With the audiobook on the way, I was thinking a lot about character voices. My friends and I have talked a little about fan casting, but I'm curious what you think! If the book was turned into a movie, who would you at least want to see audition for certain characters? #indiebooks #writing #fancast

The only way that magic is really a “religion” is within the Fae. While the magic study it to mundaneness, the Fae revere magic as their life blood. According to ancient lore, the Fae Queen blessed each of her “children” with a thread of magic and all Fae since then have that same blessing in them.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · yesterday

Good morning, #AugustWorldbuilders! It's a new week, but we're still yappin' about magic! In your fictional setting, tell me how magic is connected to religion, faith, or spiritualism? Is it one and the same? Condemned by the church? Give me deets👀

A lot of people, even magi, forget where magic comes from. They come from human emotions and so they have something of a will of their own. Emotions aren't neutral, so the root of the emotions can influence how "wild" magic manifests.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · 2d ago

#AugustWorldbuilders Let's get a little vague today. What are some unknown or mysterious aspects about magic in your world? This can mean something mysterious to your characters, or something that YOU have deliberately chosen not to understand. Sometimes mystery and whimsy is the point~

Magic is rooted in emotion so (just like when feeling a lot of emotions) using big spells can be emotionally exhausting. Ambustination is a process that Guardians can experience when they use too much magic in one go and it causes them to literally explode, taking out everything within a few miles.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · 3d ago

#AugustWorldbuilders Are there any drawbacks to using magic in your world? Interpret in any way you wish. Could be an actual physical or mental cost to using magic, destruction caused by magic in the hands of the wrong people, or perhaps a legal/societal issue

Another big announcement! I've partnered with Carol Beth Anderson to transform Blanc LaBelle and the Troll's Daughter into an audio format! I've had a lot of folks asking for an audio format, so I'm glad to finally answer "There is one!" Follow along for more updates!

Magi require wants to do magic. Wands need to have what's called a "Natural Terminus" an event that occurs to the tree that cuts it's life short (forest fire, flood, hurricane, blight, etc). LaBelle's wand is made from a tree that was hit by a bolt of lightning, for example.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · 4d ago

Good morning, #AugustWorldbuilders! Ignore the number. This one was supposed to go out yesterday, and yesterday's was supposed to be today's. Anyway! If your world has magic, are any physical objects needed? A wand, perhaps? A focus? Gems? Chalk? Potions? Any tools that might make magic easier?

LaBelle plays saxophone, but I hear classical cello when I think about him. Mira is a pop violin track. Matt strikes me as a piano, but I can't quite pin down what genre or specifics.

🌱🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊🪻@charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 4d ago

Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters Today let's talk about instruments! Is there a musical instrument that makes you think of your character? Is it one they play? Does something about the look or sound make you think of them? #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

Logistically, the Fold has to hide from humans. If any Underfolk in the Above are staying somewhere without the aid of a glamour, Dolly's is the only place they can really be themselves. It's hidden to keep up the 'masquerade' (the whole building is glamoured to look condemned).

🌱🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊🪻@charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 5d ago

Why is the boarding house hidden?

I would have to say Dolly is my favorite side character. She’s the centaur owner of the diner and runs the boarding house hidden above the restaurant. She is warm and open-hearted, offering whatever help she can to those who ask.

🌱🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊🪻@charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 5d ago

Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters Side character day! Share a gif with me that encapsulates your favorite side character! And if you like, tell me a little bit about them! #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

No specific gods or entities, but there are very powerful magic users (the Fae Queen, the Magi Prima, and (of course) LaBelle). Some magi will bond with animals to create a familiar-like bond that can be used as an extension of their magic (seeing through their eyes or using them for protection).

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · 5d ago

#AugustWorldbuilders, are there any entities associated with magic in your world? For instance, Gods associated with magic, spirits, animal familiars, summoned creatures, or anything you can think of?

The broad term is “magi” which includes anyone from sorcerers to druids. Some may go by additional titles like warlock or wizard, but there isn’t a difference between how any of them use magic. It is freely taught at one of the many Universities in the Under, but those in the Above aren’t magical.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · 6d ago

#AugustWorldbuilders, we're talking about magic some more! What are magic-users called in your world, and how are they trained? How are users of magic treated in your world, in general? Is it a legal practice?

With the announcement of Blanc LaBelle and the Innocent Vampire, this is the fair warning that there will potentially be some spoilers coming with promotional posts. If you want to read the book unspoiled, you should read it quickly or watch out for spoilers in my upcoming posts. Watch for news!

When it comes to setting up shop, there are worse views! I’ll be at the Ox and Oak Vineyard today for their “Whose Wine Is It Anyway?” event! What kind of wine do you think my characters would drink?

The Art of Restoration: Part 4 School is in session for Druil and he begins to learn how to cast a miracle. The Art of Restoration- Part 4

The Art of Restoration: Part 4

School is in session for Druil and he begins to learn how to cast a miracle. The Art of Restoration- Part 4

nwwestbrook-writing.us

Fae have no specific categories, but magi break everything down into different schools and subjects. Divination, abjuration, conjuration, transformation, and all the other -ations break down different specialties within the grand scheme of “magic”.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · last wk.

