Skip to content
  • Marcel’s Books
  • Other Writing
    • Short Stories
    • Writing Journal
  • Writing Tips
    • How to Write
    • Cruel and Unusual Punctuation
  • About Marcel
  • Privacy Policy

Calliope’s Prisoner

Official Site of Author Marcel M Du Plessis

  • Marcel’s Books
  • Other Writing
    • Short Stories
    • Writing Journal
  • Writing Tips
    • How to Write
    • Cruel and Unusual Punctuation
  • About Marcel
  • Privacy Policy
Balar, Book Announcements Posted on30th October 20256th November 2025

The Evil of Balar – Book Launch

It is launch day! The third installment of the Balar series is here! This is the Evil of Balar. Like the first two installments, this […] Read More

black and red typewriter
Book Announcements, Writing Journal Posted on27th October 202528th October 2025

The Road Ahead – 2025 Update

We are mere days away from the release of The Evil of Balar, the third installment in my gothic horror series. While this was the […] Read More

landscape photo of forest
Balar Posted on17th October 202517th October 2025

Map of Balar

The third installment of the Balar series is nearly upon us! Hopefully you will choose to spend your time in the cursed town this spooky […] Read More

A banner with smoke and a book cover
Balar, Book Announcements Posted on5th June 20254th October 2025

The Evil of Balar – Preview

The third installment of the Balar series will soon be upon us! Thank you to all those who have read books one and two. I […] Read More

black text on gray background
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

Posts navigation

Older posts

Search

Subscribe to Calliope's Prisoner via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

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)

Follow Me

  • Twitch
  • X
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

Buy the Book (outside USA)

United Kingdom

Canada

India

Mexico

Australia

Spain

France

Germany

Italy

Japan

Brazil

Top Posts

Last Argument of Kings - Review
Poetry - Emily Dickinson: "Hope"
Before They Are Hanged - Review

Calliope’s Links

  • Marcel’s Books
  • Other Writing
    • Short Stories
    • Writing Journal
  • Writing Tips
    • How to Write
    • Cruel and Unusual Punctuation
  • About Marcel
  • Privacy Policy

Calliope\’s RSS Links

RSS Feed

Follow Me

  • Twitch
  • X
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Subscribe to Calliope's Prisoner

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Stray Thoughts

#amediting #amreviewing #amwriting #dungeonsanddragons #SilentSymphony advice Amazon announcement author balar blog book launch book review books characters Dungeons and Dragons ebook fantasy fiction grammar 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

Blog Stats

  • 31,798 hits

Calliope’s Inspiration

f481e0e85151b99091e335f311be3ad2
Reaching New Worlds
Miranda – The Tempest, by John William Waterhouse
0aa9aa106de1c0ac4a24500a85632160
Time to Learn
Forbidden Books, By Alexander Mark Rossi (1897).
The Lady of Shalott, by John William Waterhouse (1888)
The Lady of Shalott, by John William Waterhouse (1888)
How to use Latin
A Priestess of Bacchus, by John William Godward (1890)
heraldry
With Copper Plate Lowered (c. 1651), attributed to Bartholomeus van Bassen
Now is the time to read
Antique Beauty by Stepan Bakalovich
Books
Still life with a lighted candle (1627) by Pieter Claesz
171934c30b47f79aeb554bee644b8afd
d0f4928e056fd108a5d20d65491ef1ed
Books
The Librarian (c. 1570) by Giuseppe Arcimboldo
Learning at Home
Drawing lesson *oil on panel *69 x 60,3 cm *signed b.l.: A. Van Strij
The Sorceress (1913), by John William Waterhouse Jr
The Sorceress (1913), by John William Waterhouse Jr
Gods and Mythology
Aeneas and the Cumaean Sibyl (1646), by François Perrier
fc4d05df38af89e5d383ce9540749e6f
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
Using Latin
Saint Cecilia (1895), by John William Waterhouse
grzegorz-rutkowski-geralt-yennefer-size-1920x1200-en
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]
Patreon Launch
The Muses, Urania and Calliope, by Simon Vouet [Public Domain]
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hans_Holbein_the_Younger_-_The_Ambassadors_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
The Ambassadors, by Hans Holbein the Younger (1533)
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)
Unusual Latin terms in English Writing
The Tease (1901) by John William Godward
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
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:VanGogh-starry_night_ballance1.jpg
Starry Night, by Vincent Van Gogh [4512243112421514243341335331453324512253321125231545311314453234124245422]
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.
Deus Ex Machina
Oedipus at Colonus (1788), by Jean-Antione-Theodore Giroust
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AAdolf_Eberle_Der_gelunge_Brief.jpg
Brief, by Adolf Eberle [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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
Valentine's Day
Pygmalion by Jean-Léon Gérôme [Public domain]
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
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
The Lies of Locke Lamora Cover
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frans_Snyders_(Attr.)_-_Concert_of_Birds.jpg
Concert of Birds, by Frans Snyders (Attr.) (1629-1657) [Public Domain]
Ambush by Giovanni Battista Quadrone
By Giovanni Battista Quadrone – Il Giro del Mondo, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45676144
Rewriting and asking for help
Consulting the Oracle (1884) by John William Waterhouse
Red Seas Under Red Skies Review
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adam_Silo_(attr)_-_A_seascape_with_Tall_ships.jpg
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]
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436105
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436105
Stuck at Home
After the Dance (1876), by John William Waterhouse

Recent Posts

  • The Evil of Balar – Book Launch
  • The Road Ahead – 2025 Update
  • Map of Balar
  • The Evil of Balar – Preview
  • Allusions In Balar

Categories

  • General
    • Gaming
    • Patreon
  • Reviews
    • Book Reviews
    • Game Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Series Reviews
  • Understanding Poetry
    • Poetry Analysis
      • Poetry Analysis Examples
  • Writing
    • Balar
    • Flash Fiction
      • Entries & Topics
    • How to Write
      • Cruel and Unusual Punctuation
    • Short Stories
      • 100 Word Stories
    • The Bright Report
    • The Silent Symphony
    • Writing Analysis
  • Writing Journal
    • Book Announcements
    • Inspiration
    • NaNoWriMo
    • RPG
      • Dungeons & Dragons
        • D&D Chardovia Campaign Diary 1
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.

To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

© 2025 Calliope's Prisoner
Powered by WordPress / Theme by Design Lab
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.