Welcome to the official website of JW Troemner.

Author of The Dealmaker’s Gambit, the Urban Dragon Series, and Tatter and Shine

  • On the Map

    On the Map

    I’m one of those proud nerds who loves looking at a map when I open a book. So when I created the world of Koleth, of course I wanted to include maps.

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  • No. It’s such a simple word, but those two letters carry a lot of power. It’s almost inherently rooted in conflict and contradiction, a refusal to go along with the flow, whatever that flow may be. It’s a line in the sand, and that line can be as shallow as ‘do you want a taco?’,…

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  • The Labrador Test

    The Labrador Test

    I’d like to propose a new test. We’ve got a slew of them already. I’d like to add The Labrador Test: In which a female character can’t easily be replaced by an adorable dog that a male character is just so gosh-darn attached to. And dear God, I’m so sorry we still need for this

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  • Exploring the California Nite Club

    I was running errands when I passed a pair of workers heading in and out of an abandoned building in my area. I won’t pretend I wasn’t giddy. Men at work means I can usually ask nicely and get permission to wander around inside, so I officially won’t be trespassing (it also means that the

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  • (Note: there are some vague spoilers for Daredevil and other titles in the MCU. I don’t get into too many specifics, but you have been warned.) I was watching the most recent season of Daredevil, and something struck me as off. It was surprising– I really enjoyed the first season, and I thought it was

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  • A well-respected bit of writing advice says you should limit the characters you introduce to your reader. Some have argued that you shouldn’t introduce more than five in the first chapter; others say you shouldn’t introduce more than two or three at any given time. It’s good advice. Having worked in the food industry, I’m

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  • Progress Update

    After some minor SNAFUs, Urban Dragon is back on track with a new cover artist. Due to the changes, I’ve also been able to iron out a plan for print. Because UD is on the longer side of serials, it’s too big to reasonably print as a single book (we’re talking the 900-page range). So

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  • I’m a big fan of podcasts. I especially love them while cooking dinner, walking the dogs, driving places, etc– all those places where my eyes can’t be plastered to a page. As it turns out, it’s really dangerous to handle books and knives at the same time. Who knew? I could give you lots of recommendations

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  • Presenting: Sideshow

    Ladies, Gentlemen, and everything in between! Come one, come all, to the unveiling of a new anthology by twelve fantastic writers. The genre is horror, but it’s infused with enough hope and triumph to keep you excited throughout– as well as lovely illustrations accompanying each story. The Sideshow has come to town! This isn’t your

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  • Everybody needs a happy place. Some place where they feel safe and comfortable and recharge from the stresses of the world. When I learned that my publisher was closing its doors and wouldn’t be publishing Urban Dragon, one of the first things I did was retreat back to mine. And like a lot of writers, I’m

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  • Pardon the mess…

    (My website and social media pages are still under construction while I get my act together. In the meantime, enjoy some photos) Don’t worry, this isn’t my house. It was a doctor’s office once upon a time, then an auto shop, then an unofficial dumping ground for the local area. The spot of light on

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