Why I write Epic Fantasy

I write epic fantasy so that readers can embark on an adventure, explore a new world and stretch their imaginations.

I write epic fantasy to explore life's big themes, in a world entirely of my own creation. How do we give our lives purpose? How do we react to change and uncertainty? What decisions do we make when faced with life or death questions? How do we find hope in the midst of despair?

I write epic fantasy so that readers can travel without leaving their armchairs. I can create a world that you could believe exists. I can lead you across mountains, along the banks of wild rivers and through vast forests - and I can give them all names.

I write epic fantasy so that I can explore the stories of different people - all with their own motivations, fears, strengths and weaknesses. I can send them on epic adventures and watch them grow. In the end they become old friends, or enemies.

I write epic fantasy because it's fun. Because we all need a bit of escapism.

I write epic fantasy because we need stories - and stories need us.

Why do you read epic fantasy?

Goodreads Book Giveaway - Journey of Shadows

I love Goodreads. As an avid epic fantasy reader, I really enjoy being part of a site that is all about readers sharing their views. For me, it's far better than Amazon. The reviewers might be more critical but Goodreads reviews are infinitely more interesting and better written than those you find on Amazon. You might not agree with everyone's opinion, but what I really appreciate is that many of the reviews are constructive and thought-provoking. Although I am an author, I am also a voracious reader - and I enjoy reading through reviews on Goodreads, and adding those as friends who have spent a real time and effort on their reviews. It's more than a hobby for some - it's a passion!

As an author, Goodreads also offers me the opportunity to promote my work on their site via Self-Serve advertising and through book giveaways. My latest epic fantasy, 'Journey of Shadows' was published in February this year. Goodreads are currently running a giveaway (ends 21 April 2013), and the winner will receive a paperback copy of the novel.

'Journey of Shadows' is the first installment of the the Palâdnith Chronicles - the story of three brothers and a legacy that binds them. It's an epic adventure. If you're a fantasy fan and enjoy fast-moving, character-driven stories, why not enter?

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Journey of Shadows

by Sam J. Charlton

Giveaway ends April 21, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Epic fantasy writing: Learn from the experts 1 - Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings

 

This blog is the first of a short series of articles about the most popular epic fantasy writers, and what makes their work magic. I believe there is much that epic fantasy writers can learn from the classics.

Of course, Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings had to come first. This collection of three works is huge - and it would take a lengthy blog to explore every aspect of Tolkien's work. Instead, I have chosen my three favourite scenes and delved into why they contribute to making Tolkien stand out as the 'grandfather' of epic fantasy.

Like most LOTR fans, I love the whole work - even the long, rambling parts that drag on a bit! The sense of being on the same journey as the characters is so great that, like many, I felt a sense of loss when I turned the last page. I never wanted the story to end; I wanted to linger in Middle Earth and head off on new adventures. There are so many classic moments in The Lord of the Rings, that it would be a small novel in itself to detail them all here - instead I challenged myself to come up with my three favourite scenes. This meant I had to distill the book into three defining moments; a real challenge! After a bit of thought I came up with the following:

SCENE ONE: (Fellowship of the Ring - Chapter VIII: Fog on the Barrow-Downs)

This scene never made it into the movie, and although I can understand why - for it doesn't move the plot along but rather provides an exciting interlude - it still ranks as my favourite scene in The Fellowship of the Ring. In this episode, the four hobbits: Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin leave Tom Bombadil's house and take the road through the Barrow-Downs - a magical, sinister place that is nearly their undoing. I loved the description of the downs:

"...and he saw that on that side the hills were higher and looked down upon them; and all those hills were crowned with green mounds, and on some were standing stones, pointing upwards like jagged teeth out of green gums".

