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Stephanie Churchill

author of historical-feeling fantasy

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Archive, Book Review

Book Review: Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest

Originally posted January 11, 2019 The momentous events of 1066, the story of invasion, battle and conquest, are well known. But what of the women? Harold II of England had…

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June 8, 2021
Writing Inspiration, Research

Enheduanna as Priestess

“The compiler of the tablets was Enheduanna. My king, something has been created that no one has created before.” The Temple Hymns 543-544 A man whose birth story is lost…

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February 23, 2022
Publishing, Uncategorized

Exploring Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Fantasy fiction is easily one of the most popular forms of genre fiction, falling into the top five of sales year after year. It’s also a style of storytelling that…

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January 30, 2023
Publishing

“Trad publishing is about sales. If we’re lucky, those books are also good.”

I’ve learned a lot about publishing since I started my book writing journey in 2011. And one of the most mind-blowing things I’ve learned is that I had a very…

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February 12, 2022
  • Publishing,  Writing

    Discovery Writing vs Outlining: Is One Better?

    February 22, 2023 / No Comments

    Have you heard of pantsing? No, not the physical act of taking off your pants, but rather a writing technique known as “pantsing.” I and many other authors prefer to call it discovery writing. Discovery writing is a popular approach for some creative writers who prefer to let their imagination flow freely, without the constraints of an outline. This writing technique can be especially effective for certain types of writers, who thrive on the excitement of discovering their story as they go. But it often gets a bad rap as being the “wrong way” to write. I bring up that last point because outlining is pretty straightforward. It’s easy to…

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    You May Also Like

    Island of Gold

    September 8, 2021

    A Behind the Scenes Look at the Making of The Mallory Saga, by Paul Bennett

    October 1, 2020

    Investigating Forged Documents in the Fifteenth Century – A Scrivener’s Tale

    March 20, 2021
  • Publishing

    Speculative Fiction: An Exploration of a Literary Genre

    February 13, 2023 / No Comments

    Speculative fiction is a genre of fiction that explores and expands upon worlds beyond our reality. It is a genre that combines elements of science fiction, fantasy, and sometimes horror to create an alternate reality that is believable, but not necessarily real. This genre has a rich history, with roots in myths and legends, and has become a staple of modern literature. At its core, speculative fiction asks the question, “What if?” It takes the familiar elements of our world and twists them in ways that challenge our perceptions of reality and challenge our understanding of the world around us. It can be a way to escape reality, but it…

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    Discovery Writing vs Outlining: Is One Better?

    February 22, 2023

    Island of Gold

    September 8, 2021

    Low Fantasy: A Genre That Goes Beyond Magic and Dragons

    February 9, 2023
  • Publishing,  Uncategorized

    Low Fantasy: A Genre That Goes Beyond Magic and Dragons

    February 9, 2023 / No Comments

    Low fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy that focuses on grounded, realistic stories set in a fictional world that often lacks the grandeur and spectacle of traditional high fantasy. Despite this, low fantasy can still offer rich, thought-provoking tales that challenge our perceptions of the world. The main characteristic that sets low fantasy apart from high fantasy is its minimal use of magic and mythical creatures. Instead, low fantasy is driven by human motivations, relationships, and the consequences of choices made by characters. The world itself is often a character in a low fantasy story, with a rich, detailed setting that is both believable and potentially fantastical. However, it is…

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    Speculative Fiction: An Exploration of a Literary Genre

    February 13, 2023

    ARCHIVE: Author Barbara Spencer – Why I Wrote Broken

    October 1, 2020

    “Trad publishing is about sales. If we’re lucky, those books are also good.”

    February 12, 2022
  • Book Review

    Book Review: In the Shadows of Castles, by G.K. Holloway

    February 8, 2023 / No Comments

    It’s the 1060s, and William of Normandy is establishing a new and brutal regime in England, but there are those who would defy him. As Norman soldiers spread like a plague across the land, resistance builds, but will it be enough to topple William and restore the rightful king to his throne? The English have the courage to fight, but the Normans, already victorious at Hastings, now build castles seeking to secure their tenuous foothold in these lands. And what of the people caught up in these catastrophic events? Dispossessed but not defeated, their lives ripped apart, the English struggle for freedom from tyranny; amongst them, caught up in the…

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    You May Also Like

    Book Review: Silk and the Sword: The Women of the Norman Conquest

    June 8, 2021

    Interview My Character: Casmir

    July 9, 2021

    “Interview my Character” Blog Hop: Marie-Thérèse Vernhes – archive

    July 6, 2021
  • Publishing,  Uncategorized

    Exploring Genre: Fantasy Fiction

    January 30, 2023 / No Comments

    Fantasy fiction is easily one of the most popular forms of genre fiction, falling into the top five of sales year after year. It’s also a style of storytelling that has become increasingly popular in visual storytelling (television and movies) with each passing decade. I wrote an article that, in part, tells some of the history of the genre here, along with how my own books fit into the large and multi-faceted genre. Of all the genres in the world of literature, fantasy fiction is one genre that gets dismissed the most quickly by readers who consider themselves to be serious, intelligent, and discerning. Or put another way, “too pragmatic” to…

