Why did you pick the setting you used in your story? I'm not looking for -- "because I live there". I want you to dig deep and tell us... Specific details about your setting. What would we see? What sort of people are there? If we were traveling to your setting, what should we bring with us? For visitors, what do they need to know to visit your setting?
The primary setting for my epic fantasy series is a continent-sized island nation called Azgard. The geography varies greatly, depending on the latitude. There are huge, snow-capped mountains; lush forests of redwood trees with a house-sized circumference; sweeping grass plains populated by herds of horses; rich farmlands, meadows, and even vast swamps in the far
south. The island is also well endowed with mineral wealth and other natural resources, including abundant water.
At first glance, Azgard seems little short of paradise. Polarized, however, is the key to understanding the island and its society. Azgard is deeply divided by race, by rank, by gender, by wealth, by level of power, by opportunity for advancement, and by access to technology.
Two groups inhabit Azgard. The dominant race, the Toltecs, are long-lived, exceptionally tall, physically strong, black-haired and black-eyed people with skin that ranges from light copper to deep reddish brown. The subject people, the Turanians, are smaller in stature, with blond, red, and light brown hair, blue or green eyes, and skin so pale it seems like milk.
As the story begins, the Toltecs conquered the Turanians several millennia earlier. Turanians endure limited chances for economic advancement, and work largely as servants, low-paid menial workers in industry, or as farmers. A handful of Turanians have managed to accumulate wealth, but they must hide that fact to keep Toltec bureaucrats from plundering their assets. Turanians also have highly circumscribed access to communications and other technology, and are not allowed to own any form of mechanized transport or even drive one without the permission of a Toltec employer.
Toltecs, on the other hand, control most of the wealth and the means of producing even more. A Toltec oligarchy that uses the name of "the Kindred" owns all land and patents on numerous inventions. The Toltec monarch is known as the Exalted Lord of the Kindred. Females are the property of either their fathers or their husbands and have few legal rights or protections.
Visitors to Azgard find that while the Turianians are hospitable to strangers, the Toltecs are much more aloof and suspicious because they regard anyone who isn't a Toltec as inferior. Their racial and ethnic supremacy belief guides the Toltecs' foreign policy, which is based on
military power and subjugation of other countries. Toltec society is also theocratic, with all people subject to civil laws and the religious laws of the state-sanctioned Temple of Kronos. There is no freedom of speech, and the poor and/or Turanians who cannot afford legal representation feel the heavy hand of Toltec justice, which is punitive and often violent.
Why you choose that particular setting?
I didn't really choose the setting. It is an integral part of the overall multi-generational story.
What does the setting add to the story?
Only everything. The setting makes this story.
Could you write the same story in a different setting?
No. One critic took it upon himself to suggest that I set the action in Cyprus, an island torn by centuries-long feuds between Greeks and Turks. That would not make any sense and it would not work for my particular story.
Why or why couldn't you use a different setting?
The storyline of my entire series is bound up in the ultimate fate of Azgard. This is a tale about how religious extremists bent on absolute power instead destroyed an entire country and imperiled the world. Thus the setting cannot exist any longer-it simply cannot be any place or locale that remains intact.
Did you use a real place as a basis for your setting? Or, did you create the setting from scratch?
I believe I chose real places that once existed as the settings. Others might consider my setting nothing more than a myth at best. It was real to me because I believe I once lived a life as the first-generation heroine of my story.
Is there anything else about your setting that we need to know? Feel free to share.
There is a dark secret gnawing away at the underpinnings of Toltec power that will be exposed as the series progresses due to war, plague, and civil unrest.
Please provide your website link. http://www.greenstoneofhealing.com
Thank you for sharing details about your book setting. Now, what's the title of your book and where can we buy it?
Title: Green Stone of Healing® Series
Paperbacks purchase links:
The Scorpions Strike-Green Stone of Healing® Series, Book Three
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053753
Fallout-Green Stone of Healing® Series, Book Two
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053746
The Vision-Green Stone of Healing® Series, Book One
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9780980053739
eBooks purchase link: http://www.healingstonebooks.com
Showing posts with label fantasy setting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fantasy setting. Show all posts
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
The Setting for Conor and the Crossworlds by Kevin Gerard
Questions About the Setting of Conor and the Crossworlds
Why did you pick the setting you used in your story? I'm not looking for -- "because I live there". I want you to dig deep and tell us...
Why you chose that particular setting?
I chose the Crossworlds because it is infinite. It is an endless series of worlds of light and darkness where anything can happen. What could be better than that for a fantasy writer?
What does the setting add to the story?
Surprises around every corner. There are four main venues that Conor and the other characters populate from time to time.
The realm of the creators is the home of the Council of Seven, a group of creators emeritus who oversee the Crossworlds. It is a place of unparalleled beauty and wellbeing. It is where Conor and the Champions go to rejuvenate themselves and prepare for battle.
