Cover Art by Jason Pedersen
Legends of Windemere: Prodigy of Rainbow Tower is the book that really fleshed out the world of Windemere. Luke Callindor and friends had to travel across the kingdom of Ralian, so I had to design the terrain. Cities, towns, rivers, and the like had to be included to make Windemere feel like a real world. Things didn’t simply appear when the heroes were there and vanish when they left. I needed more meat on the skeleton I created in the first volume and a ‘road trip quest’ helped with this.
I really liked this book even though it was more episodic than the rest of the series. That might make it stand out a bit. Not to mention it was more an adventure than the localized quest in Beginning of a Hero. I had to shift the group due to players leaving and entering the game too. A cross-kingdom mission really helped with this because it gave a reason for Nyx to join and for other characters to leave. Major events and dangers helped to shake things up as well as allow Luke and Nyx to suffer some character developing tragedies. This episode style really helped me do this too.
Speaking of tragedies, Prodigy of Rainbow Tower is probably where I really stepped into the concept of punishing my heroes. I began to think about how I didn’t want it to be too easy. Luke and Nyx were out to save the world. Why should they get through it barely scathed? So, I made sure to give each one a major ‘failure’ in this adventure. Nyx definitely recovered more than Luke, but there was still a lasting effect that made her be more cautious with her magic. I realized how much more a character can learn and evolve from a loss than a victory. Makes sense in retrospect, but it was like a lightbulb moment back then.
I should probably talk about Nyx too. For those who don’t remember or know, this was the character my ex-wife played. Game version and book version are very different in power and personality though. People have asked if I would abandon the character or go back to rewrite the series without her. Seems a common thought is to simply erase characters based off people who end up hurting us. The thing is that the series was already done and published by the time of my divorce. Rewriting 15 books out of what sounds like spite doesn’t make sense. Future cameos of Nyx might not be what I originally planned and her brother/sister relationship with Luke is always going to be a challenge to write if it comes up again. This is where separating the character from the inspiration can come in handy. Nyx is not my ex-wife and I shouldn’t treat her as such. Wouldn’t be fair to her since I put so much effort into making her a fun character.
Almost forgot the biggest world-building piece to come out of Prodigy of Rainbow Tower. With Nyx’s introduction, I had to reveal my magic system. This might sound simply to people. Caster points finger, says words, and things happen. Unfortunately, making something that simple causes a lot of magical abuse and questions of why it isn’t used to solve every problem. Systems create limits and rules, which is what I needed even if Nyx was breaking them. I had already tinkered with the aura concept, which was inspired by the idea of using life energy/ki/chi/whatever. Giving everything on Windemere an aura meant that I had a high magic world too, which opened the door for a lot of my other ideas. This has always been a fun juggling act between showing off the magic and having restraint. Since finishing this book, I’ve found that it’s better to have a flexible system instead of a solid one that can’t be altered for situations. That means, Windemere’s magic system is still evolving and probably will continue to grow until I finish writing all of my books.
Questions 3:
- What would you do with magic?
- What is one of the most important factors in a friendship?
- Where have you gone on a road trip or would like to go?
Legends of Windemere 
1. Glad you were able to showcase your magic system. With magic, I would probably want the ability to grow things like one of my characters does. Or the ability to waterbend like Katara! 😊
2. Probably shared beliefs and tastes. I’m not saying my friends and I agree on everything. But I can trust their taste in movies and books.
3. I just came from Houston, but not under the best of circumstances. I’ve honestly haven’t been on a true road trip where you’re out there for the adventure since college probably. I have flown places like New Orleans just for the fun of going.
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1. Waterbending makes me nervous only because humans have so much in their bodies. I always feel like that power has more potential for evil than the other elements. Probably shouldn’t respond while tinkering with villain scenes.
2. Trusting taste in media is important. At the very least, an understanding of what I like and dislike.
3. Feels like going to places just for fun is hard to do as an adult.
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Yeah it did. There were a number of bloodbending episodes in Avatar and Korra.
