TV is not all evil…just mostly

Centuries from now scientists will discover that television was the first true time machine in its ability to distort time by stealing it without our even realizing it was happening. One minute you’ve sat down to watch a half hour comedy, and three hours later you’ve been transported into the future and an entire bag of Oreo’s has disappeared, and you feel slightly ill. Still, there are a few programs I enjoy and that I actually find useful as research.

Deadliest Catch on the Discovery Channel tops the list. If you’re working on a novel with a group of characters on any kind of quest/adventure where they’ll face mortal dangers – willingly – you’ll reap a bounty by watching a couple of episodes. And it’s just a terrific show.

It’s got everything – young, inexperienced rookies out to prove themselves, seasoned veterans who’ve seen it all, driven captains who will push their men to their very limits, unforeseen dangers that can strike at any minute, tension, camaraderie, heartache, fear, joy, and elusive treasure.

I like The Girls Next Door, too, for pretty much the same reasons…yup.

  1. kterceira

    Inspiration

    Chris, I just finished my first reading of “A Darkness forged in Fire” and am now settling down to reread it on this rainy day.

    I hope you continue to create a spider web of characters and subplots in your second volume (and beyond) no matter where you get your inspiration from.

    It was pure genius to make the Eastern Star a “Tree”. I should have seen it coming!

    Thank you for another great series that will have me running to the book store.

    Reply
    • admin

      Re: Inspiration

      Hi, Keith:

      That’s very nice to hear, thank you. Book 2, The Light of Burning Shadows, picks up almost immediately after Darkness and will, I hope, move the story forward in a way people enjoy. If you’re curious for a sneak peek the first chapter to Burning Shadows is in the back of the mass market edition that just came out, but I do plan to have that posted to my website in the near future.

      I’m glad the star/tree transformation worked for you. I love the concept of the tree as a bridge between earth and sky.

      Cheers,

      Chris

      Reply
      • kterceira

        Re: Inspiration

        I agree with the bridge earth/sky bridge concept and find it very interesting that you forged that bond with the reader so easy. It is a new angle in fantasy that I hadn’t seen or can remember seeing in 40 years reading Fantasy.

        Love also how you use your knowledge of 17th and 18th century weapons in the story.

        Would love to experience a novel in that vein from you. Hopefully I can someday, but I fear that you have found a calling in this genre that may prevent that…

        Read the teaser in the back of the novel and it is just that a TEASER. You should be ashamed of your blatant capitalistic marketing(success). LOL

        Reply
        • admin

          Re: Inspiration

          I appreciate that, thanks. I think it’s entirely possible that I’ll write a book or books that are closer to historical fiction than the Iron Elves, although when that might be I honestly don’t know. In the meantime, I do get to mine history and import it into the series for my own uses.

          Yes, teaser chapters are rather cruel that way, aren’t they. I suppose I should feel bad about that…but I don’t 🙂

          Reply
          • kterceira

            Re: Inspiration

            I’ll look forward to your historical fiction, after Iron Elves of course.

            Sorry, to continue writing but may I ask one question.

            I have written about boxing now for close to 30 years and have been a lover of Fantasy since my first Edgar Rice Burroughs way way back.

            I just can’t seem to wrap my head around creating a world for a novel of my own. How did you come up with your inspiration for the Calarian Empire etc.

            Thanks for your time.

          • admin

            Re: Inspiration

            The short answer is I read a lot of history. Before becoming an editor I was a military historian, and before that I was just a voracious reader of history. 80 – 90% of what I read is nonfiction. I take bits and pieces from what I read, rework them to my own design and voila (more or less,) a world is born. So the Calahrian Empire is modeled loosely on the British Empire, Elfkyna is modeled on India and so on. History provides a basic structure that I then modify until it’s mostly (or at least somewhat) unrecognizable. So if you’re looking to create a world of your own, try reading a few world histories and see what interests you.

  2. kterceira

    Thanks

    That’s what I figured and have been doing just that .

    You have been great Chris, I look forward to reading your new book.

    Ever want tickets to a fight in NY area just drop me a note

    I owe you a couple.

    Reply

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