Hyba Is Writing

Cozy Fiction and Why We Crave It I have a theory.  It's about the rise of 'cozy' as a genre descriptor, or a sub-genre, if you will. Cozy fantasy. Cozy science fiction. Cozy family drama. Cozy historical fiction. Cozy mystery.  It's a theory about cozy literature, and why readers want more and more of it. Well - at least - here's one of the reasons readers want more of it. What is Cozy Fiction?  Cozy fiction is fiction that makes you feel cozy: where the stakes aren't necessarily high, we don't have to deal with the grimmer, grittier sides of human nature in gory detail , and we can enjoy mundane moments that fill us with warmth and happiness. Well, that's what cozy is to me, anyway. Maybe it's the same for you? I was first introduced to the concept of cozy fiction through a range of cozy murder mysteries. Cozy murder mysteries are lighthearted and fun. They're always clean (no violence, no mature themes). They're not meant to get into the g

A Positive Mindset for Productivity in 2022 Or: How to keep your motivation fires burning in 2022   This is the third in a series of blog posts about productivity and motivation.   In the first few days of January, I released a digital reflection journal for 2022 ( grab a copy here for $2.00! ), designed based on my own experiences with productivity and what truly motivated me as I tried to move forward with my goals and tasks I wanted to accomplish. To compliment its release, this series of blog posts will share my lessons learned over the past handful of years as I have struggled to create a method of keeping track of my productivity that helps me feel motivated to keep moving forward. In the first post , I talked about defining productivity and why that was an important step for me. It helped me understand what I specifically needed in order to feel satisfied with my day - and feel productive. I view the connection between productivity and motivation as cyclical. If you fe

The Beast of Ildenwood : 21. Mussena The beast lopes out of the darkness, and even at a fair distance from them, it is a large, terrifying creature. Its black mane surrounds in head like a regal crown, reaching down into the belly of the beast, and the Wanderer feels a startling sense of competition rise within him as their eyes lock. “Mussena,” Shoja breathes, and the feline creature before them takes another step forward, another growl ripping out of its throat. “I thought there were none left.” “We should run,” Lahab says. Then, as though to contradict herself: “It is fast . We might not make it.” “How to defeat it?” the Wanderer demands, half-crouching in preparation for – for whatever it is they might need to do. “It is an apex predator,” Lahab replies, taking a step back as this Mussena takes another step forward. “Strong, fast, and an incredibly skilled hunter. A formidable creature.” Despite the fearsome encounter, awe laces her voice. “It has but one

The Beast of Ildenwood : 20. The Starlight Cavern “What in the world are Glowing Cragenbacks, anyway?” the Wanderer asks, holding a branch up for Shoja and Lahab to pass under. “Some kind of shiny rock?”   “No,” Lahab says, ignoring the loud scoff of disbelief from their guide. “A Glowing Cragenback is a type of mollusk. Its shell glows with a beautiful blue light, and it is often found in cave systems where there are pools of water.”   “I remember my father showing me an illustration of one once,” Prince Shoja adds with a smile. “I still remember it, faintly. Their shells, though rough, glow in patterns. It is said that when a Glowing Cragenback dies, the shell ceases to glow.”   “Yes,” their guide, none other than the woman who led the group of bandits that stole from them, says. “That is why you must capture them and deliver them to our King alive .”   Easier said than done, the Wanderer realizes. If the Bandit King does not have anyone else capable of this task

The Beast of Ildenwood : 19. The Bandit King The thieves know their way around the forest. The Wanderer watches them from below, crouched and hidden among the bushes as he considers the structures in the trees. There seems to be an extensive and well-lit system of wooden bridges and tree-houses, and it is into one of those buildings that those thieves have disappeared. From the Ilden Road, this place – this society – cannot be seen, so deep is it in the Sheffar Forest.   It isn’t long before he can hear Lahab and Shoja catching up – he left them behind as he chased the culprits – and he scrambles to meet them as quickly and silently as he can, urging Shoja to put out the torch. Then, they sneak slowly back to the town in the trees, a quiet procession.   “So much for friend or foe,” Shoja mutters to Lahab as he takes in the wooden structures above. Music spills out from one of the tree-cabins, and every now and then they hear laughter, or loud cries, or

 A Positive Mindset for Productivity in 2022 Or: How to keep your motivation fires burning in 2022 This is the second in a series of blog posts about productivity and motivation.   I recently put out a digital reflection journal for 2022 ( grab a copy here for $2.00! ), designed based on my own experiences with productivity and what truly motivated me as I tried to move forward with my goals and the tasks that needed completing. To compliment its release, this series of blog posts will share my lessons learned over the past handful of years as I have struggled to create a method of keeping track of my productivity that helps me feel motivated to keep moving forward. In the first post, I talked about defining productivity and why that was an important step for me. It helped me understand what I specifically needed in order to feel satisfied with my day - and feel productive. I view the connection between productivity and motivation as kind of cyclical. If you feel productive, you fee