The True World and the Four Mirror Worlds

Once upon a time, before there was a world, any world, there existed two gods.  

The first, Aesok, delighted in making things: he crushed stars together and then spun them out again like wool, he constructed mountains and waterfalls and forests, and when he finished he unmade them and began anew every morning.  

Until one day he created something so beautiful he wanted to preserve it. Over the days that followed, he added to it, making it ever-more complex.  This was the first world, the True World.

One day Aesok's younger brother, Besok, wandered by. In the past Aesok had made many wonderful toys for Besok, and he wanted to play with the True World. But Aesok couldn't bear to see his creation harmed so he wove magical protections around it.

Angry, Besok decided to make a world of his own. Lacking the spark of creativity, Besok copied Aesok's world. But he was lazy and did not take the time and care with it that Aesok had. 

The first world he made, he used too much heat. This became Fire World.

On his second attempt, he tried to remedy his first mistake and used too much liquid, submerging much of the surface. This became Water.

The third time he used mud, and this hardened into Stone. The fourth time he used his breath and this became the Air World.

None of his worlds were as good as the True World and soon Besok grew bored. He wandered off and forgot to destroy his pitiful creations, and so the Mirror Worlds came to be.

I had a lot of fun creating the mythos for my otherselves series and making each world different yet linked.

Fire World is a medieval fantasy world where only the hot-blooded nobility can check the Volcano Lords in check. It's magical creature is a dragon.

Water World is our world with some paranormal elements thrown in. It's magical creature is a siren/merman with a persuasive silver-tongue.

Stone World is more of a dystopia. After a terrible disaster, the remnants of human civilization were forced to abandon most of their technoogy and live below the earth in caverns. Its magical creature is a gargoyle.

Air World has a Victorian steampunk feel. The long-winded nobility control the winds and fly dirigibles in the Grand Current. Its magical creature is a Phantom, who can fly and is invisible.

The True World is futuristic, a place of both magic and technology. It's magical creature is a demi-god.

Book one, Through Fire & Sea, is set on Fire World and Water World. Book two, Amid Wind & Stone, is set on Stone World and Air World (forthcoming March 2016). Book three, In Truth & Ashes, features the True World plus a return to Fire World.

Intrigued? Read a sample chapter here. Or add it on Goodreads.