Whether your world is set on a future earth, in a spaceship
speeding to a ringed planet, or in an alternate medieval high fantasy with
fantastic magic, it must have an internal logic that satisfies readers. Magic
needs rules and constraints, a techie world must have gadgets that match the
level of society, and aliens must speak a language that makes organic sense in
their environment. A military guy in an advanced world wouldn’t use a
prehistoric club to bash his enemy’s skull in. In a post-apocalyptic world
where the lights have gone out, people can’t have access to iPhones or even
flashlights.
It’s invaluable to create a “bible” of setting elements and
characters that you can refer to so that your world details remain consistent.
Things to consider are: the type of government that’s in place, cultural
preferences, the state of science and medicine, fashion, food, and even
etiquette. Is the society repressive or liberal? What happens to those who
break the law? Is there any law at all, or is there a wild anarchy? You can
have endless fun imagining various combinations of these elements and playing
out the “what ifs” before committing to any one system.
My new YA sci-fi, Ruby’s Fire explores the time period past
a dystopia. You could call it a post-post
apocalyptic era, where the world is slowly regenerating. I wasn’t interested in
a novel only about a repressive government, or young adults in the midst of
fighting a horrific border war. I wanted to explore what happens after that, when things take a turn for
the better, when the toxic air is finally clearing a bit, when there are
underground caves growing much-needed crops. I was interested in studying the
people who were traumatized. When things get better do they relax? Start to
share more? Or have they been so hardened by their struggles that they’re
permanently scarred?
My main character, Ruby, who has escaped a dangerous desert
cult, is ashamed when she finds herself falling for Blane, a boy with a
terrible past, who’s the resident bodyguard at the boarding school she lands
in. She worries that she’s attracted to someone as edgy and violent as the
people she left behind. Or is there more to Blane, she wonders?
Many of the sectors on this changed earth are still struggling,
but one in particular—Vegas-by-the-Sea—is becoming a boomtown and regaining
much of the technology, lost in the disastrous border wars. The colorful George
Axiom, a sharp dresser and entrepreneur governs it. His giddy enthusiasm for
rebuilding takes him into shady territory when he offers to hold a student
contest for big money.
That perilous balance between healing, and falling back into
destruction fascinates me, and what kinds of things might disrupt that shaky
equilibrium. Thus, character creation also becomes a world-building exercise.
That’s what I love about speculative fiction! I can make up
entire worlds, whether spun out of highly likely terrestrial scenarios, or with
fantastic alien two-headed beings that will never exist in reality.
Well… never say never!
This post is in part of the Book Blogger Fair so if you want to learn more about it check out the July 2013 directory for more authors/books, giveaways, events, and more!
About the Author:
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Ruby's Fire Summary: “Seventeen year-old Ruby and her little brother Thorn, have only known a life blighted by the extremist Fireseed Cult. The night Ruby is set to be claimed by one of its cruelest and oldest leaders, she makes a bid for freedom. With Thorn in tow, she stumbles into the world beyond, and finds an opportunity for a fresh start in Skull’s Wrath under the guidance of Nevada Pilgrim, a woman who may not be all she seems. Ruby's new life could bring her friendship, love, even fortune, but nothing comes without a price. ... Stine delivers a thrilling adventure led by an exciting cast of characters, and the romance is really well handled.” -YA’s The Word |
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