World Building
When writing the first novel in my paranormal romance
trilogy, The Garnet Dagger, I created
another world for my characters. However, when I was world building there were
several things that helped me.
It has to be
believable. Yes, I know this is a ‘fantasy’ world and we are only limited
by our imaginations, but there also has to be logic. For example, if sharks
swam in sand instead of the ocean, would they still have gills? Or would they
have another way to breathe? Sometimes our own world can help us. Nature is
fascinating. I used hornet behavior for my Bergone characters. If a hornet is
killed, it releases a chemical or pheromone that alerts other hornets from its
nest to attack. If this chemical gets on a person, clothes, etc. it can also
trigger an attack.
Keep accurate notes.
I made this mistake. I had meshed two mythological creatures into one and
called it a different name. Unfortunately, I had to remove this snippet from my
novel because when the editor asked what this was, I could not find the two
sources I had researched years before. Notes are always a good idea even if you
do not use the material in a current story as it may fit better in another.
There has to be some
similarities with our world for readers to relate. If the world is too
convoluted with otherworldly ideas and words, the reader may become lost. What
I did was create a limited vocabulary the reader would need to know, and in
some instances, I made it a similar word to our own or a lesser known word. Say
you want a Rowan tree in your story, but you do not want to call it that.
Looking up the other names and folk names of Rowan the encyclopedia has:
mountain ash, Dogberry tree, Old Norse
raun, Quickbane, Quickbeam, Quicken, Quickenbeam, Ran tree, Roan tree, Rune
tree, Sorb apple, Whispering tree, Witch wood, Witchbane, etc. Any of those
names would work or a combination. Sometimes the Latin name tweaked with your
imagination.
Finally, world building is massive, especially how different
from earth you want it. Take it one step at a time. It is both extensive and
rewarding. Ironically one of the best parts for me is a reader asking questions
about the world cause they enjoyed it and the novel, but that it did not
distract from the story and characters.
Thank you.
Andrea R. Cooper
Debut author of The Garnet Dagger
Available at Crimson
Romance ebooks | Amazon | iTunes
Twitter: @AndreaRCooper
Andrea’s Bio: Growing up in Houston, Texas, Andrea has always enjoyed
creating characters and stories. But it wasn't until she was in her late
twenties that she started writing novels.
What happened that ignited the writing flame in her fingers? Divorced, and disillusioned by love songs and stories. They exaggerate. She thought. Love and Romance are not like that in the real world. Then she met her husband and realized, yes love and romance are exactly like the songs and stories say. She is now a happy wife, and a mom to three kids (two boys and a girl).
Andrea writes paranormal and historical romance. When not writing or reading, one may find Andrea dancing in Zumba.
She believes in the power of change and counting each moment as a blessing. But most importantly, she believes in love.
The Garnet Dagger is her debut novel and is a paranormal romance with Crimson Romance.
Excerpt: Chapter One
I’ve known
death. For over half a millennia, I escorted many to death at the end of my
sword. In the eyes of the dying, I watched it shroud them. Foolishly, I thought
many more eras would pass before death came for me. It came so swiftly that I
could not run; I could not escape. At a village, dressed in human clothes, I
took in everything. By observing for eons, I understood and spoke their
language. The world of mankind fascinated me. Their hobbled homes burrowed into
the ground.
Rocks
crunched on top one another with thatched roofs woven from straw. Never had I
seen a home or inn that was higher than three levels, as if they were afraid of
the sky. I delayed my return to my people as I watched human jugglers bounce
torches and knifes. It was autumn equinox and the festivities would continue
well into the night. Children laughed as they chased each other. A trail of
leaves from their costumes twirled after them. It was dark when I reached the
forest. Since I was already late, I hiked uphill to a shortcut rather than take
the long path back home. I didn’t need to alert any of my kind near the barrier
at this hour. Liana would wonder why I was late.
Tonight was
the two month anniversary of our hand twining ceremony. One more month as was
custom, and then we’d be wed. A gasp rustled through the trees. The roots shot
a warning through to me with stifled caution. Adjusting my pack, I continued on
instead of changing back into my Elvin clothes. After I passed the border which
kept humans from entering our land, then I’d change. In the distance, I heard a
groan. Curious,
I spun in the direction of the sound. The autumn wind breezed
through my worn human clothes, chilling me. But someone needed help. I turned
in the direction of the sounds. Whatever made the noise should be a few yards
ahead.
I
hiked slower than my normal speed, so as not to startle whatever human called
out. My leather boots crunched upon dried, diseased leaves and bark. Horrified,
I glanced up. Branches twisted around each other to
suffocating. Lifeless limbs cracked in the wind. Flesh of the trees sloughed
off in layers, exposing its bones. Gashes hollowed out chunks of warmth.
Fragments of leaves clung to finger tips, marking sepulchers of the dying
trees. Trees mourned with wails like splitting wood, and I brought my hands
over my ears. I must flee before I became infected, they told me. Flee before the
stain of this defilement creeps into you, they warned. Trees spoke to my kind,
always had. Yet these trees were in such agony of death that I could not
breathe. Felt as though my lungs had folded in on themselves, like a moth
unable to break loose from its cocoon.
Nothing I could do for them, and if I lingered too long, whatever disease gnawed upon them may choke me. Where would I go if I carried something so foul as to devour trees from the inside out? I’d never return to Tamlon if I brought this infection with me. I drew away, but a movement at the base of a decaying tree to my right caught me. My night vision picked up the sight of a human. His sallow face seemed to glow in the moonlight. Poking out from rags lay his arms and legs, which resembled skin stretched over sticks. So cadaverous was his face, I’d have thought him dead if he hadn’t moved.
“Please,” he said and his voice sounded like cicada’s vibrations, “help me.”
“What ails you in this troubled place?” I wondered if my voice, foreign to my ears in speaking the human’s language, revealed my nature.
“I am lost.” His dark eyes crinkled around the corners. “Without strength to rise. If you would but assist me up, I’ll be on my way.”
I’d never touched a human on purpose before. Was it that that gave me pause, or dread that stilled my heart? My feet itched to flee. As soon as I helped him, then I’d leave. I gritted my teeth and reached a hand down.
His gnarled fingers snapped on my arm, making me wince. Jerking me forward, his face contorted. Surprised by his strength, I fell beside him. Blackness curled around me. Teeth, fangs, broke through the skin on my neck. Then I knew him for what he was, a vampyre.
Cooper,
Andrea R. (2013-03-25). The Garnet Dagger (Crimson Romance) (Kindle Locations 60-67).
F+W Media. Kindle Edition.
The Garnet Dagger Book
Trailer http://youtu.be/ISi0u9LoseM
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Contest Time!
Andrea is giving away an e-book copy of The Garnet Dagger to one commenter. The contest ends May 6 at 11:59 PM. Good luck!