Centernia: Building a Castle

"Centernia is realistic fantasy."  This is a phrase that's been repeated to me many times during convention conversations.  Centernia hits on a variety of heavy topics...divorce, drug abuse, sexuality, economic imbalance...all wrapped up in a wild tale of magic and mayhem. I would like to analyze a few of these topics in greater depth, starting with depression.     *****Book 1 & 2 Spoilers Ahead***** *********** Nico is a character who experiences an inordinate amount of trauma.  At the end of Return to the Castle , his parents are dead, Misa is dead, he's been doomed to a life without physical intimacy and he's about to become enslaved in the Mines of Briken.  At the opening of Mark of the Castle , we can add torture, physical maiming, and an encounter with a Sinari woman.  He’s hunted by mages and he fears that returning home may put Teren in danger.  There's not much more that could be done to torture this ma...

This weekend I had the honor of delivering a panel at Tora Con on World Building and Indie Publication. During the lecture, I spoke on the process I use to create a world.  As promised, here is the checklist of elements a creator needs to be aware of when building a believable fantasy universe.  By establishing and understanding these components, you'll ensure that your reader is immersed. Social World Economy & Trade Tradition and Superstition Religion Politics History Prejudice Distribution of Wealth Physical World Technology Housing Environment Creatures Everyday Annoyances Hazards

Teren and Savina, forever apart but always together Q and A:  Questions from email and conventions 1. Who are your favorite characters? I love all of my dysfunctional children, making it difficult to select a single favorite. Each character has evolved over the years, revealing their flaws and hidden strengths.  If really pressed, I would select the two characters who have never changed, Teren and Savina. Savina has always been an arrogant antagonist, loyal to Aurumice, a pain in Jessi's side, and forever in love with Teren.  An outsider to the castle, she was brought to the castle under what was supposed to be a temporary arrangement. She has a rich Galbrian accent and constantly reminiscences of her childhood on the sea. Teren has remained the cold and distant gentleman.  He is happy to share a bed with Savina, but never believes that she truly loves him.   In earlier drafts of Centernia, his mage strength was tied to his ...

A revised edition of Return to the Castle was released in February 2015. This edition catches many of the editing errors that snuck through in the first release.   The most notable difference is the chapter numbers. Though the books have the same content and the same scenes, they were split differently so that the new edition has one less chapter. You can figure out which version of the book you have by looking at the back cover. A little bird has been added on the newer edition for easy identification. :-)

Hi everyone, I know we've been quiet over at Centernia.com the past week.  There is a very good reason why. Many artists and authors have a studio or office in-house. It's a private sanctuary where they can work on ideas. The office where I wrote the majority of Return to the Castle is a small spare bedroom in my townhouse.  I love being surrounded by a color-controlled environment where everything has a visual harmony. I usually work on a triple-monitor setup, (Cintiq, laptop, external monitor). I keep a select number of books on the shelf, primarily art books and references. I have a desk for traditional drawing and painting supplies. Unfortunately, I don't work in real media much anymore with the exception of pencil. Any art in the room has special meaning to me. This is a vintage poster from my hometown of Syracuse, and these metal figurines were a highschool graduation gift from Mrs.Weiss, the teacher mentioned in my dedication.   This last photo is bit...

I was the type of kid who would go to the school library every day, pick out a book, read it in a night, and be back the next day for a new book.  Throughout my formative years, I devoured a healthy diet of sci-fi and fantasy. There are certain authors I go back to, time and time again, these are top ten authors from my youth who influenced my writing. 10. Anne McCaffrey Long before How to Train your Dragon , the Dragonriders of Pern definitely dominated as the quintessential work on riding dragons.  It's no surprise McCaffrey is regarded as a grand master of science fiction.  The world is certainly at a loss from her passing. 9.  Tamora Pierce Circle of Magic Trilogy , is a series of young magic users learning to control their powers.  This series was published before Harry Potter was released in the US.  The mages in this book series have a certain elemental focus to their magic manifestations, which was definitely in the back...

People often ask me how I wrote a novel.  Like all art forms, it has a process.  I developed my method of writing over years of practice.  I'm sure it's not the same for everyone, but it's a process developed through trial and error. Marked up outline for Return to the Castle 1.Outlining To prevent meandering plot holes, I begin with an outline. My outline is mapped out as an excel document.  I track different elements, like tension resolution and character POV.  I also look for balance between Aurumice and Earth. 2. Planning a Scene Undeniably, my favorite part of writing never happens at a computer.  I would define myself a kinesthetic writer .   I write best when moving.  I run and walk, listening to music, often to the same track over and over again.  The music and movement activate my brain in such a way that it is easier to imagine and see the scene.  It's a surreal and delightful way to write, sort of like rea...

Reblogged from RoseCatherine.com As I look back at the past year, I find myself asking 'how did I get here?' I just sold my last copy of the first print run of  Return to the Castle.   Just a few short months ago, my dining room table was covered in cases of books. I had a hefty little charge on my credit card and a looming feeling of dread. I've been working on this strange endeavor since 1997.  Few people know I deliberately built my entire career around it, (which is a story for another day...). Centernia, circa 1997, back when the story read like a Disney movie In October 2011, after a series of serendipitous events, I decided to create a webcomic based on the story of  Centernia .  I had wanted to release a novel, but after the stress of  The Mathmagical Wish , another printed book seemed too daunting. I was encouraged by my artist friend Jackie, who convinced me to join her selling art at conventions. I created a pile of art for est...