As an American fantasy writer, the coming year shows great promise. Presidential elections never fail to bring out some of the most creative fantasy writing. The distinctions between fact and fantasy blur, and large segments of the population redefine their willing suspension of disbelief.
Words are a writer’s stock and trade. During election campaigns, words take on new meanings and connotations.This is a good thing from a writer’s perspective. In the absence of such a thing as an “original" story, an expanded lexicon permits a greater variety of ways to retell an otherwise threadbare tale. If the leftist press is too slow to appreciate the new significance of a word, the politician’s followers can always explain it to these unusually obtuse individuals on Wikipedia.
Fear mongering is a staple of political campaigns. Demonizing portions of the populace is part of a standard political playbook. This is great for fantasy writers. I’ve got demons in my books, too. I’ve got major demons, minor demons, and even nano-demons. If the public is willing to accept half of the nonsense spewed by politicians, then the professional fantasy writer should be able to seize the imagination of at least, say, a quarter of it. This should translate into increased sales.
Let’s examine what can politics do for fantasy writing. Voodoo is no longer limited to zombies. It extends to economics. Huge treasures can appear or disappear by redefinition, without the aid of a magic lamp. Mana trickles down from socio-economic demi-gods to the plates of mere mortal day laborers. Rabid, drooling organized labor mercenaries drag poor unsuspecting workers from their travails, and force them to become mindless union members (defying the very plain, straightforward explanations of the feckless, deluded Supreme Court, that there is no such thing as mandatory union membership). People’s health and well being is improved by allowing companies to pour more pollutants into the environment. This is great stuff. Why didn’t we published fantasy writers think of it?
Actually, we did. Since facts so often get in the way of the politician’s goals and objectives, the politician has learned to rely on fantasy. There is a natural give and take between the fantasist and the politician, an undeniable and powerful symbiosis that should be embraced by both. The most resolute hard core “values” voter would be cast adrift without some underlying evil to be thwarted. Who knows better how to create evil and how to thwart it than the fantasy writer? So every time a politician rises above the rabble as a champion of the people, the fantasist should be taking notes.
Still, one gets bored with standard Utopian themes like expanding human rights (religious and racial tolerance, acceptance of sexual orientations other than one’s own, etc.) or actually improving access to health care. Yawn. Since facts are not an issue, it is time for politicians to reach out and explore new fantasies.
There are some fantasy themes that I’d like the politicians to take a crack at in the coming year. Let’s have some politician threaten to take away anti-trust exemptions from major league baseball until the Cubs win the World Series.
According to the 2011 Farm Subsidy Database, http://farm.ewg.org/progdetail.php?fips=00000&progcode=tobacco, “Tobacco Subsidies in the United States totaled $1.1 billion from 1995-2010,” and $194,435,671 in 2010 alone. Let’s have some politician insist that health care benefits for congressmen be reduced dollar for dollar to match and fund tobacco subsidies.
Fantasy writers have given politicians so much material to work with. It is only fair that politicians repay the favor. If the politicians play their part in the coming year, then when the recount challenges work their way through the courts, like Rick and Captain Renault at the end of Casablanca, the politicians and the fantasy writers can start a beautiful friendship.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Next up on the Blog Tour
Interview by Kellie Kamryn:
http://kelliekamryn.blogspot.com/2011/10/author-interview-charlie-kenmore.html?zx=bd07b5d01a944a58
Interview by Julie Belfield
http://jabelfield.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/interview-with-charlie-kenmore/
http://kelliekamryn.blogspot.com/2011/10/author-interview-charlie-kenmore.html?zx=bd07b5d01a944a58
Interview by Julie Belfield
http://jabelfield.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/interview-with-charlie-kenmore/
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
And the Blogs go on!
http://anahart03.blogspot.com/2011/09/guest-blog-art-of-flashing-by-charlie.html?zx=5455aef30fc7c13e
Sunday, September 25, 2011
The Blog Tour Update
http://bookreviewsadverts.blogspot.com/2011/09/mind-groin-or-both-inserting-sex-scene.html?zx=c7cf306c8f0f129c
http://labellebooks.blogspot.com/?zx=935942c3dcdb0292
Monday, September 12, 2011
Local Authors' Book Fair at Kirkwood Public Library
Saturday was the first Local Authors' Book Fair at Kirkwood Public Library. It was sparsely, but enthusiastically attended. Thank you, Pat Rohan.
Although I have taught and spoken to groups of several hundred as an attorney, this was my first appearance as an author. Generously, I'll give myself a C+ to B-. Got out some of the essentials about Earth Angel and its creation, but was shaky on the human interest aspects. Note to self-plan ahead, less improv.
