Cindy Tomamichel's Blog: World Building, page 2

World Building: Friendship

A social structure is part of many species’ daily interactions, and certainly a big part of what it is to be human, so it probably goes for aliens as well. To boldly seek out – new friends? What role does friendship play in novels?

If the pandemic and associated lockdowns have taught us anything, it is the value of friends and simple human contact. Even the most curmudgeonly of introverts will have used social media or the phone to interact. It is human to crave other humans and supposed to be one of the things that aided our evolutionary survival, and the number of social interactions is also a strong indicator for longevity.

I saw an old episode of ‘The Twilight Zone’ recently where there was a lone man in an empty village, but signs people had just left recently. He panicked, and this led to injury and eventually a near catatonic state. The twist came when it was revealed that he was enduring isolation to prepare for a Mars journey and the entire town was in his mind. The isolation from others drove his mind over the edge.

There are countless stories of the hermit aiding an orphan or a quest. Heidi wins over her cheese obsessed grandfather, eventually reuniting him with a lost love. Pollyanna reunites her cold aunt with the kindly doctor. Children are often the catalyst for a re-entry into the human race, where the hermit is the outlier that must be brought back into society.

So sometimes a friendship can be a substitute for a parental unit. Ayla and the old wise man, Mamut formed a strong bond in the Earth Children series. Other times a friendship is between strangers forced into a survival situation – a lot of post apocalypse novels rely on this. A chance meeting and a bond is formed – do you save the life of a stranger and allow them into your circle, or do you view all strangers as a danger?

Fantasy novels are ripe for odd friendships, often between species. The Discworld novels of Terry Pratchett showed over and over the bonds that could form between species. For instance, on the Watch with humans, trolls, and dwarves all working to get along. The friendships in ‘Monstrous Regiment’ and ‘The Last Hero’ are truly the core of the books.

But let’s not forget the classics such as LOTR. Sam and Frodo, Legolas and Gimli. Friendships that would have seen each die for the other and have become an icon of bonds of friendship. Holmes and Watson are another long term bonded friendship.

An interesting aspect of novels is the perspective of the writer. Can a writer grasp the nature of friendships between the opposite gender to them? Or a different social class? There is a test for female characters known as the Bechdel test, where female characters must talk to each other about something other than a man. It’s depressing that in many films, books etc it is still mainly about men and what they are doing, as if saving the universe would just be a matter of punching aliens.

What are the limits of friendship? Would a character die for the other? End up in the arms of their best friend’s wife? Does a character spurn them if they end up in jail or support them? Is it a friendship based on situation – a survival situation where different social levels must depend on each other. Does the relationship end when the quest ends? ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ is a classic of friendship that transcended the jail location into one of depth and understanding.

But it’s not just between the same genders – what about the friends with benefits, or male- female non sexual bonds? Or course, including all the range of preferences as well. How is that dealt with? ‘The X-Files’ is an excellent example of long term friendship that went no further. Perry Mason and his secretary never got together, despite book after book of flirting and mutual support. A book that offers extensive flirting and a will they – wont they frisson will need to deliver to satisfy readers, in the classic friends to lovers romance trope.

So is the lone wolf character a likely one? Or are friendships a core of the novel? Even Conan had friends, albeit sometimes short-lived ones. Rambo with the whole red necked nation after him still had someone in his corner. Interactions with others is how characters reveal themselves without a lengthy internal monologue. Other people are a mirror for our true selves, revealing the best and worst of us.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My latest book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2.

Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Check out my post apocalypse story “After the End” in SlyverMoon Chronicles X or my haunting tale of a woman’s life “Journey” in Queens of the Quill.

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out and still free.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try my collections Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here .

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Published on May 22, 2022 21:40

World Building: Money

While the Beatles proclaimed that money couldn’t buy me love, this hasn’t stopped anyone trying. Love, or at least a moment of endorphin rush when you make a purchase. So? I really needed that plush rainbow-coloured cat wielding a light sabre.

Money is a complicated subject because not only is it a practical one, in that we don’t need to carry a cow to market to swap for beans, it is an emotional one – much of the world works all their lives to survive, dreaming of a holiday or unfortunately sometimes even a full belly or secure housing. Spending habits are often dictated by your childhood – if you grow up poor do you clutch every cent, or buy status items that prove you will never be poor again? Or a rich childhood – do you value money you never sweated for? Or know the price of eating cake?

It is equally complicated in fiction. Some books can get away with not mentioning coin specifically, but none can avoid the concept of status, so it is worth thinking about how money flows in the book.

Historical fiction needs research to get the coinage terms right, including any slang terms. Then it gets complicated. What does a peasant earn or a serving girl? Is £10,000/year really enough to maintain Pemberley and all the servants? How did inheritance laws affect young women – or indeed young men? What happens when the rich lose it all – Apicius the Roman cookbook writer famously suicided when down to his last one million denari because he could not maintain his status. Little House on the Prairie had Ma spending 10c on candy and excusing her extravagance on their first train journey.

