Jan 6, 2012

{Author Guest Post + Giveaway} Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder



Hello readers! Today I'm extremely excited to have one of my favorite author as a guest on SNR! Please welcome Maria V Snyder who is here to discuss how she maped out the realms in her new novel Touch of Power! Stay tuned at the end of the post for a chance to a copy of Touch of Power!
Don't forget to check out my 5 out of 5 start review: Touch of Power (Healer #1)

MAP QUEST for TOUCH OF POWER- Maria V. Synder

Since I write mostly fantasy, I’m often asked how I invent a new world.  My usual reply is I start with characters and a situation and the world develops from there.  And that’s how it worked with my Study and Glass series of books. 

Poison Study
begins with a woman on death row for murder, but I couldn’t have her commit a pre-meditated act or no one would like her.  So the society she lived in had to be strict enough to execute a person who killed in self-defense.  From there the Territory of Ixia was born with eight military districts and a powerful Military Dictator.  As I wrote the story, the southern lands of Sitia developed as a counterweight to Ixia, but I didn’t have a good map of Ixia and Sitia until after I wrote the third book, Fire Study

For my Insider books, I had dreamt the world.  It was all in my dream, so world-building in that case was easier.  But for Touch of Power, I needed a map right away.  I knew the characters would be traveling and from various countries so I needed a visual to help me keep track of everything.  And I must admit that was daunting. 

I love maps – always have and always will despite GPS and online directions.  I have a stack of them in my office for every state in the US.  I have all those beautiful maps that came with the subscription to National Geographic Magazine.  I also love to travel and the summer before writing Touch of Power, I was on a Baltic Sea cruise and visited Sweden, Finland, Russia, Latvia, and Poland.

Combine those two loves and I printed out a map of Eastern Europe.  I thought to traced the countries with a black marker and make them my Fifteen Realms.  I didn’t follow the real borders exactly (no fun in that).  Then I turned the map 90 degrees to the right and I had my Fifteen Realms.  I can’t take any credit for the idea of turning the map.  Wim Stolk, a writer/friend of mine gave me the idea (see Map 1).

Once I had a blank map, then I colored in the oceans and named everything (see Map 2).  As for the names of the Realms and the town names, I went back to my maps of Eastern Europe and Russia and found names of small towns that were interesting.  I made a list of them.  I changed the spelling of some or combined two, but kept most of them the same.  The name of the mountain chain, the Nine Mountains, isn’t on any map (that I know).  I named it that because Touch of Power is my ninth novel. J

Then I scanned my rough/colored map and used Photoshop to make it legible (see Map 3).  Not being an expert, I sent the file to my publisher where their artists converted into the beautiful map in the front of the book.  Easy, right? 

Oh, and I never trust my GPS – I always check its directions against a map, making sure I agree with it before leaving.  And if I agree, then I let it tell me where to go (it helps not to have to drive and look at a map – remember those days?).

Is anyone else a map-aholic?


AUTHOR BIO:
Maria V. Snyder switched careers from meteorologist to novelist when she began writing the New York Times best-selling Study Series (POISON STUDY, MAGIC STUDY and FIRE STUDY) about a young woman who becomes a poison taster.  When she’s not traveling, Maria lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, and daughter.

SERIES TITLE: The Healer Series
RELEASE DATE: January 2011
 BOOK SUMMARY:
Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos. Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!
Fill out the form Below
Grand prize: The grand prize will be on Maria V Snyder Website: Contest
a Rafflecopter giveaway

38 comments:

  1. Interesting post, I love learning about how TOP came together. Thanks for the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm not a mapaholic - I get lost a lot - but I do love Google maps!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Despite the fact that I have absolutely no sense of direction (even with a GPS) I've always loved maps! I once got my grandparents lost while trying to get from my childhood home to the grocery store... and I was in the car with them! But I think maps and globes are fascinating and I've actually collected them for years. Great post from one of my favorite authors!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love having maps while reading a book! It makes it easier to relate to the storyline!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love maps! I've always like globes and collected maps in my closet as a kid. I used them like wallpaper in the closet! The ironic part...is I get lost easily. LOL But I can find my way back. Thanks for sharing how you made your maps. It's in interesting process!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I use to use maps when I first moved into my new area, but I have a excellent sense of direction. Even if I'm lost, I'm pretty good at getting back on track without needing to use any help.

