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Fantasy Fuel! What Inspires Fantasy?

Fantasy Fuel! What is it? It’s those books, articles, pictures, and videos that spark the creativity that leads to fantasy stories. Let’s start with this one:

There are a LOT of castles in Europe–and there are more in Asia and Africa. Castles lend themselves to fantasy settings. I’ve dreamed of living in one and defending one from attack.

Which of the castles in this article is your favorite? Tell me and I’ll send you a free book. Just click here.

Fantasy Fuel – How about fantastic creatures?

Squashmingos! They remind me of the flamingos used by Alice in Alice in Wonderland. In case you’re not familiar with the reference, here is one of the original illustrations by Tenniel:

Fantasy Fuel
Alice playing croquet with a flamingo.
Alice in Wonderland Illustration by Sir John Tenniel (28 February 1820 aa 25 February 1914)
19th Century Illustration

Here’s a snippet of the Disney movie:

I haven’t written a fantasy yet, but I have made up an imaginary, alien animal: the foxcat.

The alien foxcat. Click to get the book.

It’s called a ‘foxcat’ because it’s a combination of a fennec fox and a caterpillar. A foxcat is a marsupial amphibian. It’s a stowaway on a gigantic flying saucer in my book:

SciFi Fuel Paranormal Privateers
Fantasy Fuel
The cover of my third novel Paranormal Privateers. Click to get yours.

My science fiction sounds like fantasy. I wonder what my fantasy will sound like? I’ll have to write my first fantasy to find out. My working title is ‘Sentience’.

More Fantasy Fuel Coming Up for You

You can’t beat reading great fantasy books to inspire your fantasy writing. Here’s one I just finished.

Fantasy Fuel
The Fellowship of the Ring
My recent review

The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)
by J.R.R. Tolkien

it was amazing

bookshelves: fantasyfavorites

Read 2 times. Last read September 13, 2022

The greatest novel of the 20th century, a true 5 star book, one that’ll be read in another hundred years.

My latest re-read was in the single volume edition with Christopher Lee’s artwork. His art is detailed and complex, with hidden elements that tell the story.

In this re-read, I saw the close connection between the start of the book, which is often called dull, and the end of the Hobbit. One dovetails into the other. The hobbit background is necessary for those who didn’t read the Hobbit, and provides additional detail on them, including their three races: the Stoors, the Harfoots, and the Fallowhides.

I also noticed in my re-read the masterful way Tolkien built tension and prolongs conflict and threats. He also increases the risks and dangers throughout the book. These details jump out at me more since I became an author.

Andy Zach‘s review

Yet More Fuel for Your Fantasy Writing

Why not use cartoons?

So, if you have a writer’s block, just get it off your desk!

How about some more fantastic architecture? Coming in from Kansas City we have the following:

Or how about we use some beautiful pictures of nature to inspire our writing?

Now, let’s try another cartoon.

Obviously, cartoons are my chief inspiration. I love talking animals.

I have a talking hamster in my Secret Supers books. Dancer taught himself how to read and type.

What Do Readers Think
Fantasy Fuel
Chapter 1 icon of Villain’s Vacation

Here’s a fantasy come true: free books. Enjoy these freebies from me. I give them to all my subscribers. Click here to get your books.

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Science Stories That Fuel Science Fiction

2021 Best Videos Science Stories

Science Stories That Fuel Science Fiction – Let me give you my ideas for fiction from recent scientific breakthroughs. Then you can tell me your ideas–and get free books for them.

Ready? Let’s go!

Here’s a great new image of Jupiter, taken with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST for short). How would I use this for fiction?

Imagine the infrared light revealing cities or satellites around the planet, inhabited by aliens. This would lead to a great story. What would you do? Let me know, and I’ll send you a free book. Just click here.

If you can’t think of anything to say, just click and join my newsletter and you’ll get free audiobooks.

This’d make a great cover for that book or short story:

2021 Best Videos
Science Stories
Jupiter to Earth size comparison

What’s Next in Science Stories?

How about this story?

Here we have a string of satellites visible from earth. I remember when Telstar was visible and used to relay signals from Japan to the US during the 1964 Olympics. I was 8 then.

How would I write this as a sci-fi story? One idea is to increase the size of human space structures until they’re as bright as the moon. What kind of space stations would they be? How would we use them? What would be the side effects, the social implications? This is a rich area of story fuel.

Let me know your ideas. Again, you get a free book for contributing.

More Story Fuel Coming Up!

I already have a zombie turkey apocalypse series. How about a squirrel apocalypse?

