In a previous post, I talked how in Chains of the Sciell: Book 2 of The Merging Worlds Trilogy, some people have left larger cities to form communities off the grid. I’ve established how these new communities are possible, what most of them look like and what their daily life is like. Now, I need plants….
Voices chase you. They come from everywhere. A cliff blocks your path. Your light explores the rocky surface. It shines on hundreds of tattered coffins resting on stakes above you. Chairs hang beside these wooden terrors. They sway back and forth as though someone is sitting in them, watching you. The ghostly voices stop. Trees…
In Chains of the Sciell, new villages/towns/communities have cropped up between book 1 and 2. I’m in the process of fleshing out each new place. Here are some things to keep in mind when creating a village/community. Location People need food and water. When deciding a location for your village, remember, it needs to be…
Blue Aura – remastered by PSDtech on deviantART What if only a few people saw the world the way you did? What if, to your eyes, everyone looked like the picture above? Fantasy allows you to explore this. That’s why I love this genre. In Book 2 of my Merging Worlds Trilogy, Chains of the…
Image Credit: Cara Jane Mitten You always hear about werewolves. I didn’t know werehyenas existed. They sound far more interesting than the shapeshifters we often read about. Common in legends from Morocco to Angola, werehyenas are the North African equivalent of the werewolf. In Ethiopia, it’s traditionally believed that every blacksmith, whose trade is hereditary, is…
How do manage the flow of time in a story with several POV characters doing different things? I touched on this in the post Multiple Perspectives. Let’s say we start with John’s POV and then switch to Mary’s, spending 2 days with her. Then, we shift to Cat’s and spend 3 days with her. You…
When you’re coming up with a name for your fantasy characters, keep in mind what the reader is bringing with them. You can name your character Dracula. Just note that when readers see it, their first thought will be the vampire among vampires. You’ll have to bridge the gap between what the name means in…
Clothing can also be a character in your fantasy world. What people wear says a lot about them. For instance, certain cultures may be known for wearing bright colors either for religious beliefs or because the colors are a sign of wealth. In many cultures, clothing shows class, martial status even occupation. However, if those…
What do these city names have in common? Nagoya Koshigaya Sapporo Okayama You may not know they’re in Japan, but by the sound of them and the fact that they’re cities, you know they’re in East Asia. What about? NairobiMombasaKisumu Kitale Again, you don’t have to know what country they’re a part of. By the…
You know I had to do this. It’s the last post of the year after all. We’re going to look back at the top posts of 2013. After all this time blogging, I’m still surprised at which posts people like most. This year was full of surprises. How this one became so popular is amazing. …