The Glade of Champions is the world where the giant protectors of the Crossworlds live. Heavily forested and filled with lakes and small hills where the great cats can sun themselves, this is where Conor first meets Purugama’s brothers.
Earth – Conor lives there with his family in
The Shadow World is the home of the Circle of Evil. The destroyers; Drazian, Gandron, Fumemos, Seefra, Pikiwik Loff, and the horrible assassin Nemelissi all stage their attacks in this place. Zelexa, the Lady of the Shadows, controls this world along with the three arcs of the ruling body.
Could you write the same story in a different setting?
Why would I ever want to do that?
Why or why couldn't you use a different setting?
It’s not that I wouldn’t, I simply couldn’t. To me, the Crossworlds is as real as the world we all know. Conor is alive, as is Purugama and the rest of the Champions. The Lady of the Light has come alive with all the others, the destroyers, shadow warriors, the ezuvex, and on and on. This is a real live dimension I’ve created, and I could never change a thing about it. To do so would be an injustice to all the characters in the Conor and the Crossworlds story.
Did you use a real place as a basis for your setting?
Only on earth. I went to
Or, did you create the setting from scratch?
Everything besides earth came right out of my runaway imagination, including the Crossworlds, the corridors, the shadow world, the Champions, seekers, guardians, and the armies of the shadow world. I have to say, though, that I have been influenced by many wonderful writers. I’m certain the Lady of the Light emerged from my love of the science fiction / fantasy genre.
Is there anything else about your setting that we need to know? Feel free to share.
Anything can happen, and usually does. The great wonder about fantasy writing is the spontaneity of the experience. Imagine freeing your mind completely and allowing yourself to write absolutely anything. That’s where great stories come from.
One thing that I’ll tell you is that very little in the Crossworlds is synthetic. I love the idea that the corridors are living, organic creatures. In Book Two they began to unravel because the Circle of Evil attacked the spiritual and social health of the planets connected to them. In Book Three you really get the sense of how emotional the corridors can be.
Please provide your website link.
http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com
What is the link to buy your book?
Amazon.com, Barnes&Noble.com, Borders.com – go to any of these sites and search for Conor and the Crossworlds.
Tell us some specific details about your setting. What would we see? What sort of people are there? If we were traveling to your setting, what should we bring with us? For visitors, what do they need to know to visit your setting?
If you went to the Glade of Champions, you might encounter a 5000 pound lion, a 2800 pound jaguar, a 2100 pound cheetah, a 3000 pound tiger, a 3000 pound flying cougar, and if you were lucky, you might see Maya, the Lord of the Champions, a 1900 pound alley cat. They are all cordial gentlemen, to a point.
If you went to the realm of the creators, your jaw would drop as you looked upon glorious gardens, waterfalls, pools, and perfect sunlight. The weather is always perfectly soothing to the spirit and soul. Young creators tend to the grounds constantly, and attend to the needs of the creators emeritus. Seekers (powerful visionaries with a gift finding lost souls) and guardians (healers from an ancient race of ezuvex warriors) might be roaming about. Bring relaxing clothing; you may pass by a healing water wall and want to stop for a moment’s rest.
Beware if you enter the Shadow World, for no one who perishes there can ever be rejuvenated by the creators. If you hear that the destroyer Nemelissi is on the loose, hide somewhere and stay absolutely quiet. Nemelissi the assassin is the most horrible of all destroyers, a disgusting creature who relishes new methods of slaughtering its victims.
Thank you for sharing details about your book setting. Now, what's the title of your book and where can we buy it?
Conor and the Crossworlds: Breaking the Barrier
Conor and the Crossworlds: Peril in the Corridors
Conor and the Crossworlds: Surviving an Altered World
Conor and the Crossworlds: Charge of the Champions – October 2009
Conor and the Crossworlds: The Author of All Worlds – October 2010
Stop by any tour stop and share your thoughts and comments with author Kevin Gerard as he prepares for the December release of Book 3 Surviving an Altered World. He will check in throughout the day at each stop to answer questions. You’ll learn more and have a chance to win one of his books, and the more you learn about Conor and his exciting realm the more you'll want to know. Visit Kevin's website http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com today to keep tabs on the upcoming release of Surviving an Altered World. While your there click on the contest video for exciting details regarding The Hunt for the Five Keys of the Creators which begins in January.
