Nicholas Kotar Archives - Page 7 of 7

When Authors Don’t Fulfill Their Promises (Even with Dragons)

Have you ever read a book (with or without dragons) that begins with a promise that is almost impossible to fulfill, and (lo and …

I’m getting to the end of my second novel, and the climax is going to be a real heart-breaker. I’m not going to spoil anything for …

The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber My rating: 1 of 5 stars If you've ever read my reviews, you'll notice that I …

Recently, a friend and I had a long overdue lunch. The food was good (Burmese), the company lively, and the conversation fruitful. …

Many people have an allergic reaction to the word "conventional." Or, worse yet, "traditional." They immediately sense the bonds …

These days, Tolkien isn’t particularly popular among certain readers and publishers of fantasy. To be called “Tolkien-esque” can …

Recently, my wife and I finished reading aloud the amazing new Russian novel Laurus by Evgenii Vodolazkin. I loved it. First of …

Those of you who’ve been following me, especially on Pinterest, know that I love traditional Russian village windows, which …

In the 18th century, Russia entered the grand stage of European history. It threw aside its "primitive Easternness", and did …

The Bright Seven Days The first week of Easter is like an extended single day of feasting. Joyful and bright. …

In my second novel (tentatively titled The Garden in the Heart of the World), one of the characters is given a …

As I’ve begun to delve deeply into my second novel, I’m considering using the time of the year as a contrast to the characters’ …

A criticism of an early version of my first novel was that it was not grounded enough, too “out there,” too interested in the …

Something a little lighter this week. I generally like to have a vivid mental picture of events and places and people before I …

Did you know that Columbus was looking for a mysterious Christian king of India when he stumbled upon the New World? Most people …