7 personal inspirations for The Arcane Prophecy

The Arcane Prophecy is partly entertaining, partly theme-based, and a 100 percent vendetta against public schooling with an alternative system in place.

I’m always looking to entertain readers, but not in such a mindless way that they forget what I wrote 20 minutes after reading it. So if you’re a casual reader looking for your next mind-numbing YA fantasy with usual tropes and storylines, Arcane ain’t for you.

But if you’re looking for fiction that bites, doesn’t ask permission to exist, and presents an entertaining, Harry Potter-like read, then guess what? You’re in for a tour.

And let me kick that tour off with seven personal inspirations for my YA fantasy. Written for you while I muted a work meeting on the clock. Because, you know, it’s just hilarious I can write under people’s noses.

1 – Public schooling

If you’ve spent any time around this blog, you’ll know that there aren’t words in the English language to describe my loathing of public schooling. Or, traditional schooling, to be more accurate. That said, The Arcane Prophecy was always going to be about building an alternative market-based education system after I spent 12 years watching teachers prioritize hall passes, seating charts, and obedience over actual learning.

2 – Underdog trope

Once upon a time, when he was in middle school and going into high school, TC Marti was smallish, not very good looking, and easily counted out. As for Yote Diamondback? Smallish, not very good looking, and easily counted out. She’s your ultra-talented underdog who gets zero respect until she starts showing others up in box thrashball. And speaking of which…

3 – My own sport

In 2009, I created a sport called warball. That eventually became thrashball, as a nod to Gears of War. Long before I wrote my first book, I always knew I’d include thrashball in the mix, or at least find a way to include it. And it weaves perfectly into Arcane.

4 – Love for Germanic Runes

In 2018, a friend once told me I’d love the runes and their meanings. And I thought, “What the hell’s so special about runes?” Either way, I took them up on their intuition, and I fucking love them so much that they’re part of my daily life. As for The Arcane Prophecy? Yote and other Elementals need Germanic Runes for casting elemental spells.

5 – Attachment to my hometown

Something else you’ll know if you’ve hung around this blog for a while: I’m so obsessed with Wintersville, Ohio, I used it as a model for Aurora Village, the main setting in The Arcane Prophecy. The small-town vibe, with one main street with smaller roads branching off it, and bounding countryside surrounding Aurora gives it that Americana feel. Wintersville, despite its “Rust Belt” location, exemplifies that same Americana vibe.

6 – Preferred calendars and shabbats

You’ll find the months of the year as odd in The Arcane Prophecy. Why? Well, when I discovered the way Finns pronounce the months, I said, “That’s going into a book someday.” Arcane was the lucky winner. So, instead of January, February, and March, you’re getting Tammikuu, Helmikuu, and Maaliskuu, etc.

7 – My deep dive into alternative systems

Market-based education isn’t my only alternative system. Aurora’s the seat of the Northern Regions, and it’s filled with an anarcho-capitalist vibe. While no society or economic system is perfect, my conclusions have always been that AnaCap world is the closest we can get, and it’s coming from someone who used to be a socialist, classical liberal, and even a Misesian.

It’s a stateless society, but don’t worry, it’s not stateless in the communist way. As far as The Arcane Prophecy, however, I’m putting up a masterclass on what would make a stateless AnaCap society tick.

But before I get into the nuances, I want you to meet Yote Diamondback and catch a vibe of what this young adult academy fantasy is all about. Check out the first three chapters now, and give it a whirl if you’re ready for a work that actually respects your intelligence.