Inspiration in Edinburgh

By Greg Meyer
November 6, 2014

Last week, I had the great fortune to travel to Ireland and Scotland. Having never left the United States before, it was an eye-opening experience for me, even if the culture-shock is lessened when visiting countries where English is the predominant language.

While exploring Edinburgh, I had the chance to go to a little coffee shop called The Elephant House, nestled in the heart of the city. What makes this seemingly ordinary coffee shop special is that it’s where author J. K. Rowling penned an obscure tale known as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Perhaps you’ve heard of it? Well, I’m a fan of the series, so I found it an interesting experience seeing where “the boy who lived” was born on paper. (more…)

Jaysynn Volume 1 Now Available!

That’s right, folks, now you can own the first trilogy of adventures of Jaysynn Kyzer, the outcast turned Emperor turned exile, in a beautiful print edition.

Collecting The Fall of the House of Kyzer, The Rules Change, and the recently released New Wells Rising, Jaysynn Volume 1 collects plenty of world-ending, society-upheaving, family-shattering, trust-stretching, parkour-inducing action, intrigue, and betrayal for the whole family–or just for you! Get your copy now!

My Influences for The Fall of the House of Kyzer

By Nathan Marchand
October 23,

As Nick and Tim discussed in a recent episode of their podcast, writers are influenced by most, if not all, of the stories they’ve read and/or seen. Some they’re conscious of, some they’re not.

So, in light of this, I’ve decided to talk about the stories that influenced my writing of The Fall of the House of Kyzer, my first Children of the Wells novella. You might be surprised by what I mention. Or maybe you’re astute enough to have noticed these already.

So, without further ado, and in no particular order… (more…)

Creating Jaysynn’s Merry Men (And Women)

by Timothy Deal
September 25, 2014

I am pleased to announce that the third book of the Jaysynn series, New Wells Rising, is now available! After the many delays this novella has experienced, it’s quite a relief for me as the author and for all of us as a team to finally get it published in ebook format for everyone to enjoy.

Believe it or not, the latest installment in Jaysynn’s story began about a year ago as work on The Rules Change was wrapping up. I still half-jokingly blame Nick for getting me involved with Jaysynn #3. He and I were talking about what the next Jaysynn novella should look like and I mentioned that it would be good for Jaysynn to begin attracting some followers, to build the base for his own small army to one day perhaps challenge series villain General Dracon. Nick agreed and commented that Jaysynn needed a core group of warriors to lead and inspire, much like the Biblical leader David had his band of “mighty men” or Robin Hood had his standout figures among his Merry Men.

That comparison fired my imagination since I’m a big fan of Robin Hood stories, especially the classic novel adaptation by Howard Pyle. There’s a series of chapters in that book where Robin first encounters such memorable characters as Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, and Midge the Miller’s Son (okay, not as many people remember that guy). Several of these encounters have a rocky start given Robin’s penchant of teasing and antagonizing strangers in Sherwood, but each end with the new character becoming a sworn friend and member of the Merry Men. (more…)

Audio Preview of ‘At Any Cost’

By Natasha Hayden
September 18, 2014

As you wait for the release of New Wells Rising, our latest Jaysynn story, by Timothy Deal, (very, very soon!), I thought I’d remind you of some of our extra content. Our first five novellas from our two storylines have bonus stories that accompany them, collected in a volume titled Destinies Entwined. Though not strictly part of Bron and Calea’s or Jaysynn’s stories, they are glimmers that might give you insight into their world.

For instance, did you ever wonder how the Emperor of Thyrion could have six out of his seven children be Select when Selection is random and limited to a mere five percent of the populace? Nick Hayden’s short story “The Firstborn” answers that. And closely related is my own story (the only thing I’ve written for Children of the Wells, so you must read it!), “At Any Cost,” about a scientist forced into religion and the huge sacrifices she makes. (Remember the hermit’s cottage in The Doctor’s Assistant? This story answers how it got there and makes a few surprising connections.) In fact, I want you to read my story so much that I’ve recorded the beginning of it here to whet your appetite. If you like it, you can “buy” the ebook for whatever amount you wish (minimum donation is $0, you do the math) here.

Enjoy!

At Any Cost (preview) [ 12:17 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It’s Dangerous to Go Alone

By Greg Meyer
August 28, 2018

Image from Zelda Dungeon

So last Friday I bought Dark Souls for Playstation 3.

“Why would you do that to yourself?” asked my bewildered wife as we drove away from the store.

Good question! And I’m sure my shaky reply of “I don’t know!” didn’t exactly boost her confidence. For those who don’t know, Dark Souls is an Action RPG where you explore the ruins of a dying land and attempt to save it from a terrible fate. Speaking of dying, be prepared to see the phrase “You Died” often, because that’s what you’ll be doing, a lot. I mean it. You die on a regular basis. However, each death has a purpose, teaching you a vital lesson in how to survive the hostile world of Lordran.

I bought Dark Souls based on the enthusiastic recommendation of my friend Marcus. He’d regale me with epic tales of daring raids into hostile territory, defeating mammoth bosses by the skin of his teeth, but also tempered with heartbreaking moments of absolute failure. Now, normally that last bit would scare me away from Dark Souls, but something tempered my hesitation: the community aspect. (more…)

Greetings and Salutations!

By Greg Meyer
August 21, 2014

Hey Greg, I had a question for you. Would you like to work on a collaborative Sci-fi series Nick and I have been working on? -Tim

My Facebook phone app beeped at me as I took my dog out for another potty break. Whoever said dogs were intelligent must never have met my dog, because I can’t get her to properly use the washroom, something even a three-year-old child can do. Take that, Chloe.

Anyhow, I checked my message and saw that it was from Tim, my friend from grad school. I had originally met Tim back in 2009 during our first fall semester in Virginia Beach. I was enrolled in the Screenwriting program, while Tim focused on Editing. As I got to know the fellow Midwesterner with wild, crazy hair, we discovered we had many common interests. We were huge Mystery Science Theater fans, appreciated quality anime programs, loved Super Smash Brothers, and breathed air. What more could you want in a friendship? We only had one class together but that was enough to form a friendship. (more…)

Back to the Grind

By Nick Hayden
August 14, 2014

Honestly, I almost forgot to write this blog.

The last two weeks of July consisted of leading 18 youth at a youth conference, followed by a family vacation. Both were enjoyable–but one thing I purposely do when away, especially on vacation, is sever myself from my usual concerns and duties. So I read and played with the kids and generally relaxed.

Then I returned to real life. Last week was catch-up week.

But, you know, I enjoyed that, too. I was ready to get back to work. I wanted to get my desk cleaned up, wanted to begin again on all those projects I’d put on pause. Among which was finalizing this little thing:

You can get it on Amazon now. It collects The Select’s Bodyguard, The Doctor’s Assistant, and The Wells’ Orphan in a nice, stylish paperback. I have always preferred print books to ebooks, so I’m excited to have a copy of this sitting near me as I type.

Oh, and there was a bit of a crunch getting some freshly printed copies to Nathan at GenCon, but we’ve figured it out now. I think.

So, anyway, that’s why I almost forgot to write this blog. But now I’m ready to push forward. The next Jaysynn novel, New Wells Rising, is this close to being done. The sequel to The Well’s Orphan is on its way. And I’m ready to start cracking the whip again.

Thank my two weeks off–and go buy a copy of Bron & Calea, Volume 1, while you’re at it.

After the Cataclysm took our magic,
how do we rebuild?