What better use is there for fictional literature than to create portals between worlds, to transport ourselves to alternate periods in time, and to explore unique situations which would otherwise remain elusive. We use words to stimulate our imaginations and emotions, to gain insight and new perspectives, and to bring us on adventures that fuel our minds and our spirits.
But did you know that writing fiction is an adventure unto itself? No two projects are the same, each one bringing new challenges and experiences.
Just like an adventurer must prepare for their voyage, choosing a destination and charting a path to get there, an author follows similar suit. We choose a theme, a main plot, then map out an outline that will help us navigate there. Research comes next, detailing what supplies we need to pack for the journey, allowing us to avoid any pitfalls and plot holes and to add richness and a sense of corporality to our vistas. And then we embark on our voyage, and as our plot takes shape, and our characters develop into what feels like tangible beings, they take over the story and run with it, seemingly out of our control, carrying us to the climax of our quest. When our journey is complete, when our stories fall into place and the final polished manuscript is sent to the galley, there’s an adrenaline rush not unlike a trail blazer reaching the apex of the highest mountain peak and gazing down at the world below to witness how far they’ve come. It’s an exhilarating adventure I enjoy time and time again.
Goldenhair, my current work in progress (WIP) is my strangest, most unpredictable, and enjoyable adventure yet. Twenty years ago I had this idea for a dark fantasy inspired by a little known Slavic fairytale, whose title I can’t even remember. It has taken me this long to finally get the story out of my head and onto the page. And as the story unfolds, I see now that what I anticipated would be a standalone, will actually be better presented as a duology.
Writing two books at once is slightly daunting, and I find myself loving certain sections and hating others. It’s a work in progress as I iron out the kinks and hone the story into how I envision it in my head. I’m getting there, slowly but surely.
My favourite part of this journey has been the research. The world I’m building is purely fictional, but similar to earth as it looked during medieval times, with the added touch of magic and mystical creatures. I’ve always had a keen fascination of this dark period in time. I used it as inspiration for the clothing, terminology, living conditions, plagues, superstitions, and customs presented in my story. Add in a war that uses witches as weapons of destruction, supernatural creatures – both genteel and ferocious – that live among humans, and a whole country that harbours paranormal beings and their doppelgangers, keeping them safe from the rest of the world who wishes to destroy them. I wanted to create a world the reader would want to visit in their minds, but be terrified to visit in reality.
When it comes to writing fantasy, and in this case, a fairytale, there are certain tropes I love, and some I wanted to avoid. Here are the tropes that made the cut!
Goldenhair Tropes:
🖤 time travel
🖤 witches and wizards
🖤 evil spells and cursed artifacts
🖤 damsel in distress
🖤 second chances
🖤 fated mates
🖤 mystical creatures
🖤 medieval times
My adventure is not yet complete. As I forge ahead, I still have to finish writing book two, complete massive rounds of edits on both the first and second instalments of Goldenhair, and create my book covers. My goal is to release book one next year, with book two to launch shortly after. The thought of getting this duology into your hands motivates me, propels me ever forward, because there’s nothing more that I want than for you to join me on this epic, magical adventure! No passports necessary!
Enjoy your summer, and don’t forget to keep reading!
💋 Lanie Mores
