Thoughts and Feelings – Kristen Brand

Opinion: Why the Fae are the most Versatile Creatures in Urban Fantasy

If you told me that I could only read or write about one supernatural creature for the rest of my life, I would choose the fae. This isn’t me trying to trash talk werewolves or demons or anything. It’s just that the fae can fill their role just as well. They’re like the jack of all trades of urban fantasy.

Let’s take vampires. They’re alluring, dangerous creatures who drain their victims of blood. Kind of like the Leanan-Sidhe, a beautiful but deadly fae who inspires poets and artists but drains their life in the process.

Or do you like werewolves and shifters? Let me introduce the púca, a fairy who can transform into a horse, cat, hare, and other animals.

2020 Accomplishments and 2021 Goals

First off, let me specify that this post is purely writing related. Looking at the big picture, I’m incredibly grateful to have made it through 2020 with my health and finances intact. I hope for the same in 2021.

Writing is a big stress-reliever for me and one that I definitely need right now. So for the moment at least, I’m going to push aside the dumpster fire that is current events and talk solely about writing and publishing.

Published in 2020

I’m proud to have published three books last year, a big accomplishment for me since I’ve averaged one per year until now. (I think the most I ever managed in the same year was two.)

The Dark and Otherworldly series was my first foray into publishing urban fantasy, which is a genre that I love to read. I’d actually written urban fantasy books before then, but that was back in my early days as an author, and they were horrible novels that will remained banished to the depths of my hard drive forever.

Why the Queen of Fables is the most Underrated DC Supervillain

Quick—what’s the best superpower for a villain? Energy blasts? Super-strength? Mind-control?

How about the power of fairytales?

It may sound weird, but fairytales are the power source of DC supervillain Queen of Fables, and they make her such a crazy strong threat that it usually takes the entire Justice League to stop her.

So how does that work, exactly? Continue reading Why the Queen of Fables is the most Underrated DC Supervillain

Back from Vacation with Photos and Mini Book Reviews

The Florida Keys are awesome.

There’s a reason I chose it as Dave and Val’s vacation destination when I wrote Kill Them All. And I’m happy to report that my trip went a lot better than theirs did and wasn’t interrupted by rocket launchers and complex, supervillain-related plots. 😉

In all seriousness, I had the perfect honeymoon. It was wonderfully relaxing and filled with beautiful sights and excellent food. Coming back to reality this past week has been tough. Continue reading Back from Vacation with Photos and Mini Book Reviews

Mary Jane Watson’s Wedding Dress is Perfection (And Other Thoughts on Weddings and Comics)

So… I’m getting married later this month.

I know, right? It’s incredibly exciting yet stressful. I’m super ready to marry this man, but wedding planning is such an ordeal, you guys. It’s given me a deep and unyielding sympathy for every character in a superhero franchise whose wedding ceremony was crashed by marauding supervillains.

That poor couple spent months searching for a venue, finding an officiant and a caterer, choosing colors, arranging centerpieces, ordering favors–and I’ll stop now, otherwise this post will become a 500-word checklist of all the things you need to do to plan a wedding.

And then some costumed jerk comes and ruins everything. You’re never going to get those months of your life back!

Flash Wedding Gif — NO RORY. THIS IS LITERALLY THE WORST POSSIBLE THING THAT COULD HAPPEN.

Continue reading Mary Jane Watson’s Wedding Dress is Perfection (And Other Thoughts on Weddings and Comics)

Autumn Tag – Are you Ready for Sweater Weather?

It still feels like summer here in Florida, but I adore autumn. So when I came across the Autumn Tag over at Perfectly Tolerable, I knew I had to jump on that bandwagon, even if I’m a bit late.

Rules: Answer the questions, link back to the creator, and tag other people.

1. Hot Chocolate – what is your comfort book?

When I’ve had a bad day and find myself in need of a comfort read, I usually turn to fanfiction instead of books. I don’t know what it is about some fics that’s so soothing and comforting–exactly like a cup of hot chocolate. I love crossovers especially, and nothing’s better than an epically long story that’s actually completed. And boy, oh boy, have I read a lot of Harry Potter fanfiction in my time. Continue reading Autumn Tag – Are you Ready for Sweater Weather?

Sisterhood and Superheroes

I’m lucky enough to have two incredible sisters (one of whom also writes books that you should read), so I’m naturally interested in depictions of sisters in media.

And is it just me, or are a lot of superheroes only children? Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Iron Man… The list goes on. And I feel like “Hero with a Treacherous Brother who wants to Murder him for the Throne” deserves its own category.

But you can find some great depictions of sisters in superhero media if you know where to look. On the big screen, my recent favorites are Gamora and Nebula. Continue reading Sisterhood and Superheroes

Why Steampunk is the Little Black Dress of Speculative Fiction

Steampunk is a weird, niche little genre, when you think about it. Merriam-Webster defines it as “science fiction dealing with 19th-century societies dominated by historical or imagined steam-powered technology.”

That’s pretty darn specific. It’s not like the post-apocalyptic subgenre restricts its stories to the 23^rd century, or space opera specifies the power source that spaceships have to use.

The boundaries of steampunk seem pretty restrictive at first glance, so it’s not surprising many authors bend and break the rules. Steampunk has branched out and evolved as creators and fans innovate, which brings me to the strength of the genre:

Steampunk goes well with anything. Continue reading Why Steampunk is the Little Black Dress of Speculative Fiction

5 Writing Lessons I Learned from Re-watching Batman: The Animated Series

I re-watched the first season of Batman: The Animated Series recently for the first time since I was in my tweens. (And boy, does that make me feel old.) I loved this show when I was a kid, but I don’t think I was really old enough to appreciate how brilliant it was. As an adult who’s interested in superheroes and storytelling, I got a lot more out of it. Not only did it entertain the heck out of me, but it gave me a lot to think about writing-wise.

Here are five thoughts I had after finishing the first season. Continue reading 5 Writing Lessons I Learned from Re-watching Batman: The Animated Series

Vacation in the Mountains

No new book stuff this week, because I spent the Fourth of July holiday in the Great Smoky Mountains. My phone had terrible service there, and the hotel WiFi was super slow, so I was forced to take a break from the internet.

It was nice. 🙂

I went hiking to cascades and waterfalls… Continue reading Vacation in the Mountains