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Tag: worldbuilding
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It’s summer break as a teacher, as well as recovering from a (very minor) surgery has given me a bit of extra time. Time that should have been spent on writing book 2 of “The Phoenix and the Ant” series, but has been used on making up some fun little products instead.
Using the website Printful, I’ve made up a few simple products, and will likely add some more in the near future. I have all the products available up at Etsy (I may transfer over to WooCommerce at some point, if things take off).
On there so far you can find a variety of stickers, and A mug (yes a single mug). Not much else so far, hoping to get a few shirts, a sweater, and some other things made up. Let me know if you have any ideas.
Or really, any sort of tips, tricks, etc…
Link: ThePhoenixAndTheAnt.etsy.com -
I have ambitions for a Winter 2023 release (perfect holiday gift!). Things are wrapping up. Last minute editing, then formatting it to look real good. Then send it off to AmazonKDP and IngramSpark to be delivered digitally or physically.
I’ll say, I’m nervous. I’ve done so much reading about publishing a novel in the last few months that it’s all become an absolute blur.
Included is a picture of what the book will look like. It’s been a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and money to get here, but we’re almost done (then book two).
For new people here’s a breakdown of my novel:
A young girl named Ti stumbles onto Were Magic, which allows her to transform into an animal, a phoenix! However, long ago the royal family was assassinated by Were Wizards, and the grudge never ended, it is the highest crime to have Were Magic in Djat. Ti’s father, a general in the Djat army, ensures her safety by sending her to the prodigious wizarding school, Yaudi School, where she can learn Were Magic safely. She is sent with the Calydronian captain, Captain Arence of the Tubby Whale and his eclectic crew. Although Ti hated living in Djat because the kingdom had too many rules, she is afraid to leave her father and friends behind, she knows she doesn’t belong in Djat, but she has no home, no where she belongs. Sailing with her is another young man, Sea Lion of the Air, who has just passed top of his class at Level Two Wind Magic and his ego shows it. Together Ti and Sea Lion of the Air, along with Ti’s trusted Animal Partner, Priot, a large silver-tipped falcon, go on an adventure through the oceans of the shattered continent, Ptansia. Ti makes new friends, beholds great and ancient beasts, gains new magic, and becomes a pawn in one kingdom’s desire for war. -
Hello out there,
It has been too long, and I have been way too negligent. As some of you may be aware, we have a new addition to the family, my lovely daughter Aurelia, who is now almost 7 months old. She has been a major time sink (a lovely, amazing time sink, but one nonetheless).
However, good-ish news and okay-ish news:
Good-ish: I am working on the sequel to Book of Yaudi (now tentatively known as “The Phoenix and the Ant”, the sequel is quite fun so far, it maintains the adventure, but has a lot more familiarity to it. Don’t worry, fan favourite characters are back, as well as many new additions.
Okay-ish: I’ve been working on querying the initial novel. No luck so far. I’m constantly upgrading and fixing up my query letter, and have found a few more Beta-Readers to get my draft to its best possible form.
I won’t be posting the second book on here, but I’ll try to post a bit more often in general.
Here is the first snippet from the second novel:
Chapter 1 – A Girl in a World She Created
Buzzing,
Constant buzzing
The sounds reverberate around me
The buzzing all the time
Always buzzing
No reason no rhyme
What was my power
Now my curse
What was my glory
Now my curse
What was my treasure
Now my curse
Buzzing
Constant buzzing- Scribblings written on a piece of paper by an unnamed prisoner in the Yaudi Detention Centre for Wizard’s of Superior Source
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I wanted to take the time and show the new map of Ptansia. I’ve changed not a ton, but added some new information, fixed it up, and resized some things.
I also made sure to add the names of the points that are visited in the story, hopefully it gives you a visual idea of where Ti and company had been (as well as a couple other ones).
I will continue to update the map as it is a nice way to feel like I’m working on my project while procrastinating my editing.
Made with Inkarnate.com -
I thought I would post this chart that explains the magic (to a small extent, it goes a lot deeper). This chart has been invaluable to keeping me on track, especially with remembering everyone’s eye colours (you’d think I’d remember it by now, oof). The formatting is a bit weird transferring from my Google doc into WordPress, but it’s not too bad. Anyway, enjoy!
