By now you’ve probably seen that old questions people ask writers so regularly – where do you get your ideas?

In this instance I can actually answer. I was inspired to write my new book for Pathfinder Tales by an interesting spot on the map of their game world. I’ve long admired the way Paizo seamlessly blended story hooks into their settings, and when I sat down to think about the location of my third novel set in Golarion I was drawn to a strange little coastland far to the south.

I don’t like writing where a lot of people have already gone. Not only is there even more background material to read – and a greater potential to miss something — it feels like I have less room to simply make stuff up, which is one of the big appeals of writing for a living. Continue reading →