BIG PUBLISHERS REALLY LOVE GENERIC FANTASY. They’ve trained you to expect the same stories. The same medieval worlds. The same reluctant chosen one. The same “epic” plots that drag on for ten books. But what if books didn’t used to be this way? What if there was a time when stories took risks—when fantasy wasn’t afraid to shock, [...]
Been a Long Wait—Let’s Talk About It So, I read this wild story the other day. Some guy at a park sees a homeless man napping on a bench and thinks, “Hey, why not chuck a rock at him for laughs?” Bad move. The homeless guy wakes up, pulls a knife, and chases him for [...]
Brotherhood of the Wolf: The Lesser Evil Is Here—Order Now! Tired of endless fantasy series that leave you uninspired? I’m thrilled to announce that Brotherhood of the Wolf: The Lesser Evil is finally here! After months of preparation, you can now get your hands on this standalone Chapter 0 of our series—a world like nothing you’ve ever [...]
You’ve been searching for a fantasy story that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. You’re fed up with predictable tropes—heroes who win too easily, magic that makes no sense, and Muslim characters reduced to tired stereotypes. You crave a tale that’s raw, real, and deeply personal—a story that plunges you into a [...]
When it comes to owning your books, you can’t overstate the importance of control. That is, how exactly do you ensure that the books you buy are truly yours? This week, a common problem surfaced: Amazon is removing the ability to download Kindle books to your computer. I find this troubling because it locks you out of your [...]
You were promised authentic stories. But what you got felt hollow. What went wrong? Look, realistic depictions matters. It’s crucial for seeing some of yourself reflected in the stories you consume. But in all my years observing media trends and analyzing cultural narratives, I’ve seen attempts at Muslim “representation” fail time and time again. Because “representation” is only half [...]
Let me tell you a quick story about how brutal Kirkus Reviews can be. When Dave Eggers published his memoir “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius” – a book that would become a Pulitzer Prize finalist – Kirkus reviewed it with just two savage words: “It isn’t.” That’s Kirkus for you. They’re the Simon Cowell of the literary [...]
“In this scene,” the executive uncaps his red pen, “let’s have the hero’s mother survive.” Across the conference table, the author’s hands clench into fists. Ten years of crafting the perfect story about loss and redemption – about to be “improved” by someone who hasn’t even read the whole manuscript. This scene plays out so often that [...]
Remember that scene in Titanic where the musicians keep playing as chaos erupts around them? That’s what it feels like in the comics industry right now. Publishers are scrambling as Diamond Comic Distributors – the industry’s largest distributor – just filed for bankruptcy. Right now, hundreds of creators are wondering if 6 months of their work [...]