When I was a kid I always got pretty excited if a book I cracked featured a map. There was something about that picture of the world that spoke of possibility.
That said, I have never been sure if Through the Stone Gate needs a map or if it helps the story to feature one. Maps are a dangerous thing in that they build expectations and draw dark lines around the shape of the world. They can act as spoilers and offer one more place where contradictions can arise.
So, who knows if this map or any map will sit alongside Hanna’s story.
Still, I felt the need to draw it. I needed a physical check to the distances the characters travel and the time they spend doing it. Even the process has helped me grow more familiar with the world and way the scope of it can frame the story. I had a really rough sketch I worked from while writing, but this more detailed approach has made things feel more real for me.