    However, I do use maps but i wouldn't call myself a mapaholic.

    As for Mapquest, I use it a lot when I'm trying to see how far place A is from place B. When I'm in the car though, I use the GPS.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great comments everyone! Im a similar to those who even get lost with a GPS...Sadly yes... But I love Maria's map of the realm its really set a picture in your head to where the lead characters Kerrick and Avry are heading too.

    Thanks for the comments! Keep them coming!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Awesome post! I wish I were a mapaholic - maybe I wouldn't get lost all the time! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  9. I am not a mapaholic, I've always hated folding them. I think your maps are fascinating. I can see where they would come in handy to a writer.

    seriousreader at live dot com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yes I'm a Mapaholic, I cant go anywhere with out getting lost. LOL Your map quest was interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I do love maps. I get turned around sometimes, but if an author includes one, I appreciate knowing how everything lays out in his/her mind. :) I love how Maria used Europe for a base and the naming of everything. That part sounds really fun.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I like old maps, and I enjoy trying to figure out where stuff is with maps. It always feels good to get my bearings and think I might be able to actually find where the place is that I'm looking up. I think Maria did a great job on her Map Quest, I sure couldn't do it.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I do love maps. I remember making my own as a child. Nothing flash, but fun.

    Maria's Map Quest is wonderful.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm a huge mapaholic! I think they add so much to the story. I love seeing it in a picture. Adds to the world building for me.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm SO excited to read this book!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I love maps INCLUDED in books. It makes it much easer to picture their route.
    Using one to actually get somewhere... well lets just say I'm always lost.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I loooove maps! I find them challenging and exciting at the same time. I do feel your map quest. I consult your map when I was reading the map series. And even the floor plan of the magician's keep. haha!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thank goodness for GPS. I use to get lost so often going to the beach, that I'd go the same wrong way every time cause it looked so familiar.

    ReplyDelete
  19. That is amazing to learn about how she created the maps! I can't wait to read the book!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love maps - I have a huge collection of old ones from National Geographics. One of these days I'll frame some of them...

    I always get lost when using a GPS - I need a big picture map to orient myself first, otherwise my sense of direction is all out of whack.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I wouldn't say I'm a map-aholic, but I found this post to be very interesting! I think it is important to map out a fantasy-land for a story...it makes the writing more realistic, so good job Maria!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I definitely am not a map-aholic since I'm very bad at using them! I love the process you go through Maria in making your maps!

    ReplyDelete
  23. شركة هندسية صناعية /
    : أنواعها، ومكوناتها والفرق بينها وبين غلايات المياه الساخنة.
    الغلايات البخارية هي نوع من انواع المبادلات الحرارية التي تعتمد على انتقال الحرارة من اللهب الى الماء، حيث يتم تسخينُه إلى درجة الغليان، فينتج عن ذلك بخار، يُستخدم البخار الناتج في كثير من الأغراض الصناعية، ومحطات توليد الطاقة، والتدفئة المركزية للمنشئات.
    انواع الغلايات:
    1- غلايات مواسير اللهب FIRE TUbE وهى الغلايات التى تعتمد فى عملها بان يكون اللهب بداخل المواسير والمياه فى الحيز الخارجى بين المواسير.
    2- غلايات مواسير المياه water tube وهى الغلايات التى تعتمد فى عملها بان يكون اللهب خارج المواسير فى الحيز الخارجى وحولها والمياه داخل المواسير.
    3- غلايات رأسية وافقية وذلك من حيث محور وضع جدار الغلاية للارض vertical &horizontal boilers
    4- غلايات طبقا للوقود المستخدم ( مازوت - سولار - غاز طبيعى ).
    مكونات أنظمة الغلايات البخارية:
    يتكون تصميم المرجل من 3 مكونات رئيسية:
    1. نظام تغذية المياه:
    نوعان، نظام تغذية مغلق ونظام تغذية مفتوح، ودوره الأساسي تنظيم دورة الماء المراد تحويله إلى بخار.
    2. نظام البخار:
    هو النظام الرئيسي في المرجل ومسؤول عن التحكم وجمع البخار المتولد من تلك العملية
    3. نظام الوقود:
    يتوقف علي نوع الوقود المستخدم:
    الوقود الصلب: ويشمل عدة أشياء منها الفحم والخشب وفحم الكوك وقشر الأرز وقوالب الفحم.
    الوقود السائل: يشمل زيت الفرن وزيت الديزل الخفيف.
    الوقود الغازي: يشمل سوائل الغاز الطبيعي والغاز الطبيعي المسال، والغاز الطبيعي بالأنابيب.

