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Behind the Scenes of the RELICS OF MERLIN Series

There are many elements that go into the making of any work of fiction. Generally, a combination of personal experience, imagination, and research. Each author has their own unique well of experiences to draw on, and their own perspective on how they viewed their experiences, which is why regardless of the idea, each writer can bring a unique perspective to any novel. Today I’d like to share with you some of the elements that went into the creation of the RELICS OF MERLIN series, which includes: ENCHANTING THE LADY, DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT, ENCHANTING THE BEAST and the upcoming brand new story (December 2013), EVERLASTING ENCHANTMENT.

When I’m crafting a novel, sometimes the world comes first, sometimes the characters, sometimes the plot:

In the RELICS OF MERLIN, the world came first. Although the books are stand-alones, they are all connected by Merlin’s thirteen relics—jewels that the sorcerer Merlin crafted, each holding a different spell of power. In my alternate Victorian reality, titles are held by the inheritance of magical powers, with the higher title possessing the more powerful magic. The only power greater than a royals’ is one of Merlin’s thirteen relics, and their location is as mysterious as the spell each relic contains. From that premise different story lines and different characters sprouted, with each book dealing with a different relic and two new characters’ love stories.

I developed the Underground, the dark-wizard city beneath London, with an understanding of caves through personal experience:

I went cave-crawling (literally, with knee pads) in a Kentucky cave. This wasn’t a tourist cave, but one my brother-in-law had discovered. Once inside it widened considerably, but to get inside we had to crawl through some very tight squeezes. The absence of light and the maze-like passages were terrifying, and the first time I went in I raced back out within five minutes. But I don’t like to let fear control me, so I plunged back in. I wish I could say it was fun, but the hand-light went out at one point, the cave crickets on the ceiling looked like giant gray spiders, and a river ran through the larger passages and that water was cold. But it did give me an understanding of the London Underground I envisioned for my book, and an experience I’ll never forget.

I took real historical facts and research and changed it with magical touches to create a vision of my alternate world:

I’ve read and own many books on the Victorian era, from architecture to furniture to social economics. (I listed many of my research books on my website blog). I have always loved that time period, so I found the research fascinating. Then I created maps of my alternate Victorian London to keep track of changes to name places (Pall Mall became Pall Mage, Belgrave Square became Gargoyle Square, and I added the Hall of Mages next to Buckingham Palace, for example) because with the influence of magic, the city would develop differently. I also have a ‘map’ of a Victorian mansion, with the type of furniture for each room listed (In England, the first floor of a home is the ground floor, and the first floor is called the second, which is often confusing to my American mind :}).  I also have a chart with hereditary titles, how each peer is addressed, and their level of magic. I keep a dictionary of my own words, because I often make them up; and a chart of the relics, when they were discovered, what type of jewel and spell (if known). I also create character sheets along with animal references, since my heroes’ natures are so strongly influenced by their were-creatures.

I keep my world fresh in my mind:

By writing everything on loose paper, and then use binder clips to keep them organized. I print pictures of Victorian costume, architecture, etc. and keep them with that packet, so that I have visuals as well as notes to refer to.

I’m careful with research details I include in my books:

When it comes to historical research, if I need it for the storyline it goes in. I have research that never goes into the story because it isn’t necessary, but it still gives me a general feel of the world, so it’s not wasted. When it comes to the magical elements that I weave into the world, I’ll go into a bit more detail, because I try to instill that sense of realism into the story.

I consider setting almost as another character:

And another element I have to weave into the plot. I try to add in the rules of my magic early on, so the reader knows what to expect. But again, I try not to dump it in all at once, but use it to enrich the plot.

I’ll leave you with an excerpt from ENCHANTING THE LADY to show how I use visuals, setting, and the logistics of the magic by weaving them into the scene:

“Look at Lord Gremville’s new coach and four.”  Uncle Oliver’s voice dripped with disdain.

Felicity stared out the window.  Marquesses’ powers were limited to illusions and the transfer of objects, so she knew that the white unicorns with golden horns weren’t real, that the gilded coach camouflaged a plain black finish.  Still, the sight took her breath away, and she longed to stroke the foreheads of the animals.

Until Next Time,

My Magical Best,

Kathryne

A deleted scene from ENCHANTING THE LADY

I don't often have whole scenes deleted from a book, and this was so long ago I'm not even sure why this scene never made it into the book. But it still captures a bit of a sense of wonder for me, and with the re-release of the Relics of Merlins series, I thought readers of Enchanting the Lady would enjoy it as an addition to Terence and Felicity's love story, so I'm sharing it here with you today:

   Felicity turned her head back around.  Terence strode to the end of the balcony and stopped.  Felicity opened her mouth, for surely what sat in the garden had to be an illusion.  But she knew down to her toes that her husband had brought her a real dragon.  Somehow, he’d managed to provide a steed beyond her wildest dreams.

   While Terence walked down the stairs and onto a graveled path, she stared at the dragon, trying to memorize every glowing scale, every line of sleek muscle.  The dragon dwarfed the sculptured trees around it, making them appear mere child’s toys.  Its eyes stared at her, holding in their depths the wisdom of ages, and it snorted a stream of fire from its nostrils that appeared more of a theatrical display than a threat.

   Felicity had to remind herself to breathe again.  The magnificent creature spread out a wing flat against the grass, and Terence strode up it as if it were another flight of stairs.  Her husband bounced a bit, the leather springing beneath his feet, and held out his hand to Felicity. She swallowed, raised her chin, and fled up the wing to her husband’s side. Terence guided her to sit down on the dragon’s back, in the space between its wings.

