Across so many different genres, Wintersville, Ohio, appeared in four different works released between 2022 and 2026. A nod to an epic small town. If you’ve ever been to the Upper Ohio Valley Tri-State Area (Eastern Ohio/Northern West Virginia/Southwest Pennsylvania), virtually the entire region resembles something out of a Bruce Springsteen song. You’ll find gray…
I use the Finnish language in my fantasy worlds to add grit, realism, and depth. It’s not easy, but that’s exactly why it works in the stories I tell. If you’ve read any of my books—whether it’s Cursed Mage, Spirit and Fire, or The Arcane Prophecy—you’ve probably run into unfamiliar names, rune words, and maybe…
Pokémon is a classic fandom and one whose inspiration travels far and wide all over the Elementals Universe, not just the Renegades Epic. Ah, yes, the classic franchise that is Pokémon. If you grew up when I did, back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, you’re probably familiar with this one. For me, I…
The Renegades Epic is laden with strong female protagonists, from kickass Spirit Masters to cunning rebels. And they all boast a never-say-die attitude. While the Renegades Epic boasts unforgettable male characters like Sion Zona and Tage Ras-Svendson, it’s laden with strong female protagonists. Every girl listed below has won more fights than she’s lost, and…
In Norse mythology, few figures hold more power or mystery than the Norns, and even that’s a generous take. Ditto for the Three Sisters in the Renegades Epic. These three women sit at the center of the cosmos, the Nine Realms, whatever you want to call them, spinning the threads of destiny. They govern the lives…
Why does elemental magic drive the action in the Renegades Epic and Elementals Universe? Discover the system that fuels conflict and power. When most readers crack open a fantasy novel, they expect a magical system built around wizards casting incantations, enchanted swords, or ancient prophecies steeped in forgotten lore. While those elements occasionally appear in…
The Renegades Epic wouldn’t exist without the Infinity Saga, which laid its groundwork dating back to 2019, not long before the world ended. In 2019, I was sitting at a Sheetz in Weirton, West Virginia, talking with a friend late at night. He described the Infinity Saga as a complete shared universe—interconnected, deliberate, and expansive….
Dark fantasy is the go-to genre for authors who want to set their work in a grim, nearly hopeless setting, mirroring today’s political environment. Today’s political landscape is grim, and it’s one reason dark fantasy works so well when writing about ways to allegorize it. Sure, any genre technically works, but when you put a…
Since 1916, more than a thousand people have gone missing in U.S. national parks—vanished, really—and that’s just what we know. They step out to gather firewood, check a fishing line, take a short hike. Then they’re gone. No scream. No blood. No footprints. Sometimes, not even a shoe. Weeks of searching brings nothing. Then, maybe…
Ever wonder if your favorite characters started as real people? In my Elementals Universe, many of them did. Some are inspired by celebrities. Others are shaped by my own past—or even by the kid who sat behind me in science class. In this series, I’ll break down which characters were inspired by real people, fictional…
If there’s one pro sports franchise that’s seen a lot of prominent nods in the Elementals Universe, it’s the Sabres. There is perhaps no better group of sports fans in America than those in Buffalo, New York. So it’s no surprise that in some recent novels in the Elementals Universe, I made several nods to my favorite…
Mikko and Valkyrie Siskonen are a pair of twins you will meet in Wind Wielder. Near lifelong residents of Nordica, they snuck into South Nordica repeatedly. If there is one thing about Mikko and Valkyrie Siskonen, it is that they both love everything about Nordica and despise much of what is going on in South…