June 12, 2007

Some Background on Writing A Warrior’s Taking

A Warrior’s Taking will be out two weeks from today! So I thought I’d share some of the challenges of writing this book. It was fun, coming up with a magical scenario that would work, but definitely a challenge.

The first thing I did was develop a background for the hero, Brogan MacLochlainn. Since he comes from a long line of sorcerers on the British Isles, I decided to give him a Celtic background. (When Sarah meets him, she assumes he’s Scottish because of his brogue). Brogan’s ancestors were the mentors of the druids, so I gave them a name that would be reminiscent of druid – Druzai.

Obviously, Druzai sorcerers have not dominated Britain throughout history, so I had to give them a reason for leaving the isles. I decided on a scenario that would also give me the villain for A Warrior’s Taking (and for the sequel, Temptation of the Warrior – April, ’08).

In my made-up, magical world, a thousand years before Brogan, a powerful Druzai sorceress named Eilinora instigated misunderstandings and wars between the Celtic tribes. Her intention was to cause so much destruction and bloodshed that she would be able to enslave the tribes and destroy the Druzai, making her queen of all that remained. Instead, Druzai warriors overcame her, captured her, and imprisoned her in a place that was to keep her secure forever.

At the same time, the Druzai elders decided that the only way to be sure there would never be another sorcerer who would try to dominate the non-magical people of the earth (the Tuath) was to remain completely separate. Hence, they created their own homeland, an isle called Coruain, hidden from the Tuath. They made laws forbidding interaction between Druzai and Tuath, and Brogan firmly believed in these laws.

Also in the Druzai’s distant past, two powerful talismans (called the blood-stones) were concealed so that sorcerers like Eilinora would not be able to use them. They were hidden away in time in the Tuath world, and no one but a powerful seer would be able to locate them.

So that’s the backdrop of Brogan’s world. Brogan’s cousin, Ana, is the seer who locates the blood stones, and Brogan must leave Coruain and travel to 1813 England to find one of them. His brother, Merrick, will go to 1825 England to find his. This is the external motivation (see Robyn’s post yesterday) of both books. The two brothers are also forbidden to use any magic while they’re in the Tuath world – because Eilinora might be able to find them through their sorcery. It adds conflict and complications, since both brothers would find their task a good deal easier if only they could use magic.

Next time, I’ll let you in on Sarah’s backstory.

  3 Responses to “Some Background on Writing A Warrior’s Taking”

1. On June 12th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
   Helen Says:
   

   Thanks for that Margo I will defiently be getting this book as soon as it is released I can’t wait to read it.
   Have Fun
   Helen

2. On June 12th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
   AndreaW Says:
   

   Me too!! So looking forward to it!

3. On June 12th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
   Clarisse Says:
   

   Margo, I must say I have really enjoyed your blogs on the background of these characters and their story. I have such an ugly TBR pile as is I guess one more author can’t make it any worse Gotta have this book (Oh Lord,this is how people end up with 85 cats isn’t it? Just one more?)

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