SHOW NOTES

Quick overview of this week's show:

• An update on my Sound Mage Sonata urban fantasy series and why it's the most different thing I've ever done
• Research I'm doing into the Middle East since my series will take place there

TRANSCRIPT

Did you know that the tallest skyscraper in the world is in Dubai?

Did you know that there’s a skyscraper hotel in Dubai that has a balcony with a swimming pool on every floor?

Did you know that in the Middle East, owls are considered symbols of destruction and ruin?

Oh, and camels. Yeah, camels. They’re awesome.

***

Hello Anchor Nation, and welcome to Chapter 3 of the podcast.

I teased in the first episode that the weeks where I talk about my behind the scenes process would be the most interesting weeks of the show. I hope this week lives up to that.

I’m in the middle of research for my newest series, The Sound Mage Sonata. It’s an urban fantasy with a male hero. I thought I would spend some time talking about what I’m researching.

My last venture into urban fantasy didn’t fare so well for me. My Magic Trackers series was the worst performing launch I’ve ever experienced in my career, actually. Some people might even wonder why I’m even writing urban fantasy if my first true venture into the genre was a flop.

Because I don’t give up, that’s why! And book sales don’t matter too much to me. As I've talked about before, I care more about a quality product and branding. I wanted to do something different with this new series that broke some new ground.

[CUE MUSIC]

An Urban Fantasy in the Middle East

My Sound Mage Sonata series is a different kind of story. Think standard #urbanfantasy meets the Arabian Nights and Prince of Persia. Instead of Chicago or London, this series will take place in a city inspired by Dubai. https://t.co/Uss26E4sLe #writing #booksaremagic pic.twitter.com/0pbp2MvR0g

— Michael La Ronn (@MichaelLaRonn) April 3, 2018

Instead of werewolves or vampires, there will be jinn and creatures inspired by Arabic folklore.

Instead of being a wizard or a hunter, the hero is a “sound mage”—one who creates magic through sound. It’s the most interesting and nuanced magic system I have created yet.

The hero is a prince who witnesses the death of his family by a murderous jinn who ascends to the throne and becomes a fearsome sultana. In a final act of love, his mother changes his appearance and casts the prince into the underbelly of the giant city—this time as a regular, powerless citizen. What happens next is complicated, and not what you expect…

This is not a story of revenge, but instead, redemption. And humility.

***

Whenever I’m researching for a new series, I gather as much as I can. I start a Pinterest board and collect images and art, so I explored a lot of Arabic art. See the show notes for a link to my Pinterest board.

Something really cool about Arabic art: Did you know that Arabic art focuses less on portraying people and more on portraying patterns and designs? You’ve probably seen the beautiful arabesques, those geometric designs that seem to repeat forever. The reason for this is because Muslims prefer to use art to show the indivisibility and infinite beauty and power of God.

I also delved into what life is like in Dubai. Since this story is an urban fantasy, it won’t be the tired, Arabian Nights cliche that seems to be really over-used.

Interesting Facts About the Middle East

I wanted this story to be Middle East meets West, where both cultures co-exist as their own kind of world.

That led me all kinds of fun rabbit holes, like the history of Dubai and Arabic customs, and even Arabian wildlife. I read an article titled “Birds of the Arabian Night” which was absolutely fascinating.

[CUE bird sound]

Did you know that falconry is a treasured sport in the United Arab Emirates? Seriously, it’s a big deal. Did you also know that camel racing is a big deal there, too? Some of the YouTube documentaries on it were amazing. Actually, I spent way too much time watching camel videos.

Another thing I’ve been researching is music. I write to music, so I like to develop a playlist I can listen to to help me get in the spirit of story. I was a musician prior to being an author, and I have some pretty eclectic music tastes, so Middle Eastern music was already something I was familiar with. But I spent a lot of time listening to Middle Eastern hip hop and a style of music called Trip, which is electronic music with Arabic instruments. Some of the samples are really fun and catchy. I also studied the storied history of Middle Eastern instruments. If you ever have some time, listen to oud music. It’s a middle eastern instrument similar to a lute, but it has a unique sound and when played, it’s like listening to a storyteller. In fact, my main character in the Sound Mage Sonata’s instrument of choice is an oud.

[Cue oud music clip]

Islam

I’ve also been reading the Quran, since no understanding of the Middle East is complete without understanding Islam.
I’ve read parts of the Quran in the past, but not as deeply as I have now. There are some pretty cool videos from progressive Muslims on interpretations of certain passages that made me think about God in a different way. I am grateful for those videos.

I know that Islam can get a bad rap in the media, and I don’t agree with everything it espouses, but reading some of the Quran has given me a new appreciation for the religion and its view of the world.

Essentially, what I want to accomplish with this series is to use Eastern philosophy as the basis for the undercurrents of the story. Nothing political or controversial, but instead a different of seeing the world. I can’t talk too much more about this without some major spoilers, but every series I write has a different worldview. The Sound Mage Sonata will be no different.

So far, I’ve been soaking up as much as I can about life in the Middle East, how people talk, Arabic words, the Qu’ran, nightlife, architecture, etc. You name it, I’ve been paying attention.

I’m taking a big gamble featuring my next urban fantasy series in a middle Eastern setting—it’s unusual and to my knowledge hasn’t been done quite like this. But if you know anything about me, I’m all about taking risks.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Benjamin Franklin 

What do you think of this week's episode? Sound off in the comments!