Author Interview with Fatima Lacoba

Hi Fatima, first of all, could you tell us a bit about yourself.  

Well, I originally began my career as an archaeologist. I worked in the Middle East, southern Europe and Britain, before taking on teaching. I’ve always loved writing, although it was almost impossible for me to dedicate my time to it while working in a busy secondary school. Only four years ago I took the massive leap into the unknown by resigning and taking up the pen. Actually, I’d enrolled full time back into university to complete my postgrad studies – a Master of Philosophy in Ancient History (I’m a Roman specialist) – when during the summer break this incredible story popped into my head. It comes out in print at the end of August. So, for the time being, my MPhil is on hold.  

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Expendables 2 - 5 Rules to improve your story

I guess you ask yourself, how a action movie with a poorly storyline like Expendables 2 could help improve your nearly perfect book story? The story is so old and clichee that no one will ever write a eassay about it. So how could it help yours? Its easy, because it does great what it does and you should do that too! Its isn't such a problem to execute my rules. I listed 5 Points and a Bonus one for you to check. If you follow these simple rules, than you could greatly improve your own story in a way you never expected to improve it.

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Making up nomenclature for a fantasy story

A guest post by Heidi C. Vlach

In our modern Earth lives, we have words for concepts that we don't actually consider to exist. Stuff like dragons, magic and demons. Those familiar words can make us feel like we already understand things we've never seen.
But sometimes a fantasy writer wants to create something new -- an animal, a metal, a scholarly subject, a type of energy. That new thing will need a name. And, of course, the new name should sound believable. When fantasy nomenclature sounds like some goofy word an author made it up, it can ruin a reader's suspension of disbelief. Good fantasy nomenclature, on the other hand, blends seamlessly into its story.

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