in which i switch universes and test my brain with monsters & magic

Going from a magic-free trilogy to Of Beasts and Blood has been like learning to write in a completely different language while staying in the same neighborhood. I'll admit something silly about it: I always thought magic systems were for people much nerdier than me. Like, the kind of writers who have elaborate charts, centuries of complex history, and could probably learn to speak Elvish (George R. R. Martin, I'm looking at you). I figured I'd fumble through some basic "magic exists, moving on" handwaving and hope for the best. But I've accidentally become obsessed with the internal logic of it all. I even have classifications now. There's a whole taxonomy. I know the difference between Veilbound entities (pure veil creatures that dissolve when killed) and Veilspawn (corrupted mortals who leave physical remains). This is information I never thought I'd need, let alone enjoy organizing. The breakthrough came when I realized I wasn't building magic for fantasy's sake. I was building the rules that would make Kaelen and Maeve's world feel real and dangerous. Suddenly it wasn't about being clever but about creating a consistent threat that could enrich and drive the story forward. 

The most surprising part has been how much fun I'm having creating monsters. I thought creature design would be tedious worldbuilding homework. Instead, I keep finding myself deep in brainstorming rabbit holes, figuring out how a Merioth (a creature that mimics loved ones) would actually hunt, or what psychological tactics a Whisperwretch might use.

My browser history has gotten very weird, very quickly.

I'm also enjoying writing in a darker universe. It's a refreshing change from the grounded, non-magical world of The Kingdom Within. The stakes feel bigger too, going from kingdom politics to cosmic corruption that's been festering for centuries. Think ancient grudges between divine beings, bloodlines carrying secrets that could break the barriers between worlds, and all that fun darkness jazz.
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Of Beasts and Blood is letting me explore parts of storytelling I never knew I wanted to try. And while I'm making it up as I go (hard habit to break), at the end of the day, it's the romantic angst of a monster girl who loves a monster hunter that I'm most excited about.
Eventually, I'll be looking for some generous souls to beta read this monster-filled angsty chaos once I have something resembling a complete draft. If that's something that might interest you—stay tuned! But that's still down the road, assuming I can keep all those monsters and worldbuilding from going off the rails.
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In the meantime, if you've read one or two installments of The Kingdom Within series and would like to get your digital hands on a review e-copy of book 2 or 3, let me know. I'd be happy to send one your way!

—Sam ♡