07/03/2023 — World building is something that isn’t specific to fantasy, every book has it. In contemporary fiction, world building is just… smaller. Creating a workplace, a home, sometimes a town. It’s local. We can research real places and pick and choose areas and restaurants we like.
Fantasy is something else. I create the workplace, the home, the town, and then I also create the mountains and trails through the forest and the abandoned castles and the deities that are worshiped. For someone who likes a certain level of control (Yes, hello. That’s me.), fantasy world building is fun. Like really fun.
When I started world building for To Favor Blood & Flowers, I began with the Sens. The Sens is the kingdom where main character Carina grows up. I first looked up castle architecture, comparing 13th century to 16th century castles. Then, I found coastal ranges around the world that matched the landscape I had pictured. Next was plants and weather. I’m telling you, Google and Pinterest are an author’s best friend.
I could lead you detail by detail about how I built the world of To Favor Blood & Flowers, but you would be here all day. Instead, I thought I’d share some pictures that inspired me to create the places where Carina, her friends, and her family live. Take a sneak peek of the three kingdoms in To Favor Blood & Flowers: the bright, western kingdom of the Sens; the neutral, the northern kingdom Terreial; and the dangerous, eastern kingdom of the Elems. Which kingdom would you choose to live in?
THE SENS
TERREIAL
THE ELEMS
Much love and happy reading,
Gail ❤
P.S. - What else do you want to know? Send a message to let me know!
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