New website! And other updates...

  I've been quiet on the blog for a while, but I haven't stopped writing. I'm deep into two new projects in the same universe as Flames of the Devil Dog: Shattered Streets, the direct sequel, and Widow of Manara, a prequel trilogy that sets the stage for the larger epic series. Both are moving forward, even if slowly, and I'm excited to see how they evolve.

  My new website ( tljeffcoat.com ) is growing fast. I'm moving the old weapons/warrior posts there. I already have 3 of the original posts up, rewritten and updated with source links.

  I'm also building a full atlas for the world in my books: maps, cultures, histories, factions, and everything that brings the setting to life. It'll eventually serve as a fan wiki for anyone who wants to explore deeper lore that may or may not be in the books. I don't plan to include too many spoilers since I want people to read the novels.

Eventually, I'll return to the tabletop RPG based on the series. It's a big project, but it's still on the horizon.

For now, if you want to follow the progress, go to my website  ( tljeffcoat.com ),  or pick up the books; you'll find all the links on my publisher's website to retailers:

• Shield Blade Publishing Home Page (for new announcements and releases)
• My Books Page (The space dedicated to my books)

Click any book cover to go to a page with details about the book and links to purchase it. I only have 1 book right now, but I'll have more soon. I have a lot of drafts in editing, so this universe will grow fast as I spend more time finishing these books.

I have a page on my website dedicated to the books, but I might talk to my publisher about sharing their webpage and linking back to my website from their page, instead of duplicating everything they already have up, so I don't want to add that link here in case I end up removing that page from my website.

Every purchase and every review genuinely helps keep the writing going. Thank you for sticking with me.

Flames of the Devil Dog and I'm Moving Announcement

    For those who have followed this blog over the past decade, I apologize for my lack of updates. I have spent the last few years, since the COVID-19 quarantine, focusing all my energy on completing my epic fantasy series. I am currently working on setting up a new website, where I'll repost much of the material from here. All blog stories and posts relevant to the new site will be transferred, and all artwork I created but never updated on this blog will be included.

    For those who haven't followed me on social media or lost track of me on Twitter or X, I am pleased to announce that I have finally published a novel.

    Flames of the Devil Dog is available in eBook and Hardcover on Amazon, and the paperback is available on numerous online bookstores, including Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. The adventure stories that I once posted here, which have since been removed, are being reintroduced on my website in different forms. As I create a space where I can share snippets of scenes from my books or post scenes that were edited out of the final version, I will reintroduce these stories at some point.

    Another thing I'll be doing is showcasing the artwork that is contained in my hardcover books. With the help of an artist close to me, we have been working on artwork for the entire series with character sketches, monsters, and maps. I'll be including all the maps from my books on the website, as well as introducing my own Tabletop Role-Playing Game that is being developed around my series.

    It's a great time to be writing. Please follow me over there when the website goes live. I plan to establish a vibrant community there one day, where we can discuss all things fantasy and history. We'll even include some content about movies and books, where I'll review things I've read or watched that inspired me to write about them.

    I'll report back here on this blog with the link to the website once it's available.

In the meantime, please consider buying my book and helping me keep the lights on!

Flames of the Devil Dog, Book 1 of Heaven's Edge

eBook on Amazon

Hardcover on Amazon with bonus illustrations throughout the book

Paperback on Amazon

Paperback on Barnes & Noble

Paperback on BAM! Books-A-Million

Paperback on Bookshop.org

Paperback on Waterstones (UK)

My book was published through Shield Blade Publishing.

Weapons & Warriors: The Scissor of the Romans

Art by TL Jeffcoat

There is much confusion about this mysterious weapon. It’s only known to have been used regularly by gladiators and history is unclear whether the word Scissor refers to the weapon or the style of gladiator. Some historians believe that it is the name of both; some deny the name to either.

The Scissor was a simple weapon in design, with an iron tube and a handle inside topped with a crescent shaped blade. The handle allowed the Gladiator better control of the blade that faced away from the tube and was mounted by a metal shaft. The shaft was most likely attached to the handle, through the top of the tube, to enhance its durability and control. There is some speculation to this, but most weapon specializing historians would agree that the blade would need to be attached to the handle and not just attached to the tube itself or the blade would be impossible to manage when it’s struck by another weapon.

TMNT and the Sai Drawing

I finally remade the drawing for the Sai, complete with Raphael of the Ninja Turtles. It's not as pretty as the one I posted originally with the blog, but it's one of my better drawings. Here's the drawing, and if you want to read up on the Sai, check out the original post on the Sai. I saved this one for the new release of the Ninja Turtles movie.

Art by TL Jeffcoat

There seems to be a lot of hostility towards Michael Bay and his version. After seeing the movie, all I can say is, he did not go with the Turtle Alien route, which was a huge relief to me, and although the movie didn't hold to a lot of the TMNT lore, it wasn't a horrible movie at all. It was a typical Bay movie with all of the high octane chaotic action sequences, blatant use of stereotyped characters, and the cardboard eye candy female character who has to be rescued by men throughout the movie. However, the silliness actually works well with the Ninja Turtle personalities, much better than it did with the Transformers, who generally have no personality.

Weapons & Warriors: The Plumbata of the Romans

Art by TL Jeffcoat

Although originally used by the Greeks, this throwing dart is best known from its use by the Roman legions over 1,600 years ago. These weapons are so effective that a legion could halt a charging cavalry before it reaches the line. Half of every battle is killing your enemy, the other half is disorienting or confusing them so they are easier to kill.

The Plumbata is a simple design. It’s a wooden dart that is slightly shorter than an arrow. The iron tipped head is weighted with lead to keep the sharp end pointed towards its target while airborne, no matter how it is thrown. This not only simplifies training, it allows the darts to be thrown under pressure at short ranges without focusing so much on technique. The fletched rear of the Plumbata helps the dart stay balanced, and increases range. The weight of the lead also increases the power of the weapon's impact, allowing it to penetrate light armor, or even horse skin as cavalry tries to flank or charge the legion.