This week I'm joined by Jess Khoury, a writer and fantasy cartographer, to discuss fictional mapmaking. We talk about how mountains don't bend and rivers don't split, the logic behind human settlements, and how to name your places. Plus, there are dogs. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Jessica Khoury is an author and fantasy cartographer who makes beautiful, believable maps. You can follow her on twitter at @jkbibliophile. Check out her personal work, including multiple YA fantasy books, at her website jessicakhoury.com. And you can learn about her mapmaking services at lizardinkmaps.com. MIDBREAK - Preorder my book, THE MILKY WAY here: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/moiya-mctier/the-milky-way/9781538754153/ - Listen to Spirits on spiritspodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts FIND US ONLINE - patreon: patreon.com/exolorepod - twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod - instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod - website: exolorepod.com - subreddit: reddit.com/r/ExolorePod CREDITS - Music: https://www.purple-planet.com - Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, http://stephenjreisig.com/ - Editing: Mischa Stanton, https://www.mischastanton.com/  - Transcript by Iesir Moss ABOUT US Have you ever wished you could travel to a different world? Exolore can help with that! In each episode, astrophysicist/folklorist Moiya McTier explores fictional worlds by building them with a panel of expert guests, interviewing professional worldbuilders, or reviewing the merits of worlds that have already been built. You'll learn, you'll laugh, and you'll gain an appreciation for how special our planet really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.