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Because nobody asked.
Actually, some of you have asked where I get my ideas for my fiction, so here goes. Yes, it's behind a cut, because some of you probably don't care, and also this could be a bit long.
What I'm going to do is link to each story, starting with the oldest and working forward, and give my thoughts on exactly what I was thinking when I wrote each piece.
Street Preacher Hunting Seasons: This was pretty much an attempt to mimic Warren Ellis' writing style. I don't think I pulled it off very well at all, but I do still like the idea of shooting people, especially ones who seem to think that their only way of getting a point across is standing on a street corner and screaming at people.
Demon Killing: What if the insane homeless person you see on the street actually isn't insane? What if they really do see demons? What if that clarity is what makes them seem insane? I liked the idea of someone who is generally ignored by society being one of its' secret protectors. Of course, in the story, the character really is a bit nuts, but that doesn't make it any less interesting.
The Rest Of Your Life: It's been a long time since I've trusted the government (actually, any government) to do anything more the waste a lot of cash and fuck things up. And it only stands to reason that an incompetent, corrupt government is only interested in maintaining its' power and position at any cost. We're already vulnerable to the propoganda fed to us in newspapers and on TV (as, let's face it, the news blows. The Daily Show is funny as hell, but it should not be more insightful then the real news.) What if the propoganda wins, making us all sheep? How would we fight back? Either that, or I just really like dystopian futures.
A Bored Assassin: What, assassins can't get bored? I mean, that's something they never talk about in movies. I mean, it can't always be leggy blondes at the poolside between gigs? Can it? It's kind of like... what does James Bond do on the weekends? Work on a fixer-upper home? Or is it always babes in Monte Carlo?
Cryogenic Dreams: I've been fascinated by cryogenics since I first heard of them, but it seems to have a failing point... namely, that it assumes that everything will be golden once you're thawed. What if it isn't? Sure, in theory, you wouldn't be thawed until a cure for whatever you were suffering from was found. But what if that's the start of your problems? Also, we know electronics work much better and faster if cooled. What if the brain does too? Actually, I shudder to think of a flash-frozen Walt Disney-brain churning out insipid cartoons from beyond the grave, but I digress.
Electric Thoughts: Ever read the short story, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce? I figure that's where I got the idea from. (Yes, I know what it says in the footnote to the original post.) The more I think about it, the more I'm certain Bierce's short story was an inspiration for this.
Private Apartment: I suppose this one came to me when I was musing about what I would do if I had enough money to survive on that I didn't have to work for a living. Would I become a complete shut-in, only venturing out of whatever lair I constructed, for food and other necessities? Then I thought, wouldn't that be a great way for some sort of monster to live? In the modern world, but not a part of it?
Chronophobia: I guess this one is based on the great McGuffin of bad sci-fi. "Look, General, we have this wonderful technology we don't completely understand, and we've given ourselves all sorts of new problems because of it." Actually, some good sci-fi uses the same McGuffin. I guess it's also the miniscule part of me that is a neo-Luddite, expressing itself.
Red Ticket: Politicians always talk about reducing crime, about eliminating crime. What if they came to the realization that if you must have some crime (because if you have no crime, you don't need cops, do you?), why not manage it so it's easier to deal with? You know where the crime will occur, who will be the victim, and who will be the perpetrator. Eliminates all the messy running around and guesswork by the cops, and keeps everyone in line. Wow... I really do like dystopian futures, don't I?
Dead Man Voting: Yeah, I did read some Mark Twain the same day I wrote this. Why should Chicago have all the fun with voting the graveyard? It's also partly based in truth, as I continue to be amazed that in South Carolina, the Coroner is an elected position, and is not actually required to have any medical knowledge whatsoever.
Turn Out The Lights: Last one out, turn off the lights. What if the world ended, but no-one told you? I think I got the basic idea from a silly car commercial, but I decided to forego the stunts on empty streets and the leggy blonde in the front seat.
The Drifter: Inspired by the Vampire: The Reqiuem setting. Even though I wrote it, I have no idea if the Drifter is a Gangrel with the Nightmare Discipline, a Nosferatu with the Protean Discipline, or Something Else Entirely. I also know it really doesn't matter, to me at least.
Ripper Dreams: Obviously inspired, in part, by Jack the Ripper. But I liked the idea of a man (maybe) being a psychopathic killer and not knowing it. A split personality? A fugue state? Doesn't matter. He may not even be the killer. I thought the main attraction of the piece should be the main character trying to deal with a relationship that is probably falling apart. I don't think I got that across very well, but it was interesting to write it anyway.
The Day After Christmas: I hate the commercialization of Christmas. I don't mind the gift-giving and receiving, per se, but I absolutely loathe the advertising starting earlier and earlier each year. I hate going shopping at any point between the first of November and the second week of January, and I want all those bratty little kids who scream at the mall to be muzzled. Oh yes, and I hate Christmas music. This is also an attempt to mimic Warren Ellis' style of writing a bit. As with the Street Preacher piece, I really don't see it as odd that in both pieces, the main character is violent and filled with an urge to hurt his fellow man. Part of it is my own general and non-specific anger/hatred of the human race, and part of it is... well, when was the last time you saw a cute 'n' fuzzy character from Warren Ellis?
Demon Killing pt. 2: I thought it was time for a return of the homeless demon killer. I've probably started writing this story a dozen times, and trashed it each time because it started turning into complete shit. Finally, I managed to get down what I wanted to write. As![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
the_corruption pointed out, both pieces have some basis in the game In Nomine, although since I've written this piece, I've been thinking it might become part of a Sekrit Projekt (to borrow a term from eddyfate.)
