A to Z: Z and

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

Z

Zoreth – member of the 10^th Wing of Aerland on patrol in the Canyonlands, griffin partner to Yadira, trained with Klyan the Bold (Klyan’s father) as a young griffin

And, this just in, I had a sneak peek at the cover art for Champion in Flight last night, and I'm so excited I decided to offer Champion in the Darkness for 99 cents for kindle for today and tomorrow!

 

World Building Thought/Question: Does your world have any zany or zealous characters?

 

And yes, I ran out of ideas here, but started thinking it might be fun to throw a zealously zany and zestful character into my next story - a sidekick who zealously wants to be the mc? I have no idea. It's the end of A to Z, and I'm signing off until next Wednesday's IWSG. I hope you all had a great month.

Congrats if you finished A to Z!!!

 

 

A to Z: Y

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

Y

Yadira – member of the 10^th Wing of Aerland, on patrol in the Canyonlands, partner to Zoreth

World Building Thought/Question: Is there something that your main character yearns for in his/her world? Freedom? Peace? Renewal? Change?

A to Z: X

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

X
Wait, I don't have any "x" names!!!

World Building Thought/Question: Does your world have any xenophobic characters?

Ok, ok, so I looked up x words and came up with that.

Hmm - ok, here's a better question:

Does your book have an "x" that marks the spot kind of place? A special place that has meaning for your characters?

A to Z: W

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

W

Wendess  - a member of the Dark Sisterhood Coven, and care-taker of the mer-army

Winnifred (Winnie) – a serving girl in Rrysorria, cousin to Cork, with ambitions of becoming a sword apprentice

Wilstorm  the first King of Septily

Wylandria – a forested kingdom bordered by Rrysorria on the West, Aerland in the South, and the Icewynne Mountains to the East, and the Bitter Sea in the North.

 

World Building Thought/Question: Does your world/story have wild places that no one has ever ventured/conquered?

 

 

A to Z: V and Do You Have Goals Check In

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts
V

Valeriy – Ambassador from Aerland, human

Valterra – capital of Aerland

Veness – a member of the Dark Sisterhood Coven, and care-taker of the nagi

World Building Thought/Question: Through what view will the reader see your world? The villain's view? The hero's view? The hero's best friend's view? (Holmes and Watson are an example of this last one)

Do You Have Goals Check-In: Just a quick check-in this month from me. This month's progress: nearly nil. I'm completely caught up in life with school work (teaching, and more teaching), and family events (Vacation at Whistler, Paddler's Cup for my youngest, a driver's permit for my oldest, and a niece's Wedding). I think by this time this airs (pre-posting), I'll be in final format mode for Champion in Flight . . . I hope. I'm far behind my goals for CiF and it's driving me nuts.

A to Z: U

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts
U

Uorsin  - Lord of Rrysorria, ambassador to the Allied Council

World Building Thought/Question: What is the unavoidable conflict in your world/story/character's life?

A to Z: T

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

T

Talz – A Sword Guard on the Sword Council

Tamara – a former Champion of Septily

Taylor – one of Perren’s nephews, and falconer in training

Terter – a hawk in the care of Perren Hawksmith

Tessa  - Second Princess of Rrysorria, and sister to King Stephen and First Princess Kassa

Theran – the head of the Sword Council, and Commander of the Allied forces

Thrimble – a three stringed instrument

Torren – a griffin Shepherd of Aerland

Tristan – a Sword Apprentice in awe of Clara

World Building Thought/Question: What does your main character treasure most? or What is the "treasure" in your world?

A to Z: S

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts
S

Salene Gray – daughter of Lord Gray of the Desert Province, and Sword Master Apprentice – eventually the Lady – Protector

Samuel – a former Champion of Septily

Septily – a kingdom of seven provinces, with a King, a Council of Governors, and the Triune Council all ruling it.

Stelia (Sarya Tellia) – Master of the Sword, all disciplines, currently acting as a Sword Scout for Septily’s Triune Halls, and as Clara’s mentor.

World Building Thought/Question: What is the stimulus in the world that starts the story or the character in motion?

A to Z: R

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

R

Raithan – a Drinaii Captain, loyal to Kalidess

Rhodri Betern – a law-giver apprentice turned Triple apprentice to the Triune Halls

Ryan – first prince of Aerland, brother to Adrian, son of Gwen and Hal

Rrysorria – a kingdom to the North of Aerland, bordered by the Western Coast and the kingdom of Wylandria to the East, and the Bitter Sea in the North

 

 

World Building Thought/Question: Does religion/belief play a part in the world of your story?

