Francesca Segal, the Women’s Prize longlisted author of The Innocents, has returned with Island Calling, the second installment in her Tuga trilogy. Set on the fictional island of Tuga de Oro, Island Calling offers a blend of humor, emotion, and hope. To mark the novel’s release, Segal spoke about the craft of world-building—how writers create believable, immersive settings that transport readers beyond reality.
World-building is often linked to science fiction and fantasy genres, where entire universes are invented, such as in Star Wars or Tolkien’s Middle-earth. However, Segal argues that constructing a vivid and convincing world is essential across all fiction, whether a contemporary city or an imagined locale. “It takes care to persuade a reader that they are elsewhere, and to bring that elsewhere vividly and convincingly to life,” she explains.
Segal’s Tuga trilogy centers around an imagined British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic—an island with unique cultural traits, a lush environment, and a community shaped by its history. “Tuga de Oro came first as an embodiment of my own happy place,” Segal says. “It has a 1950s innocence combined with contemporary, egalitarian values.” Though entirely fictional, the island’s geography, climate, flora, and fauna were carefully constructed to maintain internal consistency and credibility.
The author emphasizes the importance of detail in fictional world-building. “A writer must know their landscape intimately—whether it’s real or invented,” Segal says. “Knowing the weather, the local routes, the customs, and history creates a framework that helps characters and stories emerge naturally.” This disciplined consistency allows readers to suspend disbelief and fully engage with the narrative.
Segal also highlights how world-building enriches storytelling beyond setting. From local traditions and social customs to historical crises and daily life, these elements add depth and texture. “How do people propose? What do they eat? What are their death customs?” she asks. “Answering these questions is a joyful, playful part of writing.”
For Segal, world-building is more than a technical exercise; it is a source of creativity and pleasure. “It will bring you joy, if you let it,” she concludes.
Island Calling is now available, continuing the story of Charlotte Walker, a London veterinarian whose journey to study rare tortoises uncovers a rich, complex world on the shores of Tuga de Oro.
