Faery Rebel: RJ Anderson Unveils the Writing Life

When I was a little girl, it didn't seem to me that writers were real people. Instead, they were otherworldly beings, touching down in our world just long enough to impart snippets of wisdom and adventure and magic. I wish I could say I've grown out of that world view, but, well, I'd be lying. And when you meet authors who reinforce such beautiful thoughts, how can you nay say them? Meet R.J. Anderson, author of Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter, and you will see exactly what I mean.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? How long did it take to finally commit to the dream?

I started writing my own stories for fun when I was eight, but it wasn't until I was twelve that I really decided I wanted to sit down and write a novel that could actually be published one day. That first book didn't make it much beyond the third chapter or so, but over the next seven years I wrote probably about half a million words of fan fiction and original short stories. I completed my first fantasy/SF novel at nineteen, and it was awful. But writing it—and especially finishing it—was a big step forward for me.

What aspect of Spell Hunter are you the proudest of?

Just the fact that it exists and is actually going to be sold in bookstores is huge for me! But as far as the story itself goes, I think I'm most pleased with the way that certain themes and… I hesitate to say "morals" because that makes it sound preachy, so maybe "ideals" is a better word… came out naturally in the course of revising the manuscript. I didn't want to force anything in there, but on the other hand, I didn't just want to write an exciting story with no depth or substance to it, so it was a relief when I realized that there actually was more going on than just "tough faery action heroine kicks crow butt, saves world, details at eleven".

What do you feel is your best writing strength?

I used to think I knew the answer to that question, and now I really don't! But a number of editors have told me they think my prose style is really strong, flows well and has a literary quality to it. Which is good to hear, because I tend to obsess about the rhythm of every phrase, the way it looks to me on the page, and sometimes have to rewrite a paragraph five or ten times before I'm satisfied. So it's nice to know I'm not totally wasting my time there!

What writing quirk of yours makes your family nuts?

When I'm really focused on writing, I tune out everything around me. So I can have a whole conversation with somebody while I'm staring at the computer, and say "uh-huh" and "yes" and "no" in all the right places, but as soon as they leave the room, I've forgotten everything they just said. Which they find very annoying when they try to talk to me about the same thing later and I just go "Huh?"

Born in Uganda, raised in Ontario, schooled in New Jersey: How have your various environments influenced your writing?

I was too young when we left Uganda to remember any of it, but I grew up hearing about it from my brothers and my parents all my life. So in the book I'm currently working on, when I was trying to decide on a foreign country for my missionary-kid hero to be coming from, I naturally thought of Uganda. Since then I've been doing a lot of research, trying to appreciate the country from the perspective of someone who's grown up there, and the more I learn about it the more I think I'd really love to go there someday!

As for Ontario, I've lived in so many different cities around the province that I've got a really good sense of how each community is different, how each one has its own character and atmosphere and history, its own kinds of stories to tell. I think that's helped me with my world-building as a fantasy author, and also given me a wide range of settings to draw on for contemporary books.

I was only in New Jersey for a year attending Bible school, but while I was there I wrote the first draft of the book that eventually became FAERY REBELS: SPELL HUNTER. The school campus had beautiful wooded grounds that I used to walk around every day, with huge old trees, a big pond, and a river with a bridge over it… all of which inspired me for settings and incidents in Knife's story.

C.S. Lewis is one of your favorite authors. How do you feel he's influenced your writing? Your world view?

Hugely. As a child my father read the Narnia books out loud to me, and that sparked my lifelong love of fantasy. Reading Lewis's essays on writing, particularly "Sometimes Fairy Stories May Say Best What's To Be Said" and "On Three Ways of Writing for Children", helped me to understand something very important about writing for any audience – that you always have to let the story, the ideas and mental pictures that fire your imagination, come before anything else. You can't start with a message or a moral or even a "point" because if you do, the story will become glib and superficial; as Lewis wrote, "the only moral that is of any value is that which arises inevitably from the whole cast of the author's mind." So when I write stories, I always start with the characters and their situation, and if anything of spiritual or philosophical significance develops naturally out of that, fine; but if it doesn't, well, I'm not going to force it in. Fiction and particularly fantasy can be wonderful for stimulating the imagination and getting the reader to think about the world in a new way, but it is a terrible medium for preaching sermons.

