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Official Site of Author Marcel M Du Plessis

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Balar, Writing Posted on3rd September 20243rd September 2024

Allusions In Balar

When I started The Curse of Balar, I wanted to evoke the classic gothic horror stories that I grew up with. The uncanny feeling of […] Read More

close up photo of cassette tape
Balar Posted on20th August 202426th August 2024

The Mystery of Balar

The following is the script of an unaired episode of the paranormal podcast, Hidden Depths. Little is known of the fate of the podcaster, one […] Read More

landscape photo of forest
Balar, Book Announcements Posted on16th August 202416th August 2024

New Release – The Doom of Balar

The time has come! The second installment of the Balar series is out now! This is the Doom of Balar, thirteen interconnected stories that build […] Read More

Balar, Book Announcements Posted on30th May 202430th May 2024

Book Announcement – The Doom of Balar

The next installment of the Balar series is nearly upon us! This is The Doom of Balar, the second book of horror short stories. Thirteen […] Read More

Balar, Writing Posted on29th May 202429th May 2024

Literary Titan Gold Book Award

My horror book, The Curse of Balar, has recently been honoured with a book award. This is the first time any of my work has […] Read More

The Bright Report, Writing Posted on23rd February 202426th February 2024

Happy Birthday Bright Report!

Back in 2021, I took the plunge and published my first collection of short stories, The Bright Report. It was short, silly, and designed to […] Read More

white and black clapper board
Movie Reviews, Reviews, Series Reviews Posted on24th January 202424th January 2024

My Best & Worst of 2023

Last year was a great year for both the big and the small screen. As you may know, I am all about the story. Pretty […] Read More

Book Announcements, Writing Journal Posted on22nd January 202422nd January 2024

Progress Update – Doom & Gloom

Time waits for no author and the months are flying by. I am currently working on the Balar series and I am trying to get […] Read More

Writing Journal Posted on9th November 20239th November 2023

Join the Balar Subreddit

I decided to take the plunge and start a reddit page for my new horror series. This will be the perfect platform for readers to […] Read More

Balar Posted on2nd November 20232nd November 2023

Characters in The Curse of Balar

As promised at the end of my reading of one of the stories in The Curse of Balar, here is a list of characters that […] Read More

Balar, Writing Journal Posted on30th October 20232nd November 2023

Reading – The Curse of Balar

Happy Halloween! It’s time to share a spooky story or two. I am here to do just that. Below is a reading of one of […] Read More

Balar, Book Announcements, Writing Journal Posted on12th September 20232nd November 2023

Welcome to Balar

The time has come! Welcome to the cursed town of Balar where not all are as it seems… I am quite excited to share these […] Read More

The Curse of Balar pre-order banner updated
Balar, Book Announcements, Writing Journal Posted on31st August 20232nd November 2023

The Curse of Balar – Preview & Release Update

The Curse of Balar is nearly here. While it was originally scheduled for 31 August 2023 (today), I have decided to delay it slightly for […] Read More

The Curse of Balar pre-order banner
Book Announcements Posted on26th June 202326th June 2023

Horror Book Pre-Order!

During last year’s NaNoWriMo, I write the first (messy) draft of a Gothic Horror Fantasy novel. I am still working on it (and I might […] Read More

Caravaggio's Saint Jerome Writing (1606)
Book Announcements, Writing, Writing Journal Posted on12th March 20232nd July 2023

What I am Working On (2023 – First Half)

Time for a writing update! It has been a busy few months and 2023 is already getting old. The saying should really be: time flies […] Read More

Large library
Writing Journal Posted on2nd March 20232nd March 2023

Happy World Book Day!

Happy World Book Day, my fellow bookworms! Books are life! Today is the day to curl up with an old favorite, crack open a fresh […] Read More

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General Posted on23rd February 202323rd February 2023

This Post Kills AI

By now, most of us would have heard about “advanced” AI writing programs like ChatGPT. These programs can be prompted to create blocks of text […] Read More

How to Write Posted on31st October 202231st October 2022

NaNoWriMo Writing Tips

It is that time of year again! Time to sit at the keyboard and hammer out fifty thousand words (or get as close to it […] Read More

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Marcel M. du Plessis's books on Goodreads
The Bright Report The Bright Report (Bright Report, #1)
reviews: 6
ratings: 12 (avg rating 4.75)

The Silent Symphony The Silent Symphony
reviews: 2
ratings: 12 (avg rating 3.83)

The Bright Report Volume 3 The Bright Report Volume 3
reviews: 3
ratings: 7 (avg rating 4.14)

Awkward Phrasing Awkward Phrasing (Bright Report, #0)
reviews: 3
ratings: 4 (avg rating 5.00)

The Bright Report Volume 2 The Bright Report Volume 2 (Bright Report, #2)
reviews: 5
ratings: 9 (avg rating 4.67)