Fantasy perhaps has an easier time. Authors can use the term coin, and maybe differentiate gold/silver or copper and be done with it. Yet the pursuit of coin can move the plot along nicely. Conan as an impoverished youth turns to theft, and the coin he steals ends up spent in taverns for further adventures. Or does the lone venturer take employment as a mercenary? Or is the kingdom bewitched by the hoarding of gold – dwarves are traditionally slightly obsessed with it. How much easier is it to survive in a fantasy world with money?

Romance is an interesting one. There are so many billionaire romances that the concept of power is certainly involved. Money, a powerful position, and expensive clothes make for a pheromone charged allure for some. Of course, there is the ease factor – its harder to romance someone when you can only take them to a cheap restaurant instead of a trip to the Bahamas on your jet. However, its still a vastly unequal exchange, and while it sounds pleasant enough, the inequality will linger in the long term. What will the billionaire want for the gift of jewels? Is the heroine willing to pay the price?

Science fiction is an area that while you are inventing the financial system if you want too, it is quite often secondary to the action or characters. Fair enough. A system of universal credits, or a Star Trek where people work for the good of society is certainly possible. What would be the universal standard exchange? A bar of latinum equals what? Whatever the Ferengi will trade for it? Or merchant ships visiting new planets- Andre Norton did very well on this with a well thought out and described barter system and the worth of items discussed in many of her trader novels. But the lust for wealth that drives people now – will it survive into the future?

So a practical item that you can carry in a pocket or card can represent human emotions and drive whatever the setting. It must have been really difficult to explain the concept of money at first – how does the same few coins equal items as diverse as a cow, a sword, or a night of negotiable affection? But it certainly took off and became the driving force of most societies.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My latest book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2.

Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Check out my post apocalypse story “After the End” in SlyverMoon Chronicles X or my haunting tale of a woman’s life “Journey” in Queens of the Quill.

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out and still free.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try my collections Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here .

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Published on April 24, 2022 02:56

New Release Anthologies

I am proud to have two short stories in two anthologies released by Sylver Quill Press. I’d appreciate it if you could have a look and grab a copy if they take your fancy.

Queens of the Quill

In honor of International Women’s Day, SylverQuill Press has brought together bright talent in the genre of short fiction and fantastical art for a new and exciting anthology. This cohort of international writers and artists has contributed to a strong, meaningful collection of work, giving voice to a diverse and collaborative group. The stories and artwork included in this anthology will transport, inspire, and entertain the reader. We’re glad to have you along for the ride!

My story in in the collection is ‘The Journey.” It is an exploration of the life of a woman – her travels, her loves and sorrows.

Queens of the Quill Anthology

Excerpt from my story “Journey”

The dirt spilled over my hand, and the sun shines bright on skin grown transparent, blue veins and tendons showing. As I brushed the dirt off onto the pile of weeds beside me, I found my thoughts had wandered. Back into the past and a time before youth had fled, and an old lady’s garden obsession had replaced adventure.

The smoke from the fire next door transforms into the smell of French cigarettes, rough rolled, drooping from the corner of a sneer. I have forgotten his name, yet my fingers tingle as they remember the feel of his dark hair tangled and knotted as I dragged his face to mine. A café in Paris it was where I tried my wings, new fledged from the nest. French clothes, French men. So many hot eyed young men that smoked hand rolled cigarettes as they wrote poetry and argued philosophy. The dark nightclubs full of danger, and white moonlight reflecting from wet streets. Parties that reached a second dawning. Drugs that made my new tattoo writhe like the dreams of an insane muse. Cheap hotel rooms that reeked of sex and sweat. The aftertaste of absinthe and tobacco.

I had laughed when he said he loved me, laughed and ground my cigarette out on the poem he had written for me. I had a one-way plane ticket and a world to see.

World Building: Possessions

Possessions – do you own them, or do they own you? Tools or trophies? Status symbol or frippery? How people acquire and use or adore their possessions can tell the reader many things about the character – their background, current wealth and even their philosophical beliefs.

Keeping stuff is a very human trait. Who hasn’t been for a walk and collected a small rock or feather or interesting leaf? We can be assured that items such as these would have been found in the hands of hunter gatherers. Jean Auel imagines neanderthal dress hides with folds to produce handy pockets, and I can imagine that outside of warmth, the need for pockets may have been a driving factor for gathering. Using your clothes would be easier than making a basket. But we can see in burials that possessions where so important they would be needed in the afterworld, in whatever form that may take. Necklaces, tools, weapons and beaded clothes were all found in burials, and gave an indication of the status of the person and the wealth of the community that they could afford to lose such treasured items.

But while today we are absolutely (at least in the western world) inundated with stuff, for most of the past that has not been the case. Hunter gatherers would not be able to carry a great deal, for instance. Ayla leaves her tribe with very little stuff – her clothes, a hide blanket, a little food and her sling weapon. But even on the edge of survival she takes the hide her baby slept in, her medicine pouch and her amulet bag that is her connection to the spirit world. Possessions that were as necessary to survival as a sharp tool or the means to make fire. These things made her human.