What advice do you have for authors seeking representation?

Firstly I always say: don't give up, no matter how many rejections you get or how frustratingly long the process takes. But at the same time, do take seriously any specific, constructive criticism you might receive, and try to learn from it. A comment like "This isn't the right manuscript for me" or "I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass on this one" isn't going to tell you anything and you'll only drive yourself crazy trying to interpret it. But if you keep getting letters from agents that say things like, "Your story has an interesting concept, but I felt the characters lacked depth," or "I liked the plot, but the heroine's attitude and actions in that situation seemed unrealistic to me," then maybe character is something you need to work on.

Another crucial thing to remember is NEVER BE RUDE TO AN AGENT. Never write back some snippy, defensive letter telling them how wrong they are or how sorry they'll be that they rejected you. In fact the only thing you should ever write back to an agent who's rejected your manuscript is, "Thank you for your time and consideration." That isn't sucking up, that's just good manners, and depending on the quality of your writing it might even inspire the agent to offer you some valuable advice or refer you to another agent who would be a better match for your work. That's how it happened for me!

Thank you, Rebecca! You've been awesome, and now I'm more excited than ever to get my hands on Spell Hunter!

I enjoyed doing this interview -- thank you for coming up with such great questions!

Meet the Silver Phoenix

If this little tease doesn't entice you, I don't know what will. I'm already intrigued, already thankful I've pre-ordered the book, already itching to find out what happens next. It's true, gang: we are going to love The Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon. Read on for a snippet of the Pon magic and tell me that you're not a little curious about so much.

Excerpt:

"I should go," Ai Ling said. She owed him thanks. He had saved herlife, after all.

He remained silent, looking down at her—his face never betraying histhoughts. His golden eyes were tinged with green. She dropped hergaze, hating herself for noticing.

What was he thinking? Without conscious effort, she cast herself toward him, threw an invisible cord from her spirit to his. She felt it waver like a drunken serpent, fumble, and then latch. The sudden pulling and tautness within her navel surprised her.

She remembered watching her father fish once. He'd offered her the bamboo rod when a fish took the bait, tugging so hard against the line she was afraid the rod would snap. It felt like that.

She felt an irresistible draw toward her hooked target, followed by a strange snap sensation. She was within Chen Yong's being.

Ai Ling noticed his higher vantage point immediately. She had always been told she was tall for a girl, but she didn't look so from his eyes. His body was more rested than hers. There were no knots of anxiety in his shoulders, no soreness in his neck. A power and strength unfamiliar to her coursed through his limbs, a litheness coiled within him.

She stared at herself. She stood in a stance of defiance, arms folded across her chest. Did she always look so childish, so stubborn?

Was that Chen Yong's thought or her own? She quieted her spirit, eavesdropped within his mind. Feisty. She plucked the one word which flitted to her from his thoughts. It emerged with a sense of amusement and surprised admiration. Suddenly, she felt ashamed that she was intruding. She was curious but it felt wrong. She drew herself back reluctantly, felt the snap as she returned to her ownbeing.

The world tilted for a brief moment, and she tried to cover her unsteadiness by fussing with her knapsack. She blinked away the black spots which floated across her vision. What was happening to her?Had he felt her trespass? She glanced up at him. His expression had not changed. She straightened, and drew a deep breath.

"I can never repay your kindness. Thank you." She spoke from the heart, he deserved that much.

Chen Yong nodded. "And to you, Ai Ling. Take good care."

She blushed, turned so he would not see, and walked away. She looked back once, to find him still standing in the same spot, and waved. He lifted one hand in farewell. Ai Ling hoped he would follow. She quickly cast the thought aside as if the desire had never existed.

=-=-=-=-=-
My love:
1. Great simile: drunken serpent
2. I like the tidbit about fishing with her father
3. I actually felt the muscles in my shoulders relax when I read that Chen Yong's body was more rested than hers

My curiosity:
1. How long has she had this ability?
2. Was this the first person she's 'hooked'?
3. Does it always feel the same way?

