Vinhari

I've heard that some authors spend months planning before they start writing. I did the opposite. I wrote a very short story (which ended up being Chapter 2) and worked my way outward. I get really irritated whenever I see plot holes in a story and I often come up with ways the story's writer could have written things to be more believable. Largely driven by this irritation, I strove to make the short story I'd written seem believable, particularly in the choices and motivations of the characters. This resulted in creating a much deeper (and much longer) story than I had originally intended. The result was vinhari. vinhari explores themes of codependency, complacency from privilege, and the resulting benefits and consequences of enduring hardship. Mercy, compassion, and restitution drive some of the key directions in the story. Much of the conflict in the story is due to a communication breakdown, a lack of understanding of another's point of view, or (above all) a lack of compassion for others. In my own life, these themes have played pivotal roles, which is likely why they knitted into the story so naturally. Scattered throughout the book are hyperlinks to footnotes that explain more detail about what you are reading. If you choose to look up one the many footnotes (which are easily hyperlinked in the ebook version), you might find out that an assumption made by one of the characters is actually wrong, or the footnote might reveal an analysis on why a character is (or is not) doing something. At the end of the book I have also carefully tucked away the appendices: a variety of exceptionally nerdy content for the most invested of readers. The appendices take themes that are lightly addressed in the book and dissect them at a microscopic level. A minor character has their backstory unpacked, a character's diary entries are revealed, and there is even a dictionary for the made up language referenced throughout the book. The appendices also explore the meaning behind 'vinhari' and how that connects with the events of the book. Despite how much detail the book offers, I've designed vinhari so you will only encounter its true level of depth if you choose to (by venturing into the footnotes or appendices). If you are looking for a light, enjoyable, and well thought out fantasy story with interesting characters, this will be for you. And if you are, like me, excited by the idea of a book which contains so many secrets you can uncover...then this is for you as well. I hope you enjoy the book! If you have any questions or feedback about vinhari, feel free to email me at winstonSwalker@gmail.com