In a similar vein, Tolkien has his characters take very long journeys, Bilbo even leaving without his pocket handkerchief. This little thing he missed as a reminder of the familiar and perhaps even a guard for the changes and danger he was going towards. By the end he had replaced all he had set out with, as well as changing himself in the process. Possessions and the comforts of home were important to hobbits more so than any other character. Aragorn probably carried all he possessed – a rolled blanket, a sword, blades and maybe a little food. Yet he treasured the gauntlets of Boromir, and the necklace of Arwen. Even Strider’s harsh life had room for sentiment. On Frodos’s return to the Shire, Bag End and its possessions seemed strange – for a very different hobbit had returned. Both Smaug and Gollum are lessons in the problems that a desire for things can cause.

So could one discard all the stuff today and roam the world free? People do – in small vans, in travelling, and taking up minimalism. In the prepper community the idea even has a name – to Bug Out. To take your backpack (full of helpful things) and survive in the wilderness. What does this say about a person that they are unfettered by stuff? Many religious orders give up all worldly goods to join, or camp in a forest with nothing but a robe and faith. The accumulation of stuff is a sin, a crass commercial desire that separated one from a higher plain. Arrogance deems valueless the humble cheerfulness of your Grandma’s crochet blanket. And yet, at the end, we cannot take it with us – and without the memory alive a treasure becomes junk.

Then there is the flip side of minimalism – that of hoarding. Where possessions have without doubt taken over the heart and soul. Where possessions are reminders of the past, and a guard against the future. But it’s not all just people collecting rubbish – one could argue that wealthy mansions with a wardrobe of unworn thousand dollar shoes is worse – it’s just more socially acceptable as it grants status. Can either end of the spectrum give it away? The valuing of possessions over people is a dark area, and worth exploring.

But what of the future? Scifi – involving as it does space travel – often limits the baggage for weight limits. The treasured scout shirt in Heinlein’s ‘Farmer in the Sky’ – the character didn’t eat that day so he could get under the weight limit, yet gladly sacrificed his shirt to plug a hole when the ship was holed by a meteorite. Will the future show we have outgrown our possessions and strive to fill the mind with knowledge? Or will we travel the stars still dragging an antique book or some trinket that reminds us of home?

Even if all the doomsayers are right – and we face a world of destruction, of the darkness of the end of the world, possessions will be important. The finding of an abandoned house with toys is a reminder of all that was lost. A backpack of scavenged food and gear might be the only thing holding off death or insanity. A library of lost books maybe the key to the future.

How a character treats their possessions can show a great deal. Careless because they were born rich? How does that make others feel? Accumulate too many things and save wrapping paper because they were born poor? Just remember, it’s not hoarding if it’s books – you can never have too many, to read and to give away or to keep and treasure.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My latest book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2. Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Are you an author? My book “The Organized Author” is out now. Grab a copy here .

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try the Rhetoric Askew anthologies: Mixed genre, Adventure or Romance . Or my own collection Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

Tired from all that thinking? Try a 5 Minute Vacation! Now available on Story Origin as a free review copy: https://tinyurl.com/5MVReview

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here for my story “When the Earth Needed Heroes.”

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Published on November 22, 2021 12:30

World Building: Technology

Technology can be many things and exist on many different levels. It is defined as “the sum of any techniques, skills, methods, and processes used in the production of goods or services or in the accomplishment of objectives” (Wiki) and is derived from the Greek word meaning skilled and cunning of hand. The use of technology can be an important part of world building, creating a richer picture of the world.

Humans are fairly poorly designed in terms of bare-handed survival. We don’t have the teeth of predators, or the speed of prey. What we do have is rat cunning and a large brain to design tools to survive. Our digestion is omnivorous, indicating we probably ate pretty much anything as we evolved. One of the more interesting theories of evolution I’ve read has been that we were small scavengers who worked out that smashing open bones from something else’s kill was a great way to get the nutrient and fat dense bone marrow that then aided in brain development. Sorry for any vegetarians or people believing in the noble hunter idea!

One of the first tools was no doubt a rock, or at least a stick. With that advantage it wasn’t long before humans developed stone tools, and probably a lot of things like baskets that don’t get preserved in the archaeological record. The hammer stone remained as a functional design for millennia, then was overtaken by stone core tools such as blades, which make a lot more tools from the same amount of stone. The first human creators that would have taken some pride in producing a serviceable tool which could be beautiful as well.

Technology for humans gives one group an advantage. Better food harvesting, preservation or hunting technique or even gardening by collecting seeds and sowing them for next season would all be survival aids. But skills are important – tanning a hide for warmth, weaving plants into rope and thread, the first sewing, identifying edible and medicinal plants, raising babies or caring for the old. Technology and knowledge can only be passed down in a social environment that teaches and cares for others.

