I used to think time flowed. One moment leads to the next in a river rushing forward. That’s the simplest story we tell ourselves: the past is gone, the future’s out of reach, and we are stuck in the present. But I’ve seen enough to know that time doesn’t flow at all. I believe it’s…
The desert scrub gradually gives way to drier, barren plains. Hills flatten into endless stretches of cracked earth. Here, the wind sweeps across the desolate land, whispering of dangers yet to come. Dust clings to my sweat-dampened skin, forming a gritty layer that stings with every movement. We are heading west, further from the Imperial…
Darkness presses in as Xia and I move cautiously through the narrow street. The night amplifies every sound—the rustling of fabric, the crunch of our footsteps on uneven ground, the distant murmur of voices. We hunch low, staying out of sight. Torchlight casts distorted shapes along the alley’s edges, making it harder to judge how…
A soft rustle pulls me from the fog of sleep. Xia must be moving about the house. I blink, trying to clear the grit clinging to my vision as it adjusts to the pale shafts of morning light filtering through thin slats in the window. Each inhalation sends a sharp, fiery reminder through my side….
I dream of a clearing at dusk, the sky above bruised with deep purples. The air carries a restless hush, as if the world is holding back before a violent war. In the center of the clearing, a boy stands beside a towering stone figure, his small arms wrapped tightly around it, clinging to its…
Tonight, my mission reaches its culmination. For the past two years I have waited, observed, and blended into the darkness. I finally have the opportunity to kill the Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. The Phylax’s information is infallible. Qin has been traveling across China for months, just as they said he would, inspecting his…
When you think of science fiction, you probably picture sleek starships, androids wrestling with morality, or dystopian futures filled with neon rain. But let’s be honest—no story feels complete without a dog. Loyal, brave, occasionally hilarious, dogs in science fiction remind us that even when humanity ventures to the stars, we still want a wagging…
Science fiction can feel like a boys’ club – but that perception is more myth than reality. From the genre’s birth to its modern multiverses, women have shaped, driven and redefined science fiction. This post explores the history of science fiction females – the trailblazing authors and characters who pushed boundaries, the iconic film and…
Marketing a book sometimes feels like herding caffeinated kittens. Between social posts, newsletters, ad campaigns, reviewer outreach, podcasts, giveaways, spreadsheets, and the occasional existential crisis, there’s barely time left to, you know, write. That’s why I lean heavily on Zapier book marketing automations. In this guide I’ll (1) explain what Zapier is, and (2) hand…
I still remember slipping a battered paperback into my jacket pocket for the bus ride to high school—a ritual as sacred as morning coffee. Those dog-eared pages felt like a time machine … which, in a sense, they were. But how did we get from oral epics around campfires to streaming audiobooks on smart speakers?…