At dusk, completely unaware of the danger they're in, the hobbits get lost in fog and Frodo is separated from his friends. He searches for them and climbs a hill to a great barrow where a voice "deep and cold" calls to him "Here... I am waiting for you!". Frodo is taken by a Barrow-wight - an evil spirit that dwells within the barrow, waiting for hapless travellers. What follows is a creepy, chilling scene when Frodo awakes inside the barrow. He sees his friends in the "pale, greenish light", laying on their backs dressed in white, all wearing circlets on their heads, gold chains about their waists and many rings on their fingers - across each of their naked necks lies "one naked sword". Then a cold, haunting song begins:

"Cold be hand and heart and bone,
and cold be sleep under stone: 
never more to wake on stony bed,
never, till the Sun fails and the Moon is dead.
In the black wind the stars shall die,
and still on gold here let them lie,
till the dark lord lifts his hand
over dead sea and withered land".

Frodo spies a long arm "groping, walking on its fingers towards Sam", and realises he is about to lose his friends. Moments later, the hobbits are saved by Tom Bombadil.

This scene begins with an innocent journey and becomes something far more sinister, blending high fantasy with a touch of horror. Any epic fantasy writer who can encapsulate such atmosphere into his/her writing is going to catch the reader's attention, and keep it.

SCENE TWO: (Return of the King: Book Six, Chapter I: The Tower of Cirith Ungol)

Sam was easily my favourite character in The Lord of the Rings - he begins the tale as a bit of a forelock-tugging buffoon but undergoes massive character development over the journey. For me, he was always more interesting than Frodo, especially once Frodo gets taken over by the Ring. Sam's greatest hour is when he awakes after Frodo has been taken by orcs to the Tower of Cirith Ungol. Sam finds himself "utterly alone" for the first time, but knowing that Frodo is not dead, he must somehow get into the tower and free him. The orc tower is menacing: "its narrow window lights stared out like small red eyes". Using the Ring to slip past the orcs unseen, Sam soon realizes that the orcs have started to fight amongst themselves: "Shagrat and Gorbag had come to blows".

Wearing the Ring is risky for Sam, and he is tempted by it, as it gnaws "at his will and reason". Yet, it is his love for and loyalty to Frodo that saves him, as well as his strength of character:

"In that hour of trial it was the love of his master that helped most to hold him firm; but also deep down in him lived still unconquered his plain hobbit-sense: he knew in the core of his heart that he was not large enough to bear such a burden, even if such visions were not a mere cheat to betray him. The one small garden of a free gardener was all his need and due, not a garden swollen to a realm; his own hands to use, not the hands of others to command".

Sam goes on to climb the tower and rescue Frodo. He witnesses brutal scenes of the orcs "grappling, stabbing, throttling and biting" each other. He walks over "stones were slippery with dark blood"; the tower is filled with a "hideous brooding uncertainty" after the massacre. This is a wonderful scene; despite Sam's terror and uncertainty, he is displays a warrior's strength and courage.This scene is worth noting for epic fantasy writers because, if we can strive to create a character that the reader truly cares about - and one that grows over the course of the story - that character will live on in their memory, long after they finish the book!

SCENE THREE: (Return of the King: Book Six, Chapter V: The Steward and the King)

Maybe it is just because I am a romantic, but the love story between Faramir and Eowyn is one of my favourite episodes of Return of the King. I think it is the subtlety of their romance that I enjoyed. We know both these characters well by the time they meet. We know of Faramir's courage, and his sadness that his father preferred his elder brother to him. We know that Eowyn yearns to die in battle, reckless after Aragorn spurned her. They are in many ways, polar opposites: one gentle the other fierce.

Eorwyn visits Faramir in anger, determined to be given permission to ride to the Black Gate and aid their army. The warden brings Eorwyn to Faramir, who is walking alone in the garden of the Houses of Healing, his heart heavy. Eorwyn does not mince words: "I cannot lie in sloth, idle, caged. I looked for death in battle. But I have not died, and battle still goes on".  I love Tolkien's description of their first impressions of each other:

"He looked at her, and being a man whom pity deeply stirred, it seemed to him that her loveliness amid her grief would pierce his heart. And she looked at him and saw the grave tenderness in his eyes, and yet knew, for she was bred among men of war, that here was one whom no Rider of the Mark would outmatch in battle."

