World Building by Renee Wildes

World Building Overview by Renee Wildes author of 

The Guardians of Light Series

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I write speculative romance in all three main varieties. My award-winning fantasy romance series, the Guardians of Light, is seven diverse books strong. I have a contemporary paranormal set in Kootenai National Forest, featuring werewolves, demons, and time travel. I have a space-opera sci fi romance that features enemies-to-lovers, a couple each on opposite sides of a war. In each one, I have to build entire fictitious worlds out of nothing and make it believable and real to my readers.

World-building is what enables readers to experience true escapism. When you think Star Wars, Star Trek, Shannara, Lord of the Rings…they all have unique, multi-faceted realities. Those realities are achieved through a thoughtful, painstaking layering of geography, weather, flora and fauna, infrastructure, and culture. The best worlds feature realism and variety. Realism in what is inherently unreal is achieved by making it real for the characters, and making the characters real to the reader—thus, by extension, their world becomes real to the reader.

My newest release is A Guardian’s Destiny, Book 5 in the Guardians of Light fantasy romance series for Champagne Book Group. It is a classic mix of series and stand-alone, a salad mix of old and familiar with new and exotic. It’s adding to an established world with the inclusion of a new land, and having a previously established character meet someone new.

My elven heroine Verdeen was Queen Dara’s lady’s maid in Book 1, A Guardian’s Heart. Dreaming of becoming an elite ranger, she entered the Warrior Academy—and graduated top of her class. The first woman to do so in living memory (and elves are immortal unless slain, so that’s a long time!) But no war mare chooses her as a partner, so her dreams of joining the advanced cavalry training crumble to dust. King Loren promotes her to his Right Hand, and gives her a unique charge—Aryk.

My human hero Aryk is one of the dreaded rievers (think Viking raiders) from Isadorikja, the Isle of Ice. The sworn enemies of Dara’s people in Arcadia and their neighbors in Shamar. No one likes them or trusts them. But Aryk is determined to change that by uniting all the clans together into one peaceful whole—and finding them other, less-violent pursuits. But he needs help. So King Loren orders Verdeen to accompany Aryk as Loren’s personal representative. Ambassador, bodyguard, counselor, and spy. Lover was not part of the original plan, but some rules were made to be broken.

Readers were already familiar with the lands of Arcadia, Shamar, and Cymry. Expanding the “Guardians” universe to include the new land of Isadorikja was tons of fun. The trick is to find a real country/environment to build on, and then combine a mix of real-life and made-up into a seamless, multidimensional whole. I started with Iceland—Arctic Circle, months of dark vs. sunlight, Northern Lights. I absolutely adore Pinterest, b/c you can “scrapbook” an entire pictorial of your book, from the scenery to the animals to the homes to the people who live in them. What they ate and how they cooked it, what they wore and how they made it. I really make use of my Dark Ages reference books! LOL

The most challenging and fun part or writing/developing the cultures. Isadorikja may be primarily Viking in flavor, but I borrowed some Spartan touches with warrior training starting with really young boys. The island has very few trees, so I had to think about alternative fuel sources, b/c fires were an absolute necessity for life in the cold. What foods would grow and how would they preserve them? What animals could thrive on the tough grasses and moss? How did people travel and transport goods? With seasonal sunlight, what rites would they have for the coming and going of the sun? What gods would they worship? What tales would they tell? What did they consider the greatest virtue? The gravest sin? Who were their heroes? How did they  view death? Life? Women? Children? Their elders?

Why would they live in such a challenging environment?

What were their views on elven magic?

Where possible, I wanted to contrast the luxuries of elvish Medieval living with the more primitive Iron Age human clans, to really amp up the inherent conflicts independent of personality and romantic conflicts. I wanted them to really have to work to reconcile some truly profound differences.

It was fun! I hope my readers appreciate it, too.

