Goal Update

First, here are a few links:

• Blog Hop
• The Mighty Pen Contest
• Vote for my Short Story

Next, here are some updates on my goals:

• Finished reading both of my books for this month. Have three picked out to read for next month.
• I am struggling with the query letter for Shadowed Stones, so I am going to move on to writing the outline for now.
• The world building for TOI is going well. I am almost ready to move on to the characters.

And finally, how I build worlds.

First of all, the map. I usually always have a map. Sometimes the map comes later in the world building. Sometimes it is very detailed sometimes it is just a sketch. The map for Shadowed Stones is very detailed. The map for Three of Ivory is really just a sketch right now.

Related to the map are the countries, governments and cultures. For the countries I usually have a name, and I also like to sketch the flag. I also identify the type of government and a little bit of the social classes. Trade and industry are often details I include. Hmm, what else? Oh, I also like to make a list of common physical attributes, name the language, and naming conventions for naming people and places.

Also, in worlds where there is magic - I setup the system of magic. What it can and cannot do. How to use it. Who can use it. And so on.

Next step: Character Bios.

Maps and Stories

Okay, so I still don't know if I won the writing contest I entered yet. Sigh. I am not good at waiting.

Maps

So yesterday I found a map building program called AutoRealm - which is free and lets you create maps of fictional worlds. I played around with it a bit yesterday and I like it. There is a little bit of a learning curve. You need to play around with it a little bit before you get the hang of it - but it is way cool. Here is a screen shot:

The best part is being able to use fractal lines which are all squiggly so they look like real coast lines and stuff. So if you need to build a map for your fantasy world I suggest you check it out (you can download from the link above). I would also recommend doing a Google Search for tutorials.

Maps

The other thing I promised to post today is the story of how I met, and became engaged to my husband.

When I was in college I visited my sister one weekend and we went shopping at the JC Penney's she worked at then. My sister hates standing in line so when we had our purchases selected I started looking for the shortest, fasting moving line. My sister ignored every single one I pointed at and headed clear across the store. We ended up in the longest, slowest moving line. Standing at the register next to the one we were waiting to checkout at was my husband. Oh my gosh, I thought he was so cute! My sister, knowing him from work struck up a conversation and I got shy.

The next time they worked together he came up to her and said something to the effect of - You did not tell me your sister is 10 times as pretty as you are - and asked for my phone number.

My sister coordinated a time when I could come to visit again and we could go out.

We went out three nights in a row and it was amazing! Throughout my dating life I had always been able to tell in three dates if someone was a potential husband. But it still surprised me when after two dates I knew that this guy was the kind of guy I wanted to marry.

I had this idea in my head of the perfect man for me. Yeah, that guy was a bum, my husband blew him out of the water!

I went back to college and we commenced a long distance relationship (bad idea! don't do it!). On my next visit two weeks later he proposed and we were married three and a half months after that.

I know you are thinking that was fast and I must be crazy. Well I am a little. But six years later my marriage is still going strong, so maybe not all that crazy.

So how did I know he was the right one and that everything would work out. I didn't. And excuse me for getting a little religious here. I did not make the decision alone. I counselled with God and He told me everything would be okay. I have come to trust God without reservation. So I did it. I got married to a man I hardly knew. And you know what - it is the best thing I have ever done. I never knew a person could be so happy!

So there is the story in it's briefest form. Some day I may give more details. I have always thought it would be fun to write it out in story format for our kids to read.

How did you meet your significant other? Or if you haven't met that special someone yet, what are you looking for?