Something in Faramir's manner makes Eorwyn doubt her reason for coming to see him, and she worries that he will think her a "wayward child". Faramir manages to convince Eorwyn to remain and continue her healing; he also asks Eorwyn if he may spend time with her. What follows is a beautifully written episode, during which Faramir and Eorwyn slowly get to know each other. They stand on the walls together as the "Dark Tower is thrown down" and the city rejoices.

After the fall of Sauron, Eorwyn's brother sends word, asking her to come to the field at Cormallen, but she does not go. Faramir notices that "her face grew pale again, and it seemed that in all the City she only was ailing and sorrowful". Faramir asks Eorwyn if she does not go to the battlefield because she desires to stay with him, or because she is still in love with Aragorn, and is waiting for him to call her to his side. She answers that she desires "no man's pity" and Faramir responds by frankly admitting his love for her. His words make Eorwyn realise that she too has fallen in love with him. She decides to throw aside her old life as a warrior maiden and become a healer instead. Here is the final scene between them:

"And he took her in his arms and kissed her under the sunlit sky, and he cared not that they stood high upon the walls in the sight of many. And many indeed saw them and the light that shone about them as they came down from the walls and went hand in hand to the Houses of Healing." 

Sigh...sometimes the best love stories the ones gently told. I believe that any epic fantasy writer who wishes to incorporate a love story or romance into their plot could learn from Tolkien's portrayal of Eorwyn and Faramir: when it comes to romance, choose your words carefully.

These are just three memorable scenes from The Lord of the Rings - and there are many more that have moved countless readers. These scenes have stayed with me due to the emotions they represent. The encounter with the barrow wight is the first moment (apart from Frodo's lucky escape from the Black Riders earlier), when the hobbits find themselves in mortal danger. Sam's rescue of Frodo from the Tower of Cirith Ungol is Sam's defining moment - he sees the wasteland of Mordor for the first time and overcomes incredible odds to resist the power of the Ring and save his friend. The last of the three scenes, the developing love story between Faramir and Eorwyn, brings two despairing people together: Faramir has just lost his father, who had never hidden his preference for his eldest son, and Eorwyn is bitter and fatalistic since Aragorn's rejection of her. Their meeting brings love and hope into their lives.

Writers of epic fantasy must inject some of this same emotion into our own writing. Epic fantasy deals with huge themes such as danger, fear, hope, courage, despair and love - so make your writing epic! Tolkien knew how to speak to his readers' souls, and if we are to truly engage with those who love epic fantasy, we need to do the same.

Classic fantasy films of the 1980s - a blast from the past!

Some of my earliest memories are of my dad taking me to the movies. He took me to see all the classics, even when I was a bit young to appreciate them fully, or follow the story lines! I remember sitting in the worn leather seat inside the theatre, surrounded by the smell of buttery popcorn. At the intermission, I would wait while dad went to buy us ice-creams - the kind they don't sell anymore at movie theatres: dipped in chocolate and nuts. I think I was five when I saw Star Wars, but I can still remember my awe (and terror - I was five after all!) as Darth Vader strode on to the screen for the first time.

Here are six fantasy movies that I saw during my childhood. Some of them have aged better than others - but all of them influenced me, and cemented my love for the fantasy genre. I have posted blurbs from Wikipedia (for those who haven't seen the films!) and short clips from You Tube. Ah the memories!

Enjoy!

WILLOW
Willow is a 1988 American fantasy film directed by Ron Howard, produced and with a story by George Lucas, and starring Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Jean Marsh, and Billy Barty. Davis plays the eponymous lead character and hero: a reluctant farmer who plays a critical role in protecting a special baby from a tyrannical queen in a sword and sorcery setting.

 First ten minutes.

THE NEVERENDING STORY
The Neverending Story (German: Die unendliche Geschichte) is a German fantasy novel by Michael Ende, first published in 1979. The standard English translation, by Ralph Manheim, was first published in 1983. The novel was later adapted into several films.
The majority of the story takes place in the parallel world of Fantastica (Phantásien in the original German version; referred to as Fantasia in the films), a world being destroyed by the Nothing, a mysterious force. The first protagonist is a young warrior who is asked by the Steward of The Empress of Fantastica to set off and find a way to stop the Nothing; the other protagonist is a boy from the real world, a reader of a novel with the same title, for whom the story gradually becomes more and more realistic.

