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Lost in The Wood -- Leonard and Ann Marie Wilson

Blog posts : "Leonard's Thoughts"

Social Self-Defense is a Critical Survival Skill

Woman in black blazer wearing eyeglasses Photo by Maksim Chernyshev on Scopio

An experienced martial artist doesn't have to wait for a blow to land to know what's coming. He doesn't have to be told. He watches. There are only so many ways a human body can move. His opponent is going to telegraph what's about to happen based on little cue…

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Useless Answers to Real Questions #8

Blue white and black abstract painting Image by Elm Ben on Scopio

 

 

"Is perfectionism okay?"

 

 

— Asked on Quora (Perfectionism)

 

Sure! But only if you do it exactly right.

— Leonard

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Fantasy Fiction Doesn't Need Gatekeepers

Silhouette of person Photo by Josh Joshua on Scopio

The first full-length novel I ever read was The Hobbit, followed soon after by the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The books became a formative part of my childhood, even if I did give up on trying to read the Silmarillion.

As something of a Tolkien fan, it hasn't escaped…

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Useless Answers to Real Questions #7

Pen on a notebook with a drawn heart Photo by Aillia Naqvi on Scopio

 

 

"Feeling humble. Just received a request from a gentleman in Pennsylvania, asking for an autograph to be sent. (I'm UK) Anybody else experienced similar?"

 

 

— Asked on Facebook (AmWritingFantasy)

 

Yes, I was a gentleman in Pennsylvania once—but…

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Useless Answers to Real Questions #6

Ren Faire Reader Photo by Sunpreet Kaur on Pixabay

 

 

"Why did Shakespeare give so many of his characters names that do not suit their nationality or timeframe? E.g., Juliet is more French than Italian."

 

 

— Asked on Quora (Shakespeare Plays, William Shakespeare, English Literature, Literature)

 

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In Search of Epic Fantasy Horror

Ghostly skulls in a forest fire Composite photo by Giacomo. Original skulls by Ville Hasala on Pixabay. Original butterflies by Igor Levchenko on Pixabay

So here's something that feels kind of weird.

I grew up thinking I didn't like horror stories because, but it turns out that was because during most of my childhood, "horror" w…

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Useless Answers to Real Questions #5

Doctor checking patient Photo by Jorge Antonio Flores Delgado

 

What will you personally lose if the US enacts universal health care?"

 

 

 

—  Asked on Quora (Universal Healthcare, Healthcare Policy, Health Insurance, The United States of America)

 

My car keys.


Not that I expect …

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Useless Answers to Real Questions #4

Street sign: Truth, Reality, Lies Photo by Gerd Altmann on Pixabay

 

 

"What is more important- truth or fact, and why?"

 

 

 

— Asked by Anat Eliraz

 

Who, where, when, how? They all fade into insignificance unless propped up by a good, solid, "What?"—preferably with at least two or three exclamation marks.
I c…

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Useless Answers to Real Questions #3

Grayscale photo of silhouette of woman with devil's horns pointing her finger under cloudy sky Photo by Minja Milošev on Scopio

 

 

"What do you think are the 5 darkest series in all grimdark?"

 

 

— Asked on Facebook (Fantasy-Faction - Fantasy and Science Fiction Book Discussion)

 

In no particular order:

• ABC World News Tonight
• CBS Evening News
• NBC Nightly News…

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Useless Answers to Real Questions #2

Person Walking on Brown Floor Tiles Photo by Kazu Sakuragi on Scopio

 

 

"A friend of mine is looking for a book. No title or author name. Here's the description: two brothers (grown men), one a little slow-witted, both enjoy jigsaw puzzle, slow one has the ability to teleport. They are being chased/hunted, possibly by the govern…

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Useless Answers to Real Questions #1

Man in Purple Suit Jacket Illustration Illustration by Pablo Nidam on Scopio

 

 

"What makes a villain three-dimensional?"

 

 

 

 

— Asked on Quora (Supervillains, Fiction Writing, Villains, Heroes, Fiction, Comics (narrative art), Fictional Characters)

 

It's the special glasses.

— Leonard

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Useless Answers to Real Questions

"Do you have a super power and how do people react to it?"

— Asked on Quora (Super Power (ability), Superpowers (special powers), Human Behavior, Survey Question)

 

Man in White Shirt Lying on the Road Photo by Brandon Basara on Scopio

Well, since you asked, yes: I do indeed have a super power. I was gifted with th…

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Yes, Dark Fantasy Can Go Too Dark

Woman with Lighted Cigarette Stick on Mouth Photo by Vlada Teaca on Scopio

Time for a visit to Ye Auld Social Media Mailbag.

Q: "Have you ever read dark fantasy so dark that you don't like it? Why?"

If you're looking for a broad psychological reason: why do amusement parks build roller-coasters? I mean, all those curves and hills and loop…

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The Books We Love to Hate--or Something

So I've noticed a thing since I started joining reading groups: Even the most beloved books have a lot people who hate them passionately.

When someone comes out and declares a book I consider sociopathic rubbish to be a masterpiece, it's hard not to think of it as a personal attack.

When someone…

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Relax and Enjoy That Star Wars Sequel -- Your Childhood Is Safe

Woman in Black Shirt Holding White Book Photo by Marie Dashkova on Scopio

Every time a new sequel for a beloved franchise hits the theaters a new wave of angry hysteria hits the Interwebs. The same things happens when the film adaptation of a beloved set of books arrives. No matter how it turns out, someone somewhere is going to be…

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There's Goodly Trade in Unicorns

I love a good charlatan. It doesn't take a deep analysis of my work to notice that. I've got a soft spot for fictional con-artists like Harold Hill, Bugs Bunny, or the Hugh Jackman version of P.T. Barnum. Yet somehow I can't abide a liar in the real world. Counterintuitive, yes, but it's hardly the…

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Outside the Asylum

Once upon a time, the greatest and most advanced super-power in the world built a mighty wall and set up strict laws to keep out uncivilized foreigners who threatened its way of life.

Outside the wall, shut off from becoming part of the super-power's shining dream, the rest of the world busied it…

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Pawn or Protagonist? (Part 2)

Reconciling the Dual Nature of Player Characters

The 1980's was one long journey down the road from pawn toward protagonist for the player characters in RPGs. The novelty of controlling a pawn as he crawled through mazes, battling monsters and collecting loot, was wearing off. Jaded players wante…

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Pawn or Protagonist? (Part 1)

Reconciling the Dual Nature of Player Characters 

Nameless, faceless, identical -- pawns exist to be sacrificed on the chess board. Growing emotionally attached to your playing pieces, struggling to keep them instead of staying focused on which ones to give up in order to move yourself close…

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The Rules of Narrative: Every PC Comes to the Table Armed with Chekhov's Gun

 

"If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don't put it there." -- Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

 


Much ink, both virtual and real, has been spilled on the subject of how important it is for a GM, in his limitless power,…

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20 blog posts