   Daisy licked her cheek and she shared a look of wonder with her pet.  She would swear the little dragonnette on her shoulder smiled.

   Felicity caressed the scales she sat on, her fingers smoothing into the ridges of the dragon’s hide.  Terence sat behind her, his legs half-bent, showing her how to hold on.  She leaned back against his warm chest, and her husband sighed into her hair.

   His hands lay over hers, showing how to grip the underside of the scales for even more purchase. Which she gratefully appreciated a moment later.

   The world lurched sickeningly and Felicity’s stomach flew up into her throat, and then with another few beats of the dragon’s wings they were in the air. Climbing higher.  So high that the air grew chill, and she leaned farther back into Terence for warmth.  No wonder the creatures were cold-blooded.

   Stars shone brighter than she’d ever seen them; the moon grew so large she thought if she reached out she might be able to touch it.  But her fingers gripped a scale so tightly that she knew her hands would be sore on the morrow.

   A small price to pay for the glory of flying on a dragon’s back.

   Felicity felt a tingle of fear only once, when the dragon banked slightly, but when she felt herself slide, the creature twitched, setting her firmly back into her seat.  So each time it banked she just stared at the view below.  London by moonlight, with the Thames cutting through the middle of it, and tiny twinkles of lights from the houses below.  Buckingham Palace sat like a tiny jewel surrounded by parks and squares, and the tracks of the railroads crisscrossed the streets like some crazy jigsaw puzzle.

   The dragon’s flight left the city behind, to soar farther and higher, to great mountain peaks and valleys in shadow.  Felicity’s eyes watered from the cold and because she dared not blink, in case she missed anything.  The frosty air numbed her toes and fingers and the tip of her nose, but she barely felt it.

When a dream comes true, who has time for thoughts of comfort?

   She didn’t know how long they flew over England.  It seemed as if time hung suspended, but when they neared London again, she would swear that it had been just but a moment.

   The dragon circled the city, as if it didn’t want their flight to end either, but it lowered with each pass, the mansions and buildings appearing larger each time, until Felicity wondered where on earth it would manage to land.

   She expected one of the parks, but instead they hit a rooftop with a resounding thud, the dragon’s wings flapping in short bursts.  They had no room to walk down a wing, so the dragon lay down, and Terence jumped lightly off, as if he dismounted a dragon every day.  Felicity tumbled from her own perch in a tangle of silken skirts, her husband catching her in his arms like so much fluff.

   Terence stood her on her feet and opened a door set in the roof.  She had no idea where they were, nor what manner of house would have a door in its roof, but she refused to leave the dragon until it left her.

   The dragon beat its wings to rise and Felicity found herself flat on her bottom, the force of the wind slapping her down.  With a lurch the dragon’s claws left the rooftop, and she felt tears prick her eyes as she watched it soar upward again, until it was only a colorful speck in the black night.  And then it faded beyond her sight.

Just the answers...

I've been asked some interesting questions over the years, and thought I'd share a few answers here today:

Fairytales often inspire my stories, and my favorite is Cinderella. There’s something so satisfying in having the heroine transform herself on the outside, to match her true beauty on the inside.

I would have to say that My Fair Lady is *one* of my favorite musicals. I also love Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Hello Dolly, and Yentl (my favorite song is Streisand singing “Papa can you hear me?”).

I do spend a lot of time on research, and I try to be as accurate as possible, but I’m only human, and luckily so far I don’t think I’ve made any goofs. :}

It might be interesting for you to know that my book, My Unfair Lady, actually inspired the Relics of Merlin series. The entire time I was writing it, I kept thinking how unfair it was that men inherited the titles, but if titles were based on magical ability, it might even things up for the women. And so the Relics series was born. The fourth book in the series is currently on hold, as I received an amazing opportunity to write a new series with Sourcebooks Publishing (the largest female-owned publisher in the industry). Set in the Georgian era (back to research!), it’s also an alternate historical reality, where seven mad elven lords have found a way into the world of man, and have taken over England using their magical scepters. The first book in The Elven Lords series, The Fire Lord’s Lover, which is about a half-elven hero (picture Legolas in Lord of the Rings) and his assassin bride, was released in August 2010. A bit more intense than the Relics series, it stretched my imagination in unbelievable ways.

Another time period I would love to write about one day is ancient Egypt. I’m fascinated with mummies and pharaohs and tombs…and a lot of women were powerful back then. Imagine what would happen if the magic of their gods was real? My mind boggles.

I don’t listen to music or anything while I’m writing. It might just be me, but I have to imagine myself in the story, and then I tell my reader what I see. And I’m not sure if I really know what I’m doing yet, but some days I think I do. :} But I do hope my writing has improved, since practice is supposed to do so…and I spend a lot of time practicing.

Hellmouth Podcast

Bryan of Hellmouth Podcast recently contacted me and asked to review Book One in my RELICS OF MERLIN series, ENCHANTING THE LADY. I’m always a bit nervous when a man asks to review my books (which is ridiculous, since a lot of men read romances. But I guess it seems like the majority of men scoff at them…at least in public.) But his site primarily reviews the BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER series, and since my books are rich in fantasy, he thought he might enjoy it, so I sent it to him.

Anyhoo, it was such a different, interesting experience to ‘hear’ a review as opposed to reading it, that I thought I would pass along the link (scroll down to the white box with the headphones and click on Podcast: Play in New Window):
http://hellmouthpodcast.com/podcast/hmpc-0215-phases

Bryan has a smooth voice; compelling and entirely captivating. And he’s looking for more books to review. If you’d like to send him yours, you can contact him at: hellmouthpodcast@gmail.com