 Trailer

LABYRINTH
Labyrinth is a 1986 British-American fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, produced by George Lucas and based upon conceptual designs by Brian Froud. The film stars David Bowie as Jareth and Jennifer Connelly as Sarah. The plot revolves around Sarah's quest to reach the center of an enormous otherworldly maze to rescue her infant brother Toby, who has been kidnapped by Jareth, the Goblin King. With the exception of Bowie and Connelly, most of the significant characters in the film are played by puppets produced by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

Trailer

KRULL
Krull is a 1983 British-American heroic fantasy-science fiction film directed by Peter Yates and starring Ken Marshall and Lysette Anthony. It was produced by Ron Silverman and released by Columbia Pictures.
The film's most distinguished features include an unlikely union between the science fiction and fantasy genres, a robust score by James Horner, early screen roles for actors Liam Neeson and Robbie Coltrane, and its surrealistic set design within the "Black Fortress".

Trailer

THE PRINCESS BRIDE
The Princess Bride is a 1987 American romantic comedy adventure film based on the 1973 novel of the same name by William Goldman, combining comedy, adventure, romance, and fantasy. The film was directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Goldman. The story is presented in the film as a book being read by a grandfather (Peter Falk) to his sick grandson (Fred Savage), thus effectively preserving the novel's narrative style. This film is number 50 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies," number 88 on The American Film Institute's (AFI) "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions" list of the 100 greatest film love stories, and 46 in Channel 4's 50 Greatest Comedy Films list. In the United States, The Princess Bride has developed into a cult film since its release.

 Trailer

THE BLACK CAULDRON
The Black Cauldron is a 1985 American animated fantasy adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. The 25th film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, it is loosely based on the first two books in The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander, a series of five novels which in turn is based on Welsh mythology.
The film centers around the evil Horned King who hopes to secure the magical Black Cauldron and rule the world with its aid. He is opposed by the youths Taran and Princess Eilonwy, the bard Fflewddur Fflam, and a wild creature named Gurgi.

Trailer

Self-publishing - creating your own book trailer

One of the things I love about being a self-published author is there are a host of creative aspects - not just writing - that I can be involved in. For example, I draw all the maps for my books and although I hire a graphic artist to do my cover art - I work closely with him on the concept.

One thing I really enjoy doing is making book trailers.

I also write historical fiction (under the pen name Jayne Castel, www.jaynecastel.com), and had so much fun creating a book trailer for the novel Dark Under the Cover of Night, that I decided to do the same for my epic fantasy novel: Journey of Shadows. These are two very different books but I like how their trailers effectively highlight each novel's central theme and tone.

I think with a little creativity, it's possible for most self-published authors to create their own book trailer. You see some high budget trailers on You Tube, with animation, actors and loads of special effects - however these books are backed by big publishers who can afford to spend a ton of money on them. At first glance, it may appear that these slick trailers are best, but I feel that too many of them look like movie trailers. You're not selling a movie, you're selling a book! Aren't books exciting enough to stand on their own?

So, if you're thinking about making your own book trailer, here are some tips on making an effective one on a tight budget.