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    You May Also Like

    Island of Gold

    September 8, 2021

    In the Land of Fire and Ashes: Progress Report

    December 4, 2021

    How Writers Are Like Pablo Picasso

    June 3, 2021
  • Publishing,  Uncategorized

    Exploring Genre: Historical Fiction

    January 23, 2023 / No Comments

    My last post explained why you should love reading along with all the benefits that come from reading, so I thought it might be worth exploring the many genres of fiction. (You’re on your own for non-fiction.) Sometimes even readers need a push to try things they haven’t tried before, and new readers might be intimidated by what kinds of books are even out there. There are relatively few kinds of stories in the world in terms of story structure, but an infinitesimal number of variations of stories can come out of those structures. Authors who study story structure usually specialize in specific types of structures. Readers will recognize these…

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    ARCHIVE: Author Barbara Spencer – Why I Wrote Broken

    October 1, 2020

    Fall 2020 Update – What in the World is Going On?

    October 30, 2020

    Low Fantasy: A Genre That Goes Beyond Magic and Dragons

    February 9, 2023
  • Uncategorized

    Here’s why you need to read more…

    January 16, 2023 / No Comments

    Approximately 2 million books are published (both traditionally and independently) every year across the globe, and about half of those come from the US. The increase in self-published books along with the proliferation of e-book readers and online retailers has made it increasingly easy for readers to find almost any kind of book imaginable, from one niche genre to the next. The rise of social media and online marketing has made it possible for self-published authors to reach a wider audience and promote their work more effectively, matching readers wanting a certain kind of book with the authors who write them. The book market is more diverse and dynamic than…

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    ARCHIVE: Author Barbara Spencer – Why I Wrote Broken

    October 1, 2020

    Speculative Fiction: An Exploration of a Literary Genre

    February 13, 2023

    A Behind the Scenes Look at the Making of The Mallory Saga, by Paul Bennett

    October 1, 2020
  • Research

    Sumer – For Further Reading

    January 5, 2023 / No Comments

    For those who might be curious about my process learning about Sumer, who want some recommendations for further reading, or are just curious how extensive my research was, here is the compiled list of works I read when learning about ancient Sumer. My most recommended items are in bold lettering.   Alfonso Archi. Tradition and Innovation in the Ancient Near East : Proceedings of the 57th Rencontre Assyriologique International at Rome, 4-8 July 2011. Eisenbrauns, 2014. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=e000xna&AN=944010&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Allen, Diogenes. Philosophy for Understanding Theology. Westminster/John Knox Press, 1986. Bottéro, Jean. “The Culinary Tablets at Yale.” Journal of the American Oriental Society, vol. 107, no. 1, 1987, pp. 11–19. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/602948.…

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    Exploring Genre: Fantasy Fiction

    January 30, 2023

    Speculative Fiction: An Exploration of a Literary Genre

    February 13, 2023

    ARCHIVE: Author Barbara Spencer – Why I Wrote Broken

    October 1, 2020
  • Guest Blog

    Dame Ellen Langwith in Fact and Fiction

    May 1, 2022 / 2 Comments

    by Toni Mount Dame Ellen Langton has been a character in my series of Seb Foxley medieval murder mysteries since the beginning. In the first novel, she was Seb and Jude’s landlady and mistress to Emily Appleyard, the love interest. Dame Ellen’s character owes everything to a real silk-woman who also ran a tailoring business in later medieval London, Ellen Langwith. I discovered Ellen Langwith when I took part in a project for the Richard III Society, transcribing medieval wills, and her will came my way. She died early on in 1481, though the exact date isn’t known, but her fascinating will gives a wealth of information on the life…

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    Book Review: A Time for Swords, by Matthew Harffy

    October 8, 2020

    In the Land of Fire and Ashes: Progress Report

    December 4, 2021

    Book Inspiration: Raglan Castle

    June 17, 2021
  • Publishing

    Notes to Readers: Just One Thing

    March 16, 2022 / 2 Comments

    I interact daily with a lot of writers all around the world. And like any other career, we talk shop. We geek out over grammar and prose, over how to choose the right title or book cover, how to find resources, how to develop unforgettable characters, and how to write a jaw dropping plot twist. But like any other career, writers also bemoan (do writers bemoan? Yes, sadly, we do) misunderstandings in our chosen discipline. Things people on the receiving end of our art think they know about what we do and how we go about doing what we do. So I asked my writer friends to help me with…

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    ARCHIVE: My First Blog Post from 2015

    October 1, 2020

    A Behind the Scenes Look at the Making of The Mallory Saga, by Paul Bennett

    October 1, 2020

    Sumer – For Further Reading

    January 5, 2023
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Recent Posts

  • Discovery Writing vs Outlining: Is One Better?
  • Speculative Fiction: An Exploration of a Literary Genre
  • Low Fantasy: A Genre That Goes Beyond Magic and Dragons
  • Book Review: In the Shadows of Castles, by G.K. Holloway
  • Exploring Genre: Fantasy Fiction

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