EXCERPT from A GUARDIAN’S DESTINY:

“Tell me about yourself,” Daq Aryk said. “Why did your king insist on you?”

“Were your parents great warriors?” Valkyn asked. “You once save the king’s life?”

She shook her head. “Nay. I was Queen Dara’s lady’s maid since afore she became queen. My parents are perfumers, the finest in the kingdom. There were no female warriors afore me.”

“Being the queen’s lady’s maid is why you don’t speak like the other elves?” Aryk asked. “Less formal, more…human?”

“Aye. Dara was raised in your world, not ours. After years of close association, I guess she influenced my speech as well.”

“We look like we require help with hair and gowns, Wench? What does your king play at?”

Aryk’s clenched jaw ticced at Valkyn’s pointed question. His hazel eyes spoke volumes. “Your parents must have been surprised at your change of duties.”

’Twas an understatement. They hadn’t seen her, nor spoken to her, in five long, cold years. Nay. She refused to dwell on it another moment more. What was done, was done.

At least she had her sister Veona…and Queen Dara. Rage flashed. How dare this man, this mortal, belittle her dream? What did Valkyn know? He couldn’t even begin to guess at the trials she faced to get here.

“Did you never wish to be more than you are?” Her voice was low, icy, brittle. “Did you break body and soul to grasp something others declared beyond your reach? Did you stand alone against all to see a dream become real?”

“Hai.” Aryk’s voice was quiet, his expression respectful. “That we share, you and I.”

Aye, he might, if what King Loren told her was true. Odd, the one person to understand her was a stranger from a distant land. What made him so easy to talk to?

She eyed Valkyn. “You attended the tournament. Should you question my abilities further, a demonstration can be arranged.”

“It takes more than fighting spirit to make a warrior,” he argued.

Lord and Lady, she itched to smack him upside the skull with the flat of her blade! “Are they all as hardheaded as this one?” she asked Aryk.

He leveled a measuring gaze on her that made Verdeen uneasy. ’Twas a look reminiscent of King Loren’s. “Hai. Every last one.”

“You poor bastard.”

I write speculative romance in all three main varieties. My award-winning fantasy romance series, the Guardians of Light, is seven diverse books strong. I have a contemporary paranormal set in Kootenai National Forest, featuring werewolves, demons, and time travel. I have a space-opera sci fi romance that features enemies-to-lovers, a couple each on opposite sides of a war. In each one, I have to build entire fictitious worlds out of nothing and make it believable and real to my readers.

World-building is what enables readers to experience true escapism. When you think Star Wars, Star Trek, Shannara, Lord of the Rings…they all have unique, multi-faceted realities. Those realities are achieved through a thoughtful, painstaking layering of geography, weather, flora and fauna, infrastructure, and culture. The best worlds feature realism and variety. Realism in what is inherently unreal is achieved by making it real for the characters, and making the characters real to the reader—thus, by extension, their world becomes real to the reader.

My newest release is A Guardian’s Destiny, Book 5 in the Guardians of Light fantasy romance series for Champagne Book Group. It is a classic mix of series and stand-alone, a salad mix of old and familiar with new and exotic. It’s adding to an established world with the inclusion of a new land, and having a previously established character meet someone new.

My elven heroine Verdeen was Queen Dara’s lady’s maid in Book 1, A Guardian’s Heart. Dreaming of becoming an elite ranger, she entered the Warrior Academy—and graduated top of her class. The first woman to do so in living memory (and elves are immortal unless slain, so that’s a long time!) But no war mare chooses her as a partner, so her dreams of joining the advanced cavalry training crumble to dust. King Loren promotes her to his Right Hand, and gives her a unique charge—Aryk.

My human hero Aryk is one of the dreaded rievers (think Viking raiders) from Isadorikja, the Isle of Ice. The sworn enemies of Dara’s people in Arcadia and their neighbors in Shamar. No one likes them or trusts them. But Aryk is determined to change that by uniting all the clans together into one peaceful whole—and finding them other, less-violent pursuits. But he needs help. So King Loren orders Verdeen to accompany Aryk as Loren’s personal representative. Ambassador, bodyguard, counselor, and spy. Lover was not part of the original plan, but some rules were made to be broken.

