Inspiration Post #12: Praesidium

My first novel was Stasis. All of the action in that book--and much of the action in the rest of the trilogy--takes place in the city-state of Praesidium.

I love maps in books and couldn't resist including maps in the trilogy. Now, if you examine this map closely, you might notice that even though Praesidium is fictional, the geography might look a little... familiar. Especially if you've ever looked at a map of northern California.

In fact, Praesidium is located pretty much where we have San Francisco--a city which, uncoincidentally, contains The Presidio. The Presidio was once a Spanish fort and is now a state park. You've probably seen parts of it in a zillion movies because the Golden Gate Bridge is anchored at its tip--exactly where Ennek lives, in the Keep.

I've taken some creative license with geography in the trilogy, but not too much. I imagined what the place might have been like if the Roman Empire had expanded instead of collapsing, and if the first Europeans to colonize the region had been Romans. Oh, and if there were wizards and mermaids and things. Time-wise, the books take place more or less in the latter days of the Gold Rush.

It's especially fitting that I took the cover photos for Flux and Equipoise in San Francisco.

That seagull was sitting right outside the Ferry Building on a beautifully foggy day.

And that rope is at the San Francisco Maritime National Park. I took about 150 rope pictures that day. So if you ever need a rope photo, you know who to ask.

The photo on the back cover of Equipoise is also from the park. It's one of the masts of the Balclutha.

Incidentally, all three books in the trilogy are available in print and e-versions at Amazon, and I donate every penny of my royalties from the trilogy to Doctors Without Borders.

Next week: Urchin Cove