Why Fantasy?

As I discussed my nano project with people, I got to enjoy my share of “you are writing fantasy?” Why?” “What’s the appeal?” “So you are writing for teenage boys?” I associate online with enough fantasy writer’s to know that this is a required right of passage for every speculative fiction write (if you answer that you write speculative fiction, you get to confuse the stupider of your naysayer’s, which is always fun). Though to be honest, I think speculative fiction is a better description of the genre. Somehow, in our society we have reached this place where speculative fiction is bad fiction. Novels that should be placed in this genre are considered mainstream if they are good enough. By removing the best selling, most meaningful works of speculative fiction (1984, Brave New World, Handmaid’s Tale) are taken away, it is no wonder that the genre is considered trash. With the great works not counting, it is difficult for the good to balance out the bad in the genre.
The mostly minor, unintentional slams to my chosen genre left me thinking a lot about the works of literature that have most affected my life. As I considered books that have meant something to, have helped me grow as a person, most of them are speculative fiction. And so, as my defense of fantasy, I am going to give short descriptions of the fantasy that has impacted my life. Next time: Chronicles of Narnia.


More in line with this blog, new pics on snapfish. Old pics will be moved soon, so if you want copies of pics, I would suggest you get them soon, before the next time I load pics. Though since nothing interesting is coming up, that may be for a while. Or she may do something super cute tomorrow. :)

Hello! Goodbye!

As I immerse myself in NaNoWriMo, I have pretty much abandoned this blog for November. Also, I have been lazy about putting up pics, videos, etc. We had a good camping trip, where we took a canoe on the lake, with the dogs in the boat. I have pics and video from tumbling (watch bin not do as she was told :)). And I have lots of random musings and stories. And yet none of it is getting posted or discussed. Instead thousands and thousands of words are being written about a warrior and a pacificst monk, traveling across a fantasy country, attacked by demons at every turn. Their lofty quest is to find the holy scriptures and return them to their country, so that their countrymen's hearts and minds will be elevated to goodness and all will find enlightenment. As they travel, they are joined by a disgraced courtier, an aspiring monk who is not sure that is truly her path, and a demon searching for redemption.

So, while I briefly popped my head out of my fantasy world, don't expect more until November is over. And then you can enjoy my first planned blog series- A defense of speculative fiction: Fantasy and Sci Fi that has influenced me. Along those lines, no the book I am writing does not have teenage boys as its target audience. The target audience is (as it is for all my writing) me.