 

 

We all believe in something. All of us. We may not agree with each other's beliefs, but we all have a belief that shapes the way that we think, act, and speak. Religion has been a driving force behind most of our world's cultures. It makes sense to have your characters believe in something, whether it's a formal religious practice, or a way of thinking about the world.

 

 

A to Z: Quickly

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

Q

Quenten – a Rrysorrian sent to spy on Lord Uorsin and Shepherd Bujeni – ambassadors from Rrysorria to the Allied Council

Quim – Perren Hawksmith’s nephew and apprentice

 

 

World Building Thought/Question: How quickly do you pace world building information within your plot? Do you spend paragraphs to pages describing the world and the people within it, or do you just drop hints along the way? Or do you fall somewhere in between those two methods?

 

As a reader, I'm a fan of hints of information with a few small paragraph chunks of world building within the action of the plot. So, as a writer, I've tried to do the same. Despite the clunkiness of this glossary, I don't download all this information on the reader in page-length descriptions. Just a little hint is given as my characters run about their business. :)

 

 

A to Z: Politics

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

P

Perren Hawksmith – Royal Falconer of Rrysorria

Petar – a young Lord of Rrysorria, Lady Deredi’s son

 

World Building Thought/Question: Do politics matter?

 

I touched on this with letter "j," but I wanted to mention it again. Politics and the way that people govern themselves matter in books that we write - whether we are working on the "politics" within a group of friends, or world "politics."

Addendum added late: By politics, I don't necessarily mean American type politics or even political structures of government - it can be that, or the kind of government you find in a group of teens - who's the leader, who's the follower, are their two leaders butting heads? Peer pressure? Politics on the large and small scale.

 

In different countries within Aramatir, there are slightly different political structures. Perren Hawksmith, although not a noble, is the highest ranking person in the Royal Mews of Rysorria, and there, he can even give orders to his King. This causes him a few issues with some of the nobles who think that he's trained their birds to pelt them with hawk chalk. :)

A To Z: O

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

O

Odran – A member of the Watch Guard, has an osprey named Louras.

World Building Thought/Question: How much does the world outside of your main character's home affect your character and her/his journey?

From the very first short story rendition of Champion in the Darkness called "The Crystal Sword," my main character, Clara, took up her sword of power to help defend her country against other influences. As the story grew into a novel that grew into a trilogy, more of the "outside" world came into play. Clara meets people from other cultures, including members of the secretive Watch Guard like Odran. These meetings encourage Clara, or challenge her.

A to Z: N

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

N

Nagi – snake-women created by the Dark Sisterhood

Nelson – A Sword Teacher and member of the Sword Council

 

World Building Question and Thoughts: Is your character headed North by Northeast? or North by Northwest? Do you know? Does it matter?

 

Yes, it does. Just as I mentioned yesterday in my post on the necessity of maps, knowing the direction of your character's travels and where things are located in comparison to your character is important. Trust me, if you don't know your North from your South in your book, a reader will point it out to you later and it's . . . extremely embarrassing. And sometimes, if you've written multiple drafts, and you are 70,000 words into your draft, you can become lost. Or at least, I did.

 

Use a map, know your North compass point, and you will be a happier writer. Where is your character headed?

Dragonfold and Other Adventures, my fantasy and scifi short story and poetry collection, is free today for kindle readers!

A to Z: M

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

M

Maedess – Kalidess’s sister and a member of the Dark Sisterhood, failed to take Wylandria

Mermaids/Mermen/Mer-creatures – an army of sea creatures created by the Dark Sisterhood

Mina – an assassin in the employ of King Alexandros

Mochant – a land that parallels the Grandan River which winds between Septily, Rryrsorria, Wylandria and parts of Aerland into the Wild Beyond (Carpthia?) – aaagh!!! (must change! Or figure out how to fix)

 

World Building Thoughts: Having a clear map of your world is extremely important. Keeping it in front of you while you write is necessary. See my crazy notes under the heading of "Mochant." I realized after I had written my first book, and after it was in the hands of readers for several months, that Mochant is not sitting in the right place for the events in the story. Oops. Mochant is actually supposed to be a group of island city-states in a sea. Somehow my sea became a river, and it winds around lands in a way that doesn't quite work geographically.

 

Do you have a map of the world you are creating? Even if you are working with a real world location, I highly recommend having a map. I've read too many books and seen too many TV shows where the locations were "off" in places I know - Portland, Seattle, and the Pacific Northwest in general. Learn from the my mistakes and the mistakes of others: Make a map or get a map!