News that'll make you do the Happy Dance:
I'm not supposed to let the cat out of the bag quite yet, but (shhhh) Cindy will be stopping in sometime within the next week to do an interview!

Must-Buy New Authors

The long and eagerly awaited moment is upon us: Step Three of the great Hated Book Give-Away commences in 3...2...1...!

After diligent searching and thoughtful meditating, I am pleased to present the following Must-Buy new authors. Upon reflection, I decided to focus on Young Adult fantasy writers this time around, since that's the area I'm personally invested in atm. Explore their blogs, leave encouraging comments, and buy their books. Yes, I know, you have to either pre-order their books or wait until they come out this spring. My advice? Pre-order. Then you'll be surprise with a lovely gift when it arrives in your mailbox.



1. Cindy Pon, author of Silver Phoenix: Beyond the Kingdom of Xia, a YA Asian fantasy. Available in April 2009, you can pre-order now.


2. Aprilynne Pike, author of Wings. Release date is May 5, 2009, but do pre-order.



3. And finally, R. J. Anderson, author of Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter. Release date is April 2009, as well, and, yes, you can still pre-order.



Happy Reading! And check back soon for more info on these Must-Read new authors' books, blogs, and bio's. Do let me know if you've scouted out any new authors -- in fact, post them on your blog and let us all know. There are lots of aspiring and published writers wanting to read and support the latest, newest authors out there. I know, because you've commented or emailed me, telling me so.

The Time Paradox Post Script -- Spoiler

The Time Paradox: Not only did every couple of pages in the latest Artemis Fowl novel insert comments on pollution, carbon footprints, and evil humans, but the entire plot was shaky at best.

Plot: Artemis Fowl, age 14, had to go back in time to rescue a lemur from being sold by Artemis Fowl, age 10, to a group of animal haters called the Extintionists. (Yes, the plot revolves around a group who were going to kill the last lemur and make it officially extinct.) Artemis, age 10, decides that his father's life is more important than an animal's. He needs the money (100,000) to fund a trip into the Arctic to find his father.

Ultimately, however, we learn that a human's life (or that of a male human) is not worth that of a lemur's -- especially when the brain liquid of said lemur can help save Artemis' mother's life. Oh, no worries. It can be extracted in a non-lethal manner, so the lemur doesn't suffer at all. What a convoluted story.

What about good ol' dad? Doesn't he deserve a rescue? Is there no discussion or thought or contemplation that stealing the lemur means Dad never gets rescued? Nope. Case Closed.

House of Cards: Instead of going back in time and stealing the lemur from a formidable opponent -- a truly intelligent and less compassionate Artemis -- why didn't Artemis aged 14 simply buy the lemur?

Ummm...Let's See:

1. Artemis, age 10, needs money

2. Artemis, age 14, needs lemur

3. Artemis, age 10, has lemur

4. Artemis, age 14 has money

Ummm...Let's Face It:

1. There is no story

Lady Luck Plays Favorites

They say Fortune favors the prepared, though Llonio in Taran Wanderer phrased it thusly: "You need only sharpen your eyes to see your luck when it comes, and sharpen your wits to use what falls into your hands." Later, he told Taran, "Trust your luck...but don't forget to put out your nets." It seems bizarre, then, to see people singled out for being "lucky" when the term actually does a disservice to all of the hard work, effort, and energy they've poured into an endeavor. The last step may appear effortless, but it's simply the final movement of a long journey --> and that's true whether it's spoken of life or writing.

Although luck hasn't much to do with my thoughts today, the idea of preparation or contemplation does. It seems that "like seeks like," even if this simply means that when one stares into the universe, something always stares back.

My latest musings on writing the next great american novel versus "candy"were revisted via a favorite candy author, Jeffery Deaver. This week, Author Magazine showcases an interview with him that possesses several gems embedded within. Deaver talks about how so many young aspiring writers are "misdirected. They think 'I ought to write this, even though I enjoy reading that.'" And then he talks about how he made the decision to write commercial fiction because that's what he preferred reading. Listening to his thoughts on that matter and several others, such as his ability to compress time within his books, prompted me to think about my own writing decisions...and to finally realize: I'm at peace with my decisions. I am happy, content, and complete. I am a writer.

