https://liviajelliot.com/tags/unearthed-stories/ Recent content in unearthed-stories on Livia J. Elliot Hugo -- gohugo.io en-us Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +1000 https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2024/18-future-societies/ Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +1000 https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2024/18-future-societies/ Origin & Themes Science fiction is, among many other genres, one we all have opinions about. There are always some blurred edges between its subgenres. On the one hand, as a literature genre derived from science, a key element of science fiction is its speculation about technology; its evolution has marked humankind, changing us and taking our societies into never-imagined paths. Analog Magazine defines science fiction as “stories in which some aspect of future science or technology is so integral to the plot that, if that aspect were removed, the story would collapse. https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2024/14-herald-narration/ Sun, 23 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +1000 https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2024/14-herald-narration/ When I wrote Herald and its gentlecat protogonist, Meowise, I always imagined him with a very specific voice… which, to no one’s suprise, is the voice I imagine my own cat has. That ended up biasing how I wrote the protagonist and how I read him in my mind. I don’t know why, I imagined him with a refined British accent, a very bassy voice, and the pedantic, kingly mannerisms only a cat overlord can achieve. https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2024/11-elusive-pathways/ Sun, 24 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +1000 https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2024/11-elusive-pathways/ Why write? Why fantasy or sci-fi at all? To me, at least, the gist is speculative fiction which was defined as “an encompassing genre that freely explores possibility and impossibility alike”1. That definition captures what writing means for me, as I generally use it to explore themes or ideas of interest to me and find new things. I began reading as a child, and back then, I wanted more; new things, new ideas, new characters. https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2023/3-delyrae-world/ Sat, 02 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +1000 https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2023/3-delyrae-world/ Dely’rae is the world where (so far) three of my interactive stories are set—Drifting Tavern (which follows an apprentice trying to avoid cleaning duty), Potions Shoppe (where you play as a centuries-old Potionmaker), and Herald (in which you play as a gentlecat spy). It all started with Drifting Tavern, and now I have a couple more stories planned in that world. With the release of Herald, I thought it would be interesting to share some insights into how I created this world. https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2023/2-herald-artwork/ Sat, 26 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +1000 https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2023/2-herald-artwork/ One of the things that I enjoy about fancy editions of books is the artwork—and when I was bouncing ideas for Unearthed Stories with the dev, we decided that artwork was a great idea. It contributes to that feel of special editions, letting readers immerse into the world (especially SFF worlds!) through a different sense, fostering and aiding their imagination. Moreover, during that time, the dev and I decided that, whenever possible, we would prefer to include traditional, physical artwork rather than digital illustrations. https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2023/1-spanish-names/ Thu, 29 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +1000 https://liviajelliot.com/blog/2023/1-spanish-names/ In fantasy or sci-fi writing, names are powerful. They impact how the readers imagine a character, a fictional country, their culture, clothes, and everything around it. As readers, we pull on from anything familiar to ‘fill in the gaps’ and imagine a world that is not ours. Let me discuss my little “battle” finding names for the characters and places in Mien. Be warned, there may be very minor spoilers here.