her journey as a traditionally published author and later dived into self-publishing also.
As a reader she's head over heels in love with romance, historical fiction, crime fiction, African- American, suspense and thriller genre books. As a writer, Kim enjoys creating stories with a diverse and multi-cultural line up, within the romance, romantic suspense and general thriller and crime genres. When she's not reading, or writing stories of her own her other passions include practising her French, astrology, fashion, make-up artistry, drawing, spending time at her sewing machine dressmaking, watching make -up and beauty tutorials on YouTube, letter writing and being a mum. 
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads


Welcome! This book of writing prompts is for all my ‘tribe’ of fellow romance writers, no matter what sub-genre or heat level you represent. I’d love to spend the year with you as you create some great stories. You might be thinking ‘well who the hell is this woman, and why has she done this?’ Okay, here’s the deal. Back in 2016 I crossed paths with a fellow suspense and thriller author, we became wonderful friends and for sure she’s a girlfriend for life. Her name is Didi Oviatt, you may know her. Anyway, we went on to start a very simple blogging challenge together where we created short stories of about 2,000-3,000 words each week. One of us would write one half, and the other would finish it. No discussion, planning or anything. The best bit is we used writing prompts voted on by our blog followers and readers. At the time of writing this four years later, we’re seventeen stories and two novels deep! We have published them and are currently working on book three. I have also used writing prompts to interact with my followers, readers and fans via my own author site since day one. I love writing prompts, so for me, writing prompts have really helped with creativity, productivity and most importantly building a readership. If it can work for me, friend it can work for you. If you’re still curious, my bio is below.I was born in 1983 I’m from London in the UK. I’m a mother to a beautiful little boy, and a proud award-winning author. How Best to Use this Writing Reference Book and PromptsFirstly, why even use writing prompts? Well, if my introduction has not pushed you in the right direction to understand the benefits, here’s the real deal. We all get stuck! No matter how good of a writer we are, how creative, or even how motivated, some days the words or characters just run dry as hell. I’ve been there. So, to keep it real, the purpose of this book is to help you avoid the dry spells as much as possible and keep you fresh!The best way to use this writing reference is to keep in mind these five small things.1.     Make every prompt your own—you will find situations or people within each prompt. Nothing is set in stone, each prompt is just an idea or even outline or direction, if you like, for where you could head. I don’t really recommend (unless you really feel drawn to my prompt) that you stick to it and not put your own spin on it somehow. Take a prompt and add, or subtract, what you feel suits your style, storytelling, experience or even desire. Basically, don’t feel stuck with what you have; it’s just an idea to get your juices flowing.2.     No matter your genre, steal it and use it! So, as you know by now, in the romance genre I’m a romantic suspense writer in principle. Yes, I have written other stuff and yes, I can write other stuff. But, I always default here because I love to read and write romantic suspense. So, with these prompts, I have kept them as generic as possible. This means if you like an idea, and wish to make it a paranormal, urban or fantasy romance, go for it! Like I said, don’t feel stuck. Take the general idea and flip it to your own script.3.     Heat and steam levels are completely free for all! I like my romance steamy, maybe you’re a sweet and clean writer, that’s cool. Do what you wish in terms of heat levels, if you want to ramp up a prompt and make it high in heat…please do, I’d love to read it too!4.     Dip in and out of each month, week, etc. as you see fit, too. You can go through January-December or mix it up.5.     The last three months of the year, all the prompts are personal blogging prompts and I recommend that if you have not already, you really start to develop an author site or use your current one and do some personal blogging. (More on that later.) Again, you don’t need to wait until October to start, start today! 