Other authors included M.R. Sellars, Fred Miller, Greg Wolk, Alex Bess (a published Kirkwood H.S. sophomore fantasy writer!), William Mathis, Ellie Jones, Richard Fuegner, John Nischwitz and Ralph Wright OSB.
Linda Hopson of Roo to You made an awesome cake. Pictures are available on FB under Alexx Momcat or Charlie Kenmore.
Added bonus -- Alexx and I had lunch with M.R. Sellars.
Although I have taught and spoken to groups of several hundred as an attorney, this was my first appearance as an author. Generously, I'll give myself a C+ to B-. Got out some of the essentials about Earth Angel and its creation, but was shaky on the human interest aspects. Note to self-plan ahead, less improv.
Other authors included M.R. Sellars, Fred Miller, Greg Wolk, Alex Bess (a published Kirkwood H.S. sophomore fantasy writer!), William Mathis, Ellie Jones, Richard Fuegner, John Nischwitz and Ralph Wright OSB.
Linda Hopson of Roo to You made an awesome cake. Pictures are available on FB under Alexx Momcat or Charlie Kenmore.
Added bonus -- Alexx and I had lunch with M.R. Sellars.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
So It Ain't "Original"--So What?
How should a writer address criticism that a work is not original or that it has been done before?
Perhaps the problem lies in the definition of "original".
A writer is immediately shackled by the necessity of conveying concepts in terms that the prospective reader will relate to and appreciate. One cannot adequately explain a particular color or hue to the blind, or an unusual sound or pitch to the deaf. The concepts lie outside of such individuals' experience. The trick is not to create a story that is entirely outside the realm of human experience, but rather to engage the reader with a fresh account that causes the reader to set aside any predisposition to dismiss the work because "it's been done before".
As soon as the author creates the first character, there is a back story rife with "done before". Let me introduce you to "Jane Doe", created for this post. Insert an age--26. Jane has already grown to maturity. So there is a whole childhood and early adult life already in the can. Her whole life is indirect action.
What do we learn about Jane? Orphan? Siblings? Married? Race? Height and weight? Nationality? Educated? Virgin or sexually active? Whatever we pick for Jane, readers will have preconceptions and expectations.
The trick is to insert enough quirks or devices for Jane that the reader does not expect to make the work "original". In my last novel, I needed some demons. Demons are a dime a dozen. Some have horns, and scabrous skin, and talons or claws, and long pointed fangs. Others shape change into devious and insidious forms. I created "nano-demons", magic's answer to nano-technologies. Octodecillians of nano-demons! Sure, demons have been done before, but I had never seen nano-demons.
Anyone can make a burger, but there is still one place in town that stands out. It ain't original, but it's damn good. Get out your thesaurus and cook up an interesting recounting of human experience (or inhuman experience if such is your wont). Don't worry that "it's been done before". Worry that it hasn't been done this well.
Perhaps the problem lies in the definition of "original".
A writer is immediately shackled by the necessity of conveying concepts in terms that the prospective reader will relate to and appreciate. One cannot adequately explain a particular color or hue to the blind, or an unusual sound or pitch to the deaf. The concepts lie outside of such individuals' experience. The trick is not to create a story that is entirely outside the realm of human experience, but rather to engage the reader with a fresh account that causes the reader to set aside any predisposition to dismiss the work because "it's been done before".
As soon as the author creates the first character, there is a back story rife with "done before". Let me introduce you to "Jane Doe", created for this post. Insert an age--26. Jane has already grown to maturity. So there is a whole childhood and early adult life already in the can. Her whole life is indirect action.
What do we learn about Jane? Orphan? Siblings? Married? Race? Height and weight? Nationality? Educated? Virgin or sexually active? Whatever we pick for Jane, readers will have preconceptions and expectations.
The trick is to insert enough quirks or devices for Jane that the reader does not expect to make the work "original". In my last novel, I needed some demons. Demons are a dime a dozen. Some have horns, and scabrous skin, and talons or claws, and long pointed fangs. Others shape change into devious and insidious forms. I created "nano-demons", magic's answer to nano-technologies. Octodecillians of nano-demons! Sure, demons have been done before, but I had never seen nano-demons.
Anyone can make a burger, but there is still one place in town that stands out. It ain't original, but it's damn good. Get out your thesaurus and cook up an interesting recounting of human experience (or inhuman experience if such is your wont). Don't worry that "it's been done before". Worry that it hasn't been done this well.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
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