Last month I asked the question: do you want to know more about the world building behind The Knack, Book 3? And the overwhelming response was YES! So this week, I’m going to bring you on my research/brainstorming/world-building journey for this new book.
Here are just a few items from my recent internet searches:
How to take blood from a corpse.
How to separate DNA from a blood sample.
How are oysters farmed?
What equipment is used in scuba diving?
That last one is just a refresher because I actually have my PADI Scuba Diving certification, but I did it many years ago. I will be drawing on that experience for this book, however. The Knack Book 3 (still without a title) takes place in Titan Bay, a thera farming town. If you haven’t read the first books (or need a refresher), thera is a magic mineral farmed from giant nacara mussels. Mech mages use it to power magic-mechanical devices (known as mechs). Before thera was discovered, these devices were expensive and dangerous to create because the mage needed to harness ley-line power. Thera is cheap, easy to use and replaceable. Without revealing any spoilers, I will just say that it also has some down-sides.
Book three begins with Noah (the medic from Squad 54) in Titan Bay. His special knack makes him uniquely qualified to study thera. He meets Phaedra a “reaper” or a diver who harvests the giant mussels. Parts of the story take place underwater, which is why I’ll have to dust off memories of my old scuba adventures.
Before I began the Knack series, I spent over a year world building. I created cities and entire landscapes with rivers, tundra deserts and mountain ranges. I created religions, governments, and a magic system. Not to mention the characters, mechs, monsters and buildings. All this takes time and many revisions. It’s also my favorite part of writing. When world building, anything is possible, and my story is never so perfect as when it sits fully formed (but unexpressed) in my head.
World building for The Knack Book 3 is like creating an expansion pack for a game. I’m incorporating all the existing elements and characters, but creating new settings (the town of Titan Bay), characters, knacks and even an entire industry—thera farming. Imagining this unique industry has been the most fun part of this book for me, and that’s what I want to share with you today.
Thera farming is based on the principles of oyster farming, except that nacara mussels grow to be 10-12 feet in length, so everything is built on a much bigger scale. Some oyster farms seed their spats (baby oysters) on ropes or logs that dangle into the water. I decided that logs would work better for these massive mussels. The French oyster farmers call these bouchots and I kept that term. Then I created rigs which are metal constructions (the farms) that jut into the bay. Each rig has 15 metal brackets from which the bouchots dangle. The reapers use specialized tools to test the mussels for magic resonance (which only occurs at peak maturation) and to harvest them.
After harvesting, the mussels are taken to a nearby processing plant where the enamel is removed from the inside of the shell. This is the very magically potent thera. The rest of the mussel shell is ground down to be used in construction and weaponry. Mussel meat is sent to the communal mess hall to feed the shellers (the people from the processing plant) and riggers (the workers on the rigs).
I had fun creating a map of the rig, which you can see below. This helps me orient myself when writing about it, but it also gives me inspiration. For instance, would the brackets that stick out from the end of the rig be more dangerous to work than the others? What sort of monsters might those divers encounter. How do they move the giant mussels? I decided they needed boats and cranes for that. Both of these could add another element of danger. Not to mention that all of this is steampunk style, so what kind of scuba equipment would they use? I made it a blend of modern and antique equipment with a tethered air hose instead of independent air tanks. This umbilical cord is yet another opportunity for mayhem.
Here are just a few items from my recent internet searches:
How to take blood from a corpse.
How to separate DNA from a blood sample.
How are oysters farmed?
What equipment is used in scuba diving?
That last one is just a refresher because I actually have my PADI Scuba Diving certification, but I did it many years ago. I will be drawing on that experience for this book, however. The Knack Book 3 (still without a title) takes place in Titan Bay, a thera farming town. If you haven’t read the first books (or need a refresher), thera is a magic mineral farmed from giant nacara mussels. Mech mages use it to power magic-mechanical devices (known as mechs). Before thera was discovered, these devices were expensive and dangerous to create because the mage needed to harness ley-line power. Thera is cheap, easy to use and replaceable. Without revealing any spoilers, I will just say that it also has some down-sides.
Book three begins with Noah (the medic from Squad 54) in Titan Bay. His special knack makes him uniquely qualified to study thera. He meets Phaedra a “reaper” or a diver who harvests the giant mussels. Parts of the story take place underwater, which is why I’ll have to dust off memories of my old scuba adventures.