 

 

A to L: L

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

L

Lazi – lizard creatures of the Dark Sisterhood

Liness – member of the Dark Sisterhood Coven, and caretaker of the Lazi

Liam – 13^th Prince of Wylandria, and last bearer of the Swan Prince curse

Louras – the osprey bonded to Odran of the Watch Guard

World Building Thoughts: Building layers into the fictional world gives it authenticity for the reader. Using legends or fairy tales from the real world and blending them into the landscape of the book world is one way to create layers.

For example, in Champion in Flight (and mentioned in Champion in the Darkness), there are thirteen princes who were under curse - forced to live as swans by day and men at night until their sister freed them from the curse by sewing shirts from aster flowers. The youngest prince, Liam, still bears the curse, partially. It's all based on a fairy tale I love, but then taken and re-set in the world of Aramatir, with the Dark Sisterhood lurking in the background.

How do you build layers into your stories? Do you use legends or fairy tales to do it?  

A to Z: K

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

K

Kalidess – the lead sorceress of the Dark Sisterhood

Kassa – First Princess of Rrysorria, sister to King Stephen and Princess Tessa

Kestran – a Wylandrian Prince, brother to Liam

Klyan – a griffin of Aerland, and Kryssander’s twin (also, the name of their father, Klyan the Bold)

Kryssander – a griffin of Aerland, member of the 12^th Wing, and partner to Prince Adrian, twin of Klyan

Krysta – wife of Klyan the Bold, and mother to the twins Klyan and Kryssander, a griffin of Aerland

 

World Building Thought: Similar-sounding names for twins or family groups can be a killer to manage.

 

I know I'm stretching the "K" letter here, but I just have to say it, especially when I look at this list.  

I have Klyan, Kryssander, and Krysta here - three family members with K names. I managed to swap Klyan and Kryssander's names around for an entire chapter during my second draft of Champion in Flight - and it was painful to fix. To make mattes worse, Klyan is named after his father . . . which makes it a killer to keep them separate.

 

So, from me to you, I urge you, encourage you, plead with you - don't do family names that all start with the same letter. And the junior and senior thing should be avoided at all costs, unless there is a point to be made with it.

 

 

A to Z: J

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

J

Jazeen - a Sword Apprentice with a grudge against Clara

Jennar  - a Drinaii mercenary captain who knows Stelia

Jennas – a member of the Dark Sisterhood Coven, and care-taker of the howlers, also the sister of Jennar

Jerred – the twelfth Wylandrian prince, and brother to Liam

Jordan – Master Shepherd of the Triune Halls, and representative of the Shepherds on the Triune Council

Juliay Severn – Clara’s mother, and wife to Farrald, a Sword Scout, has a secret in her past

Jyssan – Commander of the 1^st Wing of Aerland’s Wing forces

 

World Building Question: What does justice mean in the world you are building?

 

Every world or country built by authors has its own rules about justice and governance. Often, we base these on our own experiences, or we base them on what we hope for in our world. It's something to think about. What does it mean to be just in the world you are building? Who deals out "justice" and what does that look like?

 

On this list from my glossary, there are four characters who change sides in the fight between good and evil, and two characters who are responsible for dealing out justice.

A to Z: I

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

I

Icewynne Mountains – A mountain range that runs down the center of the continent, separating Wylandria and Aerland from old Carpthia

Ioway – one of the governors of Septily

Isobel – a noble pranked by Clara and Salene in their training days

Ivailo (wolf) – Commander of the 10^th Wing of Aerland, gray brown hair, beard

 

World Building Question: Are interesting names distracting - especially if they have a meaning attached to them?

 

Ivailo is a name I found through a name search engine. I really liked it, and when I discovered that it meant wolf, I instantly had a better picture for this character. However, he's a minor character and although he interacts with a few of the secondary characters in book 2, I wonder if he's too distracting. I mean, I have a backstory for this guy . . . and he doesn't really need a backstory (so, of course, I don't mention it much in the book).

A to Z: H

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

H

Hal Treyson – ruler of Aerland, and father of Prince Adrian and Prince Ryan

Hadarath – a griffin of Aerland

Hamneth – A Shepherd who trained under Farrald, Clara’s father

Harthan – a Sword Guard on the Sword Council

Helena – a young Shepherd apprentice, who becomes a triple apprentice to the Triune Halls

Heshani – a young griffin scout

Hest  - a former Champion of Septily

Hesten – a young sailor on Captain Gurnsey’s crew

Hestia – a Lady of Aerland, pranked by Clara and Salene in their training days

Hope – a galleon from Destiny Island

Howlers – a magically created hybrid between man and wolf, subject to the Dark Sisterhood

Huldra – a slave linked to Kalidess

Hylos – a Lord of Rrysorria who does not like Wylandrians

 

World Building Question: How do you deal with a character that steals your heart?

