Writers often think in images before they think in words. The Gothic tradition, especially, thrives on atmosphere—the echo of footsteps in stone corridors, the hush of snow in dark forests, the shiver of candlelight across stained glass. A moodboard gathers these fragments together, not just as decoration but as a map of tone, setting, and emotional resonance. For my work-in-progress…

Stories that linger in our minds rarely do so because of their monsters. It isn’t the teeth and claws, the dripping fangs or ominous castles that make gothic tales resonate — it’s the people who walk willingly into the dark. Their choices, flaws, fears, and longings are what make us care whether they live, die, or worse, become the very creatures they hunt.

When we hear the name Elizabeth Báthory, most of us conjure images of a vampiric noblewoman bathing in the blood of virgins to preserve her youth. She has been immortalized in horror films, Gothic novels, heavy metal lyrics, and countless Halloween retellings as the "Blood Countess," a monstrous figure rivaling Dracula in notoriety. But how much of this gruesome legend is fact, and how much is the product of centuries of exaggeration, folklore, and political intrigue?

Rain pours through the bare branches, painting the road slick and in shadow. This is where The Countess begins. My current work in progress is a Gothic fantasy horror inspired by one of history’s most chilling figures—Countess Elizabeth Bathory. The name alone carries whispers of cruelty, decadence, and the unspeakable. But my telling is not a dry retelling of history—it’s a descent into a world where myth, nightmare, and truth intertwine until you can no longer tell them apart.

In the ever-expanding universe of speculative fiction, stories rooted in diverse mythologies are more than just refreshing — they’re essential. South Asian mythology, with its rich pantheon of gods, epics, monsters, and moral complexities, has become fertile ground for fantasy and sci-fi writers seeking to break away from Eurocentric narratives. Whether it’s the ancient tales of the Mahabharata or the mystical traditions of Sufism and regional folklore, these cultural touchstones are being reimagined in brilliant new ways.

A letter to my child. I hope the gait of my walk, The sway of my arms, And the way I carry myself, Does not fill you with the same dread, I feel when I see someone who walks like my mother. I hope you always feel Comfort and Safety When I am near.

When I first started building my fantasy world, I wasn’t thinking about magic systems. I was thinking about stories. Characters. Landscapes. Emotions. I was scribbling maps in notebooks and dreaming up lost civilisations, not deciding how many fireballs a mage could throw in a day. But slowly, as the bones of the world took shape, I realised that magic needed to feel just as alive and rooted as everything else.

Tips, Prompts, and Crystals for Aspiring Authors Have you always felt a story stirring inside you, but haven’t yet found the time, courage, or inspiration to begin? Whether you’re dreaming of writing a novel, journaling more consistently, or finally starting that blog, you’re not alone. Beginning the writing journey is as much a mindset shift as it is a craft.

Moonlight bleeds through the bare branches, painting the road in silver and shadow. This is where The Countess begins. My current work in progress is a gothic fantasy horror inspired by one of history’s most chilling figures—Countess Elizabeth Bathory. The name alone carries whispers of cruelty, decadence, and the unspeakable. But my telling is not a dry retelling of history—it’s a descent into a world where myth, nightmare, and truth intertwine until you can no longer tell them apart.

A poems life, Is death defying. From gravestones to obituaries, From morning sunlight to Dew sprinkled grass. Eternal. Nestled in the corners where light cannot Reach, Yet reaching across landscapes In golden ribbons. A poems life Is death defying Twisted as sinews around love forsaken hearts. Wrapped up as presents with glee and smiles. Eternal. Resting in the hands of the toughest carpenter. Grasped inside a babes palm. Breathed into the start And into the end.

There’s a particular magic in reading a story that whisks you light-years away from Earth—or hundreds of feet underground, to a dwarven forge where magic hums through metal. Whether it's set in a future teetering on the edge of AI or a mythic realm where gods walk among mortals, speculative fiction—science fiction and fantasy—takes us places our daily reality cannot.