And, when that stroke of luck shimmers across the sky, I'll be there to catch some of it in my sail. I only ask that my eyes are sharp enough to see it and my wits are sharp enough to make good use of it.

Novel Writing Decisions

When I first decided to actually sit down and write a novel, I made some key decisions based on gut instinct and pseudo research.

1. Write what's fun: I'd always intended to write the next great american novel -- but then, who among us hasn't? Upon reflection, however, I decided that such a task was monumental, chock full of research requirements (for me, anyway), and reeking of hard work. I decided to write candy instead. For me, candy is fantasy.

2. Write what sells: Honestly? This was just a hope -- and we all want our babies to sell like hotcakes in the literary market, I imagine, so that's hardly an original thought. Actually, though, there is definitely a segment of the artistic/authorial population who compose or write or create motivated entirely by 'staying true to the muse' ... which, by definition, means "creating that which won't sell." So, yes, writing "mass market" is an intentional decision.

3. Write to the largest possible audience: I had read somewhere that -- within the YA lit readership -- female protagonists tend to appeal to girls only, while male protagonists are accepted by both males and females. Generalizations aside, I wrote The Chillwane Chronicles with a male protagonist mostly because male protagonists appeal to me. Reflection, of course, revealed that this is because most female protagonists are sissies, angsty, or snarky, all of which are qualities I despise in women. (Well, okay, I despise those qualities in men, as well.) My new YA novel, Conning Lauren, contains a snarky, angsty sissy who metamorphosizes into a kick-butt heroine with rock-hard abs and a new-found respect for herself and small dogs.

Um. I lied about the dog part.

Lloyd Alexander Still Lives On

A Series of Partially Unrelated Events

In my Writing Rebellion post I mentioned reading the Harvard classics.

Diane commented that she felt it personally important to focus on the genre classics.

My husband found a set of Lloyd Alexander books -- The Chronicles of Prydain -- in my classroom and brought them home to read.

I admitted that I had never read the series. He looked at me in wonder.

On Monday, hubby handed me book one, The Book of Three.

I remembered Diane's words of wisdom.

Tonight I just finished book three, The Castle of Llyr.

I am now waiting for hubby to finish book four, so that I might read the continuing saga of Taran and friends.

I find I'm enjoying the lesson in brevity and action-packed adventure. It reminds me of the James Patterson interview I saw once. When asked what he attributed his great success to, he gave his half sardonic grin and stated, "Why, I leave out all the boring parts!"

Hone Your Writing Skills

So you've read my blogs on Odyssey, the annual 6-week Fantasy Writing Workshop, AND you've checked out their website and thought, "Oooh, now that's freaking awesome." Well, I'm here to deliver even more delightful news: there's a separate but equally as tasty workshop on the West Coast.

Clarion West, an intensive, six-week workshop for writers interested in science fiction and fantasy careers, just posted their requirements for Summer 2009 on their site Monday!! Here's your overview.

• Dates: June 21- July 31
• Application Deadline: March 1 ($30 application fee)
• Application requires writing samples and essay
• Scholarships available (full, partials, student of color, and NYC student)
• Six Stellar Instructors: John Kessel, Elizabeth Bear, Karen Joy Fowler, Nalo Hopkinson, David G. Hartwell, and Rudy Rucker. (Don't forget that Hartwell is Senior Editor for Tor Books!)
• Total Cost: $3200 (tuition, room, and partial board (breakfast + most weekday meals) for six weeks). Wireless Internet access is free.
• Did I mention there were scholarships?!

And, for our down-under friends, Clarion South is held in Australia every two years. Applications are now open and the "Boot Camp" will run from January 4 - February 14, 2009.

What are you waiting for? Click on those links; explore those sites; scribble out awe-inspiring application letters! Or, send me a stack of unmarked, non-consecutive serial numbered, non-inflation-impacted dollar bills and finance a scholarship of your own making...