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It's a Wonderful Midlife Crisis Good To the Last Death Book 1 by Robyn Peterman Genre: Paranormal Women's Fiction 

A Paranormal Women's Fiction with a bit of class, and a lot of sass, for anyone who feels like age is just a number!
Whoever said life begins at forty must have been heavily medicated, drunk, or delusional. 
Thirty-nine was a fantastic year. I was married to the man I loved. I had a body that worked without creaking. My grandma, who raised me, was still healthy, and life was pretty damned good. 
But as they say, all good things come to an end. I’d honestly love to know who ’they’ are and rip them a new one.
One year later, I’m a widow. My joints are starting to ache. Gram is in the nursing home, and dead people think my home is some kind of supernatural bed and breakfast. Gluing body parts onto semi-transparent people has become a side job—deceased people I’m not even sure are actually there. I think they need my help, but since I don’t speak dead, we’re having a few issues. 
To add to the heap of trouble, there’s a new dangerously smokin’ hot lawyer at the firm who won't stop giving me the eye. My BFF is thrilled with her new frozen face, thanks to her plastic surgeon, her alimony check, and the miracle of Botox. And then there’s the little conundrum that I’m becoming way too attached to my ghostly squatters… Like Cher, I'd like to turn back time. Now.
No can do. 
Whatever. I have wine, good friends, and an industrial sized box of superglue. What could possibly go wrong?
Everything, apparently.
All in all, it’s shaping up to be a wonderful midlife crisis… 
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Whose Midlife Crisis Is It Anyway? Good to the Last Death Book 2 

Midlife’s a journey. Enjoy the ride. Crisis included.
Never knew that life after death was far more dangerous than real life.
Never in my forty years did I think my new normal would be gluing body parts back onto ghosts and hosting a houseful of dead squatters. Thank God for superglue and a strong stomach.
Never thought I’d date the Grim Reaper and that I would be the one to blow it. I mean, how idiotic does one have to be to get dumped by a dude who lives in Hell?
Going about business as usual is not usual in any way. No one is who they seem to be… and to be honest, neither am I. What I’d known to be true has turned out to be myth. The Angels are frightening and the Demons are hot. Wait. I mean not. Who am I kidding? The Grim Reaper is very hot—like a freaking pre-menopausal hot flash hot.
Now I’m in a race against time and all sorts of unsavory supernatural horrors to save my deceased gay husband’s afterlife. And that was a sentence I never thought would leave my lips.
Whatever. I’ll yank up my big girl panties, stock up on wine and lean on my girlfriends as needed. As they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get inebriated… or something like that.
With everything to lose, I have no choice but to grow some lady balls. That I can do. I just hope balls will be enough.
I had planned to live midlife in peace, not in pieces.Good luck to me… 
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A Most Excellent Midlife Crisis Good to the Last Death Book 3 

Midlife's a bumpy journey. The ride is a freaking rollercoaster. The crisis is real.
With my life back to normal--normal being a very relative word--one would think I'd catch a break.
One would be very wrong.
With an Angel gunning for me and a Demon in my bed, life couldn't be more complicated. Not to mention, I'm going to have to make a rather large life choice.
Do I want to live forever?
Does anyone? Forever is a very long time.
Whatever. I'll think about it tomorrow... or next week... or next month. As long as I have my girlfriends, my dogs, a super-sized case of merlot and my deceased squatters, I'm good to go.
My midlife crisis. My rules. If it doesn't kill me dead first, I plan to have a most excellent midlife crisis. 
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NYT and USA Today best selling author, Robyn Peterman writes because the people inside her head won't leave her alone until she gives them life on paper. She writes snarky, sexy, funny paranormal and snarky, sexy, funny contemporaries.Her addictions include laughing really hard with friends, shoes (the expensive kind), Target, Coke with extra ice in a Yeti cup, bejeweled reading glasses, her kids, her super-hot hubby and collecting stray animals.A former professional actress, with Broadway, film and T.V. credits, she now lives in the south with her family and too many animals to count. Writing gives her peace and makes her whole, plus having a job where she can work in her sweatpants works really well for her. 
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DO I HAVE ANY ADDICTIONS?? LOL
DO I HAVE ADDICTIONS?Um… yes.
Oh. My. Hell. LOLI am a writer. However, we all have little issues we need to work on.When I’m not writing I like to do things that clear my head of all thought. Sooooooo, I play a little Candy Soda Crush and Candy Jelly Crush.
And then I realized I might have a problem.
Not too long ago I sat on the plane next to the most charming little dude. He was eleven and was wildly impressed with the level I’d reached in Soda Candy Crush. Of course, I then had to show him how outstandingly well I also did on Candy Jelly Crush.
Suffice it to say, I was a freakin’ rock star for a few minutes.My little friend then asked me if that’s what I did 24 hours a day…It was a fine question and asked with a tremendous amount of fifth-grade-boy admiration. However, I realized, yet again, I might have a little Candy Soda/Jelly Crush issue.
If I could make money playing Candy Soda and Jelly Crush, I’d own a private plane and an island to go with it.
Soooooooooooo, in 2020 I’m gonna cut back on my video game addiction. Yes, I know I won’t be as popular with random male eleven-year-olds on cross country flights, but we can’t be everything to everyone.
I shall remember the wide adorable grin of hero worship on my little buddy’s face as he inquired if I play Candy Crush all freakin’ day long.Let me repeat.All day long. LOLSo I bid you a good evening. I’m gonna play Candy Soda and Candy Jelly Crush until I fall asleep with my phone in my hands.Tomorrow is a new day, but for today I’m still a Candy Soda-Jelly Crush rock star.
xoxo Robyn $100 Amazon Gift Card 
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I'm very excited to be part of the anthology Fated Souls. This 'soon to be released' book is a 
collection of  novelletes from authors of paranormal romance. All the proceeds will go to breast 
cancer  research.  The anthology is from The New Romance Cafe', a Facebook group for lovers of 
romance novels full of lovely people.
New Romance Cafe' 