Technology is then a feature of being human – we are an inventive species. From stone tools to metal tools took thousands of years. But from the first flight to landing on the moon only took sixty-six years. The internet sent its first message in 1969, some fifty-two years ago. It would be hard to pick a time where human culture changed faster than 1900 – 2000.

This can cause problems in world building. Firstly, the author may be out paced by developments. A scifi book written in the fifties would be severely outdated – and so might one being written now. But even research can be difficult – we become so used to the current situation that we are blind to the past – imagine a time with no internet – say thirty years ago? That is a lifetime for some already. The difference in how something is used can also be a generational or location aspect – the uptake of smart phones for instance would be much lower in the old or in poorer parts of the world.

So how do characters react to change and new technology? In the Earth Children series, the discovery that pyrite makes long lasting sparks on flint to make fire was seen as a spiritual invention, so much did it help daily life. But during the Industrial Revolution workers revolted at new machines that took their jobs – coining the term ‘luddite’. Today we see the effects of modern-day miracles such as vaccines being treated with deep suspicion and fear. Change – represented by technology – is something that can be a fearful thing, taking away the familiar and forcing new learning and habits.

Of course, not all technology is a good thing. Sometimes research goes down wrong paths on the route to discovery or from a sense of curiosity not tempered with compassion. Mistakes happen causing more problems, or there are unforeseen side effects. That’s where robust scientific method and ethics can provide guidance, in themselves nested in an environment of free exchange of information and ideas. One benefit from such problematic technology is the subsequent development of safety guidelines and vigorous testing. From a historical perspective, the development of food safety laws and clean water is interesting, involving as it does the human failing of greed vs a desire for public safety.

Over time, the creation of technology has also changed. The image of the lone Victorian eccentric inventor has been replaced with a team. It is also perhaps more corporate than individual, given large amounts of money might be needed. Going forward again, the introduction of the universal basic wage might reinvigorate individual creativity once more, once creative thought is not stifled by hours serving customers. Imagine a future working towards the betterment of humankind – and yes, I pinched that idea from Star Trek.

Imagine a future where technology is so advanced, everyone has the chance to invent things. A return to the time of our ancestors, asking themselves how can I make this rock more useful? A time when humans can go out and explore the universe like the ancient savannahs, using their giant brains for good. In a way, a book is a form of technology, a way to encourage a brighter future, and to spur the imagination. But most of all, to provide hope in the future.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My latest book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out in paperback – free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2. Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Are you an author? My book “The Organized Author” is out now. Grab a copy here .

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is free as well.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try the Rhetoric Askew anthologies: Mixed genre, Adventure or Romance . Or my own collection Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here .

The post World Building: Technology appeared first on Cindy Tomamichel.

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Published on October 22, 2021 13:30

World Building: Comfort

I expect most of us have a well padded comfort zone these days – the world has become a scarier place, and we have all sought comfort where we can. From our safe place we can read of the discomforts of story book heroes and heroines, enjoying their hardships all the more because they are not ours. But even the most cursed characters need a break!

A thing can provide comfort. When all is darkness, the light of Galadriel will show you the way. A small present, almost forgotten, saves Frodo and Sam in the spider haunted darkness. Then, when all the Shire is destroyed, a small box of earth and a seed provide hope and restoration. A memory can also comfort – a photo of a loved one, a cherished possession of theirs can bring back the person. Even an old sweater can still smell of a mother’s perfume. How hard is it to discard these things, for are you not throwing away the person you cherish? At the end of time, we must give up all things, but until then we carry even useless things for the comfort they give us.

Comfort is also relative. For a change or thing to bring relief, it must be the opposite of what we are experiencing. A cup of hot chocolate might be just what you need after fighting off mutant polar bears in a sub-zero tundra, but it won’t be as welcome after a feast in an over heated royal palace. It doesn’t have to be big either. A very small change in circumstance can be enough to provide a moment of respite or restore spirits.

Comfort can also be used to contrast a situation. Jane Eyre, having run from a comfortable home, faced starvation after losing her money and situation. A handful of cold porridge scavenged from the pig trough was gratefully accepted, and she slept rough under a hedge. A far cry from a warm bed in a house where she faced moral temptations. Yet she slept with a clear conscious, although accompanied by a broken heart.

The young Hornblower, by CS Forester, beset by seasickness and bullied on his first voyage finds solace in trigonometry questions and a fresh breeze. To set his mind to work, to forget his bodily discomforts, is enough comfort for a character who becomes so much more than his limitations. A good example of a character where his thoughts make a hell of heaven for himself, an anxious over thinker who finds solace in mathematically precise calculations.

Routine also provides comfort. The habits we all develop, that the doing of which will somehow guarantee we are alive to repeat them tomorrow. How jarring is the sudden break – the sleeper spy of 20 years suddenly activated? Or a loved one kidnapped? A drive to work stopped by an EMP (electromagnetic pulse from a massive solar flare) and you are plunged into the apocalypse. Suddenly everything familiar is not and has even becomes suspect. A barrier has been shattered, and everyday life will never feel as safe as it once was.

