Features

Sanderson’s Secret Project Kickstarter: What it means for publishing

by Ali Dening In the spring of 2022, prolific fantasy author Brandon Sanderson asked his fans to crowdfund one million dollars over a thirty day period. In exchange, Sanderson would self-publish four secret novels that he wrote during the pandemic. In just three days, his Kickstarter had raised $20.3 million, busting records (Whitten). In a month, his fans had collectively pitched in $41.7 million (Sanderson). Kickstarter, a digital crowdfunding platform not too unlike GoFundMe, raked Read more

By sarah_burton, ago

Stalking Jack the Ripper, by Kerri Maniscalco: A review

by Emily Andsager Stalking Jack the Ripper, by Kerri Maniscalco: A cup of murderA teaspoon of mystery½ cup of forensic scienceA pinch of historyA handful of goreOne dashingly handsome Mr. Thomas Cresswell These are the key ingredients that make up this thrilling book. Watch your back as you walk the streets of London in 1888; you might just be Jack the Ripper’s next victim. Kerri Maniscalco takes us back in time with Audrey Rose Wadsworth, Read more

By sarah_burton, ago

Night Watch

The knight looked out over the rolling hills, hands on her knees and sword resting on the ground in front of her, ready to be snatched up at a moment’s notice. It was dark, with only the moon and the faint flickering firelight providing any visual on the surrounding area, but her eyes were sharp and well-accustomed to seeing in near pitch-black. The plains where they had made camp seemed to stretch endlessly, grass rippling Read more

By casey_mccarthy, ago

It’s Sci-Fabulous: PTM’s Science Fiction

Science fiction allures and enthralls because of the unique worlds each story holds. At the core of science fiction, there’s science: some new knowledge, discovery, or breakthrough. Then, there’s technology: how that science is applied, from daily life to a planetary or (inter)galactic scale.  When you hear “science,” your mind might jump to physics, biology, chemistry—all those hard sciences. But don’t discount the social sciences, like psychology, sociology, and anthropology. Blending together different sub-sciences leads Read more

By sarah_burton, ago

You’ve Gotta Love It: PTM’s Romance

Romance is the genre that inspired me to write as a kid. It felt more welcoming and attainable, since I viewed it in an escapist light. I realized I didn’t have to take myself or my writing so seriously, but rather just try to write something fun, interesting and well-written. Another beauty of romance, no pun intended, is how central love is in our lives. Everyone wants to love and be loved in some sense Read more

By sarah_burton, ago