For more information about Kevin Gerard and his virtual tour, check the schedule at http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/10/virtual-book-tour-conor-and-crossworlds.html
Surviving an Altered World Blurb:
Conor and Janine watch in horror as a powerful warrior sent by the Circle of Evil destroys their world and imprisons everyone they know, including the Crossworlds Champions and the creators. The Lady of the Light appears, explaining that she and her kind deposited the five keys of the creators on different worlds just before the chaos began. If Conor and Janine can recover the keys, the Crossworlds will be restored
Amazon Link for Surviving an Altered World: http://tinyurl.com/55akjz
About Conor and the Crossworlds
Conor and the Crossworlds series: This series opens with book 1, Conor and the Crossworlds, when 10-year-old Conor Jameson unconsciously calls forth the power of the crossworlds creators who send the mystical beast, Purugama, to accompany the boy on a fantastic journey into the realm of the crosswords. This immense collection of mystical worlds connects by organic "corridors" that allow creators, champions, seekers, and at the other end of the spectrum, destroyers, shadow warriors, slayers and keepers to travel between worlds as easily as Conor walks between the rooms of his home. In book 2, Peril in the Corridors, the story continues when Conor and his huge mentor disturb the integrity of the crossworlds corridors, and must join the Lord of the Crossworlds Champions, Maya, on a mission to repair them, with all of creation hanging in the balance. In book 3, Surviving an Altered World (due to be released in December 2008), Conor and Janine Cochran, two everyday high school students find themselves caught in a race to save an altered world after Conor ignores his mentors' warnings and divulges secrets about his past.
About the Author:
After running three companies and working a variety of jobs during his life, Mr. Gerard returned to school and earned a master's degree in sociology from Humboldt State University. He returned to San Diego after completing the program and worked with two professional research organizations over the next seven years. In 2004, he resigned from the second position in order to pursue a writing career. While still teaching at the university, he spends the bulk of his time writing for publication. The Conor and the Crossworlds series provided the main impetus for his decision to permanently extricate himself from formal employment.
"Stepping away from full-time work was the best decision I ever made. Writing this story has given me tremendous personal satisfaction, and it has shown me an avenue for expression I will always treasure."
Kevin Gerard lives in San Diego, California, with his wife and four children. He teaches sociology and statistics for the California State University. When not writing or teaching, Mr. Gerard enjoys walking the grounds at the San Diego Zoo, golfing with his father, hitting the waves and his favorite pizza hangout with his brother, nieces and nephews, and loving his wife and kids. He also enjoys playing Halo on the internet; look for him in the rocket games as Drazian, the destroyer in the first Conor and the Crossworlds adventure, Breaking the Barrier.
Conor and the Crossworlds Contest
Visit his website and click on the contest video for exciting details regarding The Hunt for the Five Keys of the Creators which begins in January http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com
Website Address: http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com
Primary Blog: http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/A1Y85GB3KR02Y6/ref=cm_blog_dp_artist
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Estraguil - Setting for The Girl Who Fell
Why you chose that particular setting?
This is my fourth book in the Estraguil setting. Having put a lot of work into creating a fantasy place, I just love playing with it and keep going back there. It has so much history to explore, and lends itself to all kinds of different stories.
What does the setting add to the story?
It’s a mysterious place, full of magic and possibility. Myths are very important in Estraguil, story and landscape, heritage and culture are all interwoven. The setting has a distinct personality of its own, with intentions of its own and lends itself to drama and adventure.
Could you write the same story in a different setting?
No.
Why or why couldn't you use a different setting?
I don’t like rabbit out of hat solutions. ‘The Girl Who Fell’ is rooted in the nature and logic of estraguil, with some of the quirks of the setting being essential to the plot.
Did you use a real place as a basis for your setting?
There’s a considerable influence of the Forest of Dean in Estraguil – narrow river valleys, woods, caves, hills etc. The name itself – Estraguil – was an old name for Chepstow Castle, which is in the Forest of Dean. Said castle provided the inspiration for a tower in the story, and for the whole concept of Estraguil.
Tell us some specific details about your setting. What would we see?
It’s a wild and beautiful place, with massive ancient trees, boulders, caves, rivers and waterfalls. There is a lot of unique indigenous wildlife – much of it dangerous. You get small pockets of civilisation around the trefs, but once you get away from those, the forest is untamed, full of wonders, hazards and adventures.
What sort of people are there?
There are a number of kith groups who inhabit the forests – some nomadic, some stationary. Most of these groups have their own areas, some do not. While basically humanoid, the inhabitants of Estraguil tend to be strange – furred, feathered, shape shifting, with tails, or hooves, claws, forked tongues, or other striking quirks.
If we were travelling to your setting, what should we bring with us?
Stout boots, a sturdy pack, something for warmth, water skins, something to hunt with. Bring no more than you can carry on your shoulders because there are no beasts of burden here, and technology is minimal. Make sure you have stories or songs, because these can be traded almost anywhere.
For visitors, what do they need to know to visit your setting?
Estraguil is dangerous, with a lot of rules of its own. Travel cautiously, treat those you find with respect – if you offer no violence you might not receive any.
Thank you for sharing details about your book setting. Now, what's the title of your book and where can we buy it?
The Girl Who Fell
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/chapters/TheGirlWhoFell_BrynnethColvin.shtml
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