 

Helena, a young (age 9) Shepherd apprentice, stole my heart in Champion in the Darkness. I didn't expect her to. I thought she would be a minor character that came and went in two chapters. But then, she kept coming forward in my imagination, so I gave her a little more and then a little more. She hasn't had any POV chapters, but . . . it's been a close call.  

 

Minor spoiler alert: Helena is one of several characters that I'm considering giving a series of their own. In fact, with Helena, I even have a brief outline for three novella length stories: Healer's Challenge, Healer's Hope, and Healer's Purpose. (all titles subject to change, of course).

 

 

 

 

A to Z: G, Global World Building and Upcoming Giveaways!

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts


G

Galen- Winnifred’s older brother, and Cork’s cousin, Rrysorrian

Garson – A Drinaii mercenary in Kalidess’s personal service

Geoffrey – one of the Wylandrian princes

Gerdun – a Master Law-Giver of Septily and member of the Triune Council

Glythan – Ambassador of Aerland

Grandan River (mentioned in chapter 16 of book 1 with Mochant – and needs to be fixed)

Greymount Castle – once the seat of power in Wylandrian and the capital

Gray, Lord – one of the governors of Septily, of the Desert province, and Salene’s father

Green Hall – the legendary throne room of King Wilstorm, first king of Septily, buried under the new city of Skycliff

Gren  - a slave linked to Kalidess

Gurnsey, James – Captain of a Cog in Book 1, and a Galleon in Book 1, husband of Evalyn

 

Gwen Treyson – of Aerland, ruler of Aerland, mother of Prince Adrian and Prince Ryan

World Building Question: Do you build globally when you build the world for your book?

This is an area I struggled with for The Champion Trilogy. It all started so simply, and then I realized I needed to understand the history of the country of Septily, and then I needed to understand Septily's relationship with other countries. And after that, I felt like I needed to name the "world," although in these books, only two continents, one large island, and an island chain are the setting. Only . . . ha!

And I planned to have a giveaway today, but I seem to be having some tech issues with kindle - I tried to edit a previously planned giveaway, but I seem to be stuck on the dates previously set. Look for Dragonfold and Other Adventures on April 15th and 16th, and Champion in the Darkness in May - hopefully after my second book is out.

A to Z: F

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

F

Faith – Queen of Rrysorria, and Princess of Wylandria, married to King Stephen Merdreni of Rrysorria, and sister to 13 brothers (including Liam) – all princes of Wylandria.

Far Isles – a string of islands South and West of Destiny Island in the Western Sea

Farrald Severn – Clara’s father, Shepherd Teacher

Ferris – a former Champion of Septily

 

World Building Question for the Day: How do you find place names?

 

Sadly, as you may note in my list above, the Far Isles are named for their location. They are "far" away from Septily . . . think about the distance of the Pacific Coast of the United States to Hawai'i. However, when I named them I just couldn't seem to think of a good name so they became the "Far" Isles. And I never changed it.  I keep thinking that maybe, just maybe, they will get their own name in book 3, at least if Evalyn (from yesterday's list) ever gets a say in the matter. She might just have to tell everyone that "actually, in their native language the name of the Island chain is ____" 

 

Since my first book, I have been researching place names and making lists of the ones that I like best or that I think will fit in my books. What do you do?

A to Z: E for Every?

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

E

Edgar – an eagle owl in the care of Taylor, Perren’s nephew

Elar – the first Champion of Septily

Evalyn – wife of Captain Gursney, under a curse from the Dark Sisterhood

 

World Building Thought and Question: Should every character have a name, even the birds in the care of minor characters?

 

I'm not sure that they should, but yet I have to keep track of the minor characters and their charges somehow, so I stick them in the glossary. Edgar gets a mention in one chapter. He may or may not show up in book 3. If he does, it will be another minor mention. And yet, I don't want to forget his name. What if I need to remember it? So, there it is.

Even the birds have names . . . which might make be a bit of an over-world-builder.

A to Z: D

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

D

Dale - a manservant of Lord Hylos, a Rrysorrian

Dantor (Dan Torren) – Master Swordsman and Sword-Teacher to Clara, Salene, Prince William, and many others.

