We create stories to help us shape a chaotic world, to navigate inequities of power, to accept our lack of control over nature, over others, over ourselves. -Doug Dorst.
Speculative fiction.
Up until Haunted, I’d
never written in this genre. Most of my work has more of a paranormal bent. Now
don’t get me wrong, I read it all the time; in fact it’s one of my favorites—I love
the mish-mash of it all—nothing like escaping reality for a good time. It works
because it comes so naturally to us. Who among us isn’t curious about what
might have been? Think about it. Our life is made up of a
million choices. What if we’d made just one differently? Would our whole world
be changed? Possibly. Who can wrap their
arms around that? And the most frightening part? Sometimes the choices aren’t
even our own. What if that train that was supposed to pick up your mother was
late—you know that train where your mom and dad met? It’s like Back to the
Future on steroids. Almost makes you never want to leave your house, doesn’t
it? But there’s a cost there, too.
Everything has a
cost.
Just something to
think about.
-Melanie Schulz
And every day is made up of those small moments that can alter our lives.
ReplyDeleteSo true! A million moments, a million choices...it can be overwhelming to contemplate. I can't wait to read your story!
ReplyDeleteOne choice can change everything. It's fun and sometimes more than a bit scary to think of those what ifs.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh, I spend too much time thinking about the what ifs but no matter the choices we make there will always be that what if. Such a circle! But great fodder for writers!
ReplyDeleteYeah, not even a little bit comfortable with life being so random... even though I know it's largely true.
ReplyDeleteI like this approach in fiction, but not in real life. We can't spend our time wondering about the what-ifs. That way madness lies.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about all the specific events that had to happen through all of human history to make me and everyone else I know and love possible, it's mind boggling.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I've found that I really like SFF.
ReplyDeleteMmm, this is why the spec fic writers will never run out of ideas.
ReplyDeleteA lot of things to think about!
ReplyDeleteIt's always interesting to think of what might have happened if we had made a different choice. So many possibilities!
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