by Melissa Berg
"O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention, a kingdom for a stage, princes to act and monarchs to behold the swelling scene! Then should the warlike Harry, like himself, assume the port of Mars; and at his heels, leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword and fire crouch for employment. But pardon, and …
Mixing genres is nothing new. It’s not a newfangled tactic or gimmick to garner or fool readers, or even the writer’s attempt to ford a new path through untried waters. Merging genres has been around since at least the later 20th century, maybe even longer. It has definitely become common in our modern and more …
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We love to talk about heroes. And why not? Bravery in the face of evil, the one who stands up for the side of right while others grovel in fear… We admire such a person, because we are amazed and wonder if we could do the same. We use heroes to teach our children about …
Continue reading "The Conflicted Heart of a True Anti-hero – by Melissa Berg"
Magic and fantasy; it is a common opinion that you can't have one without the other. But what if this is wrong? Is magic really just a fantasy? The first question we should ask is: What is magic? Magic is a part of our lives, our cultures, our histories. We cling to magic for hope and call …
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“Look candles!” He called, pointing at the colorful array in the open-air shop that was his keep. The dust, drifting as a cloud, was a ghostly spectator hanging over the crowded thoroughfare. Patrons and peasants alike moved from one shop to another. The hot midday sun was temporarily veiled by the aged oak tree standing …
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If you are here from Epic Fantasy Writer, WELCOME! If not, check out my article called 6 Tips For Writing Engaging and Tension-Filled Fight Scenes Below are my example excerpts taken from my first two books in The Shifting Balance Series. Two are smaller sword fights, one is part of an epic large scale battle, and …
Continue reading "A collection of excerpts related to writing action – by Melissa Berg"
I was recently featured on John Robin’s series called World Builders 2.0 where authors discuss the worlds they have created for their novels. Read on to learn more about Ahrune!
Today, we enter the world of Melissa Berg, author of the Shifting Balance Series.
Melissa Berg is the author of the Shifting Balance Series, which has been her passion for the past ten years. She also works as a freelance illustrator and studied art and design at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin. When she isn’t writing or painting or entertaining her son, she is pursuing the art of 3D computer illustration/animation, as a side project and to feed her fascination in the ever-expanding medium used for storytelling. She currently lives in Minnesota with her husband, young son, and a crazy Border Collie.
Now, prepare yourself to enter Ahrune!
The Shifting Balance Series takes place in Ahrune. In creating this rich land, I wanted to keep it simple; familiar and relatable. It is a character driven story of love, hope, and sacrifice, where I explore the world…
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Here from John Robin's Epic Fantasy Writer Blog? Scroll down to get straight to the tutorial! What is an epic fantasy novel without a map? Just like we need Siri to tell us how to find the closest café or, if you prefer, the closest wine bar, a properly built fantasy world should have a …
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The Shifting Balance 