7 fun facts you don’t know about Arcane Elemental Academy
I started writing Arcane Elemental Academy back in May 2024, and I put a lot of work into the pre-writing and outlining stages.
One day, I’m gonna start writing articles like, You’re not a true fan of Arcane Elemental Academy until you’ know these 7 things, and similar pieces. But, to reach that point, you’ll need some context to know exactly what’s up with this libertarian-driven young adult academy fantasy.
And if the word ‘libertarian’ offends you, then you can leave. But if you’re a reader who’s saying to themselves, “Thank god, this guy ain’t woke,” then this is a piece you need to keep reading because it’s gonna show you A LOT of what was going on through my head while I was writing Book I of this series.
So, are you ready to unearth some fun facts? Hell yeah, you are. Keep reading, and let’s get ready to rock.
1 – Jett’s name was originally Wysteria
In my very first draft, I pegged Jett Diamondback as Wysteria, since I was looking to use the theme of dark, creepy names for this one. And while I liked the name Wysteria, I also wanted to cloak a few names with a closet NHL theme, so I rolled with Jett as a nod to the Winnipeg Jets.
And it worked, with Yote’s name stemming from the old Arizona Coyotes (now Utah Mammoth). Since the original Jets moved to Phoenix for the 1996-97 season, where they’d stay until 2023-24, naming her Jett made sense.
That said, I didn’t want to completely get rid of the name Wysteria, so I relegated it to be Jett’s middle name. In hindsight, part of me wishes I kept it as a first name, because Wysteria Jett sounds pretty f*cking fantastic. She could’ve just been one of those people to “go by” her middle name.
2 – Arcane’s 32 schools reflect the NHL’s 32 hockey clubs
In my initial outline, I listed and described all 32 of Arcane Elemental Academy’s schools. And don’t worry, because you’re gonna see that list. Anyway, that list all had a few things in common, one of which is that every single color scheme pertained to one of the NHL’s 32 teams as of the 2023-24 season.
That means apologies in advance if you’re a fan of the Utah Mammoth, because you missed the cut. But then again, I wanted the Coyotes to hold a special place in this one, which is the entire justification for naming my protagonist Yote.
3 – I used a name generator for most of the cast
If you read my other fantasy genre books, and I have a sh*t ton of them, you’ll notice that I roll with themes. In Catenarian Chronicles, most characters have Finnish names, like Kaija Jokiharju and Tuuli Kotkaniemi.
If you go to Terrian Chronicles, they got superhero names, with Tarja Titan, Liza Fury, and Braden Hawk leading the charge. Flip over to Sentrys of Terrene, and you’ll find Star Wars-like names, like Tage Ras-Svendson and Ren Elk-Jaer.
For Arcane Elemental Academy, I waned ominous, villainous-sounding names, even for characters who were so-called “good guys.” You got characters like Cassara Darkwood, Rayne Grimbane, and Archer Shade, to kick things off.
4 – Storm Sharpe’s parents were two of a few I didn’t use the generator for
The second I saw the name Storm Sharpe pop up, I was like, yep, that’s one of the best of the bunch. I always knew what his dad’s backstory would look like, so it was great to name the character a few seconds after I christened Yote’s little love interest Storm.
So, Dad’s name is Ukko, and Mom’s is Rauni. If you know anything about the Finnish tradition, you’ll also know where I got those names.
Ukko is the Finnish God of Thunder, among others, and Rauni is his wife. Naturally, characters named Ukko and Rauni would name their son Storm.
5 – The Arcane Prophecy’s major plot points align with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
I’m subtle with some of these, and not so subtle with others. But when you read The Arcane Prophecy closely, I’m confident that you’ll make those parallels.
Obviously, I’m not unveiling any spoilers here. But as you go through the 64,000-word book, you’ll say, “Oh, that’s a nod to Chapter X, and this is a definite nod to Chapter Y,” in Philosopher’s Stone.
Even if you miss them, I’m further confident that, at some point, you’ll have that “Oh…” moment, and connect the dots.
6 – Arcane Elemental Academy’s layout resembles Kent State University’s
To be honest, I hate Kent State. I went there for a year back in 2010-11, and made exactly zero happy memories. It wasn’t my choice to go there, either, and if given the choice, I’d have avoided the place.
I mean, who the hell puts a big ass campus in the middle of the freaking snowbelt? Yeah, I’m at a loss.
But if it were located further south, it’d be just fine. That campus is a thing of beauty when the weather complies, and one of the best, if not he most underrated, in the U.S.
So it made for a good place to model Arcane. Oh, and if you’re wondering, Arcane’s not the only school boasting a Kent State flair. I also used it as a model for Fenn University in my paranormal dark fantasy, Cursed Mage. Even if Fenn is an Ivy League-equivalent.
7 – Scorpii School’s a nod to Slytherin House
At some point, you’re gonna get tired of hearing me say Yote’s a Slytherin. Or, she would be if Arcane was Hogwarts.
So, it made sense for Yote’s personality to align with those values that distinguish Scorpii School. And if you hadn’t already guessed, Scorpiis are ambitious people who aren’t afraid to use cunning, calculating moves to win in life.
Besides, its colors are green and black, close to Slytherin’s green and silver. As opposed to a snake, their emblem is a scorpion. Their nickname? Venom.
So, are you ready to meet Yote Diamondback and unearth some of her Slytherin qualities? I’m going to assume that you are if you’ve made it this far in the post, so go ahead and grab the prequel novella, Arcane Awakenings, today.