Before I began the Knack series, I spent over a year world building. I created cities and entire landscapes with rivers, tundra deserts and mountain ranges. I created religions, governments, and a magic system. Not to mention the characters, mechs, monsters and buildings. All this takes time and many revisions. It’s also my favorite part of writing. When world building, anything is possible, and my story is never so perfect as when it sits fully formed (but unexpressed) in my head.
World building for The Knack Book 3 is like creating an expansion pack for a game. I’m incorporating all the existing elements and characters, but creating new settings (the town of Titan Bay), characters, knacks and even an entire industry—thera farming. Imagining this unique industry has been the most fun part of this book for me, and that’s what I want to share with you today.
Thera farming is based on the principles of oyster farming, except that nacara mussels grow to be 10-12 feet in length, so everything is built on a much bigger scale. Some oyster farms seed their spats (baby oysters) on ropes or logs that dangle into the water. I decided that logs would work better for these massive mussels. The French oyster farmers call these bouchots and I kept that term. Then I created rigs which are metal constructions (the farms) that jut into the bay. Each rig has 15 metal brackets from which the bouchots dangle. The reapers use specialized tools to test the mussels for magic resonance (which only occurs at peak maturation) and to harvest them.
After harvesting, the mussels are taken to a nearby processing plant where the enamel is removed from the inside of the shell. This is the very magically potent thera. The rest of the mussel shell is ground down to be used in construction and weaponry. Mussel meat is sent to the communal mess hall to feed the shellers (the people from the processing plant) and riggers (the workers on the rigs).
I had fun creating a map of the rig, which you can see below. This helps me orient myself when writing about it, but it also gives me inspiration. For instance, would the brackets that stick out from the end of the rig be more dangerous to work than the others? What sort of monsters might those divers encounter. How do they move the giant mussels? I decided they needed boats and cranes for that. Both of these could add another element of danger. Not to mention that all of this is steampunk style, so what kind of scuba equipment would they use? I made it a blend of modern and antique equipment with a tethered air hose instead of independent air tanks. This umbilical cord is yet another opportunity for mayhem.
All in all, world building and first draft writing work in tandem. For me at least. I create some backstory, then write a chapter and realize something doesn’t work or an element is missing. The world building files get updated. This, in turn, creates new opportunities for conflict, and so on. It’s a process that used to scare me because it can feel very scattered, like the story is too unwieldy and it slips from my grasp. But after 20+ books under my belt, I am much better at keeping my world building organized and updated as I write. And the best part is that if I get stuck while writing, I can spend some time rereading my world building docs to find new inspiration.
BTW, I do all this in Scrivener. If you've been following me for a while, you know that I couldn't write without Scrivener. HERE is a blog post about how I organize my documents using Scrivener. If this is something that interests you, let me know and I might do a deeper dive into world building with Scrivener.
Also, I dumped my world building document about thera farming into a file and added it to the extras on The Knack page. If that sort of thing interests you, find it HERE. The notes are loosely organized, with varying degrees of detail, but they will give you some insight into my thought process while writing.
One last comment about world building. Just because I spent hours creating an industry, doesn’t mean it will be described in detail in the book. That would be considered an info-dump and I try to avoid those. World building can be thought of as an iceberg. The few details that you see in the book are just the tip that sticks up over the water. What goes on behind the scenes is what’s hidden under water. I do the world building to immerse myself in the world and hopefully make it feel real to you.
I hope you enjoyed this little look into my writing process. Now I’ve must get back to Titan Bay. I left Noah and Phaedra about to be attacked by a madman (no spoilers!).
BOOK FAIRS
I took a year off in-person events due to an injury. I am tentatively exploring the possibility of returning to a limited number of events. If you're in the Ottawa Valley area I will be at a very unique Goblin Market near Renfew, Ontario on June 13-14. The Goblin Market is the Hobbit Hike’s sister event, open to the public. Over 20 curated fantasy artisans, with everything from art to apparel to jewelry to home goods to bring a little whimsy and magic into your day-to-day. Wander through the woods and browse the wares of the Goblin Market. I'd love to connect with readers, and here are the details:
- Elements Luxury Tented Camp & Nature Spa (793 Storyland Rd, Renfrew, Ontario)
- June 13 and 14, 1-4 pm
- Open to the public
- Cost: Either financial or physical donation to the Renfrew Food Bank
Guests are encouraged to dress up and take lots of photos, and visit the Hobbit Door photo booth. We will also be map pin location for the annual Game of Shrooms: the viral worldwide mushroom art treasure hunt!
For the rest of the book fairs this week, check out the short stories for a quick read at no cost. Plus, get some new audiobooks. I particularly enjoy these for mowing the lawn or doing other yard work.