Agent Blogger: the Swivet

Slogging through blogs and randomly pulling out gems is hard work. That's why it's nice if someone else does it for you. Thanks to Nathan Bransford for pointing his readers in the direction of agent Colleen Lindsay who maintains a succint & informative site.

An agent with FinePrint Literary Management, Ms. Lindsay has posted her submission guidelines, currently seeking list, and tips for earnest writers in an organized and witty fashion on The Swivet.

The good news? While she represents a vast array of genres, Ms. Lindsay loves S/F and fantasy, especially the kind that breaks through the more common tropes of the genre. So, explore her site, mull over her advice, and start submitting your work!

Writers of the Future: Free Writing Contest

One of the elite writing contests of the day happens to be sponsored by L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future. Many leading science fiction and fantasy authors have earned their first laurels -- and major recognition -- as semi-finalists, finalists, and winners of this contest. Big names in the field (like Orson Scott Card, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, and Anne McCaffrey to name a few) also make up the panel of judges.

Check out the contest rules, explore the site, and contemplate sending in your masterpiece.

Basics:

• No entry fee
• 17,000 words or less
• Four quarters per year, each with prizes
• First prize: $1000
• Grand prize: $5000 for the year's winner
• No professional writers (see site's definition)

Contest Deadlines:
December 31st
March 31st
June 30th
September 30th
Contest year ends at midnight on Sept 30th.

Note: for you budding artists out there, check out the Illustrators of the Future contest for new & amateur artists worldwide; $1500 in prizes awarded quarterly.

Fantasy Movie List Revisited

...
This Is Just To Say...

I have devoured
the movies
that you posted on
my blog

and which
you were undoubtedly
saving for a rainy day

Forgive me
they were delightful
so intriguing
and gripping

with apologies to William Carlos Williams

If you haven't yet listed your favorite fantasy movies, please post them here.

Calling Fantasy Movie Lovers

I have a quick favor to ask: What are your favorite fantasy movies? Of all time. Yes, I'm asking. Really. Lay it on me.

List as many as you want, but tag each one with the closest fitting title. If you can't find one that fits, create your own.

• Speculative worlds;
• Urban fantasy;
• High fantasy;
• Comic book hero;
• Legendary hero;
• Fantasy with Sci Fi twist

I am aware of the myriad of lists out there populating the Internet landscape. My purpose, however, is to discover the idiosyncracies and delights of the community that make up this portion of blog-world. Thank you for your contributions in advance!

Five Tips for Unlocking Writer's Block

Every writer knows the feeling. You've put it in four-wheel drive, and your tires are still spinning. Mud flips through the air, coating your windshield, and oozes down your side mirror. You groan. It didn't look that deep. or that muddy. or that messy. But here you are -- out of cell range, close to midnight, all alone. What do you do?

1. Read the hilarious but empathetic chapter on writer's block in Anne Lamott's must-have book Bird by Bird. She begins with: There are few experiences as depressing as that anxious barren state known as writer's block, where you sit staring at your blank page like a cadaver, feeling your mind congeal, feeling your talent run down your leg and into your sock. At least you don't feel quite so alone.

2. Go for a walk. This sounds asinine, and it might not work for you. But I've found that extra oxygen to the brain can work wonders. I have a five-mile loop, myself, and by the time I've finished, I'm ready to roll. I don't always remember every brilliant line or detail that I cleverly crafted, but I've had the chance to reassure myself that I haven't lost it, this precious golem I keep on a string.

3. Listen to a podcast. Not any podcast, of course, but one that inspires the writer in you. My favorite are from Odyssey: the Fantasy Writing Workshop. (If you have money, time, and writing talent, apply for their 6-week writing workshop. It looks phenomenal.) They have such writing greats as Patricia A. McKillip, Rodman Philbrick, and Jeff VanderMeer doing their guest lecturing, as well as editors like Gardner Dozois.

4. If you're really stuck, consider taking a true breather and pick up Christopher Vogel's The Writer's Journey. When you need to hit reset, take time out and re-evaluate, step back and look at the big picture, this book can help remind you of the epic structures of storytelling. This doesn't mean you're betraying your craft or concocting a cookie-cutter novel. It just means that you acknowledge a greater theme that ties humanity together and you're interested in universal truths.

