What are you researching? I just looked into the theory of consciousness known as epiphenomenalism. It is *not* what most scientifically-minded people believe to be true, but you have to split a lot of hairs to figure out what makes it different.

Fireflies have arrived!

I've had a new idea for a future novel. It will be about the spymaster Mara, protagonist of my Mara of the League series. The leader of a rebel movement fighting to overthrow one of her country's enemies asks for help, but she suspects a trap.

Coming Soon Sleep of Reason Academic fantasy A gardener named Elena teaches herself magic, but releases a creature from her nightmares into the waking world. Meanwhile, four graduate students learn their teacher has changed their final exam in ways that might prove lethal.

What have you written about curses? Casting curse spells is thought to be sinister and dangerous In my academic fantasy Sleep of Reason, but Elena does it anyway.

Preparing a Shadowrun game. The PCs get hired to warn a wannabee assassin not to take jobs better left to the big boys.

What are you reading? I'm really enjoying this, by Natalie Kelda: amazon.com/Under-Galaxian-Skies-Inner-Universe-ebook/dp/B0CRPYWT3J

Spent the evening assisting helpful chainsaw owners clean up trees which fell in a windstorm. When the saw-man removed the tree's tops, a root mass swung three trunks into the air like a triple-armed trebuchet. Fun to watch, no damage.

So eager to finish writing this book!

It seems to take longer to rewrite text from an unpublished manuscript than to make up something new!

Free this weekend! Spies. Witch-hunts. A smart little girl begins a life of intrigue. Start the Mara of the League series with The Witches of Crannock Dale. amazon.com/dp/B07XWXP1X2 Check out other free and discounted books at the Indie book Sale! indiebook.sale

Hoping the rain melts the snow.

Honored to say that students in a writing class I'm teaching asked to see my work. I'm showing them an antagonist's origin story.

More snow coming.

Huge snowflakes falling. They look like scraps of paper.

Who is one of your favorite fictional characters and why?

Visited a friend's farm and played a TTRPG!

Spent too long reading controversial social media threads!

In war, no plan survives first blood. It's up to spymaster Mara Bennet to come up with a strategy when the enemy onslaught reaches her country's capital. Complete series: amazon.com/Mara-League-Complete-Books-1-4-ebook/dp/B0B5ZY6VLY Book One: amazon.com/dp/B07XWXP1X2/

Started teaching this spring's writing class!

I have time to write, but I am tired.

Water is welling out of the ground in my driveway.

Today was a day of unplanned digging. However, thanks to the soft spring ground and absence of foliage, I was able to complete a ditch and reduce the amount of water flowing down my driveway.

Chase scenes at sea. Teenage princess vs. scheming courtiers. An unstoppable enemy invasion. The Mara of the League gunpowder fantasy series reaches it climax in The Rending of the world! amazon.com/dp/B08LK7SHP5

What are some historical events in your world? I just had a burst of inspiration for what happens when two different empires in my world's past encountered the same Viking-inspired northern raiders.

The backstory is the story. A lot of the time, anyway. 😀

Have you ever written an academic lecture for a novel? I'm writing a lecture on sand, lightning and the discovery that the earth revolves around the sun for my graduate school fantasy Sleep of Reason. (Don't worry, it will only be a few paragraphs at most.)

Do other authors spend hours taking notes for future scenes?

Ever written a blurb for a book you aren't going to write? I'm working on a story within a story for my academic fantasy Sleep of Reason.

Looking forward to the moment my Shadowrun PCs realize they've been working for the mysterious Pygmalion.

Teenage Mara's intense friendship with her boarding school roommate sucks her into revolutionary politics, espionage and a life of intrigue. Book Two of the gunpowder-era political fantasy Mara of the League. amazon.com/dp/B085XTW5CM

How often do you add details to your stories simply for color?

My Mara of the League fantasy series is now available at Augusta Maine's awesome gaming store Greenhouse Games!

Do you use characters and stories from role-playing games in fiction? Oddly, I never have, except when writing product-themed stories for game manufacturers. However, I write and I have a long history as a gamer, so it would be a natural thing to do.

My team is headed into the sewers in our Shadowrun game.

Coming Soon Sleep of Reason Academic fantasy A gardener named Elena teaches herself magic, but releases a creature from her nightmares into the waking world. Meanwhile, four graduate students learn their teacher has changed their final exam in ways that might prove lethal.

Playing a mystery/horror themes role-playing game set in Louisiana in the 1890s. My character works magic with his cooking. Any tips on how to play him? What are your favorite Cajun recipes?

Wrote a scene where a character turns the tables!

I've been reading Michael Moorcock's critique of Tolkien. I stand with Tolkien.

Thunder and lightning in February!

Daughter of the nobility, cousin to a fallen Queen, Catherine Howard survives a dangerous childhood, forging a path to the Tudor court... Shadow of Persephone by G. Lawrence Now available on Audible! 📚💙📚💙📚💙📚🎧🎧🎧 www.audible.co.uk/pd/154143247...

Courtroom drama. Fantasy setting. Older woman MC. Revolutionaries who believe their enemies are evil. Both sides' point of view. amazon.com/dp/B0BSGTCR5N

@glawrence.bsky.social Huge thanks for the repost!

Free post on Substack! Tudor ghosts and where to find them open.substack.com/pub/lawrence...

Think I made this scene make sense. Since one character is arguing people can make up their own reality, that was challenging.

How do you make guards, enemy soldiers and other grunt-level villains appear competent without making them so powerful they defeat the MCs and derail the story?

Does anyone include psychologists in their stories? Tollie's parents send him to his world's equivalent of a therapist when he is bullied as a child. This is in my graduate school fantasy Sleep of Reason.

War Court Intrigue Middle-aged characters. Witch hunts. Bearded dragons/ Mara of the League: a stubborn woman fights to save her country in an early gunpowder-era fantasy world. Available on audio. Book One: amazon.com/dp/B07XWXP1X2

A Cassandra-like woman in an early gunpowder-era fantasy world. Spymaster Mara schemes to block an enemy invasion. amazon.com/Mara-League-Complete-Books-1-4-ebook/dp/B0B5ZY6VLY

Do you get bursts of inspiration? What do you think brings them on?