Journal – Page 2 – John Murzycki, Author

January 4, 2024

Welcome to 2024

And so, a new adventure begins. I hope you had a wonderful holiday and decided on all your New Year’s resolutions. If so, I wish you the best in keeping them for the year.

As for me, I’m not much of a resolution-type of person. Just as in my writing style, I prefer to take things as they come along without sticking to a plan.

With some luck and hard work, we will find happiness and success in 2024. At least that’s my wish. As in previous years, I’ll spend as much time as possible writing the next installment in The Story of Elthea’s Realm series.

November 14, 2023

The Magic of Words

Have you ever considered the magic mere words can have when strung together in a novel? I don’t necessarily mean the sorcery or witchcraft in a supernatural or fantasy story.

I’m referring to the feeling you get from a good book, whether it’s happiness, wonder, surprise, or whatever the emotion.

Most people read fiction because they want to experience something from the story.

Many readers love getting swept away to another place and time. Maybe it’s the excitement of seeing a hero or heroine overcome insurmountable odds. Or perhaps you like twists and turns and shocking surprises.

September 19, 2023September 19, 2023

Why Some Novels Are So Easy To Read

The photo above was taken at my desk where I am working on my latest novel.

I once heard a writing coach say that the easiest novels to read are often the ones that authors worked the hardest on.

My novels take a long time to produce because I spend so much effort fine-tuning the little things that the reader will never notice. Every author has a million choices to make as the story progresses, and those choices make the difference between a dull story and a book that you can’t stop reading.

August 22, 2023August 22, 2023

My Most-Cherished Books

In this journal post, I am excited to share a list of my all-time favorite books, spanning beyond just the past year or so. These are the books that have captured my heart and that I have remembered through time.

I once heard someone say that books provide a view into a reader’s soul, and the ones readers choose can tell a lot about them. So, I’d like to share some of my most cherished books with you. Looking at this tally is like taking a snapshot of who I am.

I’ll begin with those most recently read and work my way back. Let me know if we have any in common, or even better, if you have recommendations of books I should consider.

July 18, 2023July 19, 2023

Starting a New Novel

As an author, starting a new novel can be both thrilling and intimidating. Right now, I’m spending my summer writing the initial chapters of an upcoming book. At this point, I am taking a bit of a departure from writing the next book in The Story of Elthea’s Realm series—which will be Book 5.

Currently, I’m working on a story that takes place in Elthea’s Realm universe, but it’s set before the first book in the series. This particular time was crucial as the Bots and other great races engaged in a major war, which the Bots almost won. Although I mentioned these events in the first book, it was only in the narrative. This era is now known as the first significant conflict with the Bots.

June 29, 2023

Creating Fantasy Fiction

People often ask me, “Why did you decide to write fantasy fiction?” The other question I often get is, “How do you come up with ideas for your stories?”

So, today, I pull back the curtain just a little to show you what’s behind my books and what inspired me. This won’t answer all your questions, but it will give you a peek into why I write and what I think about as I develop a manuscript.

Why Do It: Everyone has a passion in life—that one thing you want to accomplish more than anything else. For me, it has always been to write fiction (at least since I was in college). I had worked as a communications and marketing manager in the corporate world for many years, which paid the bills. Eventually, I pursued my passion and wrote the story I had secretly worked on for decades.

May 16, 2023

Artificial Intelligence Is No Longer Science Fiction

Not that long ago, artificial intelligence was a topic limited to science fiction novels and movies. That is no longer the case. AI is here, it will change many aspects of our lives, and it’s not going away.

AI systems are generally more intelligent than humans and are already beginning to change our society in many ways.

Experts with more knowledge about the subject are debating AI’s positive and negative ramifications–something we all should pay close attention to. AI has the potential to transform society by improving human creativity. However, it also comes with a serious risk of misuse and societal disruptions that could have dire consequences.

April 17, 2023April 17, 2023

The Satisfaction of Publishing a New Book

This may take a while for me to get over. Those of you who have been with me for a while know I do not release books rapidly. When writing a novel, I take the time to reflect on every sentence to ensure it conveys the right emotion and meaning.

So, please forgive me for still celebrating the publication of my latest story Elthea’s Nemesis. During the rest of the year, I have little hard news to speak about. After all, there are so many times I can say, “I’m still writing (or editing) a manuscript. So stay tuned for more.”

March 20, 2023

Release Date Approaches

Elthea’s Nemesis, Book 4 in The Story of Elthea’s Realm, is nearly here. Yippee! The next installment in the series will be available in the next week.

This is both an exciting and nervous time for me. Finally, after spending months upon months writing and perfecting my latest novel, it is nearly ready for publication. Elthea’s Nemesis will be ready to order online at your favorite bookseller.

Putting a new book out in the world for others to judge is scary. But, after spending so much time wrestling with words, typing them out one after another until somehow the chapters come together in an imaginative story, I’m ready to push it out for others to read.

January 26, 2023

My Resolution for 2023

The New Year is already a month old. Have you given up on your resolution yet? Did you even make one?

Until today, I hadn’t either. But I had a change of heart when I started thinking about this post. What to write? Too bad I wasn’t doing this a few weeks ago, I said to myself. That would have been perfect timing for a New Year’s article.

Better late than never. So, here’s my pledge for 2023: more reading and more writing.

“Wait a minute,” you might say. “Aren’t those things you enjoy? That’s no resolution.”