The title of my story is The Kiss Thief and is part of my Gaslamp, paranormal romance series


The Royal Occult Bureau



London, 1887 Portia As a young debutante, I’m supposed to sip champagne, dance, and meet interesting gentlemen. Except that with the constant company of Scot—my brooding, handsome bodyguard who protects me from vampires and other Unnaturals—I can barely chat with my girlfriends. The fact that I try desperately to attract Scot’s attention only adds frustration to my not-so-enjoyable season. The man doesn’t seem to notice me. So I make a wish, hoping to steal a kiss a from him, but accidentally I summon a lilath, a capricious fairy with no sense of humour. And Scot and I find ourselves trapped in the lilath’s enchanted forest. The payment for our freedom is more than a kiss.  
Also, I have a new release coming! My first historical romance novel. No paranormal, fanatsyor supernatural elements, just plain historical romance.The Pearl of Gladstone


London, 1884 Accused of being involved in her father’s bankruptcy and wanted by the police, Pearl finds herself penniless and jobless. Her father disappeared, leaving her alone to sort out a financial mess she doesn’t know anything about. Heck, she doesn’t even understand what her charges are.Desperate, she asks for a job to Miss Cherrywood, the head of a secret society—The Wayward Ladies—dedicated to aid women in need. The job Miss Cherrywood offers is simple, but borders to felony. Pearl is supposed to impersonate Miss Amelia whose parents wish her to meet brooding and short-tempered Lord Christopher Lyon, Earl of Gladstone. Lacking the courage to disobey her parents and to reject Christopher, Amelia begs Pearl to help her.  Pearl isn’t exactly eager to add more crimes to her already growing list. But Christopher—whose best friend is a former business partner of her father—might be her only chance to learn in what trouble her father is and to find him. Lord Christopher Lyon doesn’t want to meet any woman, especially this Miss Amelia whose mother keeps writing letters to him, guaranteeing that he and her precious daughter are a perfect match. Not likely. Which woman would find a temperamental, disfigured soldier, just returned from war, interesting? On top of that, he’s investigating a financial fraud that has destroyed his friend’s finances. He doesn’t have time for meeting ladies. Determined to find her father and clear her name, Pearl accepts to play the part of Miss Amelia and beard the Lyon in his den. ** Historical romance for adults. This is a standalone novel with a HEA**  

A few review copies are available on BookSprout
ARC copies of The Pearl of Gladstone


 Thanks for reading! 

