Welcome to Plot Points, where I share fantasy-related media, books, non-fiction pieces, and various forms of entertainment that have caught my attention for one reason or another. If I share them here, know that I think theyāre worthy of note.Ā
Iām always open to recommendations, so if thereās something fantasy-related (this includes books, podcasts, videos, artwork, games, music, video channels, newsletters, and magazines) that you think I should know about, drop me a line. Iāll make sure to give you a shoutout in the next issue of Plot Points, too!
First off, let me apologize for the late release of Marchās episode. Unexpected parental medical issues have thrown everything into chaos. Here, finally, is Marchās issue of Plot Points.
Many thanks to:Ā
Elnora Fareman for her recommendation of Marie-Louise von FranzĀ
Stace Dumoski for her recommendation of Dr. Sharon BlackieĀ
The Brothers Krynn for their recommendations of Josh Tatter, and AJ Stevens
T.J. Fisher for their recommendation of āMarrow & Soulā
Sue Bonnick for her recommendation of Sarah J Maas
Karen F. Williams for her recommendation of āFire Weatherā by John Valiant (although not fantasy, Iāll read it anyway!)
Kristine Kathryn Rusch for her recommendation of āThe Spare Manā
Did you hear about the fighter who broke apart his armor and sent it to ten friends?Ā
It was chain mail
Non-Fiction (Articles, Newsletters, Books, etc)
The Enchanted Life: Unlocking the Magic of the Everyday by Sharon Blackie
Lord of the Ring's "Of TĆŗrin Turambar" Is Darker Than Anything In Game Of Thrones
Iāve never seen much of GOT, (unless clips on YouTube count, which they donāt) but I do know it was pretty dark, so I was intrigued to see how Tolkienās work measured up against Martinās. Clearly, I need to start listening to the Silmarillion! Poor Turinā¦
Brandon Sanderson Uses His Clout to Get a New Royalty Structure From Audible
Sanderson reports: ā...new minimum royalty rates for authorsā¦improved over the previous onesā¦a system that pays more predictably on each credit spent, and that is more transparent for authors.ā For all the details, visit his blog.
And for a deep dive into Sandersonās success (because I canāt help but peek under the proverbial hood)...
God or No God, Brandon Sanderson is The Current King of Fantasy
From the article, āNot only are his books easy to read, filled with fast pacing and exciting plots, but they also have a little extra which makes them special: they have heart and scope. The heart is in the characters, themes, and intriguing worlds. The scope is in the interconnected nature of his stories, mostly taking place in The Cosmere, Sandersonās fictional universe.ā
I donāt know about you, but I adore losing myself in a universe vast enough to eat up hours and days of my time!Ā
Digital Media (YouTube, Podcasts, Movies, etc)
The channel of Rick Hertel, an illustrator, mapmaker, worldbuilder, painter and writer. Rickās Creations is a fascinating and inspiring YouTube channel. One that is incredibly popular despite the relatively few videos heās posted. But what he does have is spellbinding, engrossing and so rewatchable itās almost addicting. Start with this video, then go watch some of his others. Then you can subscribe and tell him I sent you.
Fiction (This doesnāt need explaining, does it?)
Iāve started 2 books this month (Well, more than that actually, but the others were historical fiction and one WLW action/adventure. While they were all very good, they donāt fit for inclusion into a fantasy-themed environment)
Canāt Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
And
A Sweet Sting of Salt by Rose Sutherland.Ā
When a sharp cry wakes Jean, the sole midwife in Barquerās Bay, Nova Scotia, in the middle of the night, sheās convinced it must have been a dream. But when the cry comes again, Jean ventures outside during a terrible tempest and is shocked by what she discoversāa young woman in labour, barely able to speak a word of English. Jean can only assume she must be Muirin, the new wife of her neighbour up the road, but when the baby arrives, Jean is only left with more questions. Why is the baby so unusual? And why is Muirin's husband so fearful of his wife and newborn son spending time by the sea?
Itās still too early to tell whether Iāll enjoy either, but I have high expectations! Iāll let you know what I think in the next issue of Plot Points.
If youād like to support An Enchanted Life, you can do that either through leaving me a tip at Ko-Fi or by becoming a paid subscriber here at Substack! Either way, I appreciate each and every one of you!
In the meantime, Iād love to know what you read and enjoyed in March!
Thanks for the shout out!
And the dad joke š
This month's rec from me is The Spear Cuts Through Water, by Simon Jimenez. It's the BFSA 2023 winner, for good reason! I could tell you more, but discovery is half the fun with this book.