This tickles my funny bone: squirrels causing the downfall of civilization. I can think of dozens of scenarios, including leveraging my zombie world that begins below:

Best Science Stories Zombie Turkeys Gift
Science Stories
Get your Zombie Turkeys here. You get a bushel of laughter with each book.

How would you handle this? Get your book now, right here. You can also email me at [email protected] or you can write a comment on this blog.

Why do I give books away? Ideas are the most important resource a writer can have. Who knows if your idea will give me a great novel?

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Summertime and the writing is easy – NOT!

Chapter 12 icon for Secret Supers

Summertime and the writing is easy – NOT! In this blog post, I’ll tell you about my writing struggles with Secret Supers in Space and what I’ll do about it.

Plus, I’ll give you some new reviews I’ve written and about my writing.

Plus, plus, I’ll give away some free books.

Let’s get started!

Summertime Book: Secret Supers in Space

This book continues the Secret Supers disabled superheroes series. It started with:

Summertime
Interesting Links
Summertime
Secret Supers – click to get yours!

Then I followed up with this book:

Summertime
Villain's Vacation cover What is it like?
Get a free copy here!

Now I’m working on the third novel in the series: Secret Supers in Space.

What’s it about?

What my next book is all about

Secret Supers in Space covers the Secret Supers trip to Space Camp – and beyond.

Here’s what Space Camp is like:

Space Camp video

Now we come to my first struggle: I have to learn all about Space Camp to write this book. It’s a real camp with a real agenda for real kids. I didn’t want to get anything wrong.

I have no trouble exaggerating or compressing facts but I want to faithfully give the space camp experience.

The problem is, I can research or I can write. I can’t do both. I must research before I write so I have the facts in mind.

That was my first delay.

Wait! Why am I writing this book?

Because I like to get nice reviews like this:

4.0 out of 5 stars 

A fun story!

Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2022

Jeremy has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around. He is in a special education class with Dan, who is blind, Kayla, who was mute and used a walker, and Audrey, who lost her legs and uses crutches. One afternoon, when conducting experiments in his laboratory, Jeremy accidentally gives himself superpowers. Specifically, he gains the ability of telekinesis, which he can use to help himself walk, cause his wheelchair to travel at much higher speeds, and even fly.

Not wanting to keep this discovery to himself, Jeremy tells his 3 friends about it and gives each of them superpowers as well. But now that they have superpowers, what should they do? Following the words of Uncle Ben of Spiderman, they decide they must use their powers for good, beginning by trying to solve a case of a stolen car, and keep their identities a secret, modeling their costumes on the Incredibles.

This book was a fun story that placed individuals with disabilities front and center in the story. While the superpowers allow them to do things they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise, it is what they choose to do with their powers that makes all the difference. Also, even with their superpowers, their initial disabilities aren’t erased, which I think is important. I liked to development of the characters and how they interacted and supported each other; I only wish the book had been longer so I could have spent more time with them. I am glad that there’s a sequel already published, and I look forward to reading/listening to it.

As for the audiobook edition of this book, the narrator, Luke Castle, did a fair job. Some of the voices he chose for a few characters I did not care for, but that comes down to personal preference more than anything else. His pacing was good, and the energy he put into the narration was evident. Despite disliking a few of the voices, I would still listen to the sequel given the opportunity.

Jennifer C.

Summertime Reading

What do you like to read in the summer? Let me know and get a free book. Here’s one of the 60+ books I’ve read so far this year:

Summertime
Two Necromancers, et. al.
Review ofTwo Necromancers, a Bureaucrat, and an Elf (The Unconventional Heroes #1)
Rating[ 4 of 5 stars ]
Shelvesaction-adventurefantasyhumorread 
FormatKindle Edition 
StatusJune 8, 2022 – Shelved as: action-adventure
ReviewThis was my first exposure to L.G. Estrella and I definitely want more! The author creates humorous and ironic juxtapositions of characters and roles: Timmy, the dread, dark necromancer, who’s reluctant to kill. Katie, the whiz-bang apprentice who’s 10 and cute as a button and hates being called a kid, and is protected by invisible ninja rats.

Then we meet the bureaucrat who’s 6′ 6″ (two meters) skinny, and loves paperwork. But he can magically retrieve any paperwork at any time. As well as other things.

Finally, there’s the woodland elf who’s a pyromaniac because her magical power is creating fire.

I assure you, you will enjoy this romp

“So what?” you ask. Reading, which I do a lot of, distracts me from writing. Another struggle.

The Final Answer to My Writing Struggles

Write. Write every day.