Mixing Fantasy with Romance by C.L. Wilson

I am a long time reader of fantasy novels and romance novels. And when I set out to write the Tairen Soul series, my intent was to combine my two favorite genres – epic fantasy and historical romance – in a way that had never been done before but also in a way that would (I hoped) appeal to the readers of both genres.

Mixing the two caused me a number of challenges, including (a) finding a way to mix the basic requirements of two distinct genres in a way that did credit to them both, and (b) creating a plot that could sustain both the romantic and the fantasy plot development over the course of several books.

A typical fantasy novel differentiates itself from all other forms of fiction via two (and most typically three) key elements:

(1) an alternate world (or alternate earth reality) based on an imagined set of rules, typically inhabited by lifeforms that do not (and generally could not) exist in the real world (Note: science fiction differs from fantasy in that the elements of the alternate world and any alternate lifeforms should have some basis in accepted scientific laws and theories.)

(2) A fantasy quest. The fantasy quest is the spine on which the entire book hangs (ie, taking the One Ring to Mordor and casting it into the fires of Mount Doom). In epic fantasy, what’s at stake is something BIG – such as the fate of the entire world. The story ends when the fantasy quest has been completed.

(3) Magic. This is the optional element. Most fantasy novels, though not all, do feature magic of some sort. (I mean, why wouldn’t you? Who doesn’t like a little magic!)

A romance, on the other hand, requires one specific element—the romance—which is the spine on which the entire book hangs. All other elements in the romance novel (the external quest/plot, emotional growth and change in the characters, etc) are all influenced by or occur because of the romance (and vice versa). The story ends when the romance quest has been completed.

In the fantasy novel, the fantasy (the world, its magic, its unique rules) must be essential to the plot. If you can take the story out of the fantasy world and set it on earth in the real world, your book is not really a fantasy. It’s just a story set in a cool landscape. Similarly, in a romance novel, the romance must be essential to the plot. If you can take the romance out of the story, your book is not really a romance. It’s a book about something else, and it just happens to feature a couple of people who fall in love during the course of the real story.

So, the challenge in combining epic fantasy with romance, was in combing four essential elements in such a way that did credit to them all. So, my tasks were to:

(1) Create a magical fantasy world with sufficient unique and vivid characteristics as to make the world seem interesting and real to readers, and create the world so that its unique aspects are directly linked to the book’s themes and plots. The world had to be big enough, and complex enough to support an epic fantasy.

(2) Create a Fantasy Quest, epic in scope, that was so tightly integrated with the book’s fantasy elements and themes that it could not take place in any other world.

(3) Create a Romance Quest that was so tightly integrated with the book’s fantasy elements and themes that it could not take place in any other world. The romance had to be big enough, with sufficient obstacles and challenges to sustain emotional/romantic growth over the course of several books.

(4) Tie the Fantasy Quest and a Romance Quest so closely together that neither quest could be completed before the other—and neither could be completed without the other.

It’s been an exciting and rewarding experiment. I never get tired of playing in my world, though I confess I’m looking forward to moving on to different characters and storylines. One of my favorite aspects of writing the books has probably been creating the Feyan language. I’m a language-lover, and taking the time to create my own language has been both a challenge and a joy. (And I have a LOT more words than ever show up in the books!)

For the most part, I have had terrific fun writing this series. I hope that you have had fun reading it!

QUESTION of the DAY: What is your favorite fantasy novel (if you’ve read one?) What is your favorite romance? What is it you like most about those books?

About the Author: C.L. Wilson is the NY Times bestselling author of fantasy romance. She loves reading, writing, and torturing her characters mercilessly. When not working, she enjoys relaxing with her family in sunny Florida and daydreaming of a world where people exercise in their sleep and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream is a fat burning food.