The year and my Magic in Fantasy series on the Supernatural Underground are both rocking on — and this month’s focus is “The Magic Next Door”, or alternatively, Magic in the Everyday…

Yep, I’m talking the staple of the urban fantasy, paranormal urban fantasy/romance, and magic realism quadrants of the genre.

The three books I’m focusing on this month are:

• Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling
• Sunshine by Robin McKinley
• The River Midnight by Lilian Nattel

All three weave their magic through the “next door” that is the everyday world, although Sunshine’s world is set post the apocalyptic Voodoo Wars, and The River Midnight in a fictional shetl in late nineteenth-century Poland.

To find out more, click on the following link — and read on!

Magic In Fantasy: The Magic Next Door

Last Thursday, I refeatured a post on Writing Epic Heroines, from the blog backlist — and promised a spinoff post for today.

I chose Writing Epic Heroines because I had recently viewed the film Harriet on Netflix, which tells the story of Harriet Tubman.

Harriet was born a slave in the American South, but escaped to freedom in the north, and went on to become one of the most famous “conductors” on the Underground Railroad: i.e. she led (or ‘conducted’) other slaves to freedom by means of a system of secret routes and safe houses.

She operated as a Union spy during the Civil War, including leading a military operation to free slaves working in critical industries, and was a leader in both the civil rights and women’s suffrage movements for the rest of her long life.

To find out more, check out:

Smithsonian Magazine: The True Story Behind The Harriet Tubman Movie

History.com: Harriet Tubman

The film was not my first encounter with Harriet Tubman, however. On starting primary school, many years ago, the very first book I chose for myself from the Scholastic Book Club was Runaway Slave: The Story of Harriet Tubman (1965), written by Ann McGovern.

I am not sure, now, why I selected it, but once read, I know it made a profound impression. I was shocked by the existence of slavery and how enslaved people were treated, and I admired Harriet immensely: her courage and resolution in the face of adversity, and her commitment to freedom and service to others.

In terms of writing epic heroines, my ideas of what constitutes a heroine have been shaped by real figures in history. Harriet Tubman was the first such heroine that I encountered and I still consider her an exemplar. In terms of the life she lived and the example set, she has unquestionably influenced my notions of what makes a heroine, and therefore my fictional writing and characters.

It’s been a few months since we’ve had one of these, plus heroines have been on my mind recently, so I thought it could be timely to have another look at this post from July 2015.

I’ll also have a spinoff post for you next Monday, relevant to the theme: something to look forward to (I hope. 😉 )

In the meantime, and without further ado:

~*~

Writing Epic Heroines — from July 23, 2015

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The Heir Of Night and The Gathering Of The Lost, the first two novels in my epic fantasy quartet, The Wall Of Night, have been recognized for the fact that the leading character, Malian, is a young woman, as well as for the number of strong and important female characters in the story.

I am really pleased that readers appreciate this aspect of the story, but I never sat down and thought: “I think I’ll write a story that’s full of strong female characters.” The story just evolved that way…

Looking below the surface, I believe it was important that I was open to the potential of the story to evolve in that way. Malian is a character who was with me for a long time before I began to write.

The vision for the character was always of a young girl, later a young woman (there’s a five year gap between the events in The Heir Of Night and those in The Gathering Of The Lost) in a (literally) dark world.

It never occurred to me that she could not be the centre of the epic events taking place, or that there was anything ground breaking or unusual in her being so. After all, there are precedents that remain some of my favourite epic fantasies, including Mara of the Acoma in Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts’ Empire series and Morgaine in CJ Cherryh’s series of the same name.

The difference, if difference there is, may be that the secondary characters surrounding Malian include as many female as male characters, many occupying important roles in both the story and the society. To be honest, again I never planned this: the characters simply evolved with the development of the story.

In the Wall of Night world, Malian’s people, the Derai, have a considerable number of issues: they’re militaristic, xenophobic, hidebound, and still nursing the bitter divisions of a civil war.

But there is no male/female divide (possibly because the women, in this warrior society, are physically as strong as the men.) So “of course” women will occupy the full gamut of occupations in the society, with considerable numbers in positions of authority.

Again, I did not sit down before I began writing, and think: “this is the way the society will be and operate.” Rather, as the story progressed, I realized it “just was” that way.

I also very much enjoyed the way the characters stepped forward to take their place in the tale – whether it was Asantir, the captain of the Earl of Night’s elite guard and later Commander of Night, or Jehane Mor, a herald of the mysterious Guild, or Lady Sarifa, a demonhunter from fabled Ishnapur.

