How I Write Gothic Fantasy Without Losing My Mind (Completely)

 

Good evening my lovely friends. Welcome to the Militiverse Scriptorium. 

I hope you have had an interesting week; we’ve been busy here in the Militiverse. I have yet to pack for my trip, but isn’t that the fun part, waiting until the last moment? 

Please take the weight off your feet and get comfy, Lady Cora Cat is behaving this evening, so we won’t disturb her.

Many of the DMs and chats that I receive on the socials, which I love getting, ask me about my world, the Militiverse, and why I chose to write gothic fantasy considering the other me writes contemporary romance. Well darlings, if you are comfortable and settled with a beverage, let’s have a little chat about how I remain sane while writing fantasy.

Candlelight and Caffeine

It’s no secret that I am a chronic insomniac, over the years it has been well documented on my socials how insomnia comes to hang out with me. It was during one of my insomniac periods over eighteen years ago that I began writing my very first fantasy story, and it was published under my other name, Anna Daly McCabe. I had written some chapters on the computer, but I abandoned it as the tone didn’t hit the right note. On a trip to New York, I was in a B&N, in Manhattan and as luck would have it, I didn’t have a notebook with me. So, I bought a very pretty A5 hardback. I still recall it; it had a golden sandy beach illustration with a white deck chair and the bluest sea.

On the plane back to Shannon, I took out this pretty notebook and began to write. It was a seven and a half hour flight, and I pretty much wrote for the entire leg. The cabin light was low, not exactly candlelight but my imagination filled that part in. The lovely air steward plied me with as much coffee as I could drink, and the novel I had abandoned on the pc, suddenly came to life.

I had been so caffeinated that I didn’t realise until the trays had to be stowed away and we were coming into land. I had written for the duration of the flight.

Characters Misbehaving

I love getting lost in the plot of the story and for me, writing a strong outline, I mentioned in an earlier blog that I use smaller notebooks to write detailed character descriptions, looks, likes and recurring details. All necessary, particularly in a large saga like the Militiverse. 

Currently I am rewriting a later book in the series, and I am enjoying writing this particular character. I have mentioned several times last week on the socials that Emile is rather challenging because he is misbehaving. I have an idea how he should behave and Emile, being Emile, throws it all out the window, looks at me with a wicked grin and says in his charming accent: “My way is better, Cherie…” Who’s going to argue with a six foot four Militibus Vampire? 

But that is how strong characters develop and jump off the page. You, the writer thinks that they should behave one way, and they decide to do it their way. I have to admit; I am loving the development of this particular character.

Yes, it is challenging when they misbehave but it is also rewarding because it takes the book in a better direction, and builds tension, atmosphere, and humour.

Why Gothic Fantasy

In 2014, I took a break from writing contemporary romance and I enjoyed the process of writing Aodhlor, the story was fresh and exciting. 

So why go from fantasy to gothic fantasy? Easy, I love supernatural beings, vampires, the lore around them. Different myths and legends. Gothic literature from the eighteenth to the early twentieth century is full of the most incredible stories. I became a huge fan as a teenager, of Walpole, Lewis, Polidori and many other greats. 

Gothic fantasy allows me to let my imagination run riot, in ways that I can take characters that contemporary fiction wouldn’t allow. I fill my books with elements I love, from history and language to mythology. It’s a rich vein. 

During my sabbatical from contemporary fiction, I started the first drafts of the Tempus Militibus Series. The series started out with only five books, but on a walk in the woods, beside a river in flood, I realised that the story didn’t end with just five, it was incomplete. So, it was back to the computer, and the outlines for the other books were written. 

So, my lovelies, I write by candlelight with lots of caffeine, balancing on a very thin line between genius and madness, but mostly insomnia. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love the Militiverse world and the characters in it.

There won’t be a blog next week, as I am away in the city of a hundred spires, the beautiful city of Prague. Where I am researching. More on that later.

Thank you for sharing this evening with me, until next time, keep the candles burning and the coffee pot refilled.

Anna