Novel Notes: Fantasy Maps, Promotion and Editing

[image error]

As a child I poured over the maps my parents gave me during road trips. A map imparts to travel a special element far beyond its practical use. I loved to watch our progress along the tiny printed lines and to mouth the names of towns along the way: Modesto, Phoenix Abilene, Wichita. Later, I would study maps of Tolkein's Middle Earth with much the same fascination.

The life of an author en route to publication has its surreal moments. It's hard to describe the first glimpse of cover art that features characters who once existed only in your head. When others comment about these figments of your imagination, well, it feels a little like they're reading your mail. This week I'll sketch Elderland — a world heretofore residing only in my head, so that artist Holley Heisey can transform my chicken scratchings into beautiful fantasy maps for others to enjoy.

I'll spend this month wrapping up odds and ends, planning promotion and editing DawnKing, book two of Tales of Faeraven. I hope to start research for my planned historical romance, Hills of Nevermore, in January.

© 2010 Janalyn Voigt

Click to Subscribe to LiveWriteBreathe by Email




|