The appeal of fantasy

In real life, I want responsible behavior from others, well-adjusted children, a considerate mate, and good books. I also want perfect weather, reasonable prices for the commodities I buy, and high quality television programming. But reality doesn’t work like that, which has a great deal to do with why I need good books.

The funny part is what makes a great life is dull fiction. In the Lord of the Rings there comes a point in the journey when the weary travels stop with the elven people for bit and all is pleasant and serene. The author sums up this part of the story with a few words, saying there’s little to tell of happy times. The drama we avoid in real life makes fiction compelling. Conflict is the heart of entertaining stories.

My enjoyable reads are far from reality. I love submarine stories. Patrick Robinson and James H. Cobb both have series, which deserve to be better known. I know nothing about submarines, warfare, or any aspect of their story worlds. I know nothing about secret agents, which only adds to the appeal of James Bond adventure. The special world of regency romance is guaranteed to charm me. Favorite stories are always far from my everyday life and far from the stories that I write. This makes them ideal for escaping into an