When I was at the BYU writing conference, there was a lot of talk about different types of Fantasy, and how most fantasy was just a rehash of LOTR. This got me thinking about fantasy settings that would be different. I suppose Monster Hunter International is technically a fantasy, but I thought I might to do something that wasn’t set in the modern world.
I’ve also wanted to do an alternate history for awhile, but didn’t really have any ideas. But I am a geek for the classical firearms of the interwar period.
Then I was having a conversation about writing with Nightcrawler on the phone. We started talking about how cool certain things would be in a book, and then it just kind of spiraled out of control from there.
I haven’t posted anything this week because I’ve been writing and researching. I’ve been on an ever widening Wiki search, and that directed me to other areas of research. I’ve probably spent 40 hours researching this week, and then when I finally sat down to write a small vignette, just to get the flavor, I ended up writing for 12 straight hours. Mrs. Correia said that I got out of bed in the morning, got on the computer, and then got off to eat dinner. I don’t remember, I was in a sort of idiot-savant state, and when I went to bed, I lay awake until almost dawn because my brain kept coming up with new ideas.
I wrote 10,000 words in one sitting.
So yeah, I’m a little bit excited about this project. I’m not going to give out a lot of details yet, but here are a few utterly fabricated quotes from various people in this era.
Once again, these actual people never said these things. This is just for me to give my project some history and flavor. I took actual famous quotes so I could get a feel for their language, and then tweaked accordingly.
One general law, leading to the advancement of all organic beings, namely, multiply, vary, let the strongest live and the weakest die. The appearance of esoteric and etheral abiliites, magikal fires and feats of strength, in recent decades are the purest demonstration of natural selection. Surely, in time, that general law will require the extinction of traditional man.
Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Man and Selection of Human Magikal Abilities, 1879
As an eminent pioneer in the realm of high frequency currents, I congratulate you on the great success of your life’s work, but I am of the sad belief that your Peace Ray may have been inappropriately named.
Albert Einstein, Letter to Nikola Tesla for Tesla’s 75th Birthday 1931
Gentlemen, we have now reached the last point. If anyone of you doesn’t mean business let him say so now. An hour from now will be too late to back out. Once in, you’ve got to see it through. You’ve got to perform without flinching whatever duty is assigned you, regardless of the difficulty or the danger attending it. If it is steering the clouds and calling down lightning. If it is hurling fire or steel. If it is breaking the German’s willl or dragging their Battle Zeppelins from the sky. If it is the closest kind of fighting, be anxious for it. You must know your Power, how to shoot, and how to stay alive. No matter what comes you mustn’t squeal. Think it over — all of you. If any man wishes to withdraw he will be gladly excused, for others are ready to take his place.
General Theodore Roosevelt, From speech given to 1st Volunteer Brigade (Active) before second battle of the Somme 1917
As soon as the idea was introduced that all men were equal before God, that world was bound to collapse. Behold the failed American, a culture steeped in rot, their magics used publicly in the streets, without control, even allowed to the despicable Jew.
Adolph Hitler, Final Munich speech before his arrest and execution by firing squad,1929
You can go a long way with a smile. You can go a lot farther with a smile and a gun. A smile, a gun, and a Brute gets you the key to the city.
Al “Scarface” Capone, Interview 1930
I am by heritage a Jew, by citizenship a Swiss, by magical gift a Cog, and by makeup a human being, and only a human being, without any special attachment to any state or national entity whatsoever.
Albert Einstein, Letter to Alfred Knesser, 1919
The learned gentlemen from the university have asked me if I relied on Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity or if I used the simpler rules of Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation on the evening in question when I accidentally took Sheriff Johnson’s life . S***. I don’t know. I just got angry and squished the ***ker. But I’ve gotten better at running things and I promise not to do it no more.
Jake Sullivan, Parole Hearing, Rockville State Penitentiary 1928
I guess you could say I’m a little excited about this one.