Thanks to @CivilianReader for the great chat! We dove into the end of the Greatcoats series, the dangers beyond gods, and why my characters make such wild choices. Curious? Check it out: civilianreader.com/2017/06/29/i... #Greatcoats #FantasyAuthors 📚✨

Huge thanks to @grimdarkmagazine.bsky.social for the fantastic review of "Play of Shadows"! 🙌 Thrilled to see Damelas' journey resonate with readers. Check out the full review here: www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-play-...

#PlayOfShadows #GrimdarkFantasy #BookReview

Navigating scenes of violence in fiction is tricky. I aim to stay true to the story while being mindful of readers' varied experiences. 🖤

"I am Damelas Chademantaigne. The foes of this city demand a duel? They have made a grievous error, for a duellist they have found."
— Damelas
#playofshadows #characterquotes #fantasy

The French side sword has a shorter, broader double-edged blade and a simpler guard, ideal for cutting and thrusting. It offers stronger cutting power and versatility compared to the rapier's reach and control. ⚔️ #Swords #MartialArts

"Unpredictable, riveting, and spellbinding in equal measure – the undisputed master of swashbuckling fantasy strikes his mark again!"
~Andy Peloquin
decastell.com/book/our-lad...
#ourladyofbaldes #comingsoon

I had the pleasure of meeting K.L. Kaine a couple of years ago and from the first pages of her book could tell she was going to be a big deal in modern fantasy. Blood of Gods & Girls, coming out this July, proves it!
#comingsoon

Ferius shines in Shadowblack, where her Argosi philosophy shapes the story. This journey helped me clarify my own principles. ✨ #Fantasy #CommonQuestion #FridayVibes

“I must have encountered the Duke somewhere on the road because I was carrying a sack with me and his head was in it.”
— Falcio
decastell.com/book/traitor...
#traitorsblade #fantasy #characterquote

Fun Castle Fact: Fortress of Hohensalzburg

In 900 years, it was never once captured by military force. It has a perfect "winning streak."
Location: Salzburg, Austria
Renaissance Expansion: 1500
Size: 32,000 m²

#castlefact #history

Thanks to My Life, My Books, My Escape for the interview! We discussed Spellslinger, magic's unreliability, and my love for clever, stubborn characters. Plus, the antics of squirrel cats! Read the full conversation here: mylifemybooksmyescape.wordpress.com/2018/07/17/a...
#fantasy #magic

“NorWesCon 2026 was fabulous with great panels and the chance to meet loads of authors and readers. A big thank you to the outstanding crowd at my reading who even performed parts in the opening chapter of Malevolent Seven!”

Shalla from the Spellslinger series isn't a true villain, but readers often judge her harshly. She's torn between loyalty to her family and supporting Kellen, who fights against them. 🤔 #FridayVibe #Question #Spellslinger

"For a man who fled a duel a mere twelve months ago, you seem in a great hurry to die. Is it hidden valour that makes you reckless, I wonder, or the inability to live with the memory of a single, entirely understandable act of faint-heartedness?
— The Black Amaranth

I’m doing an absolute ton of events at this years NorWesCon in Seattle. Come by and say hello!

“A spirited, Swashbuckling fantasy about family, revenge and the price of justice."
—Silvia Moreno Garcia
Bestselling author of Mexican Gothic
decastell.com/book/our-lad...
#ourladyofblades #fantasy #comingsoon

I’m delighted to be in the upcoming “Into the Deep Dark Woods” anthology with such fantasy luminaries as Charles de Lint, who I’ve admired forever. It’s coming out in July and you can pre-order here: wordfirepress.com/products/int...
#anthology #fantasy #comingsoon

“Nothing is lost. All that exists remains, from our frail bodies to the stones of Isola Sombra, waiting to transform. It’s the waiting that tests our spirits.” ~Brother Agneta
#CharacterQuote #Fantasy #BookTalk #BookChat
decastell.com/book/crucibl...

A 4th C. BCE falcata features a forward-curving, single-edged blade that widens at the tip for powerful chopping. Often gripped like a horse or bird head, it was wielded by Iberian warriors against Carthaginian and Roman forces to cleave shields and armor in brutal combat. ⚔️ #Fantasy #SwordFact

My thanks to Hannah Baller for the conversation.

We talked writing, storytelling, and the questionable decisions my characters keep making.

hannahballer.com/2021/05/30/s...

#fantasy #interview #bookchat #booktalk

In between wrestling with vampire dragon kangaroos and mysterious academies of warrior-diplomats, Kristi Charish and I are writing the next draft of our secret sci-fi book, due out in Spring 2027.
#authorupdate #scifi #fantasy

You might expect me to answer that Ferius or maybe Cade would best handle the modern world, but I actually thing Corrigan from the Malevolent Seven would do just fine. As to whether the modern world would survive him . . .
#questionoftheday #fantasy

"You look at me too deeply, Damelas Chademantaigne.
That is neither polite nor wise.”
— The Black Amaranth
decastell.com/book/play-of...
#playofshadows #characterquote #fantasy

Fun Castle Fast: Palazzo Pitti
The Medici built a 1km secret corridor (the Vasari Corridor) over the city's bridges so they never had to walk on the street with commoners.
Location: Florence, Italy
Year Started: 1458
Size: Over 32,000 square meters.
#historynerd #castlefacts #Italy

masterfully-crafted and relentlessly clever, balancing wry humour and heart-wrenching poignancy on a blade’s edge. I loved it!
~NICHOLAS EAMES
decastell.com/book/our-lad...
#fantasy #Ourladyofblades #booktalk

Despite the number of times someone sticks “swordsman” after my name in an article, I haven’t fenced much over the past decade or so. Now, I’m going back to my roots, studying classical French foil fencing with an excellent instructor here in Vancouver. En Guarde!
#fencing #swordsman #authorupdate

Brasti Goodbow would be a nightmare on a long flight! 😅 Between his constant flirting with the flight attendants and likely causing chaos, I’d need a parachute. Reichis is a close second! #FridayVibes #CharacterHumour #FridayFeelings

"Doesn’t change my contract, which means you pay me whether I play the lead or stand at the back of the chorus farting all night."
~ Abastrini
decastell.com/book/play-of...
#characterquote #humour #playofshadows

Discover the striking 17th-century tulwar! With its curved blade and unique Indo-Persian hilt, it's designed for powerful strikes from horseback. Imagine a Mughal cavalryman wielding this weapon during a fierce charge! ⚔️ #SwordFact #SwordHistory #OurLadyofBlades

Every year, I get a cheque from the Canada Council for the Arts through the Public Lending Right Program, which compensates authors for library books. Over 18,000 Canadian authors benefit! Shoutout to our amazing local librarians! #Local #Libraries #Author #Canada