Recommended Reading: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Returning to Mystical Japan: The Chrysanthemum Seal by James Calbraith

[aesop_chapter title=”~” bgtype=”color” full=”on” video_autoplay=”on” bgcolor=”#006489″ minheight=”10″ revealfx=”off”] Where The Rising Tide was the conclusion of the first story arc of James Calbraith’s “The Year of the Dragon” series, the first book of new arc – The Chrysanthemum Seal – dives deeper into the making of a legend.The previous book in this series, The Year Read More

The Politics of Mystical Japan: The Rising Tide by James Calbraith

[aesop_chapter title=”~” bgtype=”color” full=”on” video_autoplay=”on” bgcolor=”#006489″ minheight=”10px” revealfx=”off”] What’s a good epic fantasy without some troubling diplomats who try to blackmail their way into higher ranks? And why not betray your own allies with secret weapons to get ahead? Yamato is filled with begrudged officials whose status is more important to them than anything else. Read More

This is My Design: The Peril of the New Idea

New ideas are awesome, fresh inspiration is fantastic, and motivation can strike like a bolt out of the blue. Unfortunately, that bolt can sometimes hit us right when we’re in the middle of something else. Today, Raven talks about the three methods he uses to deal with the potentially terrible timing of new ideas. Read More

The Nature of Mystical Japan: The Islands In The Mist by James Calbraith

We’re continuing our journey through Yamato, James Calbraith’s alternate version of Japan. The Islands In The Mists is the third book in the series The Year Of The Dragon. This is the first book where the story in Yamato splits into multiple points of view, as well as expanding on the burgeoning storyline in Qin only teased in earlier books. Hold on to your obis, because you’re in for a bumpy ride. Read More