Katie Bachelder

The Name Game Book Tag

You know, with a name so common and short as “Katie,” I really did trick myself into thinking this was going to be an easy one, but nope! My bookshelf is still waiting to be filled out, at least with physical books. Most of the books I’ve read throughout my bookish career, I borrowed from…

Katie Bachelder

August 14, 2020

Blog-Tag posts, For Fun :)

book tag, books, Christopher Paolini, Fantasy, Hank Green, Kristin Cashore, Leigh Bardugo, The Name Gamee

The Red(dit)est of Hot Takes

Today I wanted to try a new type of blog, one that’s based off some fun videos some of my favorite YouTubers have posted. Primarily, I got the idea from Fantasy News host Daniel Greene, who asks his viewers for some hot takes that he reacts to. So I went on Reddit, looked up some…

Katie Bachelder

August 12, 2020

For Fun :)

controversy, epic fantasy, Fantasy, hot takes, magic, reddit, setting, world-building

Let’s Talk Tropes: The Chosen One

Welcome to what I hope will be the first of a series of posts focused on tropes common in the fantasy genre. So if you enjoy the post, be sure to leave a like, and while you’re there, feel free to recommend what other tropes you think I should discuss. First, a definition is in…

Katie Bachelder

August 10, 2020

For Writers: Builder’s Theory, Reading Reflections

chosen one, Christopher Paolini, Eragon, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, prophecy, Throne of Glass, tropes, Wheel of Time

Choosing the Opacity of Your World-Building

Among the multitude of differences that separate the practice of reading from the art of writing, especially when it comes to the fantasy/science fiction genres, one of the hardest to reconcile is that of world-building. For a reader, the setting cannot take center stage. Even for someone like me, who loves to explore new settings…

Katie Bachelder

August 7, 2020

For Writers: Builder’s Theory, Reading Reflections

epic fantasy, Fantasy, fantasy writing, Graceling, Kristin Cashore, Robert Jordan, setting, Three Dark Crowns, Wheel of Time, world-building, writing, writing tips

My Five Favorite YA Fantasy Relationships (And What Makes Them So Good)

Romance. It sounds a bit extreme to say a romance subplot can make or break a novel, but the truth is, they can. In YA fantasy, especially, relationships are often either too insta-lovey, abusive, or both. Admittedly, most romance subplots, I’ll just read over and ignore, not feeling the chemistry between the love interests. Sometimes,…

Katie Bachelder

August 5, 2020

For Fun :), Reading Reflections

Bitterblue, books, Cassandra Clare, Fantasy, Graceling, Infernal Devices, Kristin Cashore, Leigh Bardugo, lunar chronicles, maggie stiefvater, OTP, romance, scorpio races, Six of Crows, tropes, young adult

The Middle Grade Reread Challenge

I’ve always been a book nerd, even when I was young. The kind that read on the schoolbus, that always went to the library during a free period, that sneakily read books by the light that seeped under the crack of my bedroom door at night. Some of them, such as the likes of The…

Katie Bachelder

August 3, 2020

For Fun :)

Imaginarium Geographica, Inkheart, James A. Owen, Kate DiCamillo, reading, reading challenge, Shannon Hale, Tale of Despereaux

Writing Program Review: Campfire Pro

Back in April (what feels like a lifetime ago), I wrote up a review on the yWriter program I’ve been using for writing-related projects. As I go through making revisions for my current WiP, I decided now is a good time to take a look at Campfire Pro and how useful it’s been for both…

Katie Bachelder

July 31, 2020

Uncategorized

books, Campfire Pro, daniel greene, Fantasy, fantasy writing, novel writing, novels, world-building, writing

Five Types of Magic Systems

Although magic is not a requirement for fantasy settings, they are a staple of the genre. When it comes to how new and unique a novel’s magic system is, well, they can be just as varied as fantasy as a genre. Yet there are a few categories that most magic systems either fall into or…

Katie Bachelder

July 29, 2020

For Writers: Builder’s Theory, Reading Reflections

Christopher Paolini, Chronicles of Narnia, epic fantasy, Fantasy, Graceling, hard magic, His Dark Materials, magic, Pullman, soft magic, urban fantasy, Wheel of Time

Story-Beat Study: A Song Below Water

Last week, I did a setting study of the urban fantasy novel A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow. Today, we return to it to study its pacing. The novel is relatively short in length–my hardback copy is 286 pages long–and it is divided up into a neat 20 chapters. Before we get too…

Katie Bachelder

July 27, 2020

On Stories and Ethics, Reading Reflections

a song below water, bethany c. morrow, black lives matter, BLM, plot, portland, story-beat study, writing

Forgotten TBR Book Tag!

Continuing on in our book tag spirit of these past few weeks, I have another one that I wanted to do. It was originally from jamishelves, who titled it “Books I Want to Read But Don’t Want to Read.” The idea for all of these books are ones that you wish you had under your…

Katie Bachelder

July 24, 2020

Blog-Tag posts, For Fun :)

book blogger, book tag, books, Jane Austin, Leigh Bardugo, Name of the Wind, Patrick Rothfuss, Samantha Shannon, Suzanne Collins, Victoria Aveyard