T. Mark Mangum
Bio
I am T. Mark Mangum. I was hooked on the imagined, unfathomable worlds of Star Wars, Star Trek, Conan, The Hobbit, and many others early in life. I am a father of six; we have a cat and a dog. Tabletop gaming is a passion of mine.
Stories (8)
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A Cup Of Fiction
A Cup Of Fiction, Dark Magic Good day, my friends. It is a great day. It isn’t Thursday morning. I am writing this piece, but I thought we might enjoy chatting about interesting history. I enjoy chatting with you in the mornings. Did you know that way back when the Romans had an eight-day week called the Nundinal Cycle? The day E pronounced, Eh was associated with the Roman God Jupiter, King of the Gods. Meanwhile, back in the middle and northern European areas, the fourth day of the week, Thursday, if you consider Monday the first day of the week, got its name from its association with The Norse and Germanic God Thor. Pronounced Thorsdayg, it transitioned to the current pronunciation between 1100–1500 CE, with Thursday being the common by the late 1400s CE. Later, when the Romans adopted Christianity, they left behind the Nundinal eight-day cycle over a few hundred more years. They adapted their days to the seven-day week and associated Eh to Thursday as they saw similarities between Jupiter and Thor. Gods and ancient history bring me to the Creative Fiction writing topic for today’s A Cup of Fiction. Do the Norse and Roman Gods ever conjure visions of Dark Magic for you?
By T. Mark Mangumabout a year ago in Writers
A Cup of Fiction
A Cup of Fiction, Writing Adventures and Quests Good morning, storytellers! Grab your favorite mug and settle in. It is time we chat about the wonders of creative fiction writing and the grand adventure or perilous quest. I have said, as many before me have, that anything is possible in creative fantasy fiction writing. It doesn’t have to make sense or conform to physics as we know it today. As the sun rises, so too does the world of imagination. Are you ready to brew up something extraordinary? Here at A Cup of Fiction, I am all about infusing your storytelling experience with a dash of magic, a sprinkle of inspiration, and a good dose of creative know-how. So, sip that coffee or tea or whatever does it for you. Let’s dive into today’s topic of crafting grand adventures and quests that captivate and enchant your readers.
By T. Mark Mangumabout a year ago in Writers
A Cup of Fiction
A Cup of Fiction, Eco-Themes Hello, my wonderful friends, followers, readers, fans, and critics; may your day be fantastical, adventurous, and joyful. Let's have a savory cup of coffee; you get the morning beverage that suits your desires, and meet me back here at the screen. Today, let's discuss how authors can craft their fantasy fiction stories to address the troubling moral dilemmas of our age. Many authors throughout time have addressed complex ethical issues in their works of fiction. Today's topic is invasive and creeps into our conversation as many of us find the impact of the status quo disastrous.
By T. Mark Mangumabout a year ago in Writers
A Cup Of Fiction
A Cup of Fiction, Magic Realism Good morning, my lovelies. I started writing this episode on a Monday. I am not afraid to tell you all that I struggle with Mondays. But I have decided that Monday won't stop me from my goal, so here we go. Let me know if you struggle with Mondays as well. I will assume you do and that it is because of work, school, or some otherworldly endeavor that must be done. But if it is something else and you feel like sharing, leave a comment let us know what it is. Get a cup of your favorite morning beverage and join me as I dig into today's creative writing element. How can we turn the mundane of our everyday life into the fantastical world of the characters we create in our writing?
By T. Mark Mangumabout a year ago in Writers
A Cup of Fiction
A Cup of Fiction, Portal Fiction Hello, and Good morning. It is another fabulous day. Whatever your Morning entails, I hope you will make A Cup of Fiction a part of it. As I write this, it is a Sunday morning. At the moment, I am sipping a cup of coffee and pondering, what next? You will usually find me sitting, sipping, and reading a few Medium articles on Sunday mornings. Then, I will read a bit of whatever book I am currently into and ponder my own writing for the day. What does your Sunday morning look like? I enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing. If only we had more time. At the moment, I am reading a Speculative Fiction novel in the Subgenre category of Portal Fiction.
By T. Mark Mangumabout a year ago in Writers
A Cup of Fiction
Good morning to all of you lovely authors, readers, and followers. I hope your week went well. Breathe, you are a success, and more is yet to come. You are awesome, and my life is better because I know you. I enjoy reading your wonderful articles, stories, and poetry. I wish I had more time. I am thankful for those of you who follow me and take the time to read my works. Today, I feel like chatting about Epic Science Fiction and Fantasy writing. The term Epic refers to a subgenre of fantasy and science fiction literature characterized by a grand scale, complex plot, large cast of characters, and a deeply developed fictional world, often featuring themes of destiny, heroism, major societal shifts, and the conflict between good and evil. I will highlight a few examples of this type of writing and include an Amazon Affiliate link within our discussion here.
By T. Mark Mangumabout a year ago in Writers
A Cup of Fiction
A Cup of Fiction, Mythological Fiction Good morning my fellow Fiction Enthusiasts. It is a wonderful Friday morning and the beginning of what I hope will be a very productive weekend. May Ponos grant us all ease in our efforts to bring good stories to the world.
By T. Mark Mangumabout a year ago in Writers
