One of the most challenging aspects of making a different world is finding a way to infuse fiction into reality. Readers must be able to navigate through the story without being bogged down by unfamiliar places and lengthy descriptions. Weaving familiar images into fantasy serves as an anchor, giving the reader a visual they’ve experienced. When creating Kailmeyra, I wanted distinctive traits that would identify the land without being overpowering–something that could be a constant and yet not get in the way of the story itself.

Color is one of the simplest, yet most powerful, ways of changing someone’s perception. Purple is the combination of blue’s stability with that or red’s fierceness. It is associated with power, ambition, and nobility, and also represents wisdom, peace, and creativity. Throughout history, purple was worn by royalty. Rarely found in nature, flowers of this hue are considered precious.

The fact that the moon is an “Amethyst light” is no accident. Amethyst was believed in mid-evil times to control evil thoughts, quicken intelligence, and keep demons away.

And that is how Kailmeyra got its purple moon. 🙂