1. You will need a video maker - many computers have Windows Movie Maker on them. I downloaded AVS Video Editor (and paid $37 for a one-year license)
2. Remember that LESS IS MORE. Keep your trailer under a minute and a half - any longer than this and you'll loose your viewer's attention
3. Write out a story board for your trailer, along with ideas on the types of images that would suit it - before you go buying images/video clips. 
4. Once again, lean towards simplicity with regards to the storyline. Tantalize! Don't be tempted to tell the whole story, or to use your Amazon blurb either. Think of your trailer as a 'taster', something that will entice potential readers to buy your book.
5. Avoid the overuse of adjectives and pumping your book up, without showing the viewer what it's about. For example: "An exciting, adrenalin-fueled adventure that will have you on the edge of your seat" tells me nothing and sounds cliched. It would be far better to use strong verbs to describe the adventure. For example: "Hugo must sail through treacherous oceans and battle armies of the dead, in his quest for the lost talisman." (not award-winning - but you get the picture!)
6. Think of your novel's themes and imagery and highlight them through strong statements in your trailer.
7. Use royalty-free pictures. I buy images from www.istockphotos.com but there are plenty of other image libraries out there. Don't be tempted to use pictures off the internet without having permission first, or it will only come back and bite you!
8. Use video clips sparingly. I do use video footage (which I also buy off www.istockphotos.com), but I tend to be careful not to overdo it. For example, a moody backdrop with grass waving in the wind at sunset, or flying like a bird through clouds over mountain peaks work well with text. Subtle video footage, coupled with strong subtitles can be very effective.
9. Use royalty-free podsafe music. I use www.musicalley.com - when choosing music I feel that instrumental, rather than songs with lyrics, work better. Finding lyrics that perfectly match your story is difficult, plus they can distract the viewer. It goes without saying that you should try to find music which best suits the genre and mood of your book.
10. Use the 'animation' function for text - this will make the text slide in and off each frame more naturally, rather than static text, which can appear stilted and boring. Play around with the colours, font sizes and types to find the right ones for your trailer, but don't use more than two types of font as it can make your trailer look 'bitsy'. Keep colours neutral and, once again, keep the font-style in keeping with the genre and mood of the book.
11. Use scene transitions. These help make your trailer flow smoothly - I find 'fade to black' and 'zoom in' or 'zoom out' work well.
12. Finish the trailer with a close up of your book's cover, as well as information on where they can find the book for sale and your author's URL.

Here are examples of two book trailers I made for my novels. These were both created on a limited budget - and a fertile imagination!

Journey of Shadows BOOK TRAILER

 Dark Under the Cover of Night BOOK TRAILER

New Zealand's South Island - an inspiration for epic fantasy!

I love creating worlds for my epic fantasy novels. Blessed (or cursed!) with a vivid imagination, there's nothing I like better than sitting down with a sketch pad and building a world that has never existed previously.

When creating a fantasy world, I firmly believe that you should have a reasonable sense of geography, as well as some knowledge of history and culture. I recently read a fantasy book that had the main character traveling from icy tundra to searing desert in just five days on horse-back! I've also read far too many rip-offs of clearly recognisable settings: ancient Rome and medieval Venice come to mind here. My favourite fantasy worlds are all richly developed; you believe that they could actually exist. Thought has gone into the details.

I had great fun creating Isador for my first epic fantasy, The Children of Isador, but I wanted something different for my next book. I wanted a landscape I could recognise, and sights and smells that were familiar to me. With this in mind, I created Palâdnith. Take a look at the map I drew - those familiar with New Zealand should recognise it!

I grew up in the South Island of New Zealand - in Dunedin (or Dunethport if you're looking for it on the map above). Palâdnith shares many similarities! Although the people and culture of Journey of Shadows are firmly rooted in epic fantasy, the landmarks, flora and fauna are distinctly New Zealand's.

New Zealand's landscape is varied, and can change dramatically in just a short distance. The climate is temperate; mild-maritime on the coast and continental inland. I centered my story around the Realm of Omagen, in reality the province of Otago - an area of New Zealand that I know very well. The coastline around Dunedin is lush and green, with silver beaches, the deep blue Pacific Ocean and extinct volcanoes. A couple of hundred kilometres inland, the landscape changes to dry, rock-studded terrain with a backdrop of snow-capped mountains. You can see such landscape is an ideal setting for epic fantasy!

Landmarks such as the Rock and Pillar mountain range, with its unusual topography: stacks of stone and great rock tors, make a special appearance in the story - as do the Canterbury Plains, the Southern Alps, Central Otago and Southland. The next book in the series will take place in the temperate rainforests of Fiordland (or Westhealm if you're looking at the map above).