Listening to the story and being open to possibility are always key to developing characters. The other key, on this ring of three, is actually focusing on writing character. The primary question I address is never, what kind of woman is this? Or, what kind of man is that?

What I ask is, what kind of personality am I dealing with? How does this particular character function within the society? What role does she or he play in the story and the world? How will she or he respond to the events that arise through the course of the book?

The answers to those questions, far more than gender, shape both who the character is, and the part she or he plays in the story.

If readers find my female characters diverse, compelling and strongly conceived, I believe it is largely because of this focus on authentic character. I am certainly pleased if I am seen as having achieved this in the Wall Of Night series.

The goal I will always strive for though, is to write human characters in all their “sorts and conditions” – so as 50% (ca.) of the human population, women are likely always going to play a big part in my storytelling. Why the heck not?

Earlier this year, I posted on the exigencies of Characters Behaving Badly (with the culprit, in that case, being Thanir.) On several occasions now, I’ve also talked about the importance of the writing break to assist in wrangling narrative roadblocks, whether small or large—most recently as a coda to my post on liking puzzles, as well as in relation to the authorial (coffee) break.

Ah, those coffee breaks…

And when I interviewed Courtney Schafer on the Supernatural Underground, also earlier this year, I nodded heartfelt concurrence when she mentioned that writing scenes comprising multiple point-of-view characters is always a tough gig.

In writing the conclusion to The Wall Of Night series, there is no shortage of scenes that involve multiple point-of-view characters and/or major secondary characters as well. So an important aspect, even when all the characters are cooperating fully with the writing process, is doing all the relevant characters justice. And not unlike driving a team of horses, it’s vital not to get their storylines entangled. So even at the best of times, authorial concentration is required.

The writing process gets even trickier when the characters, the narrative, or the Muses are not playing ball. As mentioned in the Puzzles post, sometimes the roadblocks are simply a case of the author not seeing the writing forest for the individual trees.

Mindgames & puzzles…

At other times, characters can and do refuse to cooperate, like Thanir earlier this year and the Earl away back when I was first writing The Heir of Night. In a way, Kalan and Myr, when writing Daughter of Blood, also fitted that bill, because although the original story arc always had them falling in love, no matter what I did as author, they simply refused to do so.

USA

In short, despite best-laid plans, the author was required to adapt to the imperatives of the story and the characters. In all these cases, too, the noncooperation happens for a reason, or sometimes a number of reasons—which eventually become manifest when I really pay attention to the ‘voice’ of the story.

UK/AU/NZ

Some of these reasons include:

Avoiding “by-the-numbers” storytelling or “cardboard cutout” characters. The long-ago problem with the Earl of Night, for example, was that as initially conceived he was a stereotypical tyrannical father figure. The Muses, though, weren’t having a bar of that, and the narrative simply wouldn’t progress until I engaged with Tasarion as a real person.

USA

Not crossing the same storytelling stream twice. This is a real risk in a big book where there are multiple point-of-view characters, all of whom have been exposed to a variety of physical and  magical, personal and political conflicts, throughout the narrative to date. So it can be all-too-easy to write “action hero type A”, or “battle sequence B”, just to move the narrative forward.

Again, though, the Muses won’t stand for that sort of malarkey, and the roadblock is only resolved when I own my mea culpa and find a way to write the conflict that is fresh and also authentic, both to the characters and the storyline.

So with Kalan and Myr, for example, a small part of the roadblock associated with their arc was that the WALL series already had a “starcrossed lovers” storyline, i.e. Audin and Ghiselaine in The Gathering of the Lost. Doing the same thing again didn’t feel right and persisting (because “the plan”) increasingly struck writing resistance.

USA

Maintaining Authenticity: Another aspect of the roadblock was that Kalan’s relationship with Jarna (again, in Gathering) also had starcrossed elements. In addition, and arguably more importantly, it felt really out-of-character for Kalan to bounce straight from one relationship to another. Constancy and faithkeeping are both really important aspects of “who he is”, so the story has to reflect that, as well as continuing to shape him through ongoing events.

UK/AU/NZ

The final aspect of the Kalan-Myr roadblock, one that required considerable wrangling to resolve, was that the Daughter story is primarily about duty and honor, amid a sequence of life-and-death events that don’t allow leisure for starcrossed love. So despite my original vision for the WALL arc, I was obliged to adjust it to respect both Kalan and Myr’s characters, and to remain true to the story being told.

In all such cases, I can tell you that identifying the problem and finding a solution that works is a really positive feeling, both for its own sake but most importantly because it enables the storytelling to advance.

