Tuesday, November 19, 2013

The Importance of World Building with Laurie Olerich



When I read a book, I’m looking for much more than a few hours of killed time. I want to be swept up by and sucked into a whole new world. I want to see it unfold gracefully as I turn each page. That just doesn’t happen if the world isn’t carefully developed and laid out for me. I believe most readers feel that way. Why read if you’re not going to be drawn into the story? Character development and world building are keys to that. 

Characters absolutely have to leap off the page and into my head. I’ve got to connect to them on some level or they just seem flat and well, artificial. Development is a delicate process that results in the readers learning bits and pieces about the characters as a plot unfolds. I don’t want to know everything at once; I want to learn about them, get to know them, just as I would if they were new acquaintances I met at a party. Love at first sight is rare in real life; it’s just as rare in fiction. Every page should reveal a little more, show a little more emotion, a little more history until you feel like you’ve known these characters forever and are completely invested in them.  

World building is critical when writing fantasy of any kind. My series blurs the lines between urban fantasy and paranormal romance. The fantasy elements are uber important to the characters’ lives and shape their actions and their destinies. It’s absolutely critical that readers are drawn into their world so they connect with them, root for them, and fall in love with them. After all, don’t we read to escape into a world that’s more exciting than our own?


Primani
Book One
Laurie Olerich

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

ISBN: 978-1492124849

Number of pages: 432
Word Count: 99,582

Cover Artist: Angela Bauer



Book Description:

Mica Thomas is Sean O'Cahan's worst nightmare. Part angel, all Primani, he's a ruthless protector with unusual talents. Jaded by the weakness of humans, he takes a hands-off approach to his charges. His job's to protect her. That's all. But Mica's got other ideas. He's strong, but she's stronger. Will his one moment of weakness destroy them both?

Mica doesn’t believe in quaint notions of fate and destiny. She’s a live-in-the-moment kind of girl until she’s attacked and left for dead. When Sean and his friends appear out of thin air to rescue her, Mica knows there’s more to them than they’re saying. Secrets and lies pile up but she can’t walk away from him.

As the clock ticks, Mica is drawn deeper into the Primani world until there’s no way out.

Tick-tock. Time is running out. What happens when it does?


About the Author:

Laurie Olerich is the author of the new Primani series. Part urban fantasy, part romance, part paranormal...Three things she can’t live without! Laurie spent most of her life in the Northeastern United States and in Western Europe. She now lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her son and Dalmatian duo, Domino and Rambo.  Desperate to escape the heat, she lives vicariously through Mica and her Primani by setting their adventures in the mountain coolness of New England and the rainy days of London. Before throwing caution to the wind and diving into a writing career, Laurie dedicated 20 years to her country by serving in the United States Air Force. Much of her time was spent around men with guns and cool toys...this explains her obsession with both.







1 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks for having me here today! I'll check back in a little while to answer any questions that pop up!