Readers were already familiar with the lands of Arcadia, Shamar, and Cymry. Expanding the “Guardians” universe to include the new land of Isadorikja was tons of fun. The trick is to find a real country/environment to build on, and then combine a mix of real-life and made-up into a seamless, multidimensional whole. I started with Iceland—Arctic Circle, months of dark vs. sunlight, Northern Lights. I absolutely adore Pinterest, b/c you can “scrapbook” an entire pictorial of your book, from the scenery to the animals to the homes to the people who live in them. What they ate and how they cooked it, what they wore and how they made it. I really make use of my Dark Ages reference books! LOL

The most challenging and fun part or writing/developing the cultures. Isadorikja may be primarily Viking in flavor, but I borrowed some Spartan touches with warrior training starting with really young boys. The island has very few trees, so I had to think about alternative fuel sources, b/c fires were an absolute necessity for life in the cold. What foods would grow and how would they preserve them? What animals could thrive on the tough grasses and moss? How did people travel and transport goods? With seasonal sunlight, what rites would they have for the coming and going of the sun? What gods would they worship? What tales would they tell? What did they consider the greatest virtue? The gravest sin? Who were their heroes? How did they  view death? Life? Women? Children? Their elders?

Why would they live in such a challenging environment?

What were their views on elven magic?

Where possible, I wanted to contrast the luxuries of elvish Medieval living with the more primitive Iron Age human clans, to really amp up the inherent conflicts independent of personality and romantic conflicts. I wanted them to really have to work to reconcile some truly profound differences.

It was fun! I hope my readers appreciate it, too.

EXCERPT from A GUARDIAN’S DESTINY:

“Tell me about yourself,” Daq Aryk said. “Why did your king insist on you?”

“Were your parents great warriors?” Valkyn asked. “You once save the king’s life?”

She shook her head. “Nay. I was Queen Dara’s lady’s maid since afore she became queen. My parents are perfumers, the finest in the kingdom. There were no female warriors afore me.”

“Being the queen’s lady’s maid is why you don’t speak like the other elves?” Aryk asked. “Less formal, more…human?”

“Aye. Dara was raised in your world, not ours. After years of close association, I guess she influenced my speech as well.”

“We look like we require help with hair and gowns, Wench? What does your king play at?”

Aryk’s clenched jaw ticced at Valkyn’s pointed question. His hazel eyes spoke volumes. “Your parents must have been surprised at your change of duties.”

’Twas an understatement. They hadn’t seen her, nor spoken to her, in five long, cold years. Nay. She refused to dwell on it another moment more. What was done, was done.

At least she had her sister Veona…and Queen Dara. Rage flashed. How dare this man, this mortal, belittle her dream? What did Valkyn know? He couldn’t even begin to guess at the trials she faced to get here.

“Did you never wish to be more than you are?” Her voice was low, icy, brittle. “Did you break body and soul to grasp something others declared beyond your reach? Did you stand alone against all to see a dream become real?”

“Hai.” Aryk’s voice was quiet, his expression respectful. “That we share, you and I.”

Aye, he might, if what King Loren told her was true. Odd, the one person to understand her was a stranger from a distant land. What made him so easy to talk to?

She eyed Valkyn. “You attended the tournament. Should you question my abilities further, a demonstration can be arranged.”

“It takes more than fighting spirit to make a warrior,” he argued.

Lord and Lady, she itched to smack him upside the skull with the flat of her blade! “Are they all as hardheaded as this one?” she asked Aryk.

He leveled a measuring gaze on her that made Verdeen uneasy. ’Twas a look reminiscent of King Loren’s. “Hai. Every last one.”

“You poor bastard.”