—

Previous Bulletins From Inside The Writing Life:

• A Little About The Writing Itself
• About Those Muses, Then…
• Naturally Self-Isolating
• Writing Novels, Posting Blogs
• Another Milestone Ticked Off
• A Game Of Two Halves
• Further Reflection on Writing Transitions
• Fun With Friends
• Those Moments Of “Grr-Argh”
• Sometimes It’s A Case Of “Oh Frabjous Day!
• “O Frabjous Day” Reprised
• Listening To The Silence
• Characters Behaving Badly
• Many Placemarkers
• The Authorial Break
• Of Puzzles and Gardens

It’s Thursday 21 – and time for the fifth instalment of The Wall Of Night quote series chosen by members of Group Haarth, which is the private Facebook group where WALL readers can meet and discuss the books – and as Martina shared last time, “discuss wild and improbable theories” 😉

Today’s guest is Linden, who has chosen a quote from Daughter of Blood (The Wall Of Night, Book 3)

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Following the post series format, Linden also shares why this quote is a favourite, along with the positives of being a member of the Haarth community.

UK/AU/NZ

~*~

Linden’s Quote:

“A finely armored rider advanced ahead of the rest… “If deeds count as evidence, then I believe we may be accounted friends.” The captain’s voice rang clear…as she raised the visor, her gray eyes close to…silver in its shadow. “We meet again, Khar of the Storm Spears, as I said we would…As to names and business, let all here know that I am Malian, Heir to the House of Night, returned to claim my place among the Nine Houses.”

~ from © Daughter Of Blood, the Wall Of Night Book Three, Chapter 58 – Passage of Power

“I practically cheered out loud when I read this quote for the first time. The siege of the wedding caravan seems so hopeless and I was shocked that Malian announced who she was. This line has always stuck with me. I didn’t even have to look it up to type it out.” ~ Linden

Linden also says, re Group Haarth:

“For me, what is really special about the Haarth Facebook group is the ability to connect with the author. When I found out that Helen was doing a quote series blog post, I immediately knew what quote to send. I seriously geeked out when she chose to feature my favorite quote. I also love reading/participating in the theories and seeing other nuances in the story that I might have missed, that others noticed. It is fun to talk these out with people who love the story just as much as I do.”

If you would like to find out more about Group Haarth, or to join the group, click on:

The Wall Of Night Facebook Group

Previous Quotes:

A few weeks back, I posted on traveling to Wellington in order to see the Surrealist Exhibition at Te Papa, the National Museum.

Durung the same trip, I also drove up to the  Kapiti Coast, just a short way north, and got to go for a walk on the beach at Raumati South, where I enjoyed this fabulous view of Kapiti Island (which is a wildlife sanctuary, just btw.)

The reason I wanted to capture this moment, in particular, was because of the island-shaped cloud floating over the actual island — and do feel this photo does it, and the day, some justice. 🙂

Have the best week you can, everyone.

USA

The About The Characters post series focuses on the minor characters in The Wall Of Night series, in large part because:

“I think it’s the presence of the smaller characters that “makes” a story, creating texture around the main points of view.”

~ from my Legend Award Finalist's Interview, 2013

Initially, the series focused exclusively on characters from The Heir of Night, but now I’m continuing on with minor characters from both The Gathering Of The Lost and Daughter of Blood — in alphabetical order, by name, of course!

Currently, we’re traversing the plains of “L” – which are proving vasty expanses indeed. 😉

—

UK/AU/NZ

Linnet: kinswoman and companion to Ghiselaine, Countess of Ormond, in the southern realm of Emer.

“…the young woman beside her held up a hand, as if to ward off a blow. “A jest, that is all, Alianor.” Her speech was languorous, almost a drawl, and her gaze a little sleepy. Carick thought she looked a lot like Ghiselaine, although her hair was fairer and the sleepy eyes blue. “We’re all longing to hear the tale firsthand, both your part, Maister Carick, and Ser Raven’s too, of course.” She glanced at them from beneath downcast lashes, smiling when Carick flushed. He thought Raven looked amused, but his rescue came from another quarter.

“No games, Linnet,” said Ghiselaine…”

~ from © The Gathering of The Lost, The Wall Of Night Book Two – Chapter 13, Normarch

A little while back, I mentioned having a liking for puzzles, of the crossword, Number Cruncher, and Codecracker variety. In terms of resolving the puzzles, several qualities are helpful, including a good general knowledge, word knowledge, and a facility with patterns in both the word and number-based varieties.

Puzzle time again…

With crossword puzzles, the ability to think laterally is also helpful. Very often, the solution may lie in an alternative meaning or usage, so it’s important to keep questioning whether there’s another possibility.