But it differs with culture, time and character. A bowl of bread and milk for supper was probably pretty good for a hungry Victorian child, yet it would be rejected by today’s children longing for sushi. A pipe of Shire leaf was a comforting memory of home for Pippin and Merry, but to a non smoker, certainly not. An ancient Roman may long for garum, yet even a few hundred years later the strong fish sauce might provoke disgust. But everyone has a weakness, something that softens them even momentarily, and what this is can provide a profound insight into their character.

But comfort can also be rejected. It is too soft, it is a thing of fear for the tough person to accept in case they can never return to being tough. Or even something that is uncomfortable for the character who has only experienced hardship. In Star Trek, Miles O’Brien suffers 20 years in a (mental) prison, sleeping on the floor. He cannot then sleep in a bed, it feels unnatural. Klingons also spurn comfort, it is a dishonour to their militaristic macho persona. Conan looks down on the softness and luxury of city dwellers, for they could not survive where he can. Newt, the little girl in Aliens, spurns the apparent comfort of a bed for the safer hard floor under it. Comfort has brought danger and no longer fills its soothing function. What is the characters reason for rejecting it?

So the type of comfort that the character accepts or rejects can reveal a great deal. A hardened warrior or a delicate upper-class maiden? A tough childhood or one of excess? The smallest flame can warm the soul and bring back a happy memory on even the toughest journey.

P.S. Doing it tough yourself, or know someone in need of comfort? Please reach out if you need help or be the small light of comfort for someone else. Everyone is fighting some kind of battle, but it may not show on the outside.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My latest book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2. Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Are you an author? My book “The Organized Author” is out now. Grab a copy here .

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try the Rhetoric Askew anthologies: Mixed genre, Adventure or Romance . Or my own collection Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

Tired from all that thinking? Try a 5 Minute Vacation! 5 Minute Vacation Now available on Story Origin as a free review copy: https://tinyurl.com/5MVReview

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Published on September 22, 2021 14:30

World Building: Games

While life is not always fun and games – particularly if you are on a quest and heading into unknown territory – games have been a part of human entertainment for a long time. The need to relax from a long stint of guarding Hadrian’s Wall, or win some coin in a seedy tavern, or chance your fate with a con artist is deep in the human psyche.

In his 1938 book, Dutch cultural historian Johan Huizinga argued that games help forge a culture, and were a teaching tool for strategies of war, language, law, art and philosophy. Such tools can then be used by an author to reflect the culture they have created. Novels that have a game as a pivotal part of their plot are as diverse as “Red Dwarf” and the brain destroying game of Better than Life. This game used an electronic headpiece to propel the user into a perfect life that they wanted, at the expense of their physical body. Ron sacrificed himself in a game of Wizard Chess in “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”. Matthew Reilly used chess as the game of choice for royalty, giving us a glimpse into royal life and danger in “The Tournament”.

All of these use a game to show the inner workings of what we want versus what we have and the scheming, an unexpected courage or the diplomacy that can be a central part of politics. In showing how people play, we reveal how they think. We all know someone quite mild who becomes a highly competitive scrabble player. It might be just a game, but it reveals much more.

Games have been a part of our culture for a long time. The earliest bone game pieces and dice are found in prehistoric sites, and even today, the game of knucklebones has plastic bone shaped pieces. Board games and counters date to 3,000 BC in Egypt and Turkey. India can claim ownership of Snakes and ladders, which spread rapidly. I have an old board where the sins lead to a fall down a snake – pride, greed etc all form a lesson in religious values for a young child to absorb without a lecture. The rules of chess were being formulated in Spain and Italy in the 15th century.

Games of chance also provide an opportunity to gamble, as well as deceive. Card games such as poker are a solid backbone of western movies. The photographic memory of the gambler in “Mackenna’s Gold” played by Gregory Peck saved him from death as he remembered the map that led to treasure. Whereas a card sharp or professional gambler was ok, a cheater risked being shot. Gambling and winning by sleight of hand is part of the charm of “The Stainless Steel Rat” by Harry Harrison, and Modesty and her sidekick Willie Garvin study card tricks in the Modesty Blaise series. Agatha Christie used clues in a card game to solve a murder in “Cards on the Table”. Playing poker in Star Trek, The Next Generation was a favourite way for the bridge staff to relax away from the stern eye of Picard. Or Spock playing 3D chess. In the Hornblower series by CS Forester, the favourite game of the analytical Hornblower was whist, with its precise calculation of risk and card runs. It was also a way for impoverished officers to win money and favour from the higher officers.

But when money may be won, there is always someone who loses. Do they do it gracefully, or flip the table over and get into a fight? Or do they use it to their advantage? The sideshow game of ‘where’s the bean?’ with fast hands and a ready flow of distracting chatter lead into areas of stage magicians with the ‘hand is quicker than the eye’ banter. But it’s not often the one moving the cups loses. One interesting variation on this was in “The Saint” books by Leslie Charteris, where Simon Templar had perfected the gentle art of disguise so as to look like the perfect gullible mark. In this way he could take down pyramid schemes and small-time swindlers who could not believe their luck and overextended their reach in order to strip him of money.

