What do I want to read?

It’s probably no surprise that I’ve written the exact book that I want to buy. I always approached this project from the perspective of, ‘I am writing for myself, first. For the market, second.’

Now that you know what I’m like, and where me and my imagination come from, you can get to know WHAT I like. Heroes. I said. I have a nostalgia for the traditional hero trope. And I suppose a traditional hero trope needs a traditional antagonist and traditional medieval damsel too, for it to be called 'traditional'. I also like epic worlds with political intrigue, characters who are twisty with underlying motives and agendas, and tactical and strategic dynamics weaving through plot and character. Brotherly camaraderie is another thing that I hold a certain kind of nostalgia for. Die-hard loyalty and bawdy banter. Give me that. Not so big on the romance stuff though… that might surprise you. Romance, to me, is actually a bit pukey. Unless it’s going to really hurt me in the heart. Haha, sorry. As for fantasy... mmm... depends what it is. I don't want more elves. One person already did them beautifully-well and that's all the elves I'll ever want. Tired of the over-worked mechanics of magical systems explained to me too. I want something different from fantasy. But I'm not sure that I am sure about what that is. Maybe the word I'm looking for is mystical? I do like epic journeys though! Oh, make me escape on an adventure with the characters! I want to know if they make it!

Give me Lord of the Rings! The Hobbit. Give me A Game of Thrones. Give me The Name of the Wind. Spectacular stories, epic in their own right, that when I finish reading them I feel like they’ve left me stranded in the real world, asking why real-life can’t be anything else but what it is. 

And yes that's a copy of The Silmarillion in that picture on my home page - second edition.

This may or may not be me.  I may have been death on page 1 but now it's page 2 and shall we just say I have undergone character development?