DARKLAW | LGBTQ FANTASY SERIES
Fantasy Map of the Darklaw Saga
My Twitter feed lately has shown me a lot of authors and readers who say they hate fantasy maps. I don’t know if this is a reactionary trend, sour grapes, or just a freakish Twitter algorithm that is amplifying a fringe element. Because who doesn’t love maps?!?
I even follow a few artists whose only thing is making maps of faux worlds.
The map I use for Darklaw is a resource for me when I write but also meant to convey a sense of reality to readers. I began this map — no kidding — in 1994. I was using Corel Draw at the time. I eventually moved the map to Adobe Illustrator and then Adobe Photoshop.
The Darklaw world is one huge continent with two different suns and various kinds of days. Some regions have a yellow sun and others a blue sun. Some regions see a sunrise and sunset. Others experience merely a sunfall and evensun. Additionally, the world doesn't have magnetic poles. Instead, directions are related entirely to where you are located. If you’re in the Trade Quarter “west” is demonward. “Southwest” would be darkward. If you’re in the Demon Quarter, then “west” is seaward and “southeast” is iceward.
In other words, I’ve deconstructed time.
If I live long enough to tie up this series, you’ll discover there are reasons for all of this. The third book (after Darklaw and Darklord) is Darkwar and takes place after a tie in with a science fiction novel I’ve already written, Protocol One. Sprinkled among the foundational works are shorts, comics, and novellas.
I hope you’ll join me on this journey. wuwei