So it’s an interesting way to learn about a character without a massive dump of information. The author can show a lack of morals, or gracious in defeat, or a Machiavellian villain long before they are revealed in bigger and bolder actions. A game of chance or is it won by strategy?

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My latest book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2. Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Are you an author? My book “The Organized Author” is out now. Grab a copy here .

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try the Rhetoric Askew anthologies: Mixed genre, Adventure or Romance . Or my own collection Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

Tired from all that thinking? Try a 5 Minute Vacation! 5 Minute Vacation Now available on Story Origin as a free review copy: https://tinyurl.com/5MVReviewAnd my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here.

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Published on August 22, 2021 14:30

World Building: Body Modifications

Humans are a funny lot. Throughout time we have sought to change our bodies – either to look like someone else, or to look like no one else. To identify as a tribe but distinguish oneself as an individual. The body is but a vessel to carry around our brain, and sometimes things get a little strange in the top paddock.

Can this be part of a novel? I believe so, perhaps even make it a feature. To envy another is after all, a very human trait. To the beautiful go the spoils – money, power, and the best mate. Or do they become the spoils? Beauty without power becomes more of a victim, a prisoner in their own shell, and while envied, may also secretly envy others their freedom. Envy, jealousy, ambition, power, love and hate are all part of most novels, regardless of genre.

I’ll add in now for those that want to try this at home – any body modification that results in injury is illegal, and no, that they consented doesn’t matter. Just because someone wants their willy removed, doesn’t mean you can hack it off in your garage.

Body modifications reflect their culture and time. What is odd to one will be sought by another – and who are we to judge what is attractive when the very concept of beauty changes from one generation or continent to the next?

Of course, not all body modifications are voluntary or for beauty, but a way of stigmatizing. Here the topic can be quite disturbing, venturing into some dark aspects of power and often religious traditions. Genital mutilations, severing the hands of thieves, brands for slaves, and creating eunuchs all fall under this category. A few fantasy books describe some of these as they end up as beggars. But people modified in this way often gained power themselves – eunuchs becoming famous singers, for instance. The tiny ‘lotus’ feet produced by foot binding were a status symbol. If you were rich enough to not need to walk, then that was wealth indeed. Given the patriarchal nature of the world, too often modifications/mutilations were carried out on women, but not always.

Modifications can be grouped into tattoos, piercings, shape change, scarification (burning or cutting the skin), additions – putting something under the skin, or removal.

Tattoos have been around for a long time – Otzi the iceman (around 3,000BC) had tattoos that may have marked massage points for his arthritis. Egyptian mummies win at 5,000 BC with still visible animal tattoos. Today the most heavily tattooed person has 100% of their body inked. They are often used as a rite of passage – in the military, or the navy for a trip to the mysterious Orient. Sailors used to get a picture of the crucifixion on their backs, in the hopes of avoiding a flogging. In the future tattoos could be bar codes, bank details, social security or medical monitors.

Piercings can be simple earrings or more elaborate. The Hottentot tribesman in one of Henry Rider Haggard’s books had an earlobe hole enlarged and carried his snuff box in it. In Star Trek, the Bajorans all had a pierced ear and jewellery that denoted their beliefs. The record holder today has 1,103 piercings. Clearly like many of these practices, one can get carried away.

Shape changing has a long history as well. The practice of modifying the skull ranged from Mongolia to Peru and Africa. The Peruvians used to elongate the skull, a habit neatly included in the Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull movie, where this trait was linked to aliens. Sorry for the spoiler, but seriously Indiana, what were you thinking?

Other shape changing methods are neck stretching using coils of wire, lip stretching – both found in Africa. Using corsets in Victorian times to give a silhouette also resulted in internal problems and occasional death. But breast enlargement is a fairly modern one, also resulting in health problems. People still make the news with horn inserts or cat whiskers as well. Science fiction is often full of body modifications to weaponize or improve being human. Cyborgs, computer linkages and tech implants raise the question of how much of the human remains before they become something else?

So in terms of a novel, one can explore the visuals of these things – from the external perspective. A sailor home with a suntan and a blue sparrow tattoo clues up Holmes on his travels to the Orient. A historical criminal branded for life trying to regain their position in society. A romance where the competition has had extensive ‘work’ done to look gorgeous. Is a tattoo the mark of a Deatheater?

But the flip side – the dark side of why people do this. Why they do this to others, and why they do it to themselves makes for grim reading indeed. Body modifications or mutilations are but the external result of human cultures and ideals. What are the characters trying to tell you?

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My latest book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2. Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories more your thing? Try my own collection Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

Tired from all that thinking? Try a 5 Minute Vacation! Now available on Story Origin as a free review copy: https://tinyurl.com/5MVReview

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here .

