Building Thalveryan: The Covenant of the Veil and The Covenant of Ash

 Building Thalveryan: The Covenant of the Veil and The Covenant of Ash

Writing The Covenant of the Veil and The Covenant of Ash has been one of the most ambitious creative journeys I’ve taken so far. These two witchcraft stories required me to story map more than any other books I’ve written. I had to think carefully about the world itself—Thalveryan—and how it functions, then build its history, rules, and the people who live there.

One of the biggest challenges was creating the Eight Witching Families. Each family needed their own powers, responsibilities, and place within Thalveryan’s society. On top of that, I had to craft a wide range of characters who felt unique, fully realized, and essential to the story.

To help bring these characters to life, I even used AI to generate visual references. I wrote detailed descriptions and went through many iterations until the images matched what I saw in my mind. My plan is to eventually use these images as a foundation for an illustrator, who can reimagine and refine them for future projects.

What I’ve enjoyed most about writing these books is the act of creation itself. I have immersed myself in shaping a new world, developing its magic, and weaving together the stories of its people. I’m far from done. I plan to write a series of books for each of the Eight Witching Families, giving readers the chance to explore Thalveryan from many different angles. I’m even considering expanding my notes into a companion book entirely about Thalveryan, so readers can dive deeper into the world behind the stories.

For me, The Covenant of the Veil and The Covenant of Ash are just the beginning of an exciting journey into a world that has already captured my imagination and I can’t wait to share more of it.