Hello all. My name is KS Turner and you, my friends, can call me Kate. I’m the author of three epic fantasy books, so far; Before the Gods, Tumultus, and Time: The Immortal Divide. These three (large) novels make up The Chronicles of Fate and Choice trilogy. Today, I’m having a nice chat about dreams and how dreams have inspired my writing.
We all dream when we sleep, but not many people have good dream recall, so those wild imaginings often go forgotten. I, luckily, have wild, fantastic and often horrific dreams and I usually remember them all. It’s these dreams, when my mind is allowed to roam freely, that have become the inspiration behind my novels.
Do you have repetitive dreams? You know; those ones that happen over and over again? Well, it was a series of repetitive dreams that really set alight my inspiration. The dreams started quite simply; I was standing atop a hill. Below me were warriors. Thousands of them; all preparing for battle. They looked like humans, but so much more. They were broad and tall, much taller than a human, and I could see their energy flowing around them. Some, their energy looked like wings, undulating with directed purpose, as if tasting the air and emitting their formidable intent. Their attire was fascinating – a cross between ancient armour and futuristic, Dune-style matte-black fusions onto their skin. They all emitted the same fearless power. Within that dream, I was spell bound, yet I knew something dreadful was about to happen.
At first, I would dream the exact same thing, standing atop that hill. But then, one night, those dreams started to change. Stood atop that hill, I turned and beside me was another being, also watching. He was beautiful. I mean, really beautiful, and I loved him like the oldest friend. His eyes were all-violet, radiating light, staring ahead with cat-like poise. His hair was alive, dancing around his shoulders, sensing any change in the atmosphere. He turned to me and said, “Are you sure you are ready?”
From this point, my dreaming continued, yet never repeated. I would see different characters in different situations and all seemed part of a much bigger story. Sometimes I was merely watching. Others, I would be interactive, a character myself.
I never had the full story from The Chronicles of Fate and Choice from my dreams. It was more a case of seeing snippets and I had to put those snippets together like fragments of a jigsaw. Sometimes, it was just one image, a still image, that would not go away and haunted my daily thinking. Those still images were often accompanied by an emotion or knowledge, as if the rest of the story was somewhere deep in the recesses of my mind, yet not talking to my conscious self. I would take those images and those emotions and give them the shape, with words, that they already wanted to be.
I completely understand when I hear authors talk about their characters as if they are real people. My characters, I know with a depth far deeper than it’s possible to understand most living people, as the connection is always with me. The scenes have been dreamt with vividness and there have been moments of emotions across the spectrum. Our minds are free when we dream, so it’s natural that they have the most spectacular thoughts.
So, if you have a desire to create, using your dreams as inspiration is a fantastic, deep, and already connected option. It can work. See those dreams like parts of a much bigger film, all being played in your head. And then draw, write, sculpt, create music, whatever artistic medium you are drawn towards, and reflect those dreams. After all, who knows what glories you may uncover.
The Immortal Divide
The Chronicles of Fate and Choice trilogy
Book Three
KS Turner
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Ruby Blaze Publishing
Publication date: 29th October 2016
Pages: 576
Paperback: 978-0-9562242-9-3
EBook: 978-0-9562242-7-9
About the Book:
This is when it will change.
For them. For us. For everyone.
Destiny, freewill, intent, magic, science, life, everything.
This is when all those named gods will fight to the end.
This world and all worlds are fated to end. The prophet, Jychanumun, has tried to prevent it. He has spent millennia walking between life and death to find a way. The powerful Shaa-kutu have tried to prevent it. They have fought with wits and weapons and given their all. Despite their best, nothing seems capable of stopping the formidable Arrunn from completing his final fateful move. So, can Tachra change that fate?
Tachra stands between shadow and light. She has no tools or weapons, only the Earth power and true-vision. Perhaps her fellow humans will ascend to greater knowledge and unlock a new discovery. Or, if she can decipher the Book of Fate, perhaps that will hold a key to saving them all. But when that last prophecy comes, will she make the right choice?
After all, that fate has already been written:
"If any survive, it will be known as the three day darkness. If none survive, the darkness will swallow all."
About The Chronicles of Fate and Choice Trilogy
The first two books in The Chronicles of Fate and Choice (Before The Gods and Tumultus) have reached fantasy fiction fans around the world and many thousands of copies have been sold. Hugely popular in libraries and with fan mail being sent to the British author, KS Turner, from as far afield as Australia and India, it is clear that this trilogy has far-reaching appeal. Kate explains some more about the stories: “The novels have powerful characters. The kutu are angels, or gods, or aliens, or indeed all three. I think the human, Tachra, describes them perfectly in the prologue of Tumultus:
‘These kutu are beautiful, intelligent and strong. They exist in a state of energy and matter, and are able to live in any combination of the two. They thrive on change and are constantly moving, seeking to be the best that they can be. The kutu feel and think much as humans do, only more, much more. They are capable of great things, great thoughts and great acts. They can fly like birds when they wish, using their energy wings. I’ve seen them. They can eat as we eat, when in flesh. I have feasted with them. And when they laugh, it lights up the air with the most beautiful colours: fluid, luminous and glittering colours that reflect their very nature. I see their condensed power; it swirls around them in colours that we have no name for. I see their thoughts. All thoughts have intent, complex or simple, and theirs share aspects of both. And I can see inside their souls. Like a map of three-dimensional shapes their essences are clear to me, if I look.'
Along with these striking kutu, and the innocence of early humans here on Earth, I wanted the novels to be action based with weaving plots and sub-plots. But, I also wanted to tackle some of the biggest questions through the novels; questions about our origins, life, death, evil, consciousness and choice. I know... I do like to bite off a big chunk. And this trilogy deserves the biggest chunk I can manage.”
About the Author:
Originally trained as an illustrator and designer at Saint Martins School of Art and at Middlesex University, KS Turner turned to fiction when she saw the limitless possibilities of connectivity it offered. Before her shift in career, she worked as a fashion designer for major high-street brands, a graphic designer for musicians, and a product designer for corporations, as well as dabbling with designing technology, sustainable energy, and textiles.
A vivid series of dreams were the inspiration for the Chronicles of Fate and Choice books. Kate initially tried illustrating her dreams, but found the medium too limiting for the story she had seen, so began writing. At first she didn’t have any intention of writing novels, but the books soon started to come together.
Her first two novels, Before the Gods, and Tumultus, were featured in many magazines, won book of the month with Spirit and Destiny magazine, fantasy of the year with Bookbag, and the ‘Must Read Now’ awards with SciFiNow magazine.
When Kate isn't writing, she draws, paints and sculpts as well as studying maths, science, theology and philosophy. She loves to play music, explore, nurture nature and spend time with friends and family. She lives in Somerset.
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1 comment:
Love the sound of this book...!
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