Dark Sisterhood – a league of sorceresses who gain power from blood and pain magic

Deredi – Lady of Rrysorria

Destiny Island – small continent/large island in the Western Sea

Diane – Lady Dowager, former Queen of Rrysorria, gave up her throne for her son, King Stephen

Drinaii – the mercenary group aligned with the Dark Sisterhood

 

World Building Question for the Day: How do you deal with difficult character or place names? How do you decide to keep them "as they are" or change them to make them easier?

In the first novel, Champion in the Darkness, I faced three character name challenges: Dantor, Drinaii, and Kalidess (formerly known as Sirqayya). I kept two and changed one because I had several readers tell me that they strongly disliked (hated) Kalidess's original name. Dantor's name is one that I struggled with but decided to keep. Drinaii just sounded right to me from the first moment I wrote it, but I know that many readers struggle with how to pronounce it. The first "I" is a short vowel sound like in "it" and the second vowel combination I originally pronounced 'I' as in "kite" but after several conversations with teen readers, I realized that it could be and most likely should be pronounced like the last part of "Hawai'i."

 

A to Z Challenge: World of Aramatir: C

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

C

Canyonlands – a vast canyon region of Aerland.

Carpthia – the fallen lands to the east of the Icewynne Mountains

Cenness – a member of the Dark Sisterhood Coven and caretaker of the crowmen

Chester – a Sword Guard at Skycliff Castle

Chloe – member of the Dark Sisterhood, refused to change her name, failed to take Rrysorria

Clara Severn – the new Champion of Septily and Aramatir

Corlan snail – a type of snail native to the Far Isles

Corby – a raven in the care of Perren’s nephew Quim in the Royal Mews of Rrysorria

Cork (aka Ruby) – a Blacksmith’s apprentice in Rrysorria

Corry – a hawk in the care of Perren Hawksmith of Rrysorria

Crall – An older member of the Sword Council

Cullen – the third Wylandrian Prince, brother to Liam

World Building Question of the Day: How much space do you give your main character in a character glossary?

I have a full profile for Clara, but I didn't think it fit in the glossary, plus I was afraid of "spoilers" with her character development, so I left it pretty bare bones.

A to Z Challenge: World of Aramatir - B, and a mini IWSG

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary theme: World of Aramatir (Setting for The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building Questions and Thoughts

B

Balent – a friendly baker

Bella – A Sword Guard on the Sword Council

Beni – Shepherd apprentice to Shepherd Bujeni, Rrysorrian

Bitter and Blythe - two sparrow hawks in the royal mews of Rrysorria

Bly – Lord of Rrysorria

Burly – a Sword Guard from the Forrester province of Septily

Bujeni – Shepherd of Rrysorria, and ambassador

Bryan – Prince Marshal of Wylandrian, second prince of the "cursed" Wylandrian princes

Byar’s Lighthouse – a watch tower on the coast of Septily, run by the Watch Guard

 

 World Building Question for the day: Do you ever find yourself going wild with B-list character and place names?
By B-list, I mean the supporting cast who only have one or two lines of dialogue, or show up once or twice, and then that unexpected third time (when you search through the glossary frantically for their name).

And now for the mini-IWSG

 

I have plenty of insecurities about my writing, but today, I just want to encourage you to:

Build Dream Castles and then Build Foundations!

 

"If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them." - Henry David Thoreau

A to Z: A

The A to Z Challenge is underway this year, thanks to the awesome hosts and minions. Special thanks to Arlee Bird for starting this amazing blogging challenge!!! For more information about this challenge, go to the website!

Primary Theme: World of Aramatir (Setting of The Champion Trilogy) Glossary
Secondary Theme: World-Building (look for a question or thought at the end of each post)

A

Aerland – a country that stretches from the Western Ocean to the Icewynne Mountains, and includes the vast Canyonlands, bordered on the south by Middle-Sea, and on the North by the Vyshine River.

Aerland Games  - Contests in flight, combat, and mental abilities.

Adrian Treyson -the second Prince of Aerland, Wing-Partner to Kryssander. He has a prophecy to fulfill to protect the Champion, no matter the outcome.

Aggie/Agatha the Gray – a griffin on the Ruling Seat of Aerland.

Alexandros – King of Septily, father of Prince William.

Aramatir - the "known" world that encompasses Septily, Aerland, Rrysorria, Wylandria, Mochant, The Isle of Destiny, the Far Isles, the Southlands, the Icewynne Mountains, the Wild Lands which were formerly Carpthia, the Bitter Sea, the Western Sea, and the Mid-Sea. *(There are a few undiscovered continents, but those won't come up in The Champion Trilogy)

World-Building Question: When you build a world, does it start with a fully formed idea, or does it build from point A (start of story), and then just continue to expand from there?