Jim Stitzel
Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of WordsExcerpts from Life
Fear, Faith, and Writing Dark Fiction
Several years ago, someone once asked me how I resolved having faith in God with writing dark fiction. Much of the fiction I've written over the years has put characters in dark, hopeless corners where death, either their own or someone they loved, or worse was...
The Casual Gamer: Destiny First Look Alpha
For a week and a half, I was privileged to be able to play BUNGiE’s First Look Alpha build of their upcoming new title Destiny. This has been one of my most anticipated gaming titles, and being able to get a sneak peek at their next big thing was an amazing experience. With the lifting of the media embargo last week, there are already a _lot_ of resources out there to get a sense of what _Destiny_ is all about, so I won’t rehash those. A quick Google search will turn up a wealth of information about this new IP. I _do_, however, want to add my own take on the game with regard to what I most enjoyed about the Alpha and what I’m most looking forward to about the finished game.
When Melancholy Becomes Something Else
Earlier this morning, I sent this to Twitter: https://twitter.com/stitzelj/statuses/473785022789718016 It seems I spoke too soon because my mood has deteriorated since then. Tears have been threatening -- and occasionally more than threatening -- to spill over all...
Fiction
The Mountain
"Getting old," the mountain grumbled. It had been sitting in place for thousands of years. Weather had eroded its face, so that it was pockmarked and worn. Snow capped its head, while trees adorned its feet. "Time to go for a walk," it rumbled to itself. It lifted its...
The Crone and the Choice
Please give me a decent choice, I thought, as I walked the path to the crone's hut. The old hag lived outside the village, an outcast to everyone but herself. But she was known to give choices to those who sought her out, choices that could change your fate, both for...
The Dragon
The day the dragon arrived, our whole concept of government changed. The dragon took up residence in the hills just outside of town. We all saw it fly overhead and land, and there was a general air of concern around town as we didn't yet know the dragon's intent....