As I’ve decided to rename my new book series – Silent Sea Chronicles – I think it’s time to get serious about the map making business.

Personally, I don’t take much interest in a map when I start reading a book, but plenty of other people do. As I approach the final stages of editing Book 1 – The Lost Sentinel with a view to publishing in the next few months, I need to focus on how I want my world to look on paper rather than just how it appears in my head. My beta-reader suggested a map could really help the reader visualise the Silent Sea, so I’m taking her advice and sitting down to plan this out over the next few days.

I’ve bought ‘Fantasy Map Making’ by Jesper Schmidt on the kindle. The book only has 1 review in the UK, but I know what that’s like!

So far I like the style of the book and it’s already got me thinking about my wish list for the map I want to create. Hopefully I’ll be able to review the book in the future and give this author a boost, we’ll see how it goes.

My lovely beta-reader gave me a book as a late Christmas present (thanks Lou). Journeys of Frodo – An Atlas of J.R.R.Tolkien’s The Lord of The Rings. It’s been years since I read the books, but I’m looking forward to studying this account by Barbara Strachey published in 1981.

I am a complete novice when it comes to maps, so this is going to be interesting!

I would like to ask your advice on what to do, what books to read, what software I can use etc. Any tips will be a big help.

Thanks and enjoy the rest of your weekend.