Fantasy Writers’ Worldbuilding Linkup Hosted by Gabbing With Grace
First off, sorry about that other post that went up. I had it scheduled for today but plans changed soooooo *cough, cough* that’ll happen later. I’m actually really mad at myself about that, ’cause I was planning for some stuff to be a surprise soooo hopefully no one actually read the post before I found out it was up and took it down. 😉 BUT we’re not here to talk about that. Nope. Instead, I’ve got an AWESOME linkup blogger Grace at Gabbing With Grace (A.K.A. the girl who designed the cover for Heir to His Crown that all of you like!) is hosting!!!
WWWWWOOOOOOHHHHHHAAAAAAAAA…………
Sooo if you wanna know all the details and maybe join in too on your blog or social media account then click this li’l pink thing. So basically what Imma gonna be doing is describing something that could be used in worldbuilding for a novel. (Y’all should just read the post if you’re wanting better explanation of the rules.)
Dearest reader,
I’m sure you’ve all heard about the City of Lorbalow. The stories of her mighty nobles stretch far and wide. We all know about the magnificent designs of the mansions that stand tall and proud. And the emerald green river that trickles in the city’s depths. The wealth many of the people here possess and long life they are all blessed with. They never have to fear war because they are loved by all. They have strong leaders and never find a need to worry about anything.
In fact, all who dwell within the round city are known to be smart and skillful. Everyone who is a native of this land is born with some remarkable talent. Many grow to become famous painters, writers, musicians, and anything you can think of. The mystery behind these people is one that shall continue to live through the coming years. We may never know what strange, almost magic-like, power that rest upon the citizens of Lorbalow.
Though these tales are true, there is more to the story that needs to be told. Every beautiful thing bears a time when it must face pain. Lorbalow didn’t escape this crushing fact.
Because the people of this land never had to worry about war or destruction, they never found a need to grow a strong army. They weren’t prepared for when a battle did spread across their land. Their city was stormed and left for ruins in practically hours. An ambitious man behind this attack killed Lorbalow’s leaders and took the city as his own kingdom. An inescapable darkness fell across the once jubilant city. Though the people were still blessed beyond measure in skill and knowledge, they no longer had a desire to use their gifts. And so hope escaped Lorbalow, and the people surrendered to this ambitious young man.
But rest assured, dear reader, for there is always hope. A prophecy has been spoken of an unlikely hero who will return the laughter and joy back to Lorbalow. The meaning and truth of this prophecy, I now rest in your hands to uncover. Be bold, and never stop fighting for the light.
For now I remain,
The Scribe
Well, I think I got a li’l carried away there. XD I hope you enjoyed that!!!!!! I literally made that up in like fifteen minutes, so I know it’s not very good. 😉 And don’t forget to check out the linkup in case you wanna join too!!!!!!! Also, if you’ve missed it, chapter five in What Lay Beyond the Woods went live (I think) last week. So check that out!!!
Well, that’s all I’ve got for you today!!! I guess since this post was sorta short, I’ll share some awesome covers for Heir to His Crown I have!!!!! The first one is a good close up of the cover you’ve all been seeing. So we can properly admire it and all. XD
And then my AWESOME friend, Jane, made a cover for Heir to His Crown, too!!!
Okay, that’s all for today!! Happy Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just ADORE both of these sooooo much!! THANK YOU GRACE AND JANE FOR DESIGNING THEM FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You both are I N C R E D I B L E at y’all’s graphics designing!
LET’S CHAT IN THE COMMENTS!!!!!!!! So, if you created your own fantasy world, what would you call it? What role would you play in it? Anything specific that would be in it?
Issabelle Perry
Issabelle Perry is a proud Jesus follower, an extroverted writer, and a homeschool graduate. When she's not writing, you can find her reading, jamming to Skillet, studying history, hunting for Narnia in wardrobes, or envisioning herself wielding a magnificent sword (but due to her clumsiness, let’s hope that never happens). This self-proclaimed exclamation mark enthusiast can be found hanging out at Teen Writers’ Nook, a community of teen authors Issabelle co-founded in 2020. She is the author of Don't Let Me Go (Sky's the Limit Press 2024), May We Make Them Proud (2023), and a co-editor for two anthologies. What she’s probably doing right now is fangirling about her favorite books to random people or scanning the pantries for chocolate.
42 Comments
Grace A. Johnson
ISSABELLE! I love this!!! Thank you SO much for joining the linkup! And you are so welcome for designing the cover! I absolutely love seeing it every time I’m on y’all’s website!!
