World Building: Air

World Building: Air

The air we breathe is not something we think a lot about until something goes wrong. Gas, dust, particulates, and the balance of gases all affect both our breathing – or lack thereof! – and also play a big factor

World Building: Cultural survival

World Building: Cultural survival

What does it take to ensure a society survives and grows? What makes one region successful, while another struggles? Why do societies fall? Big questions – can they be included in a novel? Jared Diamond in his massive and erudite

World building: Research

World building: Research

Building a new world, or recreating a past one can be quite a lengthy process of research. Imagine, if you will, the ancient wizard pouring over dusty scrolls, the kindly librarian searching out a rare book, or a vat of

Worldbuilding: Clothing maketh the character

Worldbuilding: Clothing maketh the character

If you write a story about people or most aliens, then they will need to be wearing something to cover all the naughty bits. But what does their choice of body coverings and accessories say about them? Or you as

Making a hero

Making a hero

Often we read to escape- but sometimes we find ourselves. In genre fiction, the novels of science fiction, fantasy and historical authors build a world where readers can travel to imaginary worlds, marvel and be lost to the present day.

World building: Celebrations

World building: Celebrations

Woo who – lets have a party! Said every human in every culture since the dawn of time. There are more festivals and things to celebrate than there are days in the year, so the human race is definitely one

World Building : Climate

World Building : Climate

It was a dark and stormy night… Trite words yet they bring a sense of expectation – of a horror to come, with wild deeds afoot. Climate is so variable that it can almost be another character in a book.

My Kingdom for a hot shower

EMSH artwork from Heinlein Have Spacesuit, will travel

Fantasy books are often set in a more primitive world where the chance of having a hot shower is minimal and toothbrushes possibly not invented. Likewise, in space, water is at a premium, needing to be recycled over and over.