All too often, alas, I find myself treading the path of chagrin as well, because I’m so busy considering alternatives, particularly the less well-known ones, that I miss the obvious. So obvious, in fact, that I’m reluctant to give an actual example, because it’s, you know, pretty embarrassing… 😀

Whether genuinely gnarly, though, or simply a case of me missing the blindingly obvious, I like to complete the puzzle without resorting to external help. For example, reaching for the dictionary or thesaurus, or searching for answers to crossword clues on the internet. (Yes, “of course” they’re out there!)

I dunno, it just feels a tad like cheating, yanno…

So when the final clue, or final few, prove elusive and/or vexatious, I’ll set the conundrum aside and do something else. Writing the book, obviously, if it’s a lunch or coffee break puzzle, but going for a walk is a great way of shaking a new perspective loose.

Gardening is also another great circuit breaker, because while the hands are busy the mind can run its puzzle-solving programme in the background, frequently delivering eureka moments. Very often, as aforementioned, with considerable chagrin when realizing that the solution finally reached should have been the first option considered: O-o!

Gardening, always a great circuit breaker.

Sometimes it’s not even a case of “not seeing the woods for the trees.” It’s more a case of not even seeing the tree immediately before me because I’m so close to the trunk that all I see is the infinite variety of the bark.

Consequently, learning to step back and consider the options more widely, is another great puzzle solving skill.

Looking for the wider vista

Perhaps not surprisingly, because unraveling plots and illuminating characters can also have puzzle-like propensities, all these skills are not only applicable, but necessary to writing as well.

And yes, all too often I experience chagrin in that context as well, when a difficult bout of story wrangling ends with my realizing that the solution is blindingly obvious. And that if I hadn’t been staring so hard at the detail of the bark, I might have spotted the giant tree right in front of me a little sooner.

Story wrangling…

And three times yes (and as I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned here before 😉 ) long walks and digging in the dirt, out in the daylight and fresh air, are great circuit breakers for writing conundrums as well. So, too, is just taking a break for a coffee and—if the deities of riddles, wordgames, and puzzles prove benevolent—a swiftly concluded puzzle. 😉

—

Previous Bulletins From Inside The Writing Life:

• A Little About The Writing Itself
• About Those Muses, Then…
• Naturally Self-Isolating
• Writing Novels, Posting Blogs
• Another Milestone Ticked Off
• A Game Of Two Halves
• Further Reflection on Writing Transitions
• Fun With Friends
• Those Moments Of “Grr-Argh”
• Sometimes It’s A Case Of “Oh Frabjous Day!
• “O Frabjous Day” Reprised
• Listening To The Silence
• Characters Behaving Badly
• Many Placemarkers
• The Authorial Break

w00t! It’s time for the fourth The Wall Of Night quote in the series chosen by members of Group Haarth – which is a private Facebook group where WALL readers can meet and discuss the books. 🙂

Today’s guest is Martina, who has chosen a quote from The Gathering Of The Lost (The Wall Of Night, Book 2)

Following the post series format, Martina has also shared why this quote is a favourite, as well as why she enjoys being a member of the Haarth community.

~*~

Martina’s Quote:

“She drew a ragged breath and opened her eyes, because there must be no truth too hard to be faced, even an enemy wearing the face of a friend.”

~ from © The Gathering Of The Lost, the Wall Of Night Book Two, Chapter 54 – Serru’s Shrine

“Difficult to find a particular quote, in a series full of great writing! This came to mind, though. From one of my favorite scenes – when Raven’s identity is revealed. I like it because it speaks of Malian’s character, and the challenge she is rising to. It shows her vulnerability and her strength.” ~ Martina

Martina also says, re Group Haarth:

“I like the Haarth FB group because it lets me discuss wild and improbable theories with other enthusiastic readers while we wait for the grande finale. What I love about the books (among other things) is that is allows for said theories, full of prophecies, dreams and clues so I can play at being a detective, co-creating at my end, as a reader.”

The map of Haarth;
Artist Peter Fitzpatrick

The next quote from a Group Haarth member will feature on Thursday, 21 October.

If you would like to join Group Haarth or find out more, click on:

The Wall Of Night Facebook Group

Previous Quotes:

Yep, it’s October, and that means not only another Supernatural Underground post, but instalment #10 of my Magic In Fantasy year.

This month I’m looking at three works that are essentially fantasy, but where the all-pervading magic operates within a (broadly) science fictional setting.

The three books in the spotlight are:

• The Gate Of Ivory by Doris Egan (1969)
• Trail Of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse (2019)
• Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (2020)

To find out why I heart their magical vibe, do not hesitate or pass ‘go’ – head right on over to Supernatural Underground and read on. 😀

Magic In Fantasy: the Magic of SF-nal Worlds