Brian Niemeier  offers solid advice for authors, artists, or anyone setting out on a long term creative project. First, what I_don't_do is set word count goals. I think Scott Adams gets it right with his maxim "Goals are for losers. Systems are for winners." The reason is the demoralization you feel when you fall short of a goal. That creates disincentives that you must expend willpower to overcome. No one has unlimited willpower. Eventually, you will burn out. Second, the way to achieve high productivity is to set up a system that minimizes effort. Really examine your writing process. You already know that you top out at 500 words most days. Guess what? That's about equal to my most recent daily word count on a paying project under a deadline. But I'm not worried because I wrote well over 2000 words the day before and likely will tomorrow, too. If you're like me, some days you'll barely muster 500 words, and other days, you'll break 5000. Take note...

This site went down temporarily after I received a terms of service violation email from Google. I have no explanation nor theories to offer, but I'm glad I don't have to start all over. And yes, as you can see, it's all back now. Lesson learned: back up everything even if it's in the cloud.

Dusque and Dove, these magical nature spirits came to me in a cold evergreen forest. Dove, in nigh white, pale azure feathered catsuit was blonde and lovely. I couldn't tell if she had wings or if it was just streams of light through the trees behind her. At first she was walking away until she noticed me. She then approached and laid me in a cold river. My eyes drank in the moisture of the water. I was aware of the heat of my body streaming around me, the cold water drinking in my body heat. Then through the blur of water as I sunk deeper a dark form appeared behind her. He was cloaked, tall, face hidden in shadow. He wore black furs with iridescent raven feathers adorned about him. His black leather cloak fluttered in the wind and wavered through the watery breaking light of my descent. He stood over her, protecting Dove, overseeing my descent into calmness, into the waters of serenity.

In relation to my Fourth Turning vision , which was in fact an allusion to the book by the same name , I want to share the salient works of Robert David Steele . Here is an article from the Guardian discussing the cusp of a revolution already set upon us. “We are at the end of a five-thousand-year-plus historical process during which human society grew in scale while it abandoned the early indigenous wisdom councils and communal decision-making,” he writes in The Open Source Everything Manifesto. “Power was centralised in the hands of increasingly specialised ‘elites’ and ‘experts’ who not only failed to achieve all they promised but used secrecy and the control of information to deceive the public into allowing them to retain power over community resources that they ultimately looted.”  Matrix on the preconditions for revolution There are a number of red flag catch phrases in the article to be wary of, but in terms of the impending positive revolution I think he may be on...

Fleur Alston There was no hand to hold me back That night I found the ancient track Over the hill, and strained to see The fields that teased my memory. This tree, that wall—I knew them well, And all the roofs and orchards fell Familiarly upon my mind As from a past not far behind. I knew what shadows would be cast When the late moon came up at last From back of Zaman’s Hill, and how The vale would shine three hours from now. And when the path grew steep and high, And seemed to end against the sky, I had no fear of what might rest Beyond that silhouetted crest. Straight on I walked, while all the night Grew pale with phosphorescent light, And wall and farmhouse gable glowed Unearthly by the climbing road. There was the milestone that I knew— “Two miles to Dunwich”—now the view Of distant spire and roofs would dawn With ten more upward paces gone. . . . There was no hand to hold me back That night I found the ancient track, And reached the crest to see ou...

2016 was rough. Beneath the waves I was beaten against the rocks of fate and blinded by the slurry of poor decisions that once settled there years before. 2017 my head is up above the water's chaos. I can breath again. I can think again. React with more than reptile survival instincts. From here I see a great wave swelling. Time to swim hard to ride that wave. Stay, rest, and be content. The waves will push us under. Swim, ride, and be honest. The waves will carry us into a beautiful new era.

From sketches yet to be colored to quick paints lacking refinement, artists often share their works in progress in varying levels of rawness. The art of creation can be a lengthy grueling process and these WIP's allow friends, fans, and loved ones to see the evolution of the artist's long gestating endeavors. Otherwise there would be extended periods of silence within which their daily efforts may be forgotten. With that in mind I'd like to offer to you a WIP of book one in the Lorekeeper's Saga. This is an excerpt from the first draft of "Daemon Lost". The names and title are subject to change, yet here you'll find a glimpse into the world of Aerlon.     As the man closed the thick red curtain behind him, she recognized her client by his silhouette alone. He was a regular here. The din of the tavern beyond was muffled as the curtain fell into place and the man took a seat across from her.      “Welcome Hellsdreamer,” she greeted, reverently shuffling a...

I present to you 2017's reading list. Some are for research, some leisure, and others inspiration. Many of these works will be an impetus for articles written here throughout the year. You'll notice quite a few classics because my goal is to get to the meat of these timeless concepts. I do however have a completely separate reading list for my work as editor at  Whitehart Publishing  for our pulp revival project. The Last Wish: Introducing The Witcher Blood of Elves (The Witcher Book 1) An Arrow's Flight: A Legend of the Western Shores (Legends of the Western Shores Book 1) The Last Witchking Arthurian Romances The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 1, c.500-c.700 Medieval Ghost Stories: An Anthology of Miracles, Marvels and Prodigies Appendix N: The Literary History of Dungeons & Dragons Understanding Bitcoin: Cryptography, Engineering and Economics Split-Second Persuasion: The Ancient Art and New Science of Changing Minds Influence: The Psych...

Welcome novitiates, attendants, paramours, and scholars to the home and repository of the meandering thoughts, researched articles, and many uncategorized bits of the musing mind of Todd Everhart.  Whatever your provenance, I dub thee  Sirs  and  Ladies  of the Round Table, where all considerate notions shall be entertained.