Silk Palace by Colin Harvey

Why you chose that particular setting?

I wanted a world that wasn’t this one, nor in any way linked to ours, because the logic of having the Gods walking among us does not relate in any way to our world or our history.

As a part of that world, Whiterock is in a central position as the tipping point between two much larger Empires; it’s literally a fulcrum for the world, as one of the characters observes.

What does the setting add to the story?

At times the Silk Palace is almost a character in its own right – it’s a lurking, brooding presence where strange things skitter and lurk in the corners.

Could you write the same story in a different setting?

I don’t think so, unless I had another place with such strong characteristics.

Why or why couldn't you use a different setting?

For all the reasons given above!

Did you use a real place as a basis for your setting? Or, did you create the setting from scratch?

No – it’s a composite of many places and my imagination.

Is there anything else about your setting that we need to know? Feel free to share.

These are my original notes:

The Silk Palace is built on a huge white rock, which gives the Kingdom of White Rock it's name. The town of the same name is a wooden walled one, that's spread around the rock. The Kingdom extends 10 miles North and 40 miles South, by 15 miles East and 25 miles West. So the Kingdom is 50 miles long by 40 wide.

The Kingdom is situated in the only sizeable gap in the Spine Range, which bisects the Continent of Tarknang. The continent is at this point (it's narrowest) six hundred miles from North-South. To the North of the 200 miles of Spine are scattered islands in a sub-arctic sea, which with no warm current, freezes over badly outside of Summer.

North of White Rock, are the marshes of Llamarghesa, perhaps 35 miles long by 50 wide. Flamingoes, bulls, pelicans, all inhabit the marshes. So do other, more sinister creatures. Northwards again, the Spine rises steeply, perhaps on a 1 in 5 gradient, so by 10 miles northwards, the mountains are up to 10000 feet high. Southwards, they rise at perhaps 1 in 6, so that by 15 miles south of White Rock, they're 13,000 feet high. So there are mountains perhaps 55 miles in each direction, clearly visible on a very clear day.

Please provide your website link.

http://www.geocities.com/colin_harvey/TheSilkPalace.html

What is the link to buy your book?

In the USA ; http://www.amazon.com/Silk-Palace-Colin-Harvey/dp/1934041424/ref=sr_1_1/103-3811783-1271041?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193587154&sr=1-1

In the UK ; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silk-Palace-Colin-Harvey/dp/1934041424/ref=sr_1_1/203-2993755-7182356?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193586998&sr=8-1

Or electronically: http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook51966.htm?cached

Tell us some specific details about your setting. What would we see?
A flat grassy plain from which a vast white monolithic rock like a giant albino Ayers Rock rises sheer to the point where you have to crane your neck. On top of this, if you took a balloon ride up there, you would see a citadel miles in diameter spreading across the surface.

What sort of people are there?

All sorts! There are chisellers, hucksters, nobility – like all trade routes, blacks and whites and others mix together.

If we were traveling to your setting, what should we bring with us?
Some money to pay the inevitable tax that they’ll charge you for traveling through their land. A small dagger for guarding against pick-pockets.

Thank you for sharing details about your book setting. Now, what's the title of your book and where can we buy it?

The Silk Palace – it’s out from Swimming Kangaroo Books, and you can buy it from amazon or fictionwise, or you can drop me a line via MySpace if you want a signed copy!

Thanks for reading this, if you have, and to Nikki for allowing me the opportunity.

Novels from Swimming Kangaroo Books:
Lightning Days -- SF, Finalist for the USA Book News Awards
The Silk Palace -- "compelling" Library Journal
"Intrigues, betrayals, murders, love affairs, transformations, and
revelations," Bruce Boston, author of The Guardener's Tale

www.geocities.com/colin_harvey www.myspace.com/colin_harvey