When Does Halloween Begin?
When does Halloween really begin? An old Celtic way of measuring the day offers a wonderfully strange answer—and some irresistible possibilities for fantasy writers.
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Fantasy
If Magic Were Real, We’d Regulate the Hell Out of It
What would really happen if magic suddenly appeared in our world? If our experience with AI is any indication, forget tidy guilds and sensible rules. Expect workplace upheaval, regulation, witch hunts, criminals, questionable business models—and somebody levitating his swimming pool for fun.
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The Woods Have Teeth
Fairy tales were dark long before modern fantasy came along. Behind the witches, wolves and enchanted forests were very real dangers—and some surprisingly practical survival advice. Perhaps the woods had teeth for a reason.
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The Weight of Prophecy
Why do we believe a prophecy? The best ones don’t simply predict the future. They arrive carrying centuries of history, belief, argument—and consequences.
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How Many Books Is Too Many for a Fantasy Series?
How many books is too many for a fantasy series? From ACOTAR’s hefty volumes to Pern, Discworld, and the long wait for George R.R. Martin, perhaps the real question isn’t how long a series gets—but whether the story ever actually ends.
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International Cat Day: Why Fantasy Needs Cats
Today is International Cat Day, which seems the perfect excuse to talk about one of fantasy’s most enduring companions: the cat. From mysterious familiars and talking felines to shape-shifters and ghost-watchers, cats have always belonged in fantasy. Join me as I celebrate nineteen-year-old Strider—our gloriously opinionated Norwegian Forest Cat—and explore why cats may have been magical long before fantasy writers ever noticed.
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Do Fantasy Readers Actually Want Simpler Worlds Again?
Fantasy readers often say they want “simpler” worlds, but is that really what they’re asking for? Maybe the problem isn’t complexity at all—it’s the steep learning curve many modern fantasy novels demand before the story can truly begin. A look at why great fantasy invites readers into its world instead of handing them an owner’s manual on page one.
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When Reality Outdoes Fantasy
Some of the most fantastical settings aren’t found in fantasy novels—they’re right here on Earth. A single photograph of Seljalandsfoss in Iceland is a reminder that nature often creates landscapes so extraordinary we’d hesitate to put them in fiction for fear readers wouldn’t believe them. It’s a lesson that Peter Jackson understood when bringing Middle-earth to life on film.
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What Fantasy Looked Like Before Tolkien Won
Fantasy readers often trace the genre back to Tolkien, but fantasy’s history is far stranger and more varied than many realize. Long before epic quests and dark lords dominated the shelves, writers such as Lord Dunsany, George MacDonald, H. Rider Haggard, Arthur Machen, and Hope Mirrlees were exploring dream kingdoms, lost worlds, fairy realms, and mysteries lurking just beyond reality. Join me on a journey down the forgotten paths of fantasy and discover what the genre looked like before Tolkien’s road became the main highway.
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When Fantasy Creators Become Legends
What happens when fantasy creators stop feeling like ordinary authors and actors and begin to resemble legends themselves? From Tolkien’s mythic life story to Christopher Lee’s astonishing wartime history and larger-than-life presence, fantasy fandom has a habit of turning its creators into part of the mythology. On Biographer’s Day, we take a look at why fantasy readers love biographies almost as much as they love dragons.
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