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Published on July 22, 2021 14:30

World Building: Plants

As a plant person – a gardener, not some sort of cross species mutant – I find it weird that some people wander through the world without seeing plants as individuals. They never ask themselves what it is, and often seem to not even see it as they trudge through a garden bed. I suspect it is a modern thing, for our ancestors relied on an in depth knowledge of plants for their survival. Today? Not so much.

How does this relate to books? Firstly there is some charm in a character teaching another about the world – either as a couple, or in a mentor relationship. Jean Auel used this mentor aspect a lot, when Ayla learned from everyone she met and formed deep bonds with others that shared her interest in plants. Aside from food and flavour, there was the medicinal aspect of plants, giving her some authority due to her knowledge.

In a work aspect this could involve many types of jobs and mentors. Cooks and herbs. A medieval longbowman needed to know how to identify timber such as yew that would make a good bow as well as how to dry it which could take four years. Oak barrels and their taste effect on the storage of alcohol. Weaving would be another, passing on the knowledge of growing flax, harvesting and thrashing. History programmes are good for details such as this – Ruth Goodman and her team show how people lived in the past and you can learn how to thatch, build a drystone wall, a hedgerow or turn mangel worzels into silage to keep your cows alive. All of this would have been passed down and improved upon – you can see the interest in say a bright apprentice experimenting.

As an example, I was writing about the Scottish highlands in my last book in the Druid’s Portal time travel series. In describing the scenery, I included the changing colours of heather, and found a myth that said the rarer white heather only grew in places where no blood had been spilled. I also used it as a bedding and in tea and to scent soap. So a with little information, I was able to weave all these aspects into the story without going into a botanical info dump.

For scifi, the plants become even more interesting. How many explorers have been eaten, poisoned or used as a host body because the away team didn’t notice plants? In Star Trek alone plants made Spock intoxicated with lust, which is pretty good for an invisible spore. Dr Who had the Seeds of Doom. SE Sasaki gave us the amazing plant thing in her space adventures “Amazing Grace”. Midworld by Alan Dean Foster where the plant world was really the main character. I’ll include the scene in Frankenstein where the monster sees a girl throwing daisies into the water. It’s a powerful scene of innocence, juxtaposed with horror.

Combining some sort of apocalyptic event with a mutation is a popular way to keep characters on their toes. The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham combines meteor induced blindness with semi sentient predatory plants. The various documentaries and facebook groups that show abandoned buildings overtaken by plants and time are an excellent source of inspiration.

But what about romance? How about the romance of a setting perfumed by the heady scents of rosemary and wild basil as your couple picnic overlooking the Mediterranean? Or a regency bunch of flowers which cleverly conceal a message based on the language of flowers?

But let us not forget the villain. A poison pellet in a secret compartment in a ring or chalice drugs the woman who spurns their evil plans. The traditional witch in the forest pulling a mandrake root at midnight for a charm, her ears stuffed with moss so she does not hear the deadly screams of mandrake. A leaf of wolfsbane, carried to repel a furred fiend. The wicked witch in Oz and the deadly soporific poppies. Or the CEO of a corporation genetically altering plants without a care for anything but profit.

So, plants are much more than a vague green thing underfoot or a forest of generic trees. They are leaves of magic and adventure, roots of poison and pain, branches to build a deadly bow or a house to shelter your family.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My latest book, a contemporary romantic comedy is now out on Amazon- free on Kindle Unlimited! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2. Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Are you an author? My book “The Organized Author” is out now. Grab a copy here .

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

My latest author help book “30 Organizing Tips for Writers” is now out.

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try the Rhetoric Askew anthologies: Mixed genre, Adventure or Romance . Or my own collection Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

Tired from all that thinking? Try a 5 Minute Vacation! 5 Minute Vacation Now available on Story Origin as a free review copy: https://tinyurl.com/5MVReview

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here .

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Published on June 22, 2021 14:00

World Building: I’ll Drink to That

Alcohol is a two sided beast, and hence no doubt an admirable mirror to explain humans. On the good side it produces relaxation, conviviality and a party but the dark side then involves violence, liver damage, and a nice night in a concrete cell. It has been the invention of Gods and derided as the invention of the Devil. While – so far – a human invention, it travels the paths of time and space in fiction.

Alcohol has been with us for some time – with evidence of beer 10,000 years ago. Wine was being produced by 7,000 years ago. The basic process is to produce ethanol by fermentation of grains, fruits, honey, tree sap, or vegetables. Fermentation is started with natural or introduced yeasts which act on the natural or added sugars to produce alcohol. Some spirits induce fermentation by chewing the grain – the Peruvian chica with corn. It can be then further concentrated and produce spirits.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_alcoholic_drinks)

Once produced, it can be used in many ways. Certainly drinking, but also as a medical disinfectant or a medicine with the addition of herbs. Apparently boiling wine with salt increases the flammability of the vapours. Over time, this grew from ‘flaming water’ to ‘the water of life’ in alchemists labs. As with sugar, it’s bad qualities were not discovered for some time.

