Please welcome guest Lori L. MacLaughlin, author of Lady Thy Name Is Trouble
What Bilbo Baggins and I Have In Common
One of my favorite scenes in the beginning of Tolkien's The Hobbit, is when Gandalf spreads out
on Bilbo's table the map of the Lonely Mountain, given to him by Thorin's
father, Thrain. Gandalf speaks of the secret passage into the mountain, and
Bilbo's curiosity gets the better of him. Though he wants no part of an
adventure involving dragons, he loves maps and can't resist having a look.
I, too, love maps — particularly those drawn from imagination. They speak
to me of paths unknown, adventures that await if only I'd take that first step.
When I draw maps to go with my stories, I can create vast forests or soaring
mountains, walled cities with mighty castles or frightening places in the
deepest dark. New worlds flow from pencil to paper, ready to be populated by
the denizens of my mind.
The story fragments swirling in my head give birth to landforms and
waterways that expand into worlds that, in turn, help me visualize the emerging
plot. I find that having a map solidifies my story and makes it more real to
me, though both map and story are fluid until the final word is written.
In a previous post on my blog, I shared the map I drew for Lady, Thy Name Is Trouble. Now, I'd like
to share the map that goes with it for Book 2, Trouble By Any Other Name. I actually drew this map first, but
realized the story started way before my characters reached this part of the
world.
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My kids and I watched an animated movie a while back, where the characters
found a topographical map that covered the floor of a room in a lost pyramid
they'd discovered. They stepped on the map and fell through into the mysterious
world the map represented. I always wished I could do something like that.
Imagine the adventures one could have...
Does anyone else out there draw maps to go with the stories you write?
Lady, THY NAME IS TROUBLE
Trouble
is Tara Triannon’s middle name. As swords for hire, Tara and her sister Laraina
thrive on the danger. But a surprise invasion throws them into chaos... and
trouble on a whole new level. Pursued by the Butcher, a terrifying assassin
more wolf than man, Tara and Laraina must get a prince marked for death and a
young, inept sorceress to safety. There’s only one problem – eluding the
Butcher has never been done. Aided by a secretive soldier of fortune, they flee
the relentless hunter.
Gifted
with magic and cursed by nightmares that are all too real, Tara must stop an
army led by a madman and fend off an evil Being caught in a centuries-old trap
who seeks to control her magic and escape through her dreams – all while keeping
one step ahead of the Butcher.
Available at:
LoriL. MacLaughlin traces her love of fantasy adventure to Tolkien and Terry
Brooks, finding The Lord of the Rings
and The Sword of Shannara particularly
inspirational. She's been writing stories in her head since she was old enough
to run wild through the forests on the farm on which she grew up.
She
has been many things over the years – tree climber, dairy farmer, clothing
salesperson, kids' shoe fitter, retail manager, medical transcriptionist, journalist,
private pilot, traveler, wife and mother, Red Sox and New York Giants fan,
muscle car enthusiast and NASCAR fan, and a lover of all things Scottish and
Irish.
When
she's not writing (or working), she can be found curled up somewhere dreaming
up more story ideas, taking long walks in the countryside, or spending time
with her kids. She lives with her family in northern Vermont.
Mini-Celebrations for Celebrate the Small Things:
1. It's Friday.
2. My daughter's dance performance last weekend was fun!
3. Both of my daughters are racing this weekend - flat-water sprint canoe (oldest) and kayak (youngest).
4. Guests: Shelley Sly and Lori L. MacLaughlin
5. Maps. :)
5. Maps. :)
39 comments:
The closest we can get to falling into maps is by reading books and playing D&D.
Very true, although I love the imaginative thought of falling into a map or a picture. :)
Yes, both of which are fun.
Thanks again, Tyrean, for hosting me!!
You're welcome, Lori!
Congrats, Lori! I love maps. I find they make the world more visual for me as a writer and as a reader.
Congrats to you. I'm a map lover with absolutely no sense of direction.
Lori - I love the idea of falling through a map into another world! I've never made maps for my books, but I made some in my D&D-ing days for the players' adventures. More dungeons than topographical though. lol
Tyrean - It's great to hear your daughter's dance recital was fun! I'm wishing both your daughters huge luck for the race. It sounds exciting! Share some pics of the kayakers next week. :)
Thanks, Cherie! Yes, they do for me, too.
Oh, no, that can make getting places a challenge. Thank you, Marilyn!
I've always thought it would be exciting to find a portal to another world, whether through a map or some other doorway. Dungeon maps are fun, too. :) And mazes. I've made some for my kids before.
Thanks, Lexa! Yes, I'll try to remember to share some pics. I have a video of the dance but I wasn't sure that everyone would want to add another couple of minutes onto their stop.
The idea of falling through a map is such a cool concept!
I love maps. I studied cartography in college and even minored in geography. Seems maps and fantasy go hand-in-hand. :))
And I LOVE your cover, Lori.
Lori, I love maps and your ideas make the story soar!
Tyrean - "flat-water sprint canoe (oldest) and kayak (youngest)." That will be fun. My passion was tubing. (smile) Enjoy! Thanks for hosing Lori.
I so agree!
Yes, they do. I can't have one without the other when I'm writing. Studying cartography would be fascinating. Thanks, L.G.!
Thank you, Dixie!
Even though I'm an artist, maps have always stumped me. I don't think I could manage to draw one even if my life depended on it, LOL. How cool that you draw your own for your stories!
Tyrean, thanks for visiting my blog (Bench with a View) and your comment. Interesting to read about Chris and her interest in drawing maps for her stories/books. I'm not a writer, but a reader, and I do enjoy looking at maps if they are included as part of a story/book I'm reading :)
betty
I am terrible at drawing - I envy you your talent, Lori! And I love that idea of journeying through a map (as long as it's not a map of arctic regions - then you can forget it! Especially after the winter we've been having.)
Tyrean, nice to meet you! I'm looking forward to exploring your blog.
I enjoy them in books, too, but I keep the ones I draw for my books to myself because they are rather badly drawn . . . so they are just for reference.
Thanks for visiting!
It's nice to meet you, too.
I am impressed by Lori's ability, too. My maps are drawn for reference only . . . no one else gets to see them. :)
Thanks for stopping by, Dixie! Water sports are great!
Wow! I think I would like to study cartography - that sounds like fun. :)
Me, too!
I love the title of this post. Great tour. I am starting on the end and working backwards. My situation and life events this month and the next few months is changing some of my writing habits as life interferes. I have not drawn maps, but reading this makes me want to give it a try. Much Success Lori. Great post Tyrean.
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
So fun! I LOVE when books have maps inside! There's just something about them that makes my imagination come alive.
Drawing the map is half the fun!
Ha, ha. Thanks, Sue! I am in complete agreement about the arctic regions. I am so done with snow and cold.
Thanks, Juneta! I hope you do give it a try, and I hope things smooth out for you soon!
I agree! I always spend time going over the map before I read the book.
What a great idea! I haven't drawn a map for a story before but it might be fun and help picture a fantasy land.
I'm not a fan of maps. I have huge difficulty reading them and can never navigate successfully from a map. I think the fact I can't ever remember left and right is part of it… Thank goodness for GPS, right? I prefer verbal directions using landmarks.
I find maps really helpful and am lost without them, literally.
That's funny, I'm just the opposite. I can't use a GPS. I never know where exactly it wants me to turn, and I find it distracting to have a device talking to me. I've always been more of a visual person.
This sounds like an 'edge of the seat' read.
I love looking at old maps especially the ones with an X where the treasure is buried.
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