Issabelle
GRACE!!!! Aww, girl, THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!! <33 You're absolutely welcome! THANK YOU for hosting it!! It was a lot a fun and also REALLY helpful, 'cause now I'm getting a story idea. XD Haha, every time I'm on TWN I always go straight to my progress bar and stare at the cover, 'cause it's really INCREDIBLE!!!! 😍 THANK YOU for reading and commenting!!!! <33
Grace A. Johnson
I’m so glad you enjoyed writing this! I enjoyed reading it, and I hope that I can continue with the linkup in future months (which all depends on how well it goes over this time)! Ooh…I’m glad you’ve been inspired! Thank you!! I’m just so happy that you like the cover so much! Of course! You’re so welcome!
Issabelle
YESSSSS!!!!!!!! Aww, I’m sooooo very happy to hear that!!!!! Oooh, YEAAA!!!! That’d be AWESOME!!!! I’d TOTALLY join in again!!!!! (Yep, that makes sense. I hope you get TONS of people to join in this round, if you haven’t already that is. 😉 ) Hahaha, me too!!! Though, my pile of story ideas is getting a bit too full. 😂 You’re totally welcome, girl!!!! YESSSS!!!!! SAME!!!! (Also, you probably didn’t do this intentionally, but one of the epic things about that cover is that it reminds me a lot of the cover to my FAVORITE book EVER!!! Soo that just makes it EVEN MORE AWESOME!) <3333
Grace A. Johnson
You’re actually the first person to get me their link, and I’ve only had one other…so we’ll see about that! I would like to try something a little different next time–any ideas? Really? That’s so cool! What’s the book?
Issabelle
Well, first: WOOHOOOO!!!!! I was DA FIRST!!!!! *pumps fist in the air* Anyways, I’m sure you’ll get some more peeps!!!! *crossing fingers REALLY hard for you* Ooooh, yea, that’d be cool. Hmm…maybe you could do one about the antagonist in a story! (I was trying to think REALLY hard about something no one’s ever done before, and that’s what I came up with. XD) Yep!!! IKR!!! It’s The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen. The cover also has a gold crown with a dark blue background. It’s EPIC!!! <33
Grace A. Johnson
I hope so! Ooh…that’s a fantastic idea! I may just do that! Thank you!! Yeah, it does kinda look like that cover! Cool!
Issabelle
Thank you!! *bows* XD You’re welcome!!!!! See, it’s just soooooo perfect!! YES!!! <33
Trixie
What a fun idea!!! Love those covers!!!
If I created a fantasy world, it would probably be a world were everything was considered perfect, but there was a secret rebellion that one day made a mark on the world that showed everyone that their world was not perfect. I’d probably be the one of characters fighting the rebellion. <33
Issabelle
Aww, THANK YOU, Trixie!!!!!!! <333 Aaahh, YESSS!!! Me too!!!! 🙂
Ooooh, girl, that is a GENIUS idea!!!!! *minds starts turning* It's seriously giving me some cool ideas, too!!! LOVE IT!!!! WOOHOO!!! YESSSS YESSS YESSS!!!!!!! If I lived in that world I would ABSOLUTELY be one of the people fighting the rebellion too!!!!!! <333 Girl, you're GENIUS!!!!
Trixie
You are so welcome!! Yeah totally!!
Aww thank you!! Yeah I love the idea too!! THANK YOU!!! * goes and buys a bunch of chocolate and gives it to you through the internet* <333
Issabelle
TOTALLY!!!!!!!! <333
You're welcome, girl! YESSS!!!!! *high fives* YOU'RE WELCOME!!!!! *grabs all the chocolate and eats it all except for a few pieces that I had to Trixie through the internet* Yum! THANK YOU!!!!!! 😋 <333
Trixie
Thank you!! Ymmmmmm!!
Issabelle
You’re welcome!!! 😉
Jane
I don’t think you got carried away at all!!!! It was AMAZING!!!!!! Also, I didn’t see the other post that you apparently took down, but I am beyond curious now on what it was so you better put it up soon!! 😜
You’re very welcome for the cover!!!!!! I’m so happy that you liked it!!!! <33
Hm, I think I might name it Mablewood. (that’s all I could come up with 😂)
I would play the friend of the MC. I always like how they encourage the MC and stick with them even in the hardest parts.
All I know is that there would be talking animals and fairies and maybe a few waterfalls with donut bushes. (That last part is something I came up with when I was a kid and I’ve always wanted to put it a story some how. XD)
Issabelle
Aww, girl, you’re TOO SWEET!!!! 😊 THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!! Phew! That’s a relief, ’cause it’s this idea that I’ve gotten and I wasn’t ready for it to be exposed to the world, if ya know what I mean. 😆 LOL!!! Haha, yeah, I guess now I’m raising the suspension. XD THANK YOU!!!!!!