As with many enjoyable things, alcohol gets regulated by politicians who can spot a tax opportunity, and also religion, who can equally spot a way to make people feel guilty. The Prohibition of the 1930’s not only led to fairly poisonous bootleg brews, it also encouraged people to experiment with other drugs.

As with boiling water for tea, brewing water to make alcohol also reduces water contamination. So for many people, weak beer is a good source of clean water, as well as vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates.

Drinking has it’s own culture and rules. Drinking age and gender based drinks. I don’t think Conan would order a Fluffy Duck cocktail unless it was renamed Blood of Your Enemies and served in a skull! Drinking games, pub crawls, giving it up for Lent and the sun’s past the yardarm are all ways society regulates drinking. Other cultures consider alcohol the gift of the Gods, or have a God devoted to drinking and excess.

So how does it make it’s way into fiction? For historical fiction, the author has a plethora of ways to use it. The type of drink has been used as a class indicator – a madeira instead of gin for a Regency romance. Make sure you use the right type of glass in the fifties! A sixties hippy or a genteel maiden aunt making home brewed herbal wine. Women were the original brewers, so there is a story in that tidbit of history! (https://theconversation.com/women-used-to-dominate-the-beer-industry-until-the-witch-accusations-started-pouring-in-155940#. ) One interesting account is in ‘Ghost Fox’ by James Houston, which details birch beer, using birch leaves and sap and using rotting meat as the fermenting source.

Fantasy also can make use of historical brews. Ale, beer and wine, but also mead can be speciality brews of particular species or locales. It is hard to think of dwarves without also thinking of beer and drinking songs involving gold, thanks to Terry Pratchett. We can also thank him for scumble, a suspicious drink made ‘mainly from apples’ but a potent brew. Fantasy also brought us butterbeer and fire whiskey as warming draughts in Harry Potter, as well as a more genteel gilly water. And don’t forget the hobbit growing Ent draught. Given the wide base of ingredients that can be used, a drink can be invented to suit the people, economy, and climate.

Science fiction is probably the winner in drink inventions. Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster from The Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy. Syrian Panther Sweat was the preferred drink of the Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison. Addictive and simultaneously repellent Slurm in Futurama. One interesting variation was the sour milk in Alien Nation which produced an alcoholic effect on the alien arrivals. Star Trek has given us blue Romulan Ale and Klingon Bloodwine. And let us not forget the green Thala-siren milk that apparently sustained Luke Skywalker in a somewhat revolting milking scene. I don’t know if it was alcoholic, but it should have been. Using engineering equipment to distil bootleg alcohol is an engineering room perk.

Dystopian writers might use home brewing or the long history of moonshine making. Good moonshine would be an alternate currency in a world that barters. Colonial Australia had a vibrant secret rum trade which saw people make fortunes, only to lose their money and position when the government changed. Home brewing could be a community activity, from sourcing grains to bottling and trading. The movie ‘The Great Escape’ had a good practical demonstration of a use for potato peels to make vodka, cheering up a prison population.

So from a discovery of fermented grains 10,000 years old, to the alien brewed bloodwine, a simple drink has come a long way. Drinkers as well as authors are limited only by their imagination. For some, drinking and writing are a companionable mix, although I suspect editing has to be done sober.

Enjoy this blog? Have a think about signing up via my website or catch them as they fly around the ether on twitter or facebook . They will stay where they are pinned on pinterest .

My latest book, a contemporary romantic comedy is up for pre order! Rocky Road to Love tells the tale of two scientists falling in love in the Australian outback. There’s geology, archaeology, dust, danger and the occasional possum! Link: Rocky Road to Love

For those that have not read Druid’s Portal yet, here is a link to the first chapter of DruidsPortal and to the second in the series Druid’s Portal: The Second Journey , and you can read a preview here .

Scifi more your thing? Try my short stories in the anthologies Quantum Soul and Tales from Alternate Earths 2. Or what about horror? Try Haunted, a free horror anthology.

Are you an author? My book “The Organized Author” is out now. Grab a copy here .

Doing NaNo this year or know someone that is? Grab a copy of my free guide “ NaNoWriMo Ready.”

If you are keen to chat with other scifi peeps, then check out the Knights of the Scifi Roundtable facebook group and subscribe to their newsletter https://mailchi.mp/29fb30bca8e4/update-subscription

Short stories and poetry? Try the Rhetoric Askew anthologies: Mixed genre, Adventure or Romance . Or my own collection Tales of Imagination and Tales of Romance.

Tired from all that thinking? Try a 5 Minute Vacation! 5 Minute Vacation Now available on Story Origin as a free review copy: https://tinyurl.com/5MVReview

And my own author newsletter, for book news, odd facts, recipes and random freebies. Every subscription gets a free copy of my short stories ‘New Beginnings’ two tales of later in life romance Sign up here. Or prefer a scifi story instead? Sign up here .

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Published on May 22, 2021 14:30