Candle and Quill
The Candle and Quill was a series of monthly creative writing collections, published from 2017-2018. Originally planned as a Patreon project, all five issues were also sold on the Smashwords website in ebook format. As of October 2021, the individual issues have been pulled from sale. They will return, compiled into a compendium of short stories at a later date.
Each Candle and Quill issue features an array of short-stories, novel chapters, creative writing, and writing tips. Please click an issue below for more information about its specific content, or scroll down for a synopsis of each story and article.
Candle and Quill Issues for 2017
Candle and Quill Issues for 2018
Index of story content
Creative Writing
Dandelion:Beneath an unseasonably warm sun and upon a gentle breeze, the seed of a Dandelion begins its journey. From far below, the bustle of a city carries the sounds of commerce, and the streets ripple amidst the swelter. Where will the winds of fate guide this lone seed?
Featured in Issue 01.
Refuge:An angry surf crests beneath a stormy sky, and its waves crash upon a shore of amethyst sand. Defended by walls weathered by a thousand brackish rains, the fires of home crackle while savage winds howl in angry protest.
Featured in Issue 02.
Short Stories
The Narrow Road:Lee and Julia live down a winding dirt road, deep in the country. In lands steeped in the history of sharecropping and slavery, something lurks in the darkness. Amidst the coldness of night and upon the toll of an old bell, its tithe is collected.
Featured in Issue 01.
Sight:After the loss of his wife and child, Adam retreats to the online world of an MMO. While logged on one night, an unknown player offers him a chance to see his loved ones once more. It can only be some kind of trick or scam, right?
Featured in Issue 02.
Pareidolia:An experimental treatment promises Renata the ability to see after a lifetime of blindness. While it may be a hard opportunity to refuse, Renata soon learns that there are some things in this world better left unseen.
Featured in Issue 05.
Eureka:In a world of perpetual snow, Toma explores the ruins of humanity while in search of answers. Where did he come from? Why does the ghostly tower in the distance beckon to him with nostalgic whispers?
Featured in Issue 03.
Last Flight of the Solaris:Several years ago, the Lutian ship Solaris sunk into the abyss after a critical malfunction. While official reports state the entirety of the crew survived unscathed, rumors tell another tale.
Featured in Issue 04.
Novellas
The Serpent’s Coil: Cas was robbed of his family, his home, and his voice, as a result of the noble hunts. Now, from the depths of the Serpent’s coil, he plans his revenge. When Cas saves a young woman named Karen from noble hunters however, his need for vengeance begins to change into something more. What was once a bid for blood, becomes a struggle for redemption and freedom. A side-story from the Gemsong Saga universe.
Featured in Issues 01, 02, 03.
Signals:In a small town washed in the fiery reds of autumn, an old man tinkers inside his workshop. When the radio he repairs picks up a strange signal transmitted from outside of the pass, questions are raised and faith is tested. Is there truly nothing beyond the icy mists that surround this town? If there is, why can’t anyone remember it?
Featured in Issues 03, 04, 05.
Opal Lagoon:In the fading light, the ghostly glow of faeries dance above frigid waters. Even while cold winds blow across the shoreline, a young girl named Irrika prays, undeterred. May the faeries carry her wishes to her father, so that he might watch over her while she endures her struggle. One day, she will live a life upon the water, just as he did. And one day, she will see him again.
Featured in Issues 04, 05.
Original Novel Chapter
Ten Nights: It is human nature to peer into the darkness, and to wonder about the unknown. When we feel a twinge of panic and the coursing of adrenaline in our veins, we convince ourselves it is but the product of our imagination. For a young boy named David however, it is the darkness itself that hungrily peers into him.
Ten nights follows the childhood and life of David as he is plagued across the country, and through the decades by an unknown presence. While it once fed upon fear, the presence now hungers for something more.
Featured in Issues 01, 02, 03, 04, 05.
Sample Novel Chapter
A Boy Named Zephyr: The first entry in the Gemsong Saga series. On the eve of his birthday, young Zephyr finds the only life he has ever known torn away from him. Forced to run from his home, Zephyr is left on the docks of an old service bay within the labyrinthine slums of the Rubbards. It is here that Zephyr is taken under the wing of the dock master, and his eyes are opened to a way of life he never even knew existed.
As Zephyr struggles to make a life for himself however, strange powers thought lost to the mists of time begin to manifest within him. Though they may make him a target, Zephyr’s powers also offer the promise of freedom for a world locked beneath nearly a century of noble tyranny.
Featured in Issues 01, 02, 03, 04, 05.
Writing Tips
These articles talk about the tips and tricks I use to help me work and create. From tips on how to stay motivated, to methods for improving productivity, these writing tips are meant to help you write better while enjoying it more.
Extras
Gemsong Saga Atlas: These articles help shed light on the history behind the various places and regions found in the Gemsong Saga universe. While not essential to the story, these extras help additional detail to the world not found in the books. Information found in these articles is taken from the official Gemsong Saga Website.
Gemsong Saga Characters: These articles contain back-story and interesting notes about the various characters featured in the Gemsong Saga series. In addition, many characters featured in side-stories can also be found here. Information found in these articles is taken from the official Gemsong Saga Website.
Gemsong Saga Lore: Learn more about the mysterious legends and lore found in the Gemsong Saga universe. Information found in these articles is taken from the official Gemsong Saga Website.