Gaslamp, known also as Gaslight Fantasy, is just a fancy way to describe a paranormal/urban fantasy book set in the Victorian Era. It isn’t a recent genre as some think.Dracula by Bram Stocker perfectly fits this category, although it might be closer to the horror genre, compared to other Gaslamp stories I read.I love this genre for many reasons: The setting is my absolute favourite (you should know that by now). There’s always plenty of social conflict (typical of the historical period), and the technology doesn’t spoil the fun. I mean that it’s more difficult to set a paranormal story in modern times. With cameras everywhere, DNA tests, and cell phones, it’s hard to find a way to keep supernatural creatures and monsters a secret.So here are some of my favourite Gaslamp novels:
Shadowbound by Bec McMaster
This is the first book of the Dark Arts Series. Set in Victorian London, the story includes witches, wizards, spells, and potions in a sort of Harry Potter-ish way by for adults. (It means that there sex scenes.)I highly recommend this series. The writing is beautiful and the story becomes more intriguing as the series progresses.
 Shadowbound
Dawn’s Promise by A. W. Exley
This is the first book of the Silent Wings Series. The world building is very original, a bit similar to a fairy tale story but with enough twists to make it fresh. It’s a slow burn from the romance point of view, and the story might be a bit dark in places (nothing major though).
Dawn's Promise




Prince of Hearts by Margaret Foxe
First book of the awesome Elders and Welders Chronicles Series.I’m cheating here because this book is also a steampunk novel, but there are vampires and supernatural creatures as well, so I think it can be labelled as Gaslamp, too. Lovely writing, great characters, and an original plot are reasons why I love this series so much. Give it a try!
Prince of Hearts
Last but not least The Last Necromancer by C. J. Archer
This is suitable for a young adult audience and for those who love a very slow burn romance. The world building is excellent and the two main protagonist (Charlie and Lincoln) are very well portrayed, but I’m going to be honest. While I read the whole series (10 books) I think the first 3 are the best. After that, in my opinion, the story starts to drag and the main plot become very diluted through the rest of the books.But it’s a fun read.
The Last Necromancer

My latest Gaslamp romance is The Royal Occult Bureau # 1, in case you were wondering

                                               

Don’t get me wrong. I love Scottish romance as much as the next girl. My favourite Scottish series are: Outlander, Love at Stakes (highly recommend this one), and Highlander. Okay, these series have a paranormal touch, but they’re still Scottish romance.When I started reading historical romance, years ago, I wondered why there were so many covers with shirtless Highlanders. Was there something about Scotsmen I didn’t know? Why Scottish romance and not, I don’t know, Swiss romance? Where did the myth of the romantic highlanders come from?So I did a bit of digging. You’re probably going to roll your eyes, but I found that the Scottish romance trope comes from Queen Victoria. Yes. Vicky again.After the death of her husband, Victoria spent a lot of time in her castle in Balmoral, Scotland, and became a very good friend of her servant, John Brown. (Here's a Wikipedia link: John Brown )



John took care of the horses, proudly wore a kilt, and called the queen “wumman,” since he refused to address her as Your Highness or My Queen. He thought those titles were nonsense (a true Jacobite, if you ask me, but I digress). Strong and handsome, John didn’t give a toss about etiquette, shocking Victoria’s daughters and sons and the entire London’s aristocratic society with his informal manners. Soon, rumours about the relationship between Victorian and John spread. The Scotsman earned a few nicknames, like the Queen’s lover and the Queen’s stallion. Victoria always dismissed the chit-chats, claiming that John was only a good friend.Maybe it was true, maybe it wasn’t. One thing is certain. The queen wasn’t the only one who found John attractive. Secretly, many ladies swooned over the hunky Scotsman, envying the queen and her long horse-ridings with her servant. So that’s it. This is how Scotsmen got their place in one of the most famous romantic tropes we still very much enjoy today.   A few recommendations

Is their love real or fiction?
Rachel is a teacher and a single mom who’s picked up the pieces of her life after a horrible marriage. She’d thought her ex-husband was the man of her dreams. He wasn’t. She’s moved on and written a historical romance novel, Swashbuckler, that’s been picked up by Hollywood. Rodger is an actor who doesn’t trust women. He’s made bad choices in his past that have come to haunt him in the present, especially the choice that came packaged with blond hair, large tits, and a marriage that was doomed from the start. Rodger thought they were in love—turns out his wife was a social-climber more interested in his status than his heart. He doubts there is a woman alive who can love him for who he is, and not for his fame or for the fantasy he presents to the world. Both Rachel and Rodger have been burned by love, trusting a reality that turned out only to be fantasy. Will their fear succeed at keeping them apart? Or will they break through the barriers and allow themselves to love once again? After all, sometimes reality is much sweeter than fantasy.
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Take-Two-Karysa-Faire-ebook/dp/B0842DKDCY













