Scott Oden's Blog

If there is one thing fiction is far better at than history, it’s the freedom to reduce complex political situations down to what really matters. Let me explain: I’m working on a scene set in Acre in the summer of 1290 AD — just months before the city’s fall to the Mamluks would end the... Continue Reading →

Yeah, it happened again. What can I say? I got side-tracked, got a bit melancholy, and before I know it I’m writing another mouse story. Then another. And a third just for the funsies of it all. Why? Because they provide refuge. They give me the illusion of progress; they’re soothing, and they require no... Continue Reading →

Hwæt! My collection of historical and S&S short stories, OLD GODS AND OTHER TALES, is FREE on Kindle until Saturday night, 11:59 PM PT. Grab a copy whilst you still can! It’s understandable that these times, they’re tough all over. But, if you like what I do and want to toss a few coins to... Continue Reading →

I’ve been struggling this week with the details of Baibars’s early life. His date of birth could be anywhere from 1221 AD to 1229 AD; the date of his enslavement anywhere from 1236 to 1242. And his training among the mamluks is equally jumbled — could be five years, could be three, could be one.... Continue Reading →

This is a good question. A relevant question. In the wheeling solar system of ideas I’ve put forth into the void since finishing The Doom of Odin in early 2023, why did I choose THIS particular idea? Why not one of the thriller concepts? Why not the Fall of Acre? Why not revisit one of... Continue Reading →

GI Joe told us, many years ago, that “knowing is half the battle!” Turns out, old GI Joe was right. Knowing I have adult ADHD (rather than just being lazy) has already changed how I approach writing. I have a little more grace for myself; I can tell myself it’s okay to hare off down... Continue Reading →

It began with a meme, an innocuous graphic depicting the spiral of ADHD-brain. To my shock, I recognized myself in that little cartoon figure. “Surely not,” I muttered, and proceeded on a deep dive into the world of neurodivergence. Articles were read; tests were administered. Scores were tallied, and a whole lot of things I’d... Continue Reading →

I saw this graphic online and saw myself clearly: This, coupled with my mind always bouncing from idea to idea (each idea the next “Best Thing Since Sliced Bread!”), makes me wonder if I do not have undiagnosed Adult ADHD. It would explain so much . . . I don’t have the hyperactivity of standard... Continue Reading →

I’ve always had some manner of low-level depression — a pervasive sadness, melancholy, a longing for something I could never really explain. Between depressive episodes, I’d have periods of laser focus; I’d lose myself in whatever it is I was doing, whether it was research for a book or writing, itself. That passion would carry... Continue Reading →

Since Anthropic swiped five of my books to train their AI on (and now owe me a bit of cash), I decided to mosey over and see what they got for the money. The prompt was to write a paragraph in the style of Scott Oden. And this is the result: The old warrior moved... Continue Reading →