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Father of the Brainchildren

Not Nathan Marchand. From imdb

by Nathan Marchand
December 13, 2013

I’m not a father; I don’t have any children. However, I have many brainchildren, including the characters of my first CotW novella, The Fall of the House of Kyzer. For writers, their creations are like kids. They don’t like being told they’re “ugly” (i.e. bad) and they’re quick to defend and protect them. Some also may be hard-pressed to choose which their favorite is.

While I’ve worked on serialized fiction before with many of the people on this saga’s creative team, I’ve re-learned in the last few months that, like a father does when his kids get married, I have to “let go” of my “children” and entrust them to other people. For the last month, John Bahler has been continuing Jaysynn’s story in The Rules Change, and while I love this story, he’s done things with Jaysynn I may have not done—or things I’d have rather done myself. Torture Jaysynn? That’s my job! (Ever wonder if writers are closet sadists, considering how much they abuse their characters?) (more…)

December 13, 2013 - Tags: creative process, Nathan Marchand, The Rules Change Posted in: Blogs

Remembering C.S. Lewis

By Nathan Marchand
November 22, 2013

This blog was also posted on the author’s website.

I realized the other day that this is a week of noteworthy anniversaries. November 19 was the 150^th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. Today, November 22, is a day loaded with significance. Fifty years ago today several events, both joyous and tragic, occurred. On the bright side, the British science fiction TV show Doctor Who first aired. But today is also remembered for the deaths of three great men: President John F. Kennedy, author Aldous Huxley, and theologian C.S. Lewis. (more…)

November 22, 2013 - Tags: christianity, inspiration, Nathan Marchand Posted in: Blogs

The Origins of The Fall of the House of Kyzer

August 3, 2013

In a special episode of his vlog, author Nathan Marchand talks about where he got his ideas for “The Fall of the House of Kyzer.” He reveals how he created the city of Thyrion, the characters’ names, and what his goals were for the story.

If you haven’t started on this new adventure, why not start now?

Enjoy!

August 3, 2013 - Tags: characters, creative process, Nathan Marchand, other projects, The Fall of the House of Kyzer Posted in: Blogs

Kill Your Beauties

By Nathan Marchand
June 21, 2013

Next week I make my authorial debut on Children of the Wells. The next major chapter of the CotW saga comes from my pen: a novella entitled The Fall of the House of Kyzer. Here’s a synopsis:

In Thyrion, power is everything.

But not for Jaysynn, the youngest of the Kyzer royal family who rule the city with an iron fist. He alone is unable to manipulate magic, making him an outcast in his own family. However, General Dracon, himself non-Select, sees the prince’s potential and trains him to be a warrior in his own right.

In the wake of the Cataclysm, Jaysynn is the only Kyzer to survive. Ascending to the throne, he is overwhelmed by the weight of the crown and the devastation of his city. What’s worse, he learns of a conspiracy brewing within his own ranks. Even as Emperor, he feels like an outcast.

(more…)

June 21, 2013 - Tags: creative process, Nathan Marchand, The Fall of the House of Kyzer Posted in: Blogs

We Built This City

by Nathan Marchand
May 10, 2013

While Children of the Wells is a character-driven saga, all characters need a world to live in. Last week, my partner in crime, Tim, wrote about how we created the magic system in CotW. But magic is just one part (albeit a big one) of this world.

Once we determined that magic pooled in wells, we realized that civilizations would develop around them, much like cities formed around bodies of water in our world. The larger the wells, the larger the cities. Because of this, we decided to have city-states as opposed to countries, each one with a distinct culture. After much discussion, we settled on having three large wells, which would be the hearts of the three most powerful cities on this continent, all of them warring and/or competing with one another for dominance.

While all the staff members contributed ideas for each city, much credit must go to the writers of our earliest stories for creating the different cities and the characters who inhabit them. (more…)

May 10, 2013 - Tags: creative process, Nathan Marchand, The Fall of the House of Kyzer, The Select's Bodyguard, world-building Posted in: Blogs

Agreements, Disagreements, and Rifftrax

Nathan Marchand

By Nathan Marchand
April 12, 2013

“Novel Concept” was a name Nick—the author of our current Children of the Wells novella, The Select’s Bodyguard—had used for the “publisher” of his self-published books. Then I snagged it for mine. I told him we should make something of this name, though not so much a publishing house as a network for writers to help promote each other and their works.

So, Nick called a meeting in January of 2012, but it wasn’t quite what I expected. He wanted to make Novel Concept into a web serial. We could promote each other while working together to produce new material. Then Nick shared an idea for a fantasy-based serial. I would tell you about it, but as River Song is fond of saying in Doctor Who, “Spoilers!” Regardless, we latched onto his idea and went crazy.

And quickly relearned about the perils of group projects. (more…)

April 12, 2013 - Tags: creative process, Nathan Marchand, The Fall of the House of Kyzer Posted in: Blogs