A Fantasy Life

March 28, 2009 by in category Columns tagged as , with 0 and 0
Home > Columns > A Fantasy Life



By Janet Quinn Cornelow



Linda McLaughlin and I went to EPICon at the beginning of March. It was at Lake Las Vegas, which is pretty and out in the middle of no where. EPICon is for the electronically published and is a small conference where the attendees get to meet and talk with just about everyone.



Linda and I went to a workshop on World Building. It seemed like a good subject since I am always looking for new ideas and ways to build fantasy worlds. The workshop was part of a mini-conference for junior high and high school students, which was also fun.



One of the speakers, Marilyn Meredith, talked about the world she had built for the mysteries she had written. It has heavy Native American tones to it. Her detective lives between that world and the outer world.



That made me think about the fact that we build worlds for all of our stories. The world doesn’t have to have any magical elements to it. We create worlds in which our characters live. In Betrayals, I created the town of Hunt’s Park. It is just so hard to follow all the rules of a real city. Besides, when you create your town, you an add features that you might need, like a winding road with a cliff.



Usually when writing a non-fantasy story, I don’t think about the fact that I am building a world to surround my characters, but I am. The Irish Countess needed a convent and a large farm. The Kilted Governess needed several sheep farms, a village, and an abandoned hut. So, all of those things just appeared.



It is usually called setting, but it is also world building. We have to put our characters into a world that is believable so our readers are anchored in the story.



Of course building worlds with magic and monsters is so much more fun. I bought a journal so I can start building my world for my urban fantasy. I can’t write on paper, but I like to be able to set my notes next to me while I do write. Journals are just so handy for all of that.



I can’t really start on the urban fantasy until Sam gets to where he needs to be. He is off hunting the slave hunters. He, Cooper and Arnou are angry, armed and dangerous. At least he’s moving again.

Author Details
Author Details
A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.
On Sale

Books on sale or free

STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT

Buy now!
STOLEN KISSES FROM THE VISCOUNT

THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

Buy now!
THE GHOST OF DEPFORD HALL

THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL

Buy now!
THE ROGUE’S LAST SCANDAL
WHO’S THE FAIREST? A Sisters Grimm Anthology
BECKONED, PART 1: FROM LONDON WITH LOVE

LEIF Viking Glory Book One

Buy now!
LEIF Viking Glory Book One

FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

Buy now!
FREYA Viking Glory Book Two
THIEVES: Book One of the Obscurité de Floride Trilogy

CITY OF BLAZE

Buy now!
CITY OF BLAZE

A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

Buy now!
A LADY’S POINT OF VIEW

THE WOULD BE MOMMY

Buy now!
THE WOULD BE MOMMY

THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

Buy now!
THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR

DANGER MUSIC

Buy now!
DANGER MUSIC

SAVAGED SURRENDER

Buy now!
SAVAGED SURRENDER

A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

Buy now!
A SOLDIER’S ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

COME FLY WITH ME

Buy now!
COME FLY WITH ME

SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

Buy now!
SUPERHERO IN DISGUISE

WELCOME TO LOON LAKE

Buy now!
WELCOME TO LOON LAKE
FATHOMS: A NOVEL OF THE PARANORMAL

THE LIFE OF RILEY

Buy now!
THE LIFE OF RILEY

COWBOY KARMA

Buy now!
COWBOY KARMA

ILONA’S WOLF

Buy now!
ILONA’S WOLF

LET IT SNOW

Buy now!
LET IT SNOW
FUR, FEATHERS AND SCALES: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Animal Tales

GIRL IN THE MIST

Buy now!
GIRL IN THE MIST

HAGAR’S LAST DANCE

Buy now!
HAGAR’S LAST DANCE
SNOW IN LOVE: Sweet Romance Holiday Collection

#Me Too

Buy now!
#Me Too

HOSTILE WITNESS

Buy now!
HOSTILE WITNESS
THE DAY BAILEY DEVLIN’S HOROSCOPE CAME TRUE
INTIMATE RELATIONS

GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

Buy now!
GIRLFRIENDS & SECRETS

THE FIX UP

Buy now!
THE FIX UP

LOVE NOTES

Buy now!
LOVE NOTES
2019

HAUNTING MISS FENWICK

Buy now!
HAUNTING MISS FENWICK
WINTER WISHES: A REGENCY HOLIDAY ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY

THE DEVIL’S CARESS

Buy now!
THE DEVIL’S CARESS
OFF THE RAILS: A Collection of Weird, Wicked, & Wacky Stories
CHRISTMAS ON NANTUCKET AND OTHER STORIES

LEIF Viking Glory Book One

Buy now!
LEIF Viking Glory Book One

FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

Buy now!
FREYA Viking Glory Book Two

HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

Buy now!
HIS HIGHLAND SURPRISE

THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

Buy now!
THEIR HIGHLAND BEGINNING

ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST

Buy now!
ONCE UPON AN ENCHANTED FOREST

THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

Buy now!
THE WORTH OF A VISCOUNT

REWRITING THE PAST

Buy now!
REWRITING THE PAST

TRACKING SHADOWS

Buy now!
TRACKING SHADOWS

ONE TASTE TOO MANY

Buy now!
ONE TASTE TOO MANY

TWO BITES TOO MANY

Buy now!
TWO BITES TOO MANY
SHORT and SWEET’S FAMILY ALBUM

HIDDEN BETRAYAL

Buy now!
HIDDEN BETRAYAL

CLEAR INTENT

Buy now!
CLEAR INTENT

THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Buy now!
THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

GAME TOWN

Buy now!
GAME TOWN

DARK WINE AT DUSK

Buy now!
DARK WINE AT DUSK

HER LOST LOVE

Buy now!
HER LOST LOVE

THE CONSPIRACY

Buy now!
THE CONSPIRACY

THE DECEPTION

Buy now!
THE DECEPTION

SHADOWS AT DAWN

Buy now!
SHADOWS AT DAWN

THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE

Buy now!
THE OBLIVIOUS BILLIONAIRE
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIDGE, NEW YORK, 1930

THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

Buy now!
THE MASK OF MIDNIGHT

FOR A GOOD PAWS

Buy now!
FOR A GOOD PAWS
COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE

DEAD BLOW

Buy now!
DEAD BLOW

HER COWBOY KING

Buy now!
HER COWBOY KING
SERIOUSLY, MOM, YOU DIDN’T KNOW?
THE WITCHES OF NEW MOON BEACH BOXED SET

THE WITCH OF BERGEN

Buy now!
THE WITCH OF BERGEN
LOST WITNESS: A Josie Bates Thriller
#PLEASE SAY YES (#HermosafortheHolidays Book 1)

    ×
    A Slice of Orange started in 2004 as a group of authors from Orange County, California. We have expanded to include authors from around the globe–from the UK, all across the US to New Zealand. Our authors include the multi-published and writers at the beginning of their publishing career. In addition to authors, we feature blog posts from editors, PR professionals, and cover designers. The bright segments of the writing and reading community that make up one perfect entity—A Slice of Orange.

    Copyright ©2017 A Slice of Orange. All Rights Reserved. ~PROUDLY POWERED BY WORDPRESS ~ CREATED BY ISHYOBOY.COM

    >