5. Slog through it. Sometimes the only way to conquer Writer's Block is to bulldoze your way through it. Keep typing. Keep writing. Keep your fingers moving. Force yourself to sit there and slog your way through it. Yes, it's painful. Yes, it's dirty. And, yes, you'll end up deleting most of it later on down the line. But, sometimes, it's the only way.

Sometimes you are the only one who can rescue you. You have to get out the shovel and the sandbags, and dig your way out, sprinkling down a layer of traction as you go. You'll be sweaty and muddy, but oh so exultant when your tires finally wrench free. Go forth and conquer.

How to Publish Without an Agent

My advice is to secure an agent (see previous posts). However, it's still possible to see your book in print without the advice and guidance of one. Read on for tips.

It is possible to be your own literary agent. I don't personally know anyone who has gone that route, but I do know it's been done.

1. Search out publishing companies that accept unagented, unsolicited manuscripts. There are lots that say they do, but whether or not your manuscript receives more than a cursory glance is hard to determine.

• Heather Osborn an acquiring editor of Tor Books (imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC) is looking for paranormal romance or urban fantasy. She suggested Stacy Hague-Hill (Thanks to twinkiethekid for spelling advice) as someone actively looking for Science Fiction / Fantasy aquisitions.
• Check out Fleetwood Robbins, an editor at Wizards of the Coast, as well.
• Ace & ROC of Penguin Group will also accept direct queries from authors.

2. Do the research. Each of these publishing companies details specific guidelines for submitting your work. They're all different. Look up what they want, do a google search for an editor to send it to, and then personalize the query letter.

3. Find out what it takes to represent your own work. I would recommend Martin P. Levin's book Be Your Own Literary Agent: The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Getting Published. While not the final word on the subject (chapter on contracts advises finding a lawyer or an agent) , it will still give you some tips on getting an editor to look at your work.

Are you someone who has gone the unagented route? What were your experiences? Did you find that getting published led you to an agent? Or did you decide to continue on alone?

Double Trouble

Today's the day! 08-08-08 marks the release date of the next Billibub Badding's mystery (The Case of the Pitcher's Pendant by Tee Morris), as well as Philippa Ballantine's Digital Magic. Check these two out via http://www.amazon.com/ and add 'em to your shopping cart. Enjoy.

Here are my brief reviews:

I am not a baseball fan, but that doesn't matter when it comes to The Case of the Pitcher's Pendant. If you like witty dialogue and clever plot twists, then this is a must-add to your library. Tee Morris skillfully weaves Chicago, lit noir, and fantasy into a kick-butt narrative of angsty fun. If you haven't giggled or tee-hee'd in a while (no pun intended), then definitely purchase this puppy. You won't regret it.

Carefully crafting a dark world of paranoia, rage, and destruction, Ballantine manages to weave in those bits of silver lining that we all crave. Although Chasing the Bard was a delightful frolic and immensely enjoyable, Ballantine has upped the stakes and taken her writing to a new level in Digital Magic that fairly screams masterful finesse. Don't miss out on this 'through the glass darkly' adventure.

Setting and the Creation of Magic

Although comprehensive world-building is something you should do before you write an entire novel, I'm still going to participate in this activity post-Ceilyn's Calling. The novel takes place entirely in a monastery, so thus far Ceilyn has not encountered the world at large. His "journey" is an internal one, both within his own psyche and within the structure of the building.

The world of Renaciman is a mixture of the sub-genres high fantasy and sword & sorcery, with requisite struggles of good versus evil, fantastical creatures, and doses of magic use. It's all very medieval in nature, with swords, crossbows, and magic potions. So what makes it unique in nature? How is Renaciman any different that any other high fantasy novel?

Ceilyn's Calling, unbeknownst to the reader (and perhaps never openly revealed), takes place in America in the year 3050. Instead of being a futuristic, science fiction piece or a dystopian literary rage against societal ills, this book explores a post-apocalyptic world without any of the angst. In fact, all that the citizens of Renaciman know are their current lives, spent -- for the most part -- within the same village they were born in. History has been left in the dust of the ages; the religious institutions are embroiled in their own intrigues; and a god-king is attempting to usurp all power for himself.

