Creating Aragnar 101: World-building Part 2

For today's creating Aragnar post, I wanted to firstly conclude my world-building session, before moving on to focusing on individual characters and what not. In my last article, I talked some about my inspiration for each of the cultures in the series, the Aragnarians, the Kyraen, and the (regular but definitely not boring) humans. With each ethnicity being so varied and different from the other, it is unfortunately expected for there to be conflict and prejudice in a fallen world.

While we all would love to live in a world of peace and unity, that concept is impossible as long as there is sin. Where evil is prevalent, destruction will surely follow...and even though we may strive for peace, it is not easily won, nor is it always wanted.

For the people who call Aragnar, Kyre, and Dimair their homes, their nations have a track record for terrible foreign policies. I won't bore you with the ins and outs of such minute details (because yes, I actually have created histories of such things) I'll make it simple; they fight a lot.

At one point in their history, the Aragnarians had conquered and enslaved the Kyraen, who they believed were lesser then them, and not as scientifically advanced. Eventually, the Aragnarians freed their Kyraen slaves and righted most of their wrongs, but the Kyraen never forgot, and never forgave. Knowing they could never defeat the superpower of a nation Aragnar had become, the Kyraen instead focused on a completely different target...the Dimarian humans. Kyre rose in power and might, focusing their strength on conquering Dimair and eradicating its inhabitants, whom they grew to detest and see as lower then themselves.

Naturally, their plan was thwarted by the humans with the Aragnarian's aid, and so on and so forth. In case you're wondering, yes, this is a fairly similar narrative to our own history. Why would I chose to use a comparison that has been often overused in fiction? Because it is not only a great platform on which to build a grand redemption story, but also it is a part of history from which we can pull many lessons.

As in our own world, there is a lot of deeply rooted hatred in each fictional culture toward the other...and that doesn't just go away with time or the soothing of hurt feelings. My own country is an example of that. Prejudice, hatred, and distrust often live much longer then their perpetrators...but that doesn't mean restoration is impossible.

Like we ourselves often have to do, the characters must overcome these obstacles in order to bring true freedom and salvation to their countries, only found through The One, but it must start individually, in their own hearts.

All three cultures come from a noble origin, and a bloodstained past. Each side would try (and often still does try) to vilify the other in an attempt to forget that they're all truly human...that they're mortal and just as real a flesh and bone person as the other. But war doesn't humanize us, it turns us into monsters. But when someone chooses to see through the haze of maddening rage and see the truth calling of righteousness despite depravity...that's when we truly become great.

(Image not mine, taken from google images)

God Always Knows Best: A Testimony

Some days, I've found that God seems very far away, and my struggles much closer to heart. On others, there's been times when it has been as if God spun events and encounters in my life to give me a pat on the back and hearty dose of encouragement. Today has definitely been the latter, as more things have happened over the course of the last twenty-four hours then my mind can wrap around.

Firstly, I (finally) passed a very difficult math test, one that's in a class which I've been trying to conquer for over a year. Not only was this a huge milestone for my grade in the course, but it was far more a critical mental and spiritual victory. Now, I'll totally understand if you don't see how a seemingly insignificant math exam would mean so much, but for me, it was a huge step of success! Not only have I learned to trust God, even when things seemed too difficult to be conquered, but I also gained some self confidence along the way.

Now, fast-forwarding through the day, I was extremely pleased to get my new art tablet in the mail, a tool that I've been wanting for many years. Now that I finally had it in my hands, I was eager to see what it would do to my style. Not only was I completely shocked by it's size, professionalism, and quality; but also how it already made my art style improve in the small time I've spent playing around with it. I've wanted to grow in my art style for years, and for almost all of those years I had a gut feeling that with the right equipment, I would be able to grow in my God-given talent. Now that I finally have that chance, I'm so excited and eager to learn it's interface and watch my style improve!

To top it all off, I was given the opportunity to speak at a TEDx style event, in which I talked about my book, as well as sharing my passion for writing. While it wasn't a perfect speech by any means, (as a matter of fact, I didn't think I was that good), I had several people tell me that they were encouraged by my passion for what I do, and wanted to read my book. I even had someone mention that they had heard of my blog prior to my mention of it, and had a friend overseas who read it. That truly humbled me, and once again, gave me a far broader perspective then I had ever known.

