Treason, Book 2 of Lichgates Trilogy, By S. M. Boyce
Lichgates, By S. M. Boyce
I’m thrilled to have S. M. Boyce joining us today for a guest post. Boyce is a fantasy and paranormal fiction novelist who also dabbles in contemporary fiction and comedy. Author Thomas Winship said of her work, “Boyce’s storytelling is so rich and deftly executed that I found myself bouncing between pure amazement, unadulterated enjoyment, and absolute, perverse envy. She is that good.” Today, Boyce shares her insights about fantasy writing and world building. Without further ado, please welcome S. M. Boyce!
First off, thanks for having me! I’m here on my Treasonous Blog Tour to talk about my favorite thing in the world: books. In particular, the fantasy genre.
Isn’t fantasy fun? It has magic, monsters, adventure, battles, and a general sense of awesomeness that can’t quite be matched by anything else. Fantasy is based on the inexplicable. It brings the impossible to life. Both the author and reader can just let their imaginations roam. Well, for the most part. The novel still has to be believable.
A few of you just scoffed at me. I mean, theoretically, I just contradicted myself, right? Fantasy is based on the impossible. So why should it be believable?
No matter the genre, a fiction novel must allow the reader to suspend belief. That’s where the true power of fantasy comes from: the ability to let yourself completely and totally buy into whatever world the author creates. So if the author has a world where characters act with irrational motivation, we as the reader are going to scratch our heads a bit. We’re going to pull away from the story, and if it continues, we’ll put the book down.
Characters need solid motivation. Dialogue must be natural and fluid. The plot must include cause and effect. Creatures must appear before the plot needs them, or they’ll seem like a deus ex machina.
In essence, even the wildest story with the craziest characters and the most bizarre creatures must be believable. For instance, take a look at my paranormal fantasy novel Lichgates. It’s the first in the Grimoire Trilogy, a series I’ve been planning since 2006. I’ve put intense effort into making sure the plot flows in a realistic arc and the characters’ emotions and reactions are raw and real. The world I created—Ourea—is both beautiful and terrifying. Ourea’s magic has a philosophy to it, and the kingdoms even have economies and political struggles. It’s a diverse world, and you catch glimpses of it through the main characters’ narratives. There is a broader world behind the plot, one you can explore if you feel the desire. If you don’t want to do that, this background still creates what I believe is a more rounded, realistic setting that allows the reader to fully suspend belief.
So what do you think? What fantasy novel did you read recently that just wowed you, and why? Did you find yourself wishing you could slip away into the world the author created?
Boyce is a fantasy and paranormal fiction author who likes sarcasm and cookies. You can find her books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Boyce’s Books
Lichgates (Grimoire Trilogy #1)
Treason (Grimoire Trilogy #2)
Connect with Boyce
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S. M. Boyce, Author of Treason, Book II of the Lichgates Trilogy
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