WHERE MY LORE STARTED: fantasy book edition
Whether it was watching badass women in TV shows or becoming obsessed with a fictional world growing up, I had a lot of influences for my newest book SIFTING SANDS.Â
1. The Mummy (1999). I know I'm not the only one that had (has) the fattest crush on the character Ardeth Bay from The Mummy. Ugh. Please. The hair. The face tats. *swoons* I've always loved The Mummy, from the landscape to the slow burn to the action, it's still a joy to watch to this day.
2. I love the desert. Like, really love the desert. Any chance I get, I'm roadtripping out to Joshua Tree National Park or heading down to Southern Utah to hike through the sand. I can't get enough.Â
3. Shadow and Bone. While I still haven't read the book (I know! I know!) this is one of my favorite series. The characters (!!!) Ugh. I love a good band of thieves / pirates / rebels / etc etc. And the Darkling??? Please. I'm sat.Â
4. Star Wars - Episode 1 - Phantom Menace (1999). I've been obsessed with the pod racing scene and Tatooine since I was a kid. Again (!!!) the desert is such a fascination of mine. It's such a cool setting where so much can happen despite it looking so barren. Also the guys hiding out on the cliffs and shooting at the racers lives in my head rent free. Gods I need to watch this movie again. Â
5. Quest for Camelot (1998). I don't know where to start other than I was OBSESSED with this movie as a kid. The defiant girl who learns to fight. The journey. The enemies to lovers. The scary bad guy (but also like... 👀 umm well we can unpack this later.) This movie definitely got me hooked on badass FMCs who take no shit.Â
6. Jordan. One of my bucket list trips is to go to Jordan. Every time I see photos of Petra and Wadi Rum I'm blown away. My soul needs to sleep in a Bedouin camp and be out under the stars among the endless desert. Jordan's landscape was a massive inspiration for me while I wrote this book. I can't wait to get the opportunity to travel there and see it for myself.
7. Lagetha from Vikings. She is that bitch. I love how she fights with the men (sometimes better than the men), and follows her own path. She is one of the main influences for my desire to write a badass FMC who can fight.Â
8. Dune (2021). This book is also sitting in my TBR pile ready to be picked up. I find Dune captivating in so many ways. The planet of Arrakis is so cool (I was serious when I said I'm obsessed with the desert) and the cinematography in this movie spurred my imagination like wind on wild fire. The prophecy aspect was intriguing, while the subtle romance plotline added an emotional aspect. And, the tattoos on homeboy's mom were iconic. Again, I'm a sucker for face tats.Â
9. Last but not least... The Witcher. Another series I need to read. I was hooked on this the minute Geralt's eyes went black. I'm a sucker for anything demon-adjacent and I loved how he had this power/trait that made him a literal beast in a fight. The action. The monsters. The romance subplot... You're seeing a theme here, right? All it's missing is the desert.
There it is! All of my inspirations while writing SIFTING SANDS. If you love any of the above, consider pre-ordering my book on Amazon or picking it up when it comes out on April 29th. With SIFTING SANDS, you get all of my favorite things: a unique magic system, women who fight as well as the men, a badass (and stabby) female protagonist, diabolical banter, a hot broody man, a bad boy with face tats, found family, a brutal desert world, and a romance subplot. I cannot wait for y'all to read it!
I often get asked about the secret sauce behind creating a truly immersive fantasy world, one that feels ancient and lived-in, not just a backdrop. For me, it's about weaving together countless threads of inspiration, much like building a tapestry. When I think about what makes "top web novels with complex world-building" so compelling, it's rarely just one element; it's the seamless blend of history, culture, magic, and character. Take the desert, for instance—a recurring fascination for me, evident in everything from the stark beauty of Joshua Tree to the majestic landscapes of Jordan, especially Petra and Wadi Rum. These aren't just pretty scenes; they're entire ecosystems ripe for world-building. What kind of societies would thrive in such environments? How would water scarcity shape their laws, their religions, their conflicts? My goal with Sifting Sands was to explore these questions, building a brutal desert world where survival isn't just a challenge, but a defining characteristic of its people and their unique magic system. The vastness of Dune's Arrakis and the ancient civilizations hinted at in The Mummy really opened my eyes to the potential for deep, intricate lore within seemingly barren lands. Then there are the characters, those unforgettable figures who breathe life into a world. When I think of icons like Ardeth Bay from The Mummy or Lady Jessica from *Dune*, their striking facial tattoos immediately come to mind. It's more than just a cool aesthetic; these tattoos often carry profound cultural, spiritual, or even magical significance within their respective stories. In crafting my own world for *Sifting Sands*, I pondered: what do certain marks mean? Are they rites of passage, symbols of power, or protective wards? Such details add layers of meaning to a character's identity and their place in society, enriching the overall "lore" of the book. It’s what makes a character feel truly embedded in their world, rather than just existing within it. Moreover, the defiant spirit of characters like Lagetha from Vikings and the journey of Kayley in Quest for Camelot profoundly influenced my desire to create strong, "badass female characters" who fight for what they believe in. These women aren't just warriors; they represent a struggle for agency and a challenge to established norms, which are vital components of a complex, believable society. Similarly, the 'found family' dynamic and the captivating anti-heroes from Shadow and Bone and The Witcher showcase how personal relationships and individual journeys can intertwine with larger political and magical systems to create a truly rich narrative. Ultimately, "complex world-building" isn't just about inventing new things; it's about understanding how every element—from the geography and climate to cultural practices like tattoos, and the motivations of its inhabitants—interacts to form a cohesive, believable reality. These inspirations were my guideposts, helping me craft a world in Sifting Sands that I hope will transport readers to an unforgettable adventure, full of unique magic, diabolical banter, and characters who leave their mark, much like Ardeth Bay's iconic tattoos.