What I'm going to do is link to each story, starting with the oldest and working forward, and give my thoughts on exactly what I was thinking when I wrote each piece.
Street Preacher Hunting Seasons: This was pretty much an attempt to mimic Warren Ellis' writing style. I don't think I pulled it off very well at all, but I do still like the idea of shooting people, especially ones who seem to think that their only way of getting a point across is standing on a street corner and screaming at people.
Demon Killing: What if the insane homeless person you see on the street actually isn't insane? What if they really do see demons? What if that clarity is what makes them seem insane? I liked the idea of someone who is generally ignored by society being one of its' secret protectors. Of course, in the story, the character really is a bit nuts, but that doesn't make it any less interesting.
The Rest Of Your Life: It's been a long time since I've trusted the government (actually, any government) to do anything more the waste a lot of cash and fuck things up. And it only stands to reason that an incompetent, corrupt government is only interested in maintaining its' power and position at any cost. We're already vulnerable to the propoganda fed to us in newspapers and on TV (as, let's face it, the news blows. The Daily Show is funny as hell, but it should not be more insightful then the real news.) What if the propoganda wins, making us all sheep? How would we fight back? Either that, or I just really like dystopian futures.
A Bored Assassin: What, assassins can't get bored? I mean, that's something they never talk about in movies. I mean, it can't always be leggy blondes at the poolside between gigs? Can it? It's kind of like... what does James Bond do on the weekends? Work on a fixer-upper home? Or is it always babes in Monte Carlo?
Cryogenic Dreams: I've been fascinated by cryogenics since I first heard of them, but it seems to have a failing point... namely, that it assumes that everything will be golden once you're thawed. What if it isn't? Sure, in theory, you wouldn't be thawed until a cure for whatever you were suffering from was found. But what if that's the start of your problems? Also, we know electronics work much better and faster if cooled. What if the brain does too? Actually, I shudder to think of a flash-frozen Walt Disney-brain churning out insipid cartoons from beyond the grave, but I digress.
Electric Thoughts: Ever read the short story, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce? I figure that's where I got the idea from. (Yes, I know what it says in the footnote to the original post.) The more I think about it, the more I'm certain Bierce's short story was an inspiration for this.
Private Apartment: I suppose this one came to me when I was musing about what I would do if I had enough money to survive on that I didn't have to work for a living. Would I become a complete shut-in, only venturing out of whatever lair I constructed, for food and other necessities? Then I thought, wouldn't that be a great way for some sort of monster to live? In the modern world, but not a part of it?
Chronophobia: I guess this one is based on the great McGuffin of bad sci-fi. "Look, General, we have this wonderful technology we don't completely understand, and we've given ourselves all sorts of new problems because of it." Actually, some good sci-fi uses the same McGuffin. I guess it's also the miniscule part of me that is a neo-Luddite, expressing itself.
Red Ticket: Politicians always talk about reducing crime, about eliminating crime. What if they came to the realization that if you must have some crime (because if you have no crime, you don't need cops, do you?), why not manage it so it's easier to deal with? You know where the crime will occur, who will be the victim, and who will be the perpetrator. Eliminates all the messy running around and guesswork by the cops, and keeps everyone in line. Wow... I really do like dystopian futures, don't I?
Dead Man Voting: Yeah, I did read some Mark Twain the same day I wrote this. Why should Chicago have all the fun with voting the graveyard? It's also partly based in truth, as I continue to be amazed that in South Carolina, the Coroner is an elected position, and is not actually required to have any medical knowledge whatsoever.
Turn Out The Lights: Last one out, turn off the lights. What if the world ended, but no-one told you? I think I got the basic idea from a silly car commercial, but I decided to forego the stunts on empty streets and the leggy blonde in the front seat.
The Drifter: Inspired by the Vampire: The Reqiuem setting. Even though I wrote it, I have no idea if the Drifter is a Gangrel with the Nightmare Discipline, a Nosferatu with the Protean Discipline, or Something Else Entirely. I also know it really doesn't matter, to me at least.
Ripper Dreams: Obviously inspired, in part, by Jack the Ripper. But I liked the idea of a man (maybe) being a psychopathic killer and not knowing it. A split personality? A fugue state? Doesn't matter. He may not even be the killer. I thought the main attraction of the piece should be the main character trying to deal with a relationship that is probably falling apart. I don't think I got that across very well, but it was interesting to write it anyway.
The Day After Christmas: I hate the commercialization of Christmas. I don't mind the gift-giving and receiving, per se, but I absolutely loathe the advertising starting earlier and earlier each year. I hate going shopping at any point between the first of November and the second week of January, and I want all those bratty little kids who scream at the mall to be muzzled. Oh yes, and I hate Christmas music. This is also an attempt to mimic Warren Ellis' style of writing a bit. As with the Street Preacher piece, I really don't see it as odd that in both pieces, the main character is violent and filled with an urge to hurt his fellow man. Part of it is my own general and non-specific anger/hatred of the human race, and part of it is... well, when was the last time you saw a cute 'n' fuzzy character from Warren Ellis?
Demon Killing pt. 2: I thought it was time for a return of the homeless demon killer. I've probably started writing this story a dozen times, and trashed it each time because it started turning into complete shit. Finally, I managed to get down what I wanted to write. As
the_corruption pointed out, both pieces have some basis in the game In Nomine, although since I've written this piece, I've been thinking it might become part of a Sekrit Projekt (to borrow a term from eddyfate.)