Hey guys, welcome back! So, I am officially diving into my second full read-through of The Heart of the Blood Moon, and entering the editing trenches.

If the first read through was about fixing giant, embarrassing plot holes (you know, the classic referencing a conversation or something that hasn’t happened yet because you added it in later), this second read through is all about depth and detail.

Now that the skeleton of the story is sturdy, I get to do the fun part: layering in the atmosphere, deepening the lore, and making sure my realms actually feel alive. I’m also adding in details to give the characters more personality and backstory.

Right now, I’m going back through every scene set in the Underworld and the Ether to add real sensory details. So far I’ve only really sprinkled things here or there, but I really want to take this time to flesh it out even more. I want to smell and feel the heat of the lava, not just see it.

Because I built this mythology myself, I’m also playing a game of hide the lore. I want you to understand how Lenora’s domain works, but I don’t want just verbal diarrhoea at you all in one go, I want it to feel deliberate and smart. I’m trying to find clever, subtle ways to drop in world history through casual dialogue and surroundings.

There is no doubt there will be further read throughs to come. It’s slow going, but it’s so rewarding to watch the world on the page finally match the one in my head.

A question for you: When you’re reading a book, what is the #1 thing that makes a fantasy world feel real to you?