Unfurling...

It's a magical moment when all the threads of a story begin coming together.  Characters you like but whose paths have been mindless and destinations whose map was only a figment start unfurling like new leaves, filling an author with the vigor only inspiration can bestow.  The wonder at discovering the promise of a whole narrative with depth and intrigue is a potent brew.  That is how I began to feel about the second installment in my 'Call of the Black Panther' universe yesterday, watching the landscape slip by on a trip to visit family.

If I wanted to get philosophical I suppose the connection makes some sense.  There are many concerns touched on in the Panther books but the notion of 'family' is perhaps one of the biggest.  Tension between creatures different from ourselves, as well as facets that are considered 'different' within a scientific classification, is not a new theme but which still lies at the heart of our struggles as a species.  Embedded in that struggle for balance is the risk of radicalisation, a topic the second book looks at in more detail.  Walking the line between security and freedom is of particular importance in our increasingly connected global society.  In both books I endeavour to show that neither Human branch is completely good or bad, only that individual choice is of paramount importance.  Whereas it is easy to simply 'go-along' with others that inaction can lead to unsettling consequences.  Every society benefits from questioning the perceived 'best course of action' and whose desires are met by making particular choices.

Ultimately, because I'm an optimist, I believe that people generally make good moral decisions.  Repression, stress, lack of education, lethargy all affect the moral quality of a decision but everyone has the capacity to recognise right from wrong and desire an ethical conclusion.  This universe is my own rendition of where such moral tensions can play out, particularly in the thorny area of inter-Human 'difference'.  Characters who are good will make bad decisions and have to live with the consequences.  The reverse will also be true, the actions of those around these characters constantly affecting their view of cause and effect.

One of an author's biggest challenges is capturing a semblance of life in their work, the complexity of interacting forces ensuring that sometimes even the creator will not fully understand where their words are coming from.  Stories are fundamentally lessons about life.  They range from the ordinary to grotesque, simultaneously examining and embodying the nebulous nature of our conscious reality.  This artistic form is at once a source of pleasure and introspection, enabling us to see what we've come to expect in new ways.  That is what I ultimately hope comes from others reading my stories - a new perspective on the world.  Perhaps even one that will help it become a better place.  As any artist will tell you, it doesn't hurt to dream.

Image of writing by after-the-party

Writing as You're 'Starting Your Life'‏

Every writer encounters the challenge of finding time to write.  This is particularly tricky when you're a young adult expected to be 'starting your life'.

Once post-secondary is completed you have to find a job, establish yourself in your field, pay the bills, and balance a social life.  Soon after (hopefully) achieving some stability in your working life one is contemplating settling down with a partner, starting a family, maybe buying a home.  Before you know it you're in your late thirties and writing has taken a seat back on the bumper.  This is something I would like to avoid if at all possible.  I want writing to be integrated into my life so that, even if it's just a few lines a day, I never completely lose touch with the medium.

The next question to answer then is 'what type of writing do I want to do'?  Despite my practiced ability to construct essays (thank you four years of University English) I vastly prefer the narrative form.  Even once one has hit upon this preference, however, there are myriads of choices.  I'm fortunate to have written a fanfiction that continues to garner appreciation from the internet community but with that appreciation comes the demand for more of the like.  While I'd already contemplated a sequel to the work I am also receiving requests/prompts to develop the ideas of others in the community.  Since my intention is to put the majority of my attention toward my original works I am having to turn down these requests and encourage their sources to pursue their own inspiration.

At least it is nice to have one's literary skills appreciated so I am thankful for the time all my readers take to supply me with imaginative fodder.

As for my original works I have discovered a fantastic companion in Boxjelly . Her story 'Princess of Prongs' introduced me to her style and from the first chapter I knew this was an author I wanted to follow.  Her hold of language, expansive imagination and characterisation makes every one of her stories a pleasure to read.  After I left a review stating the like on the above mentioned story she contacted me and the two of us have begun a literary exchange, assisting one another in improving our stories.  I am so thankful to have her trained eye and masterful awareness of narrative to assist me and look forward to our continued correspondence.

Boxjelly1's deviantart.com Profile: http://boxjelly1.deviantart.com/