Monday, June 16, 2008

Too Much Coffee Makes Me Strange

I posted a "that kind of day" complaining song and a deep philosophical questioning over at Something Wicked... this morning.

People like to ask authors why they write urban fantasy/paranormal/fantasy stuff, and I realized that I don't really have a good answer to that. I mean, I can enumerate the reasons I like it, but some of it is actually deeply visceral. When we get to that part in the story when the heroine realizes the cute guy sitting next to her on the bus is actually a werewolf my heart speeds up. I get a real, honest-to-goddess adrenaline rush that I can't really explain.

I know that it's this rush that keeps me addicted to urban fantasy/science fiction. It's really a lot like a drug (luckily, the only side-affect is loss of sleep when you get wrapped up in a story and realize that you've stayed up well past your bedtime and it's a work night.)

I really notice this when watching TV shows based on my drug-of-choice. Battlestar Galatica will actually make me sit on the edge of the seat of the couch, my heart pounding. When the show is over (certainly during the first season, anyway,) I actually felt physically drained, like I'd run a marathon.

But why am I like that? Why is it that space dog-fights get my juices flowing? Why is it that once magic shows up in a novel, I'm hooked?

I don't know. Except maybe it's because that's the first hit I ever took -- the first grown-up novel I read cover-to-cover was THE HOBBIT, and I must have imprinted on it, like a baby duck. I really couldn't tell you. How about you??

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe that's it... I'd gone through all the kids' books at Greenwood Elementary by second grade, so the Librarian let me into the juvie shelves, where I read Heinlein's Rocket Ship Galileo. Ruined me for life...

Oddly enough, didn't read Tolkien 'til after college. Still have the copy of Fellowship with my friend Barb's inscription inside the cover: "Frank: Read This Book!"

Still reading...

Turner Publishing said...

Sorry to leave this on your comments page, but I didn't see an email address. I promise I’m not spam. I’m the Marketing Manger for Turner Publishing.

I’m going around to all local bloggers and freelancers to let them know about our new book, the Historic Photos of St. Paul by Steve Trimble. We’d love to send you a complimentary copy for possible review consideration on your blog when the title comes out later this month. This title is done in a large 10x10 format and all images represent rare or never before seen photos of St. Paul. We’re trying to get the word out to local folks, so I hope you don’t mind me dropping you a line to let you know about our book!

Hope to hear from you soon.

Best,
Rachel Joiner
Marketing Manager
rjoiner@turnerpublishing.com
www.turnerpublishing.com