In order to explore the world, we need to understand the nature of magic. This was actually the most difficult part of my novel, because, after all, how many people ponder the nature of magic? It just is, right? But how can magic come into being somewhere down the road in a future America? Well, in most cultures there is an tacit agreement that magic is or consists of energy. We know that energy exists on a sub-atomic level. Therefore, in my definition, magic is simply the ability to shift, control, or manipulate energy on the sub-atomic level. And that cleared a lot up for me.

Once I penned a post-nuclear Planet Earth where survivors developed the ability to control different forms of energy, I understood how I could interject a scientific form of magic (scientific used loosely).

Over time, some survivors focused their new-found abilities to rid themselves and others of radiation sickness, keloids, and tumors. They became known as 'healers' within the society. Others, who were either simply curious or desirous of exploiting new-found powers, experimented, studied, and learned many skills outside the scope of healing, becoming known as 'mages.' Notice the reliance on known concepts or words within the English language.

None of this exists within the novel Ceilyn's Calling. Instead, the only remnant of past civilizations are the village stones that hold the last waning vestiges of radioactivity, now vital for any magic user. Some stones have disintegrated; others have been lost; still more are being plundered by the king's soldiers who have been instructed to haul every stone they find to the palace. The only other place that has its magic intact is the monastery, where Ceilyn has grown up using spells and chants. He does not know that the world around him is gradually losing its access to power.

The second novel, Ceilyn's Curse, details his journey from monastery to palace -- one place of powerful magic to another -- and the emptiness between. He must learn to rely upon himself and the skills of his friends if he hopes to survive without magic along this circuitous and dangerous route. Once he arrives at the palace, of course, he uses this new-found confidence and self-reliance to outwit the most powerful mage and enemy of the people, Lord Xavier. What else could he do?

Worldbuilding with Eliza Wyatt

I'm contemplating a month of worldbuilding with Eliza Wyatt, fantasy 'scribbler' as she calls herself and word-crafter extraordinaire. If you haven't already checked out her blog, you must, if only for the simple beauty of her language. You don't have to like or understand fantasy; you just have to appreciate imagery that sticks with you long after the words are gone. She's funny, too, which is always a plus: Robert Jordan’s work could be used as bludgeoning weapons in the military if they ever ran short. The most important reason to read her blog is the fact that she's penned some gems: any writer of any genre will benefit from her (consistent) flashes of insight.

Urban Fantasy World-Building

As promised, here are the key points from the Fey Fab Five's world-building workshop. (Ok, they call themselves Team Seattle, but I couldn't resist.) Note that most of these can be used with high fantasy or sci fi as well.

1. Setting informs plot and character development:
* Cake Mix: start with the known world and break some rules (ex: America w/ underground zombie world).
* Scratch cake: build a world of your own, adding rules as you go (ex: Forgotten Realms).

2. Awareness level of audience:
* Closed world: fantasy aspects are secret; only open to protagonist and a few others
* Open world: fantasy completely integrated; everyone knows.
* Inciting Event: something that either opens up the world or closes it off.

3. Role of known mythology:
* Use known myths, tweak, and make your own.
* Do research first so that you know what you're talking about.
* Know your stuff: Apollo could currently be the god of the tanning bed, but probably not the god of dishwashers.

4. Economics:
* Who are the movers and the shakers? Where does the money (or goods/materials) move?
* Who controls what?

5. Limits:
* A magical system must have rules and limits; there has to be give and take.
* Your protagonist should have a fatal flaw.
* There has to be something on the line, so that your audience cares.

6. Consistency:
* There needs to be consistency within the genre that you're working in. For example, magic always has a cost. Or, were-creatures need to be a comparable size to humans. You don't hear about were-ferrets.
* There also needs to be consistency within your own book or series. Think about all the angles, restrictions, etc, before you even begin writing so that you know the limits of your own world.

7. Tropes & Stereotypes:
* Find out the common archetypes or hallmarks of the genre or subgenre you're working in.
* Select one, then put a spin on it.