It took plenty of trial and error to accept that my strongest writing voice fits best in the paranormal genre. It’s not a big leap then to learn that I prefer the impossible or unknown when it comes to world building for paranormal romance novels and urban fantasy books. But when it’s time to build a future or imaginary world, I look back in time.
I love Chicago, it’s an amazing city, but I write a Chicago in the year 2096 and it’s a scenario that most likely won’t ever come to pass. (Thank goodness, because coffee is illegal there, which is why Slick Micky, the smuggler, is so very popular).
When I start world building for the urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels I set in my version of Chicago, I look at the city’s history.
That research is often a catalyst for the characters in my stories. In From the Ashes, the Great Chicago Fire plays a role -even though the story is set at the 225th anniversary of that tragic event.
For Tracking Shadows, my heroic smuggler, Slick Micky is descended from a ‘shady’ business family who worked the Levee during the march of evangelist Gypsy Smith.
So as much as I love to make things up as I go along, researching the past is a big part of how I get there. Where we are and were as a society helps me hone the world building. I’m always asking myself what mattered ‘then’ and why or how does it affect what matters now?
We all know how personal baggage can impact our thoughts and choices and I employ the same sort of theory to both community and individuals when it comes to world building for my paranormal romance novels.
As I developed a new series, I found myself repeating the process. This time in Charleston, South Carolina, the setting for the lighter paranormal romance, The Matchmaker’s Mark. Though not quite as obvious as futuristic Chicago, the sense of place and community are shown through both ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’ perspectives as the characters venture through the historical city and the novel.
Live the adventure!
