Gregory Amato's Blog

Live sales events are anxiety-producing, risky, and draining on time and energy. I like doing them a lot.

That may seem like a strange thing given how much they cost me in time and energy. But live events give me a chance to meet readers and chat with them in person. Some readers tell me they want to write, or are writing. I want to encourage that, especially with young writers.

This post is inspired by conversations with some aspiring writers at Scanfair, my last sales event of 2024, ...

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The late genius Sir Terry Pratchett said in many of his talks and texts that classifying fantasy literature as “mere escapism” was an oversimplification. It depends on what you’re escaping from, and what you’re escaping to, he explained.

People read fantasy for plenty of specific reasons, but I see two broad categories that covers them. First, let’s dispense with the two categories I often see on the Internet. I don’t use these labels; they are unhelpful.

The br...

People say they love the humor in my book Burden to Bear. It’s not a comedy, but there is humor in the book, and it makes people chuckle enough that some have taken notice. A few snippets from my Goodreads reviews:

“There is a Pratchett-type feel to the first half of this book; but I found this to be funnier than Pratchett” -Ant“An excellent adventure with doses of good humor“ -Bob“‘Shitstorm’ is the funniest thing I’ve read yet in a viking-related book.’ -Rowdy Geirsson“I ...

I mean, probably.

Imagine Hrothgar’s mead hall from Beowulf, as if it were a happy place and not at all terrorized by a man-eating troll every night. Serving the best mead the Danes could muster. Hearing the latest gossip and boasts from all over. Meeting new friends and business partners, listening to skalds tell their stories in verse.

Wyrd Leatherworks and Meadery, in Portland, Oregon, is that mead hall for the modern day. Not strictly Norse in its medieval theme (you might hear Lor...

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