Map of the Imirillian Continent

I posted the Aemogen map last week, so I thought it would be good to post the map of the entire continent. Seeing it makes one realize that Aemogen is going up against an almost impossible foe. But fate does not turn on sheer might alone, so we will see how The Ruby Prince and The Wanderer's Mark unfold...

Fun fact about this map: it is mostly correct. The names and places certainly are, and the proportions of the nations, but the ancient cartographer who put pen to paper miscalculated a few things. (Not to a drastic level, but still.) 150 years later, a slightly more accurate map of the continent was produced.

The Summer Book Club Introduces THE RUBY PRINCE

There are spoilers in this post!!! If you have not read The Queen's Gambit, you can find it here.

“Irony is the province of every culture, Your majesty,” Basaal said, his voice turning sharp. “Not just of one’s own.”

There is not a moment for breath between the ending of The Queen's Gambit and the beginning of The Ruby Prince. The final chapter in Gambit and the first chapter in Prince are simply two pieces of the same scene. You hit the ground running. Eleanor has managed to win the game, for now. But what happens to the pieces swept off the chess board?

Welcome to The Ruby Prince. 

My writing process is immersive. I feel like I'm splitting dimensions, knowing I have a life here, but following the characters into other places as solid beneath my feet as anything. I remember a particular day. I was writing the part of the story where The Ruby Prince begins. My husband came home late from work only to be dragged outside for a walk, for I needed to anchor myself. My heart was racing, I could feel a current running through me, and it was time to pull myself home before I tipped too far into that world.

But the I remained there for a bit longer, inside that tent, watching, listening. And as Kip and I were walking in the warmth of the summer evening, I turned to him and said, "One of my characters just said, 'Irony is the province of every culture, not just of one's own.'"

"That's great," Kip replied. "What is happening in the scene?"

"I can't tell you."

Kip glanced at me with a half-smile, then looked away. "Okay. I'll wait."

And over the following months I traveled to Zarbadast and became sort of resident there. Readers have told me that they, too, got lost in the allure of that city. For many, it has become a favorite part. I'm curious to see how the journey will be for you. But take care upon entering that hauntingly beautiful place. Keep your eyes open, and your step quiet. To be caught unaware never bodes well in Zarbadast.

And so week two of Beth's Summer Book Club begins. 

You can pick up The Ruby Prince here.

“Queen Eleanor’s gambit worked. Aemogen, for now, has been spared from the ruthless Imirillian army. But Eleanor is still a captive, and Prince Basaal is taking her into the North. As Eleanor is swept through the deserts of Imirillia to the magnificent city of Zarbadast, she begins to understand the contradictions Basaal must negotiate beneath the reign of the sadistic Emperor Shaamil.

Having returned home, Prince Basaal again finds himself at war with his own conscience. Under the scrutiny of his father, the pressure of his brothers, and a fierce loyalty to his own people, Basaal doubts his ability to fulfill his impossible promise to Aedon: to help Eleanor escape.

In a rich telling of culture, ritual, and choice, The Ruby Prince draws on the complexity of what honor means to both Eleanor and Basaal, who find themselves together, yet set against one another, in the enigmatic court of Zarbadast.”

A Queen's Gambit Pinterest Board

I put this together over the weekend, images that remind me of The Queen's Gambit. Because pictures, pictures, pictures. And now that I'm back in the Pinterest game, I'll be adding more to it over time...

Here's the link for the full Pinterest board! I did try and put a one line description on each one.

I do have an image that reminds me a bit of Wil Traveler, but I haven't put it on because I can't decide if it's too specific or not. (You know? Each reader had their own character and no image of a person is ever meant to be the definitive answer for what a character may look like.) But, then again, some readers might find it helpful! There is an painting of a young red headed girl to represent Eleanor, but not necessarily be her. Perhaps that picture of Wil Traveler will be posted on the pinterest for the next book.

What do you think of the board? Any images you would add?

THE WANDERER'S MARK COVER REVEAL

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE...

I adore this cover. ADORE. I mean, as a writer, you dream/worry/think about your covers A LOT. Because you want it to be something that will convey the words, the journey, the characters that you have fought so hard for. And a fantastic cover can be SO DIFFICULT TO FIND. But when they come, stars align. Well, Kevin Cantrell has done JUST that. His intricate designs have reflected the stories--the beauty and flow of Aemogen, the ritual and herritage of Imirillia--and this third cover has taken all of those sensibilities, and adding to them the gravity of what these characters will face in The Wanderer's Mark.   

July 19th, I can't wait. 

ARE YOU READY FOR THE JOURNEY?

MAP OF THE IMIRILLIAN CONTINENT