A Warm Welcome

Why choose Flashing Swords as a title for this particular blog?

Flashing Swords! was a series of fantasy anthologies published by Dell Books from 1973 to 1981 under the editorship of Lin Carter.  It showcased the heroic fantasy work of the members of what was then called the Swordsmen and Sorcerers’ Guild of America (SAGA).  This was an informal literary group that existed from the 1960s to the 1980s of which Carter was the guiding force.  Most of the important and influential fantasy writers of the time were members of SAGA.

Many of the stories that were published in this five-volume series were published for the first time.  These include a Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser story by Fritz Leiber in #1, a Dying Earth story by Jack Vance in #1, the first part of Poul Anderson’s The Merman’s Children appeared in #1, and lastly an Amalric the Mangod story by Lin Carter was also published in this first book.

What do all of these authors have in common besides the weight of unbearable talent?  They all appear in the infamous Appendix N found in the back of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.  The first edition Dungeon Master’s Guide was written by Gary Gygax and published in 1979 and he credits the list of author’s in Appendix N as being an inspirational source for the game. Role-playing games, in particular what some like to dub “old school” role-playing games, have been enjoying somewhat of a renaissance and resurgence over the past decade.

Little did Gygax realize that he would create a game that would take the entire world by storm and the hobby shows no signs of abating but instead appears to be getting stronger.

I suddenly find myself immersed in the hobby again and I wanted to create a space where I could express my voice through writing.  A popular suggestion by successful writers is that if you want to become better at writing then you should write OFTEN and at least EVERY day.  I want to use this blog to begin that very endeavor and to organize my own thoughts and materials as I dive back into a hobby that has been a passion of mine for decades. This blog will focus on swords & sorcery, fantasy, science fiction, and horror.  There will be an emphasis on role-playing and the many different iterations of role-playing games both past and present.   I can think of no better title than one shared with an anthology series made up of talented individuals who had such a huge impact on the genre and hobby.

So welcome.  I hope that you grab your favorite beverage, pull up a seat by the hearth, and decide to stay awhile.  I look forward to hearing your voice too, dear reader, because experiences are best when shared and I suspect this is what elevates the role-playing experience to a burning passion for many.