YESS!!!! I ADORE IT, girl!!!!!!! <333 You've got skillss!!!!
Whoa, I LOOVE the name Mablewood. It sounds kind of like a fairish or elvish kinda kingdom.
YESSS!!!!!! (Can I be the MC then? I mean, I know the MC has to go through a lot but if Jane was my friend in the story, that'd just make it all worthwhile!!!!!!!!) Aww, me too!! That's why I looooove Samwise Gamgee (from Lord of the Rings) and Mott soooooo much. They just make the story AWESOME!!!!
YES TO TALKING ANIMALS! YES TO FAIRIES!! YES TO ALL DA WATERFALLS!!!! And o_O what's this I hear about donut bushes? YES A MILLION TIMES OVER!!!! Count me in! (LOL!!! Well, I like it. It sounds delicious. 😋)
Jane
You can definitely be the MC!!!! But no shutting me out like most MCs, we can just stick together through it all!!! Aww, your so sweet!!! I would be the MC to if meant I got to be friends!!!! <33
Issabelle
YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!! *dances* Yep!! Deal. It’s no fun when the MC’s always shutting the friend out, so that will definitely not be happening!!!! 🙂 YESSSSS!!!!!!!! *high fives* You’re too sweet too. 😊
Katherine
I LOVE fairies!!!!!!! Your idea sounds so cool!!!!!😃😃
Jane
So do I!!!!! Aww, thanks!!! What would your fantasy world be like?
Katherine
😀💗 Oooh, thank you for asking!!!!!!! I think I would call it Celilaysis. (I just made this word up on the spot. I kinda took it from the word “celestial” but changed it up a bit.) I think I would either be the MC or a sister of the MC. There would be magic and I would probably have some magic myself. There would be fairies and mermaids and maybe some dragons. And we would speak another language.
Victoria
OooooOoooh, this is SO COOL!!!!! I LOVED that letter from The Scribe and I think it’s awesome for something you made up so quick!!! 😀
Uhhhhhh, I honestly have NO idea what the name of my fantasy world would be. XD I’m seriously SOOO bad at creating those kinds of things! (In fact, do you have any suggestions for any names I could call a certain *cough* kingdom in Between the Lines??? If ya don’t, that’s TOTALLY FINE! I just thought I’d ask in case you had any ideas!) 😉
Also, I LOVE that GIF!!! It was absolutely PURE gold! XD (Oh, and BTW, I didn’t see your other post in case you were worried! So no surprises spoiled for me!!!) 😉
Issabelle
Awwwww THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH, girl!!!!!!!!! Girl, you’re TOO SWEET!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!! 😊 I really like the idea of The Scribe and I might end up using that in a novel or something. 😄
Hahah, that’s okay. Naming stuff is like suuuuper hard. (Which is why the name of my fantasy world is really ridiculous. But, hey, I made it up on the spot. XD) (*gasp* YESSS!!!! I’m gonna come up with a bunch of suggestions and email them to ya!!!!!! Yeah, even though I’m pretty bad at naming stuff, I still get excited when I do. XD) 😉
Haha, THANK YOU!!!!! I actually stole it from two other bloggers who had used it for a tag. XD I was like, well, if two other bloggers did it than no one’s gonna know that I technically stole the idea and GIF from ’em. XD YESS!!!! IKR!!!! (Phew!! *wipes forehead dramatically* That’s a relief ’cause it was the start of a new blogging series and I was wanting it to be a surprise and all. XD Sooo YAAAAY!!!!!!! 😉 )
Victoria
Awww, YOU’RE SOOOO WELCOME!!!! I mean EVERY word! 😄 YES!!! YOU TOTALLY SHOULD! That would be so epic!!
AAHHHHHH!!! THANK YOU SOOO MUCH, girl!!!! That’s gonna help me a lot ‘cause it’s been bugging me big time and keeps distracting me from actually writing the story! 😂
Hehehehehe, tricky girl! 😉 Honestly though, that’s something I TOTALLY would have done!!! XD Whenever I get my blog going I might have to steal it from YOU! 😆😂
*Gasps* A NEW BLOGGING SERIES!?!?!? That’s SOOOO AWESOME!!! I can’t wait!!! 😀
Issabelle
Aww, girl, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! YESSS!!!!! I’m glad you think so, ’cause I was wondering if the idea was any good. XD As I was writing it I was like Hmm…this is pretty good! But as I was reading it, I was more like Ugh, girl, this is horrible. XD Aww, I’m sooo glad you think so!!!!! I’ve got this one new story idea (that I’m thinking about sharing on TWN eventually) and I think The Scribe will just fit into it soooo well!!!!!!!!
