The Lost Citadel of Damelyon: A New Fantasy Adventure Novella

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G6NGQ7FS

I've released a new fantasy adventure called "The Lost Citadel of Damelyon", and it's now published on Amazon as an e-book.  I am also working on a physical option which should also be live on Amazon, soon.  The e-book will be free on Amazon starting tomorrow 12/13 and running through Sunday 12/14.

This novella is a self-indulgent love letter to my fantasy adventure campaign setting called Zhune. It was written in the early 1990s and continued to evolve and expand for most of that decade. Since it was written so long ago—and by a much younger version of me—I feel it has a certain earnest and self-assured quality, even as it regurgitates the familiar tropes of the genre.

I based the story on a large binder of notes, maps, and other documents that I recently discovered in my attic (many of those maps are reproduced in it for posterity’s sake and to give some extra flavor to the story).

I had always intended to do something with this fantasy setting, with my most ambitious idea being a full novelization. Upon its discovery, it became the unexpected inspiration for a project to explore the boundaries and capabilities of using artificial intelligence in writing. I understand that can be a potentially controversial topic, and I have no desire to add to the so-called AI slop that many argue has begun to pollute the internet.

The idea I wanted to explore was to use AI as a writing amplifier rather than leaning on it as a source of ideas. I already had the full world-building completed. I was hoping to get some acceleration in the actual writing, which, in the past, has been a very time-consuming and error-prone process for me. Implicit in that is the editing piece, which AI seems to perform nearly flawlessly. I did not rely on the AI for any settings, character arcs, or plot points. I was genuinely impressed by how well it managed to stay on theme and remain consistent in voice and characterization.

NEW Cyberpunk RPG Released: The Prototype

https://semisphere.itch.io/the-prototype

I’m back to blogging after an absurdly long hiatus! I’m excited to announce the release of my old-school cyberpunk role-playing game (RPG), The Prototype. This game is the product of curiosity and an unexpected burst of creativity. I built it using a tool called RPG Maker, which I’ve owned—an older version of—for many years. It’s a fantastic tool because it provides a complete game template, including built-in graphics, sounds, monsters, spells, and more.

However, this abundance of content and the ease of getting started come with a downside. Because the barriers to entry are so low, many mediocre games have been made using RPG Maker’s default assets, creating a bit of a stigma around games built with the tool. I wanted to challenge myself to break away from the default fantasy theme and create something entirely original. Inspired by my recent deep dive into Cyberpunk 2077, I decided to go all-in on the cyberpunk genre.

Bringing my vision to life, though, took time. I initially dabbled with RPG Maker’s latest version, which was quite different from the one I was used to. Without getting too deep into the technical details, doing anything truly impressive in RPG Maker often requires third-party plugins. I had never used them before, so there was a learning curve. While RPG Maker makes game development more accessible by reducing the need for coding, it also imposes constraints on how things can be built. You can’t always just write custom code—you have to work within the RPG Maker “ecosystem.”

After many hours, I managed to implement most of my original vision for the game. Is the story a groundbreaking work of cyberpunk fiction? Definitely not. It’s a game first and foremost, and I took a minimalist approach to storytelling, leaning on the player’s familiarity with the genre’s tropes. That said, the game does offer choices—and multiple endings!

One topic that interests me is the use of generative AI in game development. For better or worse, I relied on AI to generate much of the artwork in The Prototype. The game also features a lot of licensed artwork from some incredibly talented human creators (see the Credits page). As someone with limited artistic ability, I find generative AI to be an invaluable accelerator for creative projects—especially in game development. Given my use of AI, making the game free felt like the obvious choice.

I hope players enjoy The Prototype as much as I enjoyed making it. Thanks for reading!

Hemlock and the Maker's Fire Released!

Finally!  After almost five years, the fourth book of The Maker's Fire series is complete!  It is currently live on Smashwords and pending on Amazon.  I will announce when it hits Amazon and the other major channels (via Smashwords).

Here is the Smashwords link: Book IV on Smashwords .

UPDATE:  Amazon link is live: Book IV on Amazon .

If anyone would like a free review copy just email me.

The First One Thousand Words

I have some good news to report!  The final edit of Hemlock and the Maker's Fire (aka Hemlock IV) is complete and the only work remaining to publish is to integrate the edits and complete the final formatting.  It is very close!

In the meantime, I want to send an overdue shoutout to artist Elena Dudina who has done wonderful cover art for my Maker's Fire series.  I remember many years ago I had published an early edition of Hemlock and the Wizard Tower using a stock photo for a cover.  At the time I asked several folks about the cover and they said it was serviceable.  But I knew I needed to take things up a notch.  I hired Elena and she did not disappoint!  After I released the new cover, I received several comments about how impactful the new image was and how it changed the way they felt about the book.  Don't underestimate the power of the cover image--I don't care what that old saying says!  Thank you, Elena, for bringing my world to life with these four images!

The Battle of the Final Edit II

Hello, intrepid reader!  I write this post in a haze of disappointment because my plans to continue my work on the fourth Hemlock book have been thwarted at every turn.  It seems that circumstances are conspiring to deny me the combination of uninterrupted time, mental alacrity and motivation that I need to continue my work .  The potentially good news is I think this upcoming weekend may finally present such an opportunity.  But I don't want to over promise given my recent, poor track record.

It's really a shame to have the story basically completed but stalled in "post production".  For various reasons, using a 3rd party to do the final edit is not an option I want to use this time around.  My latest thought is to edit chapter by chapter and then post each successive chapter on this website as they get completed.  If you would like me to take that approach then leave me a message in the comments.

As I've said in prior posts, I'm really pleased with Hemlock Book Four and I've gotten good feedback from beta readers.  I am very anxious to share the final installment with you!

The Battle of the Final Edit

I have had some delays in preparing the draft of Hemlock IV for the editor.  Now, for various reasons, I've decided to attempt to edit the manuscript myself.  I am under no illusions that I am a great editor.  On the other hand, I've never really attempted the process, either.  I am going to do some research on how to best approach it.  As with other things I've successfully integrated into my life, I'm going to have to figure out a way to make this editing process a part of my day to day routine.

I am also going to take some time off from my primary occupation to devote to this edit.  I will try to get it done as quickly as I can within the constraints of whatever the necessary process ends up being.

I apologize for any delays this may introduce.  Believe me, I am very anxious to complete this project and get this book released!

Hemlock and the Maker's Fire: Cover and Status

Here is the cover art for the forthcoming Hemlock and the Maker's Fire (The Maker's Fire - Book Four).  It was created by the wonderfully talented artist Elena Dudina .  She has done the prior three covers in the series, and I think she really outdid herself on this one!

I recently got some very comprehensive feedback on the manuscript from my beta reader, and now I have some rework to do before it's ready for the editor.  I will try to make this work go as quickly as possible.

I'm also wrestling with the ending a bit.  I love the current ending I've written, but there's one aspect of it that I now worry is inconsistent with one of the core themes of the series.  I need to figure out a way to fine tune the ending.  I'm hoping it won't need a total rework and that a refinement will suffice.

Thanks for reading, and hopefully I will be able to report some good progress in my next blog post!