  A lovely contemporary romance with two great protagonists and lots of funny moments. Plenty of steam as well. Rachel and Roger are both very cautious on their relationships, having been burned before. They’re attracted to each other, but they struggle to let themselves go and try to dive in a new relationship. I think the plot is more oriented towards this aspect of the story than the day-to-day problems the two characters have to face to reach their goal.






Karysa Faire is a fiction writer and high school science teacher. Her best days are when something unexpected and new happens – whether that be in the classroom or during vacations when she goes on extended road trips to haunted ghost towns. Karysa writes a variety of romance genres including contemporary, historical, erotica, horror, and paranormal. She’s also been known to write a mean lab report. Karysa lives in the San Francisco Bay Area along with millions of other people, including her wonderful family.
Website: https://www.karysafaire.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarysaFaireAuthor/Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KarysaFaireJoin mailing list: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/i7i7l5

 
Brenda Fairbanks, deems her marriage as everything she needs until an old tape surfaces with a mysterious woman’s voice on it. Her happiness now spirals into doubt as she sets out to uncover the truth, all the while slipping recklessly into the arms of an old flame.

​Gail Strawberry, Brenda’s wealthier first cousin, knows about the tape and doesn’t want Brenda destroying her marriage. As she tries to keep Brenda’s life afloat, her own is marred between lovers, and a family secret that may ruin her relationship with her cousin forever.

​But, when Brenda survives an unimaginable tragedy, she and Gail are forced to trudge through the reality of their lives and the haunting past of family skeletons. In spite of everything, there’s one secret Gail has yet to fully divulge.

Five stars for this amazing novel by author Pamela Towns. During her pregnancy, Brenda finds
evidence of her husband cheating on her. From that moment, a spiral of revelations, secrets, and
misunderstandings starts, until Brenda discovers who her husband’s lover is (no spoilers, lol)
This books portraits three strong women, Brenda, her cousin Gail, and Brenda’s stepmother Shana. It’s an emotional roller coaster with a few funny moments and characters that will touch your heart. The writing is just beautiful.  
As a native of Detroit, Michigan, author Pamela Towns majored in English at the University of Detroit Mercy.  Shortly thereafter, her writing career began to flourish, making its way to publications such as, Essence magazine, newspapers, online articles, blogs, an anthology, and a play advanced to The Detroit Repertory Theater. Her work, dubbed as "moving" by television producers, ushered in an appearance on the original Queen Latifah Show. "I've always wanted to write inspiring stories," she states. "I'm fascinated by individuals who're honest about their fractured lives. My characters are often based on such people." In addition to writing books, she enjoys exploring pockets of Georgia where she now resides with her husband and daughter as well as traveling the U.S., and abroad. Author Towns has two published novels under her belt, Never Too Late and Moment of Certainty. She is currently working on her third book, Twelve Years.




