“Based on a substantial body of experimental
evidence, we can state with a high degree
of confidence that real magic exists”
– Prof. Dean Radin, Chief Scientist of the
Institute of Noetic Sciences
 
The nature of reality extends beyond the physical world.  But what if there’s a greater cosmic truth, what has been alluded to in secret and sacred histories and has been described by many writers such as Jonathan Black – a world of knowledge, practices and extraordinary abilities that have been kept alive through ages by ritualized religion, psychic mediumship and direct mystical experiences? 

​In Real Magic, Prof. Dean Radin explores magic from an evidence-based scientific perspective. His chief concern is the investigation of psychic phenomena (psi), the study of which comes under the discipline of parapsychology. ​As Nikola Tesla famously said on the subject: ​“The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries of its existence.”

At the heart of all great genre fiction you will  find a great premise. Back in 2001, author Philip Reeve created a a marvelously original world set in the far future where our civilization has gone and is replaced with cities which have been rebuilt as massive vehicles that hunt smaller cities and towns. In this world,  centuries after a devastating '60-minute war', life has changed and societal structures reset  to such a great extent that much of human history, aside from discovered and 'rediscovered' technological innovations, has been largely forgotten. I speak of course of Mortal Engines.

Publishing simultaneously with the release of the Mortal Engines motion picture is the prequel novella, Night Flights, which explores the back story of Anti-traction League Agent and airship pilot, Anna Fang. For the full interview and story feature, please read or download the Scribd Document below.

Philip Reeve's current written project is a sci fi trilogy which follows the adventures of the rebel and thief, Zen Starling, who hails from a backwater industrial town. He travels to other planets to purloin wares  via  sentient trains which travel on a hyperspace railways that lead through worm-made 'K-gate' portals. But soon his luck begins to change when he finds himself employed by a mysterious figure called Raven.

 The trilogy begins with Railhead and is followed by books two and three: Blacklight Express and Station Zero. All books, including those written in the world of Mortal Engines, are currently available in all bookstores.

For this interview, I reached out to Internationally acclaimed author, Kevin  J. Anderson, to talk about  his short fiction, how he got started publishing professionally and how he tames the writing monster. 

Besides an impressive career, which includes writing in the expansive worlds of the Star Wars EU, X Files and the Dune Series, KJA has helped create many other fictional worlds . He's  published around 150 short stories, has worked on comics, graphic novels and anthologies, and has produced his own novel-sized adventures such as  his sequel space opera trilogy, The Saga of the Seven Suns. 

To discover more, scroll down to read  the interview and 'The Dark Between the Stars' Feature.  For more fantastic fiction by Kevin J Anderson, you can follow him on Twitter @TheKJA, like the official Facebook Page, Kevin J. Anderson, or contact him through his publishing website wordfire.com

Art has the ability to influence our perception of story settings, heroes, heroines and villains. Done with earnest passion and creative insight, they often leave a stamp on our minds which we sometimes recall far more vividly than anything else.

​John Coulthart is an award-winning fantasy artist who was recently nominated for the Gemmell Award for his work on Under the Pendulum Sun by Jeannette Ng. His art has appeared in many publications including Barnes & Noble, Tor Books, and  Angry Robot. 
​
​Aspiring artists and writers alike can find out more about his impressive contributions by reading the written interview-feature below on Scribr. Or alternatively, click the featured cover art to find out more information about the books. 

You can view his collection of work in its entirety at johncoulthart.com

 From the very beginning of Moonshine, we are plunged into an alternate timeline of America’s roaring twenties. Ashland’s Soot City is wreathed in the otherworldly. The atmosphere is all volcanic smog and watercoloured nights. Gas lit alleyways shine light on the clientele spilling out of disreputable establishments at twilight. Jalopies race through the streets. Spells are cast. It’s a veritable breeding ground for cloak and dagger and morbid crimes done in the dark.

What is most impressive about Jasmine Gower’s debut fantasy romance is the magic weaved into every sentence. The imagery lingers and character’s motives keep readers guessing.  To read more about this spellbinding novel set in a warped version of Chicago, check out the full interview and feature below. 

Jennette Ng's descriptive powers helped to build the mist-wreathed, mysterious land of Arcadia. There are times when the 'real' crosses over into delightful absurdism that reminds readers of the work of Lewis Carol or Hayao Miyazaki. But above all one of the most captivating elements of this book is its novel and alluring premise: Victorian missonairies travel to the Faelands to convert the fae folk to Christianity.

Under the Pendulum Sun is a newly-released Victorian Gothic fantasy, published by Angry Robot. The story follows Catherine Helstone who travels from Yorkshire to Arcadia to find out what happened to her brother, the resident Reverend of Gethsemane castle. Scroll below to read the full author interview and discover more about this unusual tale in the feature article.