@arcanumofthorns / arcanumofthorns.tumblr.com
The haunting ancient Celtic carnyx being played for an audience. This is the sound Roman soldiers would have heard their Celtic enemies make.
Man if I heard that shit while descending upon a strange land with my brethren I'd straight up dig a hole to die in right the and there, fuck the emperor fuck the gods that's a warning straight from the bones of an older evil and whatever is coming is worse than death
Currently working on Book 2 for Arcanum of Thorns, am only halfway through the manuscript and already have 100k words in,,,,
There's a 99.9% chance my future self tasked with editing the whole draft will have Regrets™️, but right now I have absolutely none. 😂
I have just started writing a fantasy novel based on Irish protohistory, druids and Irish mythology. It's still very much in the planning stage. Do you have any advice? 🌿🌿
Hi Tamoria,
Wow, that sounds amazing! I love anything with druids and Celtic mythology (obviously) so I’m always on the lookout for any books with the same themes! I’d love to read an excerpt when you start getting into it.
My advice for writing a fantasy book... 🤔🤔 To be honest I have so many!
1. Research names, mythology, cultures, writing tips and ideas, brainstorm plot ideas, relationships. Explore and play around with all the possible ideas and see which click with you, I can promise you there is already a world within you, you just need to put it into words and manifest it from imagination unto paper.
2. Get inspired. Watch movies, tv shows, read books and fan fiction even which inspires you, appeals to you or in some way is similar to what you want to create! This is such a useful tip. It’s the closest you can get to that feeling of “I’m watching/reading my own book unfold right now” and it’s so so powerful and motivating to get your book written and done.
3. Planning. You can either have a vague idea in your head and go from there, or have it planned A-to-B if that’s your thing, figure out what works best for you. For me it’s a combination of both and knowing when to be flexible. The point is to have at least a general idea of how it begins, what’s the middle bit, and how it ends, then keep filling in the blanks in between. It doesn’t matter if your process is chaotic as long as it works.
4. When writing scenes, most likely there will be times when certain chapters or scenes or moments are immediately more interesting and exciting/appealing to write - my tip, don’t ignore the call of it! Just write down in the moment whatever idea or inspiration you have, write down as much of it as you can wherever you can (post it, notes, sketchbook, etc), because 9 times out of 10, you will otherwise forget about it, or if you remember, you’ll lose/forget the “emotional undertone” of that idea, which is where the juice, the bloodline of a story is at.
5. Be open to feedback and critique - once your first draft is done, share it with closest friends or family or a chosen group of people. Revise, edit, polish it until it feels right, and I say right because it will never be perfect. Perfect is relative. What matters is for it to feel like it’s done - you’ll know when the time comes.
6. Bonus/optional - in case you want to share the story with the world, it’s good to decide whether you want to go the traditional route or self-publishing. Now for this I would advise to do your lengthy research on both because both have advantages and disadvantages, so pick which works best for your goals and artistic values.
I have so many other tips, maybe I will write an article to share them all.
Hope this helps and wishing you much luck in your writing endeavors, you’ve got this! 💚💚
- Lumen
“As Kaodhan descended into the village, the festival's bagpipes and drums grew louder, a thunder of clamor against his ears, which he welcomed with savage joy.
Bonfires everywhere, bodies painted with the swirls carrying blessings of abundance and fertility for the coming season. Everywhere people were dancing, laughing, the soles of their feet bare and covered in dirt, stomping against the earth to the contagious rhythm of the beat. A smile tugged at his lips, recognizing Dande's unmistakable hand in the drum beat from The Fields. Students were rushing from one location to another, exploring, adventuring, reuniting with other colleagues. Friends playing hide and seek, lovers delving into the privacy of the boundless forests, honoring the Faerie Queen, the traditions, the gods and themselves by embodying the fire that bestowed blessings upon their hearths and crops.
Meanwhile, children lay at home at this late hour, lulled to sleep by folk tales and stories of the Tuatha de Dannan.