Magic
There are 12 branches of magic in Ptansia. The School of Advanced Magical Arts (the name has changed) organizes them by type, but they are all separate from one another, and ability in one elemental magic, won’t make one better in another elemental magic. A single form of magic can take some a lifetime to fully master, so some people are masters of only one form, or merely okay at a couple. Only the truly gifted, or incredibly hard workers can become masters of more than one. The various kingdoms across Ptansia have magic they prefer, where schools for said magic are more likely to be found. Some kingdoms, such as Djat truly despise some types of magic, Were Magic, in Djat’s case. No magic is officially banned across Ptansia but Curse Magic is nearly universally banned across the kingdoms. If one wanted to become a Curse Wizard, they would need to travel to Yaudi, go through rigorous testing and prove themselves capable, wise, and good.
Chart of Magics
Type Kingdoms that have schools. Kingdoms that are against Eye Colour – As is known, magic dictates eye colour (the stronger, the brighter). A non-magical person will have brown eyes. Elemental Magics and Brief description Water Magic – Magic that deals with working with water, at low levels used by farmers, at high levels can be fairly destructive or great on ships. All. Primarily found in Djat None Blue Blood Magic (extension of Water Magic) – Level 3 Water Wizards can cross into Blood Magic, but it is forbidden in many places (though every military has a few) Horutan All but HoruTan. Information can be found in Yaudi, every Kingdom does have Blood Wizards in their military. Blue with red cracks Wind Magic – Magic that deals with working with the wind, often used on ships. Any Navy needs powerful Wind Wizards. All. Primarily found in Calydron. None White Earth Magic – Magic that deals with working with the earth. At low levels can be great on farms and for building, at high levels can be devastating at war. All but the Kingdom of the North. Primarily found in Aewon. Kingdom of the North Green Fire Magic – Magic that deals with working with fire. At low levels can be used to light torches and keep homes warm (newer technologies are using it to power machines). At high levels can be extremely destructive. All. Primarily found in Redlands, Redlands people are so used to heat, lava and flames that they seem to have a natural immunity to fire. None Orange Life Magic Redland only has Elemental Schools, so when “All” is listed, consider that to mean not Redland. Clerical – Used for healing. A cleric can heal someone as long as they have the necessary parts (animal bones to heal bones, leather to heal skin, blood to replace blood loss). At higher levels, more people can be healed at once and clerics can use less materials. All. Primarily found in Kingdom of the North None Yellow Necromancy – Used for raising the dead. People must consent before death to be raised. At low levels a wizard must concentrate to keep the dead “alive”, at high levels the dead can stay alive, in limited ways, or with concentration can become fully capable. All but Aewon. Primarily found in Basit. Aewon, though it is not a highly looked upon magic anywhere but Basit. Black Mind Magic Hypnotic – A magic for convincing people to do what you want. At low levels it can moderately affect someone’s emotions towards something. At high levels it can effectively control someone All. None, though can be considered a fairly immoral magic. Pink Animal – A magic for speaking with and controlling animals. At low levels it allows speech only, often people will bond with one animal. At high levels, animals can be controlled in large amounts, swarms of locusts, a battalion of bears, etc… All, people of Aewon are naturally adept at it. None, though Djat has schools, it is not very respected. Purple Luck – A magic that deals with someone’s luck. At low levels it may only affect the Wizard using it. At high levels it can affect an entire army, perhaps a catapult on the other side misfires. Perhaps a dam breaks at the right time. A Luck Wizard’s eye colour changes as Luck deems necessary. All but HoruTan and the Kingdom of the North. HoruTan who does not believe in “Luck”, though many across the continent aren’t sure luck magic is real, or just fabricated. Changes based on what is “most lucky” at the moment. Transformation Were – A magic where a wizard can transform into an animal. At low-levels a wizard can transform into an animal of similar size and shape with concentration. At high-levels a wizard can transform into nearly any animal (most Master Were Wizards have 5 animals in their belt) for an indefinite amount of time. All but Djat. Djat, who believe Were magic is an abomination and punishable by death or exile. Silver Curse – A truly powerful magic. At low-levels anything can be changed to an extent, colour, size, shape, smell. At high-levels entire countries can be changed. There are always consequences. Always. None Although one can find information on Curse magic, especially at Yaudi, it is effectively forbidden, especially after the destruction of Vedu and Slorick and the subsequent creation of the Kingdom of Pestilence Indecipherable. Since Curse Magic is effectively banned, it is unlikely you’d ever find a Curse Wizard to see their eye colour. However, Yaudi scholars indicate the colour is impossible to pinpoint, as if it escapes reality.
SMVLTRUDEAU 