Wednesday, April 23, 2014

You Write Fantasy?

Stonehenge sanctuary -


That's a question I get from people quite often. Maybe it's the graying hair, or the sagging body and drooping eyelids, or just the fact than I'm a grandmother, but people have a hard time believing that I write fantasy. And I ask in return, "Why not?"

When you come to think about it, there's no research when you make up your own world. Rules of writing still apply, but forget the rules of physics. It's my world, and welcome to it. I can make my characters outrageous, heroic, evil or pitiful as the need arises. They can walk on their hands and breathe through their bums, if that's what I decide. It's called fantasy.

Obviously, my characters should be believable because I don't want to alienate my readers. But what fun would it be if everything followed the same old, same old? There are worlds out there we know nothing about.

I spent way too many years with my feet "planted firmly on the ground" to quote my father who thought having an imagination was a mortal sin. The man refused to even read fiction. How sad! Mankind would never have come down from the trees, discovered gravity, gone to the moon or invented smart phones without an imagination.

I raised two kids by myself, worked full time, kept the house and did the yard work, and kept my feet firmly planted on the ground for most of my life, I forgot there was any other way to act. I forgot how to dance. so now it's time to kick up my heels and boogie. Writing fantasy is my new dance.

Join me in world of The Light of Ishram if you dare.