Marc Aplin's Blog, page 18

It is now June and the 9th Annual Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) has officially begun! If you saw our introduction post, you know our team is rather large this year. So we’ve decided to do another post wherein we get to know our judges more. We have plenty of fresh blood this year, so without […]

On top of getting to read a ton of amazing self-published work, every year the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off (SPFBO) has a cover contest. Each team picks their favorite three covers from their group of thirty books and then all the judges and the general public get to pick the best of the best! This year […]

– – – It’s that time of year again Factioneers! In the north spring is coming to an end. In the south winter is on its way. And that means it is time for the 9th Annual Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off to begin! We at Fantasy-Faction have been judging the contest since its inception way back in 2015. […]

Worldbuilding is a step that every writer has to do, no matter what genre they’re writing in. You get the wonderful opportunity to build the setting your characters are going to be in. How is fantasy worldbuilding unique? Fantasy is different than other kinds of worldbuilding because of the distinctly fantastical elements you, as a […]

Content Warnings: Book contains depictions/mentions of sexual assault, genocide, oppression, racism, and misogyny. “It’s a steampunk Snow White,” said Julia Blake. “Sold! I’ll take a copy,” I said. This brief conversation happened at a small suburban Comic Con. I spent far too much money that day, but I was still delighted to be taking this […]

In recent years, readers of speculative fiction have experienced an abundance of book-to-media adaptations of popular book(s) series such as The Expanse, The Wheel of Time, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Sandman, and Paper Girls. While the lasting of these shows range from “completed” to “renewed” to “canceled,” it cannot […]

Cults of Cthulhu is a supplement for Call of Cthulhu—the first and most famous Lovecraftian role playing game. (To my knowledge, the first horror RPG ever.) Cults of Cthulhu recently won a Golden Ennie award, which may be all the review you need. But if you want to know more, let me briefly establish my […]

*Disclaimer* Everyone is different and likes and dislikes different things. Reading is no exception. One person’s all-time favorite might seem too bland or too high stakes for another. That being said, the opinions of our judges in this contest are just that, opinions. Just because we let a book go, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. […]

*Disclaimer* Everyone is different and likes and dislikes different things. Reading is no exception. One person’s all-time favorite might seem too bland or too high stakes for another. That being said, the opinions of our judges in this contest are just that, opinions. Just because we let a book go, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. […]

*Disclaimer* Everyone is different and likes and dislikes different things. Reading is no exception. One person’s all-time favorite might seem too bland or too high stakes for another. That being said, the opinions of our judges in this contest are just that, opinions. Just because we let a book go, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. […]