<?php
if ( get_query_var('paged') ) {
	$paged = get_query_var('paged');
} elseif ( get_query_var('page') ) { // 'page' is used instead of 'paged' on Static Front Page
	$paged = get_query_var('page');
} else {
	$paged = 1;
}

$custom_query_args = array(
	'post_type' => 'post',
	'posts_per_page' => get_option('posts_per_page'),
	'paged' => $paged,
	'post_status' => 'publish',
	'ignore_sticky_posts' => true,
	//'category_name' => 'custom-cat',
	'order' => 'DESC', // 'ASC',
	'orderby' => 'date' // modified | title | name | ID | rand
);
$custom_query = new WP_Query( $custom_query_args );

if ( $custom_query->have_posts() ) :
	while( $custom_query->have_posts() ) : $custom_query->the_post(); ?>

		<article <?php post_class(); ?>>
			<h3><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h3>
			<small><?php the_time('F jS, Y') ?> by <?php the_author_posts_link() ?></small>
			<div><?php the_excerpt(); ?></div>
		</article>

	<?php
	endwhile;
	?>

	<?php if ($custom_query->max_num_pages > 1) : // custom pagination  ?>
		<?php
		$orig_query = $wp_query; // fix for pagination to work
		$wp_query = $custom_query;
		?>
		<nav class="prev-next-posts">
			<div class="prev-posts-link">
				<?php echo get_next_posts_link( 'Older Entries', $custom_query->max_num_pages ); ?>
			</div>
			<div class="next-posts-link">
				<?php echo get_previous_posts_link( 'Newer Entries' ); ?>
			</div>
		</nav>
		<?php
		$wp_query = $orig_query; // fix for pagination to work
		?>
	<?php endif; ?>

<?php
	wp_reset_postdata(); // reset the query
else:
	echo '<p>'.__('Sorry, no posts matched your criteria.').'</p>';
endif;
?>