You’re soooooo welcome, girl!!!!!!!! WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! Hahaha, I TOTALLY get ya there. In Heir to His Crown right now, I have waaaaaaaaay too many times where {Insert awesome name} is listed ’cause I can’t think of anything else. XD
Hahaha, yeah, I can be kinda sneak sometimes. 😉 LOL!!!!! *high fives* Hahaha, YESSS!!!!!! Steal away. XD It’s too awesome of a GIF not to. 😂
*gasps really loudly for no real reasons except that I like to gasp* YEAAAAA!!!!!!! WOOHOOOOO!!!!!!! I cannot wait until I get it out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!! <33
Katherine
Wait. A. Minute. Did you say “kingdom in Between the Lines”?????!!!!!! *proceeds to screaming excitedly* Girl, that is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃 Ahhhhh, I can’t wait to read more in Between the Lines!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Victoria
LOLOLOL, YEESSSS!!! I DID!!!! It’s actually not gonna play a SUPER big role in it (I mainly need a name just because it’s mentioned a lot), BUT I do have some ideas spinning around for a possible future story that would include it more! 😉 (Then again, Between the Lines has been changing so much maybe it WILL end up more in the story……🧐😂)
WHOOOOO!!!! I’m so glad you’re still excited! I know I said I’d get Ch. 2 to you guys soon (yet it’s been a month since then and I still haven’t) but I’m actually SUPER close to getting it done! Like I said, it’s been changing some (not too much though) but enough to where I kinda had to take a break and rethink some stuff out. However, now that I’m back on a roll with it, hopefully this time it will be soon for me to send it! 😀🤞
Katherine
Wa-hoo!!!!😀 Oooh, that is so cool!!!!! I hope you come up with an awesome name!!!!! (Haha, I know what you mean. My story changes on me all the time.😂 Lol, I love that emoji:🧐)
😃😃😃😃😃 That’s alright. You’re building up the suspense!😉 Woo-hoo!!!! You go, girl!!!! I can’t wait to read it!!!!! Sometimes we have to think our stories over before we move on. I’m so glad you’re back to working on it though!!!!!! I will be eagerly waiting for you to send it!!😀
Joy Caroline
Awesome post! Imma go read Robyn Hood as soon as I get some more free time.
Issabelle
YAAAY THANK YOU!!!!!!!!! <333 WOOHOOO!!!!! I hope you like it! <33 (I tried REALLY hard to make Robyn give me some internal conflict and I think it turned out pretty good!)
Ally M.J.
Ok, what do I need to do to get a voice like that? Girl, you’re AMAZING. I’m dead from overexposure to your amazing amazingness. I haven’t done that in like… *realizes what I’m saying and stops*
To answer your question YES I’ve made my fair share of fantasy worlds! In BLM, the magical, slightly terrifying realm of the dark angels is called Valadah. It means ‘luxury’ in their old language. It’s heavily based on The Lost Cities, only less shiny. The dark angels are extremely sensitive to gold light. Which means the sun is out, a lot of lightbulbs are out, fire is out… basically any light that has a warm glow. The moon, these glowing star bulbs that they use in place of lightbulbs, Leot flowers, and moonshards are some of the kind of light they can stand, at least for a while. All of their buildings are made from the same blackstone material, but it can be cut in different ways. All of their houses and buildings, called Estates, are huge, usually palace-like structures. The Qaderi Palace is the estate of the Saanten, aka big mean dictator dude, and it is the biggest personal residence to date. The dark angels have this whole, somewhat hard to explain culture that I love but also hate because dark angels are sort of bad people. Well, not really. The Saanten and his stupid court is bad. It’s complicated.
I so love both of those coverrrrrrrssssssss AHHH. B E A U T Y
Issabelle
Hahaha, girl, you’re just the SWEETEST!!!!!! I had honestly thought that voice sounded pathetic, so this has just MADE MY DAY!!! THANK YOU soooooooooooooooooo MUCH, ALLY!!!!!!!!!! LOL, Sorry ’bout that, Chief. (Whoever got that awesome TV show reference is now my new best friend. XD) Oooooh, suspense. XD 😂 Girl, you are seriously too AWESOME!!!!!!
Okay this is me after reading that epic paragraph: 😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯 GIRL THIS IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!! Like HOW did you honestly come up with all this stuff. (And second, more important question: WHEN CAN I READ THIS BOOK????!!!!!!!!) This is just GENIUS!!!! (Also, I LOOVE the whole aka big mean dictator dude. XD) THE NAMES ARE INCREDIBLE and all this worldbuilding is just AMAZINGLY GENIUS!!!!!!!!!!!
YAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!! I’m soooooooo happy!!!!!!! <333 IKR!!! I LOOOOVE THEM!!!!!!
Em Elizabeth
Ooooh! Love the world descriptions and your “Scribe” narrator! It seems like it would make a great prologue to a longer piece. Also, those covers are so beautiful!
Fantasy is the genre that my brain loves generating ideas for the most, so I’ve got a couple dozen different story world ideas/concepts pinging around in my head at any given moment. There are just so many fictional worlds to create and explore, and so little time!
Issabelle
Awww, girl, THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *dances* YEAAA!!!! I’m soooo glad you think so!!! As I was writing it, my mind was actually starting to come up with a really cool idea for a story, so this might not be the last you hear from The Scribe. 😉 YESSSS!!!!!! IKR!!! I adore them soooooooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I second that! That’s one of the big reasons why I ended up settling in the fantasy genre because there’s just soooooo much you can do with it!!!!!! Aaaahhh, that’s SUUUUUPER COOL!!!!!!!!!! Also, TOTALLY relate. In the past two weeks or so, I’ve already gotten four different fantasy worlds/storiesish things ideas. 🤣 YESSSSSS!!!!!! AGREED!!!!!!!! <33
Alexa
Loved the message from The Scribe! This linkup sounds so fun! Maybe I’ll have to participate, hehe. I want to live in Lorbalow! (Before the destruction happened of course) I loved the way you created the world happy but that it also had its flaws. Will we hear more from Lorbalow in the future????
To answer your questions: if I created my own fantasy world, it would have to have a name of significance. A name that really meant something to the city. So even though I don’t have a specific name, I would be spending hours online trying to find or create one. If I had a role, I would want to be the teenage hero, XD, but seriously though that sounds the most appealing! Ooooh! Something specific in my world would be that it HAS TO HAVE SUPERPOWERS OR MAGIC OF SOME SORT. (just saying I’m obsessed with superpowers, lol)
Issabelle
Haha, THANK YOU, GIRL!!!!!!!! YESSSS IT IS!!!! *gasp* YES!!! You should TOTALLY do it!!!!!! I’d LOOOVE to read what you come up with!!!! Aww, really?! I think I do too. (Yes definitely before the destruction) Aww, girl, THANK YOU!!!!!!!! Hmmm….I’m not sure. I actually kinda wanna write a story around this world, sooo hopefully. *fingers crossed* I really like some of this idea and I’m TOTALLY gonna put The Scribe in one of my stories, somehow.
Ooooh, YEA!!! That’s a good idea for the name to be of significance!!!!! LOL!!!! YESSS!!!! XD Again, YESS!!!! You should TOTALLY be the teenage hero. And I’ll be the super awesome friend that tags along for the adventure. XD 😜 Haha, yep, it does! *gasp* THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!!!! Totally want the superpowers and/or magic stuff going on. They make the stories REALLY fun!!!! (Haha, that’s really cool, though!!!!! <33)
Alexa
Yeah! Hopefully, I can do it if I can get done with everything else I have in life, but it would be super fun to do! Oooh yes, we have to see more of The Scribe!! And I’m sure everyone else here wants to see more too!! YES MORE MAGIC, XD.
Issabelle
YESSSS!!!!!!! Sounds good!!! <33 It really was a LOT of fun!!!!! <333 Hehehee...YESS!!! Then The Scribe will have to make a triumphant return!!! Actually, now I have a good spot to put him in my latest novel idea...;) *pumps fist in the air* Aww, well, even if they don't, I'm still bringing him back for you, girl!!!!!!!! YESSS TO ALL THE MAGIC!!!!!! 😉
Ribbon Ash
Great worldbuilding right there! So you made this up for this linkup or you created this for your current story?
Issabelle
Aww, THANK YOU SOOO MUCH, girl!!!!!!!!!! <333 I made it up for the linkup, but I think I might end up using it in this new story I've been briefly plotting! <33
Ribbon Ash
Ah, well, I think I need this world to exist. A paradise that is no longer a paradise? Yes, please! I can just imagine all sort of conflicts.
Issabelle
Hahaha, well, then I’m TOTALLY gonna have write a book around that world. YES!! SAME!!! Oooh, like I’m over here right now and totally just want to also say: yes, please! When I was writing it, I was totally thinking about some super cool conflict there could be in this world. <33 Okay, now it's official. I AM using this world in a story!!! Don't know where yet, but I love it too much!!!!