Hey readers! This #WriterThursday I'm doing a little Q&A, sharing the process of developing Monsters & Mist and showing a bit more of the visuals inspired me while writing.
Q&A
Q: Is Monsters & Mist a retelling? A: No, originally it was meant to be but the story took off in a completely different, original direction.
Q: Will Monsters & Mist be a stand-alone or part of a series?A: At this time Monsters & Mist is a stand-alone, but I may revisit the world and the characters in the future.
Q: What was your favorite part of writing Monsters & Mist?A: Creating the mythology that the world of Monsters & Mist sprung from. I wanted a wholly original fantasy world so I didn’t want to base the mythology on any of our world mythology.
Q: What inspired Monsters & Mist?A: Orignally I wanted to do a retelling of a folktale I was read as a child, The Fog’s Net. It’s a story about a creeping fog that devours boats and people and a weaver girl tasked with making a new net for the fog in exchange for keeping her family safe. The fog goes back on it’s promise and takes her younger brother and she goes on a quest to bring him back. That was the bones of where I wanted to develop the story but it soon became clear that the villain of the story was not who I would have expected it to be.
Story Outlining / Development / Process
Monsters & Mist was written on this formation: 1 section divider on The History of Esternwhorl (the world in Monsters & Mist to every 2-3 chapters of story.
The History of Esternwhorl covers the origin of the world, the mythology, and the origins of any organization or religion mentioned within.
The first initial chapters follow Andromeda Mistsplitter the technical main character before fracturing off to the other main characters’ perspectives: Thane, Lyra, Daegan, Cygni, and Octavia.
In lieu of HoE sections, several chapters begin in 3rd person narrative of a newly introduced character to build a “meanwhile in...” omniscient feel to the story.
Vision BoardFrom my Pinterest board...
The view from the coast when you live in a world cloaked in thick mist.
The poorest people live on the coast of Vacantia so I pictured them living in shacks thrown together from driftwood thrown up on the coast.
My initial vision of what the Mistborn people would look like, perhaps a depiction of what the Vacantian people think the Mistborn look like.
While the world above is reminiscent of long ago times, the world below the sea is home to a highly tech advanced kingdom and a palace built on waterways like the city of Venice.
Mythological creatures are a thing in Esternwhorl. Below the surface of the sea a legion of creatures that are part sea serpent and part dragon called Krayverns are bred to be mounts for the queen’s warrior riders. The Starborn kingdom boasts an all female army of stormriders who ride giant phoenix-inspired beasts borne of lightning, cloud, and storms.
The fifth and most well hidden kingdom in Esternwhorl, the Starborn kingdom resides in the Sky any only those born with the map inside them can find their way.
🔹🔹🔹
Q&A
Q: Is Monsters & Mist a retelling? A: No, originally it was meant to be but the story took off in a completely different, original direction.
Q: Will Monsters & Mist be a stand-alone or part of a series?A: At this time Monsters & Mist is a stand-alone, but I may revisit the world and the characters in the future.
Q: What was your favorite part of writing Monsters & Mist?A: Creating the mythology that the world of Monsters & Mist sprung from. I wanted a wholly original fantasy world so I didn’t want to base the mythology on any of our world mythology.
Q: What inspired Monsters & Mist?A: Orignally I wanted to do a retelling of a folktale I was read as a child, The Fog’s Net. It’s a story about a creeping fog that devours boats and people and a weaver girl tasked with making a new net for the fog in exchange for keeping her family safe. The fog goes back on it’s promise and takes her younger brother and she goes on a quest to bring him back. That was the bones of where I wanted to develop the story but it soon became clear that the villain of the story was not who I would have expected it to be.
Story Outlining / Development / Process
Monsters & Mist was written on this formation: 1 section divider on The History of Esternwhorl (the world in Monsters & Mist to every 2-3 chapters of story.
The History of Esternwhorl covers the origin of the world, the mythology, and the origins of any organization or religion mentioned within.
The first initial chapters follow Andromeda Mistsplitter the technical main character before fracturing off to the other main characters’ perspectives: Thane, Lyra, Daegan, Cygni, and Octavia.
In lieu of HoE sections, several chapters begin in 3rd person narrative of a newly introduced character to build a “meanwhile in...” omniscient feel to the story.
Vision BoardFrom my Pinterest board...
The view from the coast when you live in a world cloaked in thick mist.
The poorest people live on the coast of Vacantia so I pictured them living in shacks thrown together from driftwood thrown up on the coast.
My initial vision of what the Mistborn people would look like, perhaps a depiction of what the Vacantian people think the Mistborn look like.
While the world above is reminiscent of long ago times, the world below the sea is home to a highly tech advanced kingdom and a palace built on waterways like the city of Venice.
Mythological creatures are a thing in Esternwhorl. Below the surface of the sea a legion of creatures that are part sea serpent and part dragon called Krayverns are bred to be mounts for the queen’s warrior riders. The Starborn kingdom boasts an all female army of stormriders who ride giant phoenix-inspired beasts borne of lightning, cloud, and storms.
The fifth and most well hidden kingdom in Esternwhorl, the Starborn kingdom resides in the Sky any only those born with the map inside them can find their way.
🔹🔹🔹
Monsters & Mist releases July 2020! Stay tuned for preorder links!