Really is hard to drive for fun these days.
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With magic, I think I would try to eliminate hate. It’s tough to do, but it’s at least worth a try.
One of the most important factors in a friendship is that both consider what is best for the other.
My biggest road trip was with my best friend, traveling from Michigan to Miami, Florida. We drove a 1959 Thunderbird to Jacksonville and then hitchhiked to the Port of Miami, where we were signed up to crew on a barefoot cruise. We got delayed en route and missed the boat. There we were, homeless in Miami. We hitchhiked to Ft Lauderdale, got jobs, and stayed three months.
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Eliminating hate is a tough one. I’d be afraid of making people okay with things that they should hate like murder, theft, and greed. Still, you could always continue the path until you cleanse humanity of all negativity. Wild road trip you had. Do people still hitchhike?
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I have no idea if they hitchhike or not. Let’s say I haven’t seen any hitchhikers in a long time.
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I for one am glad you didn’t try to write Nyx out of the books. Fifteen books is a major accomplishment, and anyway, you were right to think it would be spiteful. Now to your questions.
1) What would you do with magic?
I, personally, would be sorely tempted to make my students try harder, but that’s kind of icky. Instead, I might do something like make my garden grow better.
2) What is one of the most important factors in a friendship?
Having interests in common, and being patient with each other.
3) Where have you gone on a road trip or would like to go?
I would love to visit Mesa Verde and see the cliff dwellings. We went there when I was about 15 and I’m overdue for another look.
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Patience with friends is definitely important. I like garden magic idea. You could even have it grow during the winter and survive harsh times.
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1. With Magic I would probably go with invisibility / cloaking myself and objects and places, so I can peacefully consume the happenings of the realm from my hidden little tower garden with a cup of herbal tea.
2. I can’t say, because to me real friendship means going together through everything, in some way or capacity, and would rather define it as : if someone is an outright bad, malicious and overly ignorant person with open interest on inflicting that painfully onto others – me and they cannot and will not be friends.
3. Never been on a roadtrip; would love to have one that is centered on visiting all the local lakes.
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Invisibility would be nice. I could use that sometimes when I just need a break. Though I’m sure someone will notice pizza disappearing and hear the tv being on. Love the idea of a lake tour.
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Thats why the tower with the garden would be needed for me, so I can have the solitude with minimum chance of intrusion, and the garden that could also be hidden and used by me to make food I can leave around and gift out.
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A cloaked haven. Nice idea.
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Rather than personal magic, when writing it, I prefer low magic environments. It’s probably because I’m lazy, but I avoid the temptation to over use it. Friendship just feels natural. Nobody is clingy, trust is involved, as well as fun. It should be enjoyable to hang out, and yet you’re there for each other when needed. Last years trip to move my daughter to New Hampshire will always stand out in my mind.
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Natural friendship seems like the holy grail. Always seems to be some periods of tension, but I guess that’s relationships in general.
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1. What have I done with magic. In my Wolves of Vimar series, magic flows around the world like invisible rivers. The flows run into each other and combine in places called ‘nodes’. Magic is stronger in these places. If several flows combine in one place, the magic is very strong. In these places, the mage towers were built. The flows of magic are inimical with water, and they dip deep underground. Magic cannot be used here, or it is unreliable.
In my Elemental Worlds duo, magic is used through charging gems. Different gems will absorb magic to produce different results, such as changing a person’s appearance, or allowing communication between people who speak a different language. Magicians are people who have an affinity for the gems.
2. What is the most important thing in a friendship. Trust.
3. One good road trip was driving from the UK to Dubrovnik. We called at Colmar, in France, staying on the bank of the Rhine. We also stayed in Padova, in Italy and visited Venice. We also visited Ljubljana and stayed in Zagreb. Stayed overnight in Split before ending in Dubrovnik.
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That sounds like a really fun trip.
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It was amazing.
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