A young couple dove past Kaodhan, nearly bumping into him and then stumbling into each other. Their cheeks were flushed, leaving behind only a trail of breathless laughter and the smell of woodsmoke, clean sweat and the musk of living earth.“
© S.K. Lumen From Celtic fantasy series Arcanum of Thorns
Over the years I tend to forget just how much work I’ve invested into the Moonrose world. Essentially 15 years’ worth of sketchbooks and notebooks overflowing with stacks of paper and clippings and drawings and photos and sticky-notes. They are the living and breathing foundation of all that has come after, and it’s always a delight to open them and sift through the old pages, trace all the carefully-drawn lines accorded to my much loved imagination. The familiar, welcoming, warm feeling every time I lose myself in all of it. Remembering what I thought and felt at the time of writing it, or what I was going through in life at that time. My writing has always accompanied me throughout life, and I’m grateful that looking back on the past helps remind me why I do this, why I love writing and creating art, and why it’s unequivocally what I stand for.
There’s nothing quite as soul-healing as coming back home to your magical world. To inkstained fingers and scribbling and sketching on paper, whirling up new ideas, playing with watercolors and acrylics and oils. Organizing lists and polishing chapter titles, reading older snippets and connecting the dots to create new ones. Finding the frayed edges of the latest chapter’s latest paragraph, and picking them up one by one to yet again weave a beautiful tapestry that opens the door to my favorite realms. It’s good to be home.
Happy new year dears! 💚 Here’s to another year filled with new chapters, writings, magical photography and new oil paintings. Another year immersed in the magic of one’s inner world...
-Lumen
© S.K. Lumen, from Celtic fantasy series Arcanum of Thorns (Book II)
© S.K. Lumen, from Celtic fantasy series Arcanum of Thorns (Book II)
-- Char, to Kaodhan Deodar.
So what’s the status on the book and what’s going on at the moment? I’ll be honest with you guys, as I’d always prefer to be, because a book is a doorway that goes both ways, and once that world is created, its sole purpose lies in being shared with others.
And so, I’ll say a lot of things have changed since last year, namely my plans with AOT. After lengthy research I’d decided that self-publishing was the way to go for me. As a perfectionist, I like to have full control over what is unfolding with my projects that I dedicate so much time and effort into. I’ve always had a clear idea for all the projects I work on: designing, planning, writing, illustrating, everything. And anything other than that set goal is not what I’m working towards. I like to give it my all, or not at all.
In light of this, I’ve re-evaluated my plans with AOT, and currently looking to polish the completed manuscript via betareaders, editing, etc. I’d love to provide a clear date of when Arcanum of Thorns will finally be available on the internet and in libraries, whether that’s 6 months, 1 year or more; but at the moment it’s still in the works, and I will let you know as soon as things unfold more!
In the meantime, know that I much appreciate your support, whether that’s feedback, sharing AOT content or dropping me an ask if you want to discuss any aspect of the story, characters, or Celtic history. Storytime is always fun, as is only natural for the Celtic way...
Much love always, 💚 Lumen
Photography © S.K. Lumen For Celtic fantasy series Arcanum of Thorns
Photography © S.K. Lumen For Celtic fantasy series Arcanum of Thorns
“Look for me in the farthest reaches of the world, deep in the hollows of mountains, where no corrupted mortal law has ever reached. Look for me beyond the mist, beyond the twisted pathways that protect the last sanctuary for those like us.”
Photography and quote from Celtic fantasy series Arcanum of Thorns (c) S.K. Lumen
The Jaguar Oil on canvas, 40x45. (edited)
Underneath the dancing lights of the otherworldly sky, the wanderer wild at heart gazes up at the stars in search of answers.
From Celtic fantasy books Arcanum of Thorns © S.K. Lumen
“Tread with care amid the bounty of wild woodlands, And always mind, should you gift a friend or foe with drink, That Solwater cures one creature and poisons another; Else you’ll awaken by the gods' court sooner than you think...”
Photography and fragment from Celtic fantasy series Arcanum of Thorns © S.K. Lumen