Basing a fantasy world on a place I know well, was a great help to the actual writing. As I based my novel on a real landscape, I feel that my depiction of this fantasy world is all the more credible for it. I tried to remain true to the geography - although I definitely let my imagination loose when it came to creating the cities, towns and people who inhabit Palâdnith. I also had a lot of fun creating the place names within this fantasy world - once again the product of a fertile imagination!

I hope that if you do read the book you enjoy Palâdnith, and appreciate its inspiration!

Archetype or Stereotype - Character Development in Epic Fantasy

One of the criticisms that epic fantasy receives, is that the characters are often stereotypical and two-dimensional. Fans of the genre will know the tropes well: the stern dwarf, the distant elf, the cryptic wizard, the naive farm boy, and so on. Part of the reason why lovers of epic fantasy read these books is because they enjoy these characters - but there are times when the portrayal and development of fantasy characters gets so hackneyed, that even hardcore fans get bored!

The trick with epic fantasy is to create characters that fantasy-lovers can recognize, while giving them a twist that makes them unique and fresh. If I think about recent epic fantasy with excellent well-drawn characters, Mark Lawrence's Broken Empire series comes to mind. The central character in this series (Prince of Thorns and King of Thorns), is an anti-hero. The main character is a violent, immoral young man with a massive chip on his shoulder. Jorg is certainly not the bright-eyed hero you often see in epic fantasies. But, love him or hate him - you'll never forget him!

From a writer's point of view, epic fantasy has great scope for character development. You have life and death issues here, and events that can change, or destroy, the world. Surely, a writer can show some serious character development in such a story? In his book, Story (a must-read for any aspiring writer), Robert McKee writes about the difference between an archetype and a stereotype - an important distinction to keep in mind with a genre like epic fantasy. To quote the great man himself:

"The archetypal story unearths a universal human experience, then wraps itself inside a unique, culture-specific expression. A stereotypical story reverses this pattern: It suffers a poverty of both content and form. It confines itself to a narrow, culture-specific experience and dresses it in stale, nonspecific generalities."

There's no reason why characters in epic fantasy shouldn't have the same hopes, fears, dreams and neuroses, as the rest of us. The trick is to make sure they are unique to the time and place they are set in, and not merely modern-day people in fancy dress!

I love creating and developing characters. It's what I look for in the novels I read, and its what I focus on in the books I write. In my new epic fantasy novel, Journey of Shadows, I centre the story around three brothers. Unbeknown to them, their mother was a witch - who sacrificed her own life to save theirs. They grow up, unaware of their legacy. This idea isn't a new one, but my telling of it is. The first difference to a lot of epic fantasy is that my three protagonists are men - not boys. Reading stories about yet another callow youth who learns about his true destiny, makes me want to spork out my own eyeballs! My protagonists are in their early to mid-thirties; they are well-entrenched in safe, uneventful lives that are going nowhere. They also all have serious 'issues' when it comes to forming emotional attachments. The youngest brother is a dreamer who took the first job offered and never embarked on the adventures he'd dreamed of; the second brother is a workaholic who has sacrificed everything for his craft; and the third brother is a reclusive librarian who has chosen the company of books to people. I enjoyed kicking these three out of their comfort-zones and into a grand adventure!

To celebrate the launch of Journey of Shadows, I am running a contest. It runs until Thursday 28 February 2013- and the winner will receive a US$30 Amazon gift card (that should buy you a few more Kindle books!) and a copy of Journey of Shadows (Kindle Edition). To enter, you don't need to buy a copy of the book - you just need to share your thoughts on your favourite fantasy character!

Here's how to enter:

1. Comment below about your favourite epic fantasy character, the book he or she appears in, and why you loved him/her. A paragraph is sufficient! I've already told you about mine - Jorg from the Broken Empire series.
2. The best comment will be announced on 1 March 2013 and the winner receives a US$30 Amazon gift card and a Kindle Edition of Journey of Shadows!

 Available now on Amazon for US$2.99 (Kindle Edition).