Overall, it was totally a God day, and the reason I wanted to share this with you was to encourage you that what God has done for me, He certainly can and will do for every single one of us! We all have bad days, but we also have really good ones. And even in the midst of the terrible days when all hope seems to be lost, we have an incredible promise from our loving father God. He will never leave us, nor forsake us, and we can find encouragement and peace in those profound words.

So, no matter what you're going through in your life, don't lose heart, and remember that you are never alone. The God of the universe is fighting for us, and with Him on our side, we can stand in confidence of this blessed truth!

Loss of a Legend: A Time for Rejoicing, and a Call for Action

I was understandably saddened when I woke up this morning to the news of Rev. Billy Graham's passing. At 99 years, his was a life well lived, and I have no doubt that all of heaven in rejoicing in one incredible welcome home ceremony. While I never had the opportunity to meet him or hear him speak in person, I, as many millions of people, have been impacted by his preaching and his incredible testimony.

As I often do in times such as this, I found myself pondering on the world we live in, as well as the future ahead. As many of the great pastors, reformers, and revolutionaries have left this world, I've at times been left with a saddened sense of loss, as well as a somewhat odd feeling of helplessness. What are we to do, when those who held the reins are gone? Are we truly ready to take the steering wheel in our own hands and drive this vehicle into a future of success?

Many would say it is already impossible, and honestly, even the most ardent idealist still struggles with feelings of fear and doubt. What can we, the rising generation, do with a broken machine called the government, a fractured economy, and tense relations both domestic and foreign? Worse yet, Christianity itself is often viewed with skepticism and distrust, leaving many places atheistic, antagonistic, and alone. Is there even any hope? I'll admit, I've asked those questions more often then I'd like to voice, and there certainly have been times when optimism wasn't on my mental radar.

Yes, there are many things that are broken and in need of repair. It's very easy to look at these situations, shake our heads, and lose hope. How could it not be difficult when all the greats of the past have, and will, leave us someday? Who will be left to preach the truth, uphold morality, and live in righteousness?

As I was pondering these questions this morning, I began to talk to God. "I sure hope you know what you're doing," I had thought. "Are you raising any new great ministers and leaders, or have the 'glory days' passed completely by? Was I simply born too late?"

While these questions are valid, even as I spoke them, the truth hit me with a weighty certainty. If God could raise the humble giants of times past, why couldn't He do so now? Our world is not so broken that God, in all His might and loving grace, cannot raise new leaders to shape it and bring the lost to Christ. It was then that I told God something in a different manner then I'd ever previously said, "Well, if no-one else will do anything, then please use me in any way you see fit. If there's anything I can do, I want to do it."

Of course, I've said similar things to God before, but this time, it didn't seem so casual. I meant it, and I wasn't thinking about myself or my own longing for success. It was then that it all made sense. The people who God uses are never the ones who the world would qualify. And I bet that many of those earthly heroes who were humble before God said the very same thing at one point, or several, in their lives. God doesn't call the qualified, but He qualifies the called.

All we can do is live our lives for Him, strive to become more and more like Jesus, and pray for a revival in this hurting world. If no-one else will make a stand, then we must take the first step. I promise you, you are NOT alone. I know for a fact that I am not the only person existing on this planet who would stand for God's Word, but even if I were, would I still stand nonetheless? I pray so. As the days roll by into years, I pray that we, the body of Christ worldwide, will indeed uphold what is right and true until the very end.

I thought it fitting to end this post with one of Billy Graham's quotes, one that has stirred my heart and encouraged me for years.

"Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened."

Shattered Perceptions: The Mirrors of Lies

Have you ever looked back on your life, and remembered a specific time or event that stood as a milestone of change? Just in case you're wondering, those milestones don't have to be good memories, I certainly know mine haven't always been. Regardless of being classified as 'good' or 'bad', these milestone moments can serve a tremendous purpose.

Personally, I've found that I can often be so future-minded or goal-focused that I fail to see any growth in my life. It's as if I'm trying to catch up to a future version of myself who doesn't actually exist. I place this preconceived snapshot of who I think I should be on a pedestal, and look upon it with envy and desire. Then, I catch myself saying things like, "if only I were like this," or "I wish I was braver/smarter/etc...", and when I fall into that pit, I quickly begin to attack my qualities, erroneously believing that I'm not good enough. Whether or not this has happened to you, I can tell you from experience that it is one poisonous cycle. And it all began when I elevated my desire for success above God. 