#AugustWorldbuilders, hello magical friends! Is your magic categorized in any ways? For instance, by elements, schools, methods of using it, or something else? Are they considered equal in-world?

Congratulations to Lisa W for winning the art contest! She'll be getting a signed copy of the book as well as a few goodies!

Think you know your wines? Can you match them to book characters based on their descriptions? Sound fun? Come to the Ox & Oak Winery in Lebanon, CT tomorrow and play in an interactive game featuring local authors! This is a really different event and I'm thrilled to be a part of it!

Magi have stricter ways of manipulating magic for a wider variety of spells. It takes them a little longer to write out runes that shape the magical energy into some specific. It's a study of languages that are used and recombined into a spell.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · last wk.

Hello, friends and #AugustWorldbuilders! In this second half of August, the last two full weeks will both be dedicated to MAGIC. I have a bunch of questions for you to think about, yap about, and develop a magic system (or lack thereof). Today: briefly tell us how it works. Or how yours is different

(I'm gonna split this into two posts) For fae, it is very soft and based on pulling threads of magic from the River (the flow of magic in the air). Magic manifests in different ways depending on it's root emotion. For example, a fairy may reach out and pull down a thread of fire and create a flame.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · last wk.

Hello, friends and #AugustWorldbuilders! In this second half of August, the last two full weeks will both be dedicated to MAGIC. I have a bunch of questions for you to think about, yap about, and develop a magic system (or lack thereof). Today: briefly tell us how it works. Or how yours is different

Some of you may have cracked the code, but for the rest of us here it is! Blanc LaBelle is coming back in November! If you've been waiting for some reason, now is the perfect time to read up on the story! Can't wait to see you there! #indieauthor #BlancLaBelle #indiefantasy #newindiebook #comingsoon

The Guardians are major figures in the history of the Under. Most of that history is forgotten by the world of humans. They aren't really spirits or deities and they are indistinguishable from humans. Most of their history is oral, but LaBelle represents the entirety of the Guardian Faction.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · last wk.

#AugustWorldbuilders Tell me a bit about the deeper culture about an ancient civilization in your world. Did they have any important animals, deities, spirits, or anything else? Things depicted on their artifacts or on ruin walls? Anything carried into the present civilization?

While it never “officially” happened, the Under Wars split the world into the Above or the Under: the human world and the world of the Underfolk. The Under Pact is the official contract that split the world into Above and Under.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · last wk.

#AugustWorldbuilders, good morning! Have there been any ancient wars or conflicts in your fictional setting? Things that have affected the present? Tell me about them

LaBelle has kept his fair share of souvenirs from a hundred lifetimes. Most are just sentimental (from swords to saxophones), but one particularly powerful object is his wand. He made it himself from an oak struck by lightning.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · 2w ago

#AugustWorldbuilders. Let's get into some archaeological goodness. Are there any items or artifacts from an ancient era? Anything magical? Anything that hints what those lost civilizations were like? Tell me all the juicy details about them~ 👀

Ambustination is a catastrophe that occurred multiple times. After the Rain Prophecy, Guardians were hunted until they overloaded with magic and exploded, leaving craters all over the world. The losses of Underfolk were massive, but it ended in the near extinction of the Guardians.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · 2w ago

#AugustWorldbuilders, hello friends! Tell me about something drastic that happened in the past of your fictional world. Have there been any catastrophic natural disasters? Or supernatural, perhaps? Something that wiped out civilization?

Out and about? Need a beach read? Something for a plane ride? As we get into the last weeks of summer, it’s a great time to enjoy some time outside with a book!

LaBelle is a real hero of ancient times: he's been a background figure in most of Earth's history and fought in more wars than he could count. Each faction (and the species within) all have their own heroes and myths, but LaBelle's exploits are known by everyone, with certain exaggerations.

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · 2w ago

Hello, #AugustWorldbuilders! Who were some ancient heroes in your fictional setting? Were they real (in the context of your fiction) or were they mythical? Does anyone even know?

Every week, I got to volunteer at the Connecticut Draft Horse Rescue on Sunday mornings. Every week, I have grand ideas of doing things when I get home. And every week, without fail, I take a "short" nap for a few hours and my afternoon is shot.

The Art of Restoration: Part 3 Druil witnesses a master at work and his first miracle... The Art of Restoration- Part 3

The Art of Restoration: Part 3

Druil witnesses a master at work and his first miracle... The Art of Restoration- Part 3

nwwestbrook-writing.us

There are remnants of older civilizations, but none that are truly lost. There might be a “Lost Under City” or two, but none that are mentioned in the story (though that would be cool and maybe a short snippet later on).

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle)@kiraofthewind.com · 2w ago

Good morning, #AugustWorldbuilders! Today's question in our NEW history/lore themed week: Are there any lost civilizations in your world? Did they leave behind any ruins? What do your present-day characters think of them?

Will I see you on August 16th? Can you match the wines to characters? Me and other authors will be at Ox and Oak Winery in Lebanon, CT! Looking forward to seeing you there! #indieauthor #events #books #authorevents #nutmeglitfest