Writing Historical Fantasy with a Twist and Alternate Timelines

Without a doubt, I love history. I love to understand the details that made civilizations from one period to the next. I adore looking at pictures of styles and fashion throughout various time periods. It’s always been fun to learn history and how impacts our current day.

With historical fantasy I get to write about history, but for The Planar Pages I added a twist. I created an alternate world that combined aspects of different historical eras. This let me capture the feel of historical periods while also crafting a unique world of my own.

World-building with Historical Inspiration

When building my world, I looked to various periods of history for inspiration. The architecture, clothing, weapons, and culture of one page may be inspired by Elizabethan England, while another page resembles the Italian Renaissance, and still another has echoes of the Roman Empire. However, none directly represents any single historical period or place. I mix and match elements to create a new whole for each of the pages.

This approach allows me to give an appearance of realism by including familiar historical details! It also lets me embrace my queer normative setting to the fullest. The result is a world you recognize, but still find fantastical and new. When I borrow pieces from history, I do loads of research to get accurate details to twist. I have fun blending times, places, and cultures as I see fit!

An Alternate Flow of Time

In The Book (what page turner’s call these new and opened realms), time does not progress the same way as it did in our history. The different pages are not on the same technological or social trajectory as the creatures inhabiting, or major events (like the opening of the pages) have impacted history. One page may experience political upheaval while another page is enjoying a peaceful Renaissance, and still another is riding the golden age of enlightenment. Of course, the characters don’t know just how intertwined their history is! When characters encounter different “eras” in their travels they work to fit in, simply blend in for a moment, or stay their unique selves with interesting impact. I hope you enjoy the interaction of societies of different levels of technology and politics in The Planar Pages.