Thursday, 14 July 2016

Drawing on Life's Experiences

 
 
    When authors write fiction they immerse themselves in an imaginary world. Places, people, situations come to fruition in their mind and hopefully then come alive on the final written page, being shared with the reader.

    People know that authors at some time, or another may draw on their own life's experiences and the live's of others to use in their work.

    I've been asked if it's any different when writing fantasy and 'no' it's no different. I have and will I'm sure, use again true-life situations in the at times humorous, fantastical world of angels and demons my books take place in.

    For example, many years ago I visited a client in a block of apartments, his home was on the top floor, level fourteen. Having been warned by a colleague that I was to expect the unexpected on level thirteen, I held my breath as the elevator came to a halt on the said floor.

    As the doors slowly opened a large snarling Doberman dog lunged forward, only being stopped short of me by the tight rope that was tied around his neck. The poor animal was regularly placed there by a couple of kids who found the reaction of the lift's passengers more than a little amusing.

    The next small extract from 'Chapter 30' of my first book 'Salvation No Kissing Required' is my fantastical interpretation of that night.

    'Ting, the elevator doors open, we both jump in and I press number three on the panel. The doors seem to shut so slowly, we start to move chung, chung, chung, ting, we're here. The doors start to slide open, we prime ourselves for our next dash.

    "Wah-wee, whoa." That's me exclaiming my horror at what has just leapt towards the lift doors. The welcoming commitee comes in the shape of a huge version of Beelze. This guy must be his pop. His gaping mouth fills the entrance, wow, it's a cavern. If I had known I was going to be faced with this, I'd have brought a miner's lamp.

    I'm now gawping at teeth which resemble huge sabers, and a large red coiling tongue that's sloshing about. Yuck. I thank God for small mercies, because Papa B's head is too big to get into the cabin. But the big wiggly thing that's moving in and out of his mouth could be a problem, without a doubt.'

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