About the Author
My name is Steve Brownlee, and welcome to the world of I'lyr.
The Sixth Wood and its companion short stories represent years of world-building, character development, and exploration of themes around tradition, innovation, and the power of music and nature to shape our understanding of reality. I grew up loving nature, spending every opportunity to be in the forests around my childhood home. Iris Evershade is deeply inspired by my oldest daughter's journey through childhood into adulthood.
The World of I'lyr
I'lyr is a world where magic flows through music, where trees hold ancient wisdom, and where the boundaries between the physical and spiritual realms can be crossed by those brave enough to walk the threshold paths. It's a place where institutional knowledge clashes with folk wisdom, where young people must choose between safety and truth, and where the power of connection can overcome even the darkest corruptions.
Writing Philosophy
Fantasy literature has always been about more than escapism to me. It's about exploring the deepest questions of human experience through the lens of the impossible. In the world of I'lyr, I've tried to create a magic system that reflects the complexity of real-world knowledge systems: how there are multiples facets and perspectives of our world, how institutions preserve and control information, how folk wisdom survives alongside formal education, and how individuals must sometimes break rules to serve the greater good.
The harmonic traditions of I'lyr are inspired by the way music, nature, and human emotion interweave in our own world. Each of the Arbories represents a different approach to understanding and working with these forces, but like any institutional system, they can become rigid and exclusionary.
Through Iris Evershade's journey and the stories of those who came before her, I hope to explore themes of personal growth, institutional reform, environmental harmony, and the courage required to challenge systems that no longer serve their original purpose. These are stories about finding your voice, building community, and the transformative power of embracing both tradition and innovation.
Creating I'lyr
World-Building
The world of I'lyr began with a simple question: what if magic worked through music and trees? From there, I developed the six harmonic traditions, each with their own philosophy, techniques, and cultural practices.
Magic System
The harmonic magic system is based on real musical principles and the way different trees have been associated with various qualities throughout human history. Each tradition has its own "syllabery" and techniques.
Institutional Politics
The Arbories represent how educational institutions can both preserve valuable knowledge and become obstacles to innovation. Their politics reflect real-world academic and religious hierarchies.
Folk Traditions
The Wild Harmonies and guardian spirit beliefs represent indigenous knowledge systems that exist alongside formal education, often preserving wisdom that institutions have forgotten or suppressed.
Future Projects
The world of I'lyr has many more stories to tell. I'm currently working on additional short stories that explore different regions, time periods, and aspects of harmonic magic. There are also plans for more novels that will explore the ancient times where Harmony was discovered and how it became fractured.
I'm also developing a companion guide to the world of I'lyr, complete with maps, detailed explanations of the harmonic traditions, character genealogies, and historical timelines. This will be a resource for readers who want to dive deeper into the world's rich mythology and complex political landscape.