1) What inspired you to start writing?
I’d say a few seeds were planted involving my love for storytelling.  My dad was the first as he oftentimes told me made up tales involving strange, descriptive characters with funny names. I could see them vividly, especially when my dad’s voice became animated with each climax. Thinking back to my days as a teen writer, my first story swelled with shifting characters and a revolving story that pivoted based on what I thought classmates wanted that given day. You see, I was compelled to write a story because my best friend had written one.  This was the second seed that had been planted. I'd nearly forgotten to breathe when my dad held my salacious story in his hands.   (He wasn’t supposed to see that version.) My father simply blinked as if dust particles had invaded both of his eyes, but praised my work, just the same. Over the years, penning inspirational stories became an effortless decision. For me, writing fiction is more than stringing words together. It’s a heightened sense of purpose. I’ve seen the tragedies and triumphs of others, in addition to my own life’s journey, which is what propelled me to craft stirring stories in the first place. After all, aren’t we all just a collection of stories?
2) What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
They should consider the reasons why they enjoy writing, first off. Is it simply for entertainment, or do they see this as a serious business? This is important because when a writer encounters obstacles, and they will come, they should already have a vision established for what they want to achieve involving their creative work. That brings me to my next point. Writers should be thick-skinned. You write enough books and you’re apt to get a less than desirable review. It is humbling and teaches you that no writer can please everyone, even though you’ve put your heart into the work with thorough editing, research, and so on. Lastly, I’d say respect the craft of writing. That means reading, doing research, getting to know the characters to where they are multi-dimensional, and telling the best story possible. Once you release it to the universe, you want to be able to sit back and say you delivered your best.
3) What are you reading now?
I’ve just finished reading Being Lara, by Lola Jaye. The Protagonist is torn between a life in Nigeria and London, with her day-to-day living pulling her everywhere in the middle.
4) Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
Yes, I do! Some authors claim to never get this plague, but I do on occasion, and it’s mostly how to go deeper with the character or striving to tell a more compelling story to where all the pieces fit. Once I feel stuck, I put aside the chapter and mull over ideas about the story, still refusing to look at the written work for a day, even sometimes up to a week. I jot down thoughts, and I must say, often answers come to me once I wake up from a long rest.  Sometimes plots are solved because I’d dreamed them! Make no mistake, writing is hard, and good writing is even tougher! But a true artist understands the challenges. They can appreciate the importance of the toil. Most individuals don’t see the world the way writers do. For that, we owe it to the universe to share our stories.


Thanks for joining me!

You can find Pamela here:


Website: https://www.pamelatowns.netAmazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pamela-Towns/e/B01ETM80I8%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_shareGoodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15114076.Pamela_TownsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamelawritertowns/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamela.towns.9

Photo by Krys Amonon Unsplash and Azboomer on Pixabay



Part of a writer’s job is researching facts and figures on a specific subject. Writers of historical fiction are notoriously those who spend a lot of time researching, but I think that fantasy writers should do the same. When creating a world from nothing, doing some  detective work is always a good source of inspiration and will make the world building more believable. I personally love researching weapons. The way a weapon is shaped and built tells a lot about the people who created it and is useful when I write a fighting scene to visualise how the fight should happen. Even if it’s a fantasy scene, I believe that making it ‘real’ add a new layer to the writing.Ancient Romans were the only people who had an industrial production of steel. Steel was difficult to produce and even more difficult to purify. Romans perfected the art of purifying steel to forge swords using sand as an abrasive substance to clean the metal from impurities, and they kept their secret well guarded. (Impurities are what make steel weak.)  Japanese swords (katanas) weren’t as strong and resistant as the Roman gladius (the typical, short Roman sword). Japanese smiths, despite being extremely skilled, didn’t use the same techniques Romans did to forge swords. They purified steel mostly by folding it, and after folding the steel eleven times, there was no improvement in its purity. While a gladius was virtually indestructible, a katana was more flexible but could often break.And what does the shape of a sword tell us?Romans preferred their swords short. Samurais had long katanas sometimes longer than the Barbarians’ longswords. The longer the sword, the bigger the distance with the enemy, so why did the Romans want the enemy close?Romans fought in closed ranks. They fought together as a unit where every man protected another soldier’s back, so they wanted the enemy close to butcher him with dozens of gladius at once. Samurais were lone fighters (mostly), they needed space and freedom to move as they pleased. (Side note: Romans called Barbarians all the tribes from north Europe because they couldn't speak Latin. Barbarian means stutterer) Barbarians didn’t have the same military discipline of Romans. Their military strategy lacked organisation which is one of the reasons Romans managed to conquer Europe pretty quickly. A gladius and a longsword have two sharp sides like a dagger. A katana has only one sharp side like a knife. What does it mean in term of fighting? A samurai had to twirl his wrist often to point the katana’s sharp side towards the opponent, doing wide circular moves. Romans could grab a gladius and move it right and left without worry about turning the blade. 
They maybe lacked the elegance and precision a samurai needed to fight, but they were extremely effective.