craft of writing – R. Leonia Shea

Truthfully, I wanted to blow something up, metaphorically speaking. I wanted a big, magical explosion, and then I wanted to see what my characters did with it. I could have chosen any location, but I picked one with the power to transport you anywhere: from the depths of the sea to the far reaches of space, and everywhere in between: a library.

Okay, so a magical library where the possibilities for great adventures are increased a million-fold. But rather than destroying it, I wanted to trap people. People I care about. People I enjoy writing into existence. But I wanted to write them out of existence and send them NOWHERE.

That’s how Shattered Magic began. It was my opening scene from day one: a library. A catastrophe. Chaos. And poof! my trapped characters were lost.

And then… I was equally lost. The book stopped cold. It simmered in the back of my brain for months. I tried to dissuade myself, tried to pick a new opener, but it didn’t feel right. I loved it, my folded library too much to give up. So I let the story sit, as I usually do. And the answer to my literary dilemma came from a WhyFiles YouTube video on liminal spaces.

And we were off.

I didn’t invent the concept, but when I discovered it, it was like the universe was smacking me over the head, begging me to use it. So I did a deep dive into liminal spaces – airports, train stations, doorways, even elevators – and discovered that between here and there lies a place that’s both and neither. A place where you’re waiting to move on. Where possibilities are everywhere. These spaces aren’t meant to be inhabited long-term; they’re transitional, designed for waiting until you move on to your next destination.

There’s a long history of lore about liminal spaces, too. In ancient times, people buried small protective figures beneath doorways to keep evil spirits from slipping through, because they believed all liminal spaces had the potential to let anything through, and it’s better to guard against trouble than try to get rid of it.

And yes, there’s a disorienting feeling to being in one of these places for too long. Time seems suspended because, rather than being present where you are, you’re anticipating moving on. Think of a snowed-in airport – nobody’s supposed to be sleeping on the floor, and I’m pretty sure nobody gets quality rest when they have to do that – but all of those people are trapped between where they came from and where they’re going. And airports, train stations, and other liminal spaces aren’t designed for long-term occupation.

Psychologists describe liminal spaces as places of transformation, uncertainty, and possibility. Perfect for fantasy, right? So that library explosion turned into a journey through liminal spaces that forced my characters to grow. By trapping them in a place that’s neither here nor there, I could explore who they are when the world goes sideways. Chaos became possibility, fear became personal, and a simple “what/when” question – what happens to people when they’re trapped nowhere for too long? – turned into a story about choices, courage, and the quirks of the people I love to put on the page.

Here’s another honest fact that didn’t occur to me until I was writing this post: I was in my own liminal space while I finished that book. Caught between the career I left and the one I was starting. Sometimes, the in-between is exactly where you want to be, and sometimes serendipity sneaks up on you.

I’m deep into research for the next book in the Relic Hunter series and wanted to take a moment to talk about what that looks like for an Urban Fantasy author. Since I write a contemporary story using historical objects and myths, getting my characters from point A to point B involves a lot of – well, magic.

I start with a region – or a myth – and then I follow all of the online rabbit holes I fall into until it all comes together. And it does come together, like a little miracle the universe created just for me.

Okay, maybe it isn’t really created just for me – but it sure feels like that today!

I’ve been hot on the trail of my main villain in the series since the last book, but I didn’t know how I was going to get Ari and the gang to hook up with my mystery villain – until today – during my seventh marathon tumble down some pretty amazing rabbit-holes that all lead to the same place – or at least I can make them lead there by taking a few short, logical leaps.

I wonder if this is what Dan Brown goes through. I wonder if he has an idea for his protagonist and then the story just plays itself out in the research. Maybe someday I can ask him. But since today isn’t that day, let me tell you about my process for this book.

You probably remember I’ve used the concept of syncretism several times in my books. Simply put, syncretism is combining different beliefs and merging or assimilating them into one theology or mythology. Think of Ancient Rome – when they conquered a new region, they incorporated the gods and beliefs of that religion into the greater system of Roman religion. It made the conquered feel like their old ways were valued and available, so that was a win for Rome – the downside for us modern writers is it’s hard to figure out what originated where because the more recent (Roman) versions are an amalgamation of everything that came before from every region they conquered.

This time, I’ve left my comfort zone of Rome and traveled back to the Achaemenid Empire (Persia) and guess what? The Romans didn’t invent syncretism. The ancient world is a mish-mash of legends and myths that traveled from Hellenistic Greece, through the Persian Empire, the Empire of Alexander the Great, and ancient Egypt. The threads are thin and knotted – but they’re there.

So let me take a moment to give a huge shout-out to all of the archaeologists and scholars who followed those knotted threads to find the origins of the stories that are about to get woven into the relic hunter universe.

I have a layout – but this trail is at least two books until the arc can be closed – so get ready for another wild ride – this time through the desert sands of Persia!