    الفرق بين الغلايات البخارية و شركة تصنيع معدات هندسية /:
    يمكن أن يستخدم كلا النوعين من الغلايات الغاز أو الكهرباء أو الزيت لتوليد الطاقة. إضافة إلى ذلك، كلاهما يستخدم الماء الساخن كمصدر رئيسي للحرارة. ومع ذلك، فإن كيفية توليد الحرارة هو ما يميزهم:

    تعمل الغلاية البخارية على تسخين الماء إلى درجة الغليان من أجل توليد البخار. بعد ذلك، ينتقل البخار عبر شبكة من الأنابيب إلى المشعات حول منزلك. من ناحية أخرى، تقوم غلاية الماء الساخن بتسخين الماء حتى يسخن بدرجة كافية. ثم يدفع الماء الساخن عبر شبكة مماثلة من الأنابيب إلى المشعات. عندما يتكثف البخار أو يبرد الماء، فإنه يعود إلى الغلاية ويعاد تسخينه.
    صيانة الغلايات:
    تعد الصيانة الدورية أمرًا بالغ الأهمية لضمان بقاء نظام المرجل موثوقًا وآمنًا وفعالًا.إن اتباع جدول الصيانة المنتظم لغلايتك البخارية، سيؤدي إلي تقليل الأعطال وانقطاع الخدمة، فيما يلي توصيات للمهام اليومية والأسبوعية والشهرية ونصف السنوية والسنوية. كما هو الحال دائمًا، اتبع توصيات الشركة المصنعة للصيانة الروتينية واحتفظ بسجل سجل الغلايات يوميًا.
    أسباب انفجار الغلايات البخارية:
    1- انخفاض مستوى المياه في المرجل.
    2- زيادة تسخين بعض الأجزاء المعدنية المعرضة للهب.
    3- عيوب اللحامات أو الخامات المستخدمة للغلاية.
    4- وجود تكلسات بطبقة سميكة على جدار المرجل.
    5- وجود نسبة عالية من الحديد في مياه الغلاية مما يساعد على تآكل الجسم
    و لتفادي حدوث الانفجار لابد من أتباع عدة خطوات و منها عدم تغذية الغلاية بمياه باردة أثناء عملها وهى ساخنة، لأن التغيرات المفاجئة في درجات الحرارة تؤدى إلى تأكل بدن الغلاية و مواسير اللهب، و أيضا من الخطوات المهم أتخاذها فحص خط الوقود و ما بها من صمامات و أن تكون تعمل بشكل صحيح من دون تسريب.

    ReplyDelete
  24. allez vers ces gars designer répliques de bagages Lire le rapport complet Vérifiez ceci regardez ce que j'ai trouvé www.dolabuy.su

    ReplyDelete
  25. Congratulations on your article, it was very helpful and successful. 84b40f7ef4e51b98532c551c23085d1b
    website kurma
    website kurma
    numara onay

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank you for your explanation, very good content. 2ff883fc62283a4b142a790c9728b548
    define dedektörü

    ReplyDelete