Fun Castle Fact: Forte di San Leo Did you know the walls were specifically slanted to make cannonballs bounce off rather than explode on impact.. Location: San Leo, Italy Year Rebuilt: 1441 Size: Perched on a 600m sheer cliff. #funfact #castlehistory #italy

My thanks to Paul Semel for the conversation about The Malevolent Eight, the price of magic, and the hazards of asking unreliable mages to behave heroically. Read it here: paulsemel.com/exclusive-in... #TheMalevolentEight

I’m fortunate to be good friends with two of my favourite historical fiction writers. One of those is the remarkable C.C. Humphreys whose latest book is a joy to read. #latestread #booktalk

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. I’m reliably informed its one of the greatest works of fiction ever written and the only way I’m likely to get through its 1072 pages is if I’m trapped on a desert island. #fridayvibe #bookchat

“What you blithely name a rodent, my Totemic magic reveals as a potent ally whose noble spirit lends cunning to my spells.” — Aradeus Mozen #magic #fantasy

Fun Castle Fact: Spis Castle Did you know that Spis Castle is a "concentric" fortress with layers like an onion? Breaking one wall just trapped the enemy in a "killing zone" viewed from the wall above. Location: Žehra, Slovakia Renaissance Remodel: 1500s #castlefact #historyfact

Had a great time with Guy Windsor on The Sword Guy Podcast! We explored writing sword fights—capturing the fear and strategy. 🎭🗡️ Listen here: swordschool.shop/blogs/podcas... #SebastienDeCastell #TheSwordGuyPodcast #SwordFighting #WritingCraft #FantasyBooks

When Tyrant’s Throne was published, I remember telling people that it wasn’t just the hardest book I’d ever written but the hardest thing I’d ever done. Re-reading it now after all these years, I think it’s become my favourite of the series. #currentlyreading #mondayvibes

I’ve often put little homages to The Princess Bride in my books, and Wesley’s classic line, “No one of consequence,” fit so perfectly here that it became a central aspect of the book and its themes. You can never go wrong by injecting a little Princess Bride into your story. #fridayvibes

Tempestoral mages, or Thunderers, aren't about patience—they're all about the spectacle! ⚡️ Who doesn’t love a thrilling lightning strike? Corrigan Blight knows what’s up! #TheMalevolentSeries #SebastienDeCastell #FantasyBooks #DarkFantasy #MagicSystem

Fun Castle Fact: Stirling Castle Did you know the "Stirling Heads" (oak medallions) was the first-ever depiction of a person of African descent in Scottish art. Location: Stirling, Scotland Year Built: 1538 Size: Built atop a volcanic crag. #castlehistory #castlefact

Thanks to Summer Brooks and @sliceofscifi.com for an amazing chat! We explored The Malevolent Eight, the grey areas of morality, and what’s next in The Malevolent Nine. 🎤✨ Listen here: www.writersafterdark.com/writers-afte... #TheMalevolentEight #SebastienDeCastell #WritersAfterDark #FantasyBooks

I've turned my past hobbies into careers, but now I'm enjoying real hobbies! 🛠️ Currently obsessed with my 3D printer, designing storage containers for my office drawers. #3DPrinting #Hobbies

Villains are intriguing when we understand their motivations. Castilis struggles to see others as human, making him both lonely and dangerous. #FridayVibes #Questions

Meet Cunien: 🏰 Duchy: Orison ⚔️ Weapon: Longsword 🎭 Symbol: Domino mask with a winking eye 🧭 Principle: Improvise when the law fails. The Greatcoat who made roguery respectable—any regrets? #Greatcoats #FantasyBooks #BookTalk #SebastienDeCastell

Did you know? 🏰 Malbork Castle in Poland was built with millions of bricks to absorb shock! It was only "captured" through financial bankruptcy, never in battle. Location: Malbork, Poland Year Expanded: 1466 Size: 52 acres (largest castle by area)! #History #CastleFact #DidYouKnow

For a long time, this was my favourite of the Greatcoats books, but I think that’s because it was the one where I most felt I’d found my stride as a novelist. I still love it almost a decade later, but now I’m leaning more towards Tyrant’s Throne as my favourite of the quartet.

I explored how historical judicial proceedings might change in a culture that views trial-by-combat as a sacred tradition, leading to concepts like sentencing and debtor’s duels. ⚔️ #FridayVibes #Questions

“All right, you hairless skinbag sons of bitches. Which one of you wants it first?” ~Reichis decastell.com/spellslinger #quote #spellslinger

As a kid, I got hooked on this wild game where you could swing swords or cast spells on epic quests. Advanced D&D will always be my favorite, even with its newer versions! 🎲⚔️ #DungeonsAndDragons #GamingNostalgia

Huge thanks to V. S. Holmes and The Amphibian Press Podcast for an insightful chat! We dove into existentialism in fantasy, character motivations, and the mirrors our stories hold to our lives. 🎙️✨ Listen here: pod.link/1428525334/e... #BookTalk #BookChat

After years of only playing the Vancouver Sun Run, I'm excited to perform at more gigs! Time to sharpen my skills and avoid tripping over the strings. 🎸 #MondayVibes #Musician

Not at all! Each book in the Court of Shadows series works as a standalone with its own main character and setting, so you can read the books in any order. #fridayvibes

“A saint is really only a little god, after all.” ~ Kest decastell.com/book/traitor... #characterquote #traitorsblade #writer

The zweihänder is a massive two-handed sword with a double-edged blade, used by Landsknecht Doppelsöldner in Renaissance battles. It delivered sweeping cuts to break spearpoints. ⚔️ #SwordFacts #HistoricalWeapons #RenaissanceCombat

Great chat with Civilian Reader about the Greatcoats series, Falcio’s idealism, and our journey with beloved characters. Reflecting on these tales is always rewarding! Read the interview here: civilianreader.com/2017/06/29/i... #Greatcoats #WritingCommunity

I wasn’t sure what to expect when re-reading the second Greatcoats book. I remember it being much darker than Traitor’s Blade, but I’d forgotten how wonderful it was to write Brasti’s personal journey from roguish braggart to . . . well, slightly more heroic braggart. #currentlyreading

Valiana, recently named heir to the Duchy of Rijou has a prominent role in the story, as does Darianna, whose confrontations with Lady Consequence were some of my favourite scenes to write. #booktalk #fantasy

Fun Castle Fact: Spis Castle Did you know the Spis Castle was a concentric fortress with layers like an onion... Breaking one wall just trapped the enemy in a "killing zone" viewed from the wall above. Location: Žehra, Slovakia Renaissance Remodel: 1500s Size: Over 41,000 #castlefact #history

“I am the King’s Spear and yes, you fucking sack of dirt, I am a Greatcoat.” ~ Talia decastell.com/book/saints-... #greatcoats #characterquote