Paul Semel

For parents, there's no greater horror than losing a child. So it makes sense that, in writing his horror novella "Alicia Is In The Basement," that author Santiago Eximeno would pull from his own life. How much? For that, you'll need to check out this exclusive interview. https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-alicia-is-in-the-basement-author-santiago-eximeno/ 📖👩👨. . . . . . . . . .🧒

In Johnny Worthen's dystopian Westerns science fiction novel "Fresh Start," we take a trip to the titular prison planet. To find out why, as well as what inspired and influenced this sci-fi story, check out this exclusive interview. https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-fresh-start-author-johnny-worthen/ 📖🪐🚀

The upcoming, third-person, Gothic epic fantasy action game "Crimson Moon" has tons of hack & slash action, and a little James Bond? Really? To find out how, check out my hands-on preview form Summer Game Fest. https://paulsemel.com/crimson-moon-sgf-play-days-2026-hands-on-preview/ 🎮⚔️🌙

While "Tomb Raider: Legacy Of Atlantis," a remake of the original "Tomb Raider," may not be out until February 12th, 2007, I got a chance to play it at this year's Summer Game Fest. Here's the link to my hands-on preview. https://paulsemel.com/tomb-raider-legacy-of-atlantis-sgf-play-days-2026-hands-on-preview/ 🎮🏃🦖🔫

"Onimusha: Way Of The Sword" — the first new "Onimusha" game since 2006 — will be out September 25th, and I got a chance to play it at this year's Summer Game Fest. Curious what I thought? Here's the link to my hands-on preview. https://paulsemel.com/onimusha-way-of-the-sword-sgf-play-days-2026-hands-on-preview/ 🎮⚔️👹

In the alt-history World War II beat-'em-up video game "Nekome: Nazi Hunter," a man whose family was murdered by Nazis gets revenge one stab at a time. But while it's obviously righteous and satisfying, is it also fun? To find out, check out my hands-on preview. https://paulsemel.com/nekome-nazi-hunter-sgf-play-days-2026-hands-on-preview/ 🎮🤜🤛

While little Shannon K. English loved mermaids as a kid, clearly something changed because in her romantic queer fantasy novel "Endless Blue Beneath," mermaids enjoy the taste of human flesh. To find out more, check out this exclusive interview. https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-endless-blue-beneath-author-shannon-k-english/ 📖🧜‍♀️🧜‍♂️🧜

With "The Silent Paths Of Night," author David R. Slayton is presenting the second book in his high epic fantasy series "The Gods Of Night And Day." For more, check out this exclusive interview. https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-the-silent-paths-of-night-author-david-r-slayton/ 📖👻⚔️

At this year's Summer Game Fest, I got to play the upcoming sci-fi third-person shooter "Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2," which is adding new enemies, new missions, a new playable character, and expanding your squad. Here's the link to my hands-on preview. https://paulsemel.com/aliens-fireteam-elite-2-sgf-play-days-2026-hands-on-preview/ 🎮👽🔫

While they refused to tell me anything about the next game (bastards!), Halo Studios writers Jeff Easterling and Alexander Wakeford did spill the beans about the new short story collection "Halo: Waypoint Chronicles: Volume One" in this exclusive interview. https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-halo-waypoint-chronicles-volume-one-authors-jeff-easterling-and-alexander-wakeford/ 📖🎮🔫👽

For their first short story collection, "The Wildcraft Drones," author T.K. Rex assembled a collection of sci-fi cli-fi solarpunk stories all set on the same fictional world. To learn more, check out this exclusive interview. https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-the-wildcraft-drones-author-t-k-rex/ 📖🪐🤖

While I've always wanted my own R2 unit, it was never because I wanted to go on the run with it and a dog. No matter, author J.P. Lacrampe is doing that for me in his comic science fiction novel "Valet." To learn more about this novel, check out this exclusive interview. https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-valet-author-j-p-lacrampe/ 📖🤖🐶

With "The Ishtar Deception," author James L. Cambias is presenting the fourth installment of his ongoing pulpy sci-fi space opera series, "The Billion Worlds." To learn more about both, check out this exclusive interview. https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-the-ishtar-deception-author-james-l-cambias/ 📖🚀

With "Moonfall," author Ed Crocker is presenting the middle piece of his dark epic fantasy trilogy, "The Everlands." In this exclusive interview, he discusses what inspired and influenced this second installment, as well as when fans can expect the end of this saga. https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-moonfall-author-ed-crocker/ 📖🧛🐺🧙

Like his best cinematic adventures, the stealth-action video game "007 First Light" has James Bond saving the day with his fists, guns, brains, charm, and ability to be a sneaky bastard when need be. Here's the link to my review. https://paulsemel.com/007-first-light-review/ 🕵️👊🔫🚗

In my new interview with author Tim Weed, he calls his new novel "The Gatepost" a "hallucinatory thriller," a portal fantasy story, a near-future sci-fi novel, "or simply a literary speculative novel incorporating elements of all of the above." https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-the-gatepost-author-tim-weed/ 📖🖊️

Author Craig Higginson isn't the first person to write a story after taking a trip. But he may be the first to ever say — as he does in this exclusive interview — that he wrote his murder mystery / war novel "Shadow Country" after taking a trip to write a musical. https://paulsemel.com/exclusive-interview-shadow-country-author-craig-higginson/ 📖🖊️🎶