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Stray Thoughts

#amediting #amreviewing #amwriting #dungeonsanddragons #SilentSymphony advice Amazon announcement author blog book launch book review books characters Dungeons and Dragons ebook fantasy fiction grammar help horror How to Write instructions journal my work NaNoWriMo novel plot process reading review rewriting RPG share short stories short story stories story The Bright Report The Silent Symphony word count words world building writer writing

Marcel M du Plessis – Author Page

Marcel M du Plessis – Author Page

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Calliope’s Inspiration

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hans_Holbein_the_Younger_-_The_Ambassadors_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
The Ambassadors, by Hans Holbein the Younger (1533)
Red Seas Under Red Skies Review
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adam_Silo_(attr)_-_A_seascape_with_Tall_ships.jpg
Romeo and Juliet by Frank Dicksee (1884)
Romeo and Juliet by Frank Dicksee (1884) from WikiMedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DickseeRomeoandJuliet.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VanGogh-starry_night_ballance1.jpg
Starry Night, by Vincent Van Gogh [4512243112421514243341335331453324512253321125231545311314453234124245422]
The Lady of Shalott, by John William Waterhouse (1888)
The Lady of Shalott, by John William Waterhouse (1888)
Books
The Librarian (c. 1570) by Giuseppe Arcimboldo
f481e0e85151b99091e335f311be3ad2
heraldry
With Copper Plate Lowered (c. 1651), attributed to Bartholomeus van Bassen
The Zaparozhye Cossacks Writing a Mocking Letter to the Turkish Sultan *oil on canvas *358 × 203 cm *signed b.c.: И.Репин 1880-91
The Zaparozhye Cossacks Writing a Mocking Letter to the Turkish Sultan *oil on canvas *358 × 203 cm *signed b.c.: И.Репин 1880-91
Books
Still life with a lighted candle (1627) by Pieter Claesz
Wanderer above the sea of fog, by Caspar David Friedrich
Wanderer above the sea of fog, by Caspar David Friedrich [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
Now is the time to read
Antique Beauty by Stepan Bakalovich
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AAdolf_Eberle_Der_gelunge_Brief.jpg
Brief, by Adolf Eberle [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436105
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436105
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Man_Writing_a_Letter_by_Gabri%C3%ABl_Metsu.jpg
Man Writing a Letter by Gabriël Metsu [Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain]
Learning at Home
Drawing lesson *oil on panel *69 x 60,3 cm *signed b.l.: A. Van Strij
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frans_Snyders_(Attr.)_-_Concert_of_Birds.jpg
Concert of Birds, by Frans Snyders (Attr.) (1629-1657) [Public Domain]
171934c30b47f79aeb554bee644b8afd
Gods and Mythology
Aeneas and the Cumaean Sibyl (1646), by François Perrier
Time to Learn
Forbidden Books, By Alexander Mark Rossi (1897).
The Sorceress (1913), by John William Waterhouse Jr
The Sorceress (1913), by John William Waterhouse Jr
Unusual Latin terms in English Writing
The Tease (1901) by John William Godward
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ALa_farandole_de_P%C3%A9trarque.jpg
By Marie Alexandre Valentin Sellier (19/20th century) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
How to use Latin
A Priestess of Bacchus, by John William Godward (1890)
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nymphs_finding_the_Head_of_Orpheus.jpg
Nymphs finding the head of Orpheus, John William Waterhouse (1900) [Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain]
after Hans Holbein the Younger, oil on panel, late 16th century (1533-1534)
after Hans Holbein the Younger, oil on panel, late 16th century (1533-1534)
The Lies of Locke Lamora Cover
Using Latin
Saint Cecilia (1895), by John William Waterhouse
Valentine's Day
Pygmalion by Jean-Léon Gérôme [Public domain]
Rewriting and asking for help
Consulting the Oracle (1884) by John William Waterhouse
grzegorz-rutkowski-geralt-yennefer-size-1920x1200-en
Ambush by Giovanni Battista Quadrone
By Giovanni Battista Quadrone – Il Giro del Mondo, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45676144
Reaching New Worlds
Miranda – The Tempest, by John William Waterhouse
Starting something new
By J. M. W. Turner – The Athenaeum (http://www.the-athenaeum.org/art/detail.php?ID=20906), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1511781
d0f4928e056fd108a5d20d65491ef1ed
Patreon Launch
The Muses, Urania and Calliope, by Simon Vouet [Public Domain]
Stuck at Home
After the Dance (1876), by John William Waterhouse
fc4d05df38af89e5d383ce9540749e6f
Deus Ex Machina
Oedipus at Colonus (1788), by Jean-Antione-Theodore Giroust
By Johannes Vermeer - Unknown, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=160013
By Johannes Vermeer – Unknown, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=160013
Novel
Orpheus and Eurydice (1862) by Edward Poynter
0aa9aa106de1c0ac4a24500a85632160

Recent Posts

  • Allusions In Balar
  • The Mystery of Balar
  • New Release – The Doom of Balar
  • Book Announcement – The Doom of Balar
  • Literary Titan Gold Book Award

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