In those moments of clouded clarity, it is then that I must recall a milestone of times past. Many years ago, my family and I went to the state fair, and during our day, there was one room that always stuck with me, for whatever reason. It was a room filled with mirrors of all kinds, presenting odd and distorted reflections of those who peered on their shining surfaces. Now that I look back at that seemingly random, meaningless memory, I have realized that there was more depth to it then I had previously surmised. 

Being the deceiving liar that he is, our enemy wants nothing more then to distract us from our callings, and throw us into cages of our own making. He wants to distort our identities and keep us trapped, believing that we are nothing more than what those lies dictate. Very much like that room of mirrors, he wants to keep us locked inside, surrounded by falsehood, deceit, and trickery. And you want to know the sad truth? Many times, he succeeds. 

Yes, you heard me right. He succeeds. Whether it is a lack of self-confidence, a poor self-image, or many other roaring doubts and fears, the enemy is not lacking in the tools of his trade. We often, as I unfortunately have in times past, become so confused and disorientated by those twisted lies presented as truths, that we actually believe them to BE truth. What makes it worse is the crippling defeat and misery that sets in, very much like a physical sickness. 

The door to the mirrors of lies is unlocked, and we can walk out, free from the snares of deception. But in order to do so, we must first recognize that what we see are lies to begin with. The danger of deception is that it can often be presented in the most convincing of ways. Like a fishhook, what is dangerous is hidden by something seemingly pleasant, not fully revealed until it is too late. To best describe this sad situation, I often use a reasonably sad analogy of an abused dog in a cage.

Hurt and abandoned, the animal doesn't trust a soul, and has come to find its cage as a place of security. It will be safe, it thinks, as long as it hides inside. Forget the fact that it will eventually starve, and that life in the cage is terrible. If it doesn't leave the cage, it believes that it won't be hurt again, even though staying in the cage is essentially a death sentence. Despite this belief, the door to the cage has actually been opened, and a kindly veterinarian is trying to coax the dog out, in order to restore it to good health, and give it a new chance at life.

Even though this person means the dog no harm, the animal doesn't know the difference between pain and love at this point. It will growl, bark, and snap its jaws at the very person who wants to be its savior. Like the dog, we often lock ourselves up in 'cages' and live our lives in fear. When God comes to save us, we mistake his outstretched hand for a club, and refuse to budge from the very thing that is actually our prison.

Fortunately, this story does not have to have an unhappy ending. With enough patience and love, the dog will learn to trust, and will finally leave its cage so it can heal. While by no means comparing people to dogs, the connection lies in the lack of trust, as well as the fear of danger. We seek freedom from deception, and thankfully, we can find true salvation through Christ, who is the only one who can free us from what binds us. 

The sword of the Spirit severs lie from truth, and lays all that is hidden in shadow in the light. The room of mirrors, though it is twisted and deceptive, does not hold power over a child of God. His Word, like that blade, can shatter the mirrors and bring those faulty perceptions low. One day, I want to look back at this time in my life, and see faith, not confusion. Our milestones shouldn't be our faults, they should point to our victories, and it all starts when we recognize that we often raise lies on pedestals of our own crafting, instead of leaving that honor to God alone.


(Photo found on google images, not my picture!)

Creating Aragnar 101: World-building Part 1

After further retrospect, I felt it would be fitting to begin today's Creating Aragnar session with a question. What makes fictional worlds, places, and peoples memorable?

Odds are that many of you have read a vast majority of books and genres. Whether you consider yourself a veteran reader or just a casual skimmer of literature, you surely have found at least one book or article memorable. Because this series of articles is focusing on fictional worlds, specifically the steps I took to craft my own, it would be fitting to focus primarily on fiction.

Have you ever read a fiction book that intrigued you to a point that it lasted with you, long after the story had ended? I certainly have. Whether exploring the breathtaking lands of Middle Earth or finding adventure and excitement in Narnia, tales such as these have held a special place in my heart, not only because of their stories, but their settings.

The focus of today's post is...(drum roll)...world-building! (Like the title didn't already give that way...). I have always loved to look at the 'big picture' of things, and follow up with the intricate details. Because of this vast view I've chosen to employ, it's highly critical that I don't skip a step or forsake some well-needed research.

While I know many of you won't use this method, as it's not for everyone, I've found that by having a strong structure of information to ground the rest of the story upon, it has given my world a depth that probably wouldn't have otherwise grown. While there are many different ways to build worlds, there are also many different aspects to the practice. As I mentioned in the previous article, a lot of research went into the creation of Aragnarians, the winged people who inhabit the continent Aragnar. However, they are not the only ethnicity to dwell in my story-world, and as I began to introduce more cultures, I ran into a problem.

In a fantasy world, is completely creating a culture from scratch the best possible route? Or, like the creation of the peoples themselves, would it be best to base their cultures off real existing ones? The answer to that question will understandably vary from writer to writer, but for me personally, grounding my story in reality gave it the complexity I desired the story to facilitate.

Okay, so I decided I wanted to base my cultures off real ones. Whats next? How could I do it in a way that wouldn't be too obvious, but also recognizable enough to be tastefully acknowledged?

Firstly, I needed to know what to look for. Our world is filled with many cultures, religions, and creeds. Varying in ethnicity and beliefs, each one can be very different then the other. In order to choose which ones to use as references, I had to have a deep understanding of my own characters and what I wanted their cultures to reflect.

For my Aragnarians, I drew a lot of inspiration from old English and Latin, as well as Western culture. However, I wanted to avoid the typical 'medieval' pit that most fantasy tends to fall into (for good reason at times). So, I also studied the Roman culture, and found I liked the structure displayed. After all, the Aragnarians are a winged race, giving them a distinct advantage over other people groups. They needed to be strong, yet peaceful, and still have the potential to conquer.

For my Kyraen race, I took a completely different route. The Kyraen are much more war-like, and also bring my second winged race, they needed to strike a completely different contrast to the Aragnarians. Sporting webbed wings that resemble dragon's, they are similar in some ways, but completely different in most aspects. For the Kyraen, I established their culture strongly on Germanic roots, focusing on a conflicted, yet efficiently driven culture. Don't let the bat wings fool you, these people aren't villains, even though many of their past leaders have been so. They are personally one of my favorite people groups in my series, I just love conflicted heroes/villains!

And finally, the not-so average Joes, regular, wing-less humans. Because they often have rivalries with their winged counterparts, I took a completely different route to establish their culture. Roughly based off feudal-era Japan, their human country Dimair is in complete disrepair. Ruled (in part) by a pagan king, the people of Dimair are largely left to their own devices, and fight brutally for lordship and territory. Far less orderly and sophisticated then Aragnar, they are in desperate need of a new leader...and only time will tell if they will receive one. 

This is but a small (but still fairly lengthy) taste of the complexity built into my series, but it is nonetheless a glimpse into my creative process. We all have vastly differing ideas and goals, but through the exploration of a writer's process, I hope that you are inspired to create your own stories, and fill your worlds with daring ideas. 

Never Surrender, The Brilliance of Darkest Hour

I have always found WW2 era films fascinating. There has always been something about that specific period in history that has intrigued me, and that has never changed over the years. Perhaps it begun largely due to my upbringing, in which my grandfather would often tell me stories of his time in the war in the navy and coast guard. It's no surprise that I grew to become quite the storyteller myself, even though I'm still convinced his tales would (and will) always hold a certain gravity of truth over my fictional ones.

Regardless, I've found that fiction can be a powerful tool to represent the truth, and the power of story is quite unchallenged in its results. The new film Darkest Hour certainly supports this idea, and while it is grounded in more historical facts then fiction, it still is a tale nonetheless. And my, what a compelling tale it is.

Following the story of Winston Churchill's rise to the title of Prime Minister, it is a very different film, in the sense that it is not a war movie by regular standards. However, it represents a war of ideals just as tense as the very real battles hovering ominously in the near distance...the looming threat of Nazi Germany's relentless war machine.

I couldn't help but think of Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk when watching Darkest Hour. Set at the same time of the war, both films could be easily intertwined. It shows the 'behind the scenes' struggle of a leader who faced tremendous opposition as he struggled to do what he believed was right. Indeed, I could easily watch Dunkirk right after, and the two films would blend almost seamlessly. For like Dunkirk, Darkest Hour is a true piece of art. The way they filmed it is unique, and their creativeness quickly stood out to me. From the camera angles to the slightest muting of color, the movie felt timeless.

The acting was impeccable, and Gary Oldman's Churchill was highly believable. To accompany such a wonderful story, the score was beautifully floating, if sometimes haunting, and maintained an ever present atmosphere of sadness, suspense, and triumph. I will definitely purchase this movie when it is released, as I will want to watch it again. While we (thankfully) are not experiencing such dire circumstances in our time, it wouldn't be far-fetched to say that we still have our own battles to wage. And in those battles, we face the terrible risk of becoming lost in hopelessness.

In one particular scene that really stood out to me, Churchill found himself questioning his beliefs, and seeking answers in a different manner then he previously had. He spoke to some of the people, common men and women who had lived under the shadows of war. What he received was a message of defiance, and in a way, a charge to press onward in the fight. Renewed of purpose and once again ready to take on his enemies, Churchill pressed onward despite great odds.

As a Christian, I too have faced discouragement and trials. I've had days when I didn't know how I was going to make it, or if I had the strength to press on. But like Churchill, I've had those 'underground moments' when God has placed people and experiences at pivotal times in my life to encourage me to keep fighting, to never surrender.

Films like Darkest Hour are truly masterpieces in their own right, allowing a glimpse into the tumultuous past with hopes that it can touch our own hearts. Days can indeed be dark, and our own world needs to be reminded of the past, so that we dare not repeat it.

Oftentimes I fear that we forget too much history, and regain not enough facts. We look at history as simply such; history...we forget those pages were inked in blood. It is too easy to lose the humanity of the past...and in doing so, we lost not only the humanity of the present, but a desensitization of humanity itself.      

Creating Aragnar 101: News Flash, Wings Are BIG!

So, it turns out that my high school science studies would actually be VERY important.
Yeah, it probably isn't 100% necessary for fantasy, as some would argue, but unfortunately for them, I happen to be a perfectionist, and efficiency could basically be my middle name. I have always taken my fantasy very seriously, even down to the teeniest details, like for instance, if a rose could grow in hardy island soil.
Seems quite insignificant, right? Well, if you're like me, odd questions like that will keep you awake at night...sometimes literally.
Now, jumping to a much bigger issue (literally). I had always entertained this hair-brained idea of featuring a race of winged people in my fantasy series. Being someone who absolutely loves anything to do with birds and flight (and has dreamed of flying herself), I wanted more than anything to share that love through characters who made my dreams their daily way of life. 
When I realized I was determined to create these people, I did the first thing that was highly critical in my creative process. Wait for it...research. I know, sounds super boring, and completely uncreative. Isn't that a bit of an oxymoron?
Actually, for my story's world, it's highly important. Any author knows that research is a pivotal part of the process of creating a book, and also often the most time consuming. While I'm nowhere near the level of painstaking research that it would take to write, say, a historical fiction novel, you might be surprised how much time it really has taken in order to bring Aragnar to life.
First off, the problem of human flight itself. Regardless of the way you look at it, it's indeed quite impossible. Even if people did have wings, there really wouldn't be a feasible way to make us fly. And if we were created to fly, we wouldn't look like...well, people, and that would get weird really fast. So instead, I studied human and avian anatomy, all manner of scientific studies, and worked out way too many wingspan to height/weight ratios in an attempt to find the best concept possible.
Ultimately, one can only do so much, and that's why it's called fantasy, because not everything will be fully plausible, and that's where the genre certainly comes into play.
Even though it's not fully possible, I still managed to work out a fairly realistic concept, and I'll admit that I have become a 'wing anatomy snob', even though I'd say I've probably created a new category of petty. Oh well, I really don't feel any remorse for that.
I won't say I've mastered drawing human anatomy in any way, but the above sketch is just a sample of some of my crazy imaginative drawings while attempting to create a feasible compromise.
I can't tell you have many drawings of winged people I've seen sporting teeny tiny wings that magically can lift them off the ground. Not so with my Aragnarians. Simply put, their wings are HUGE! And because of that, I've had to fully consider that throughout my story.
Even though not every story will have to deal with big-winged people, it still is critically important that as a writer, you factor in any and all details that make your story original, and work with them to a point that they all flow together without snags in the plot or inconsistencies.
And don't let research scare you away from adding more depth to your story! In fact, it can be fun in a way, and when you see all your hard-earned tidbits of knowledge showing themselves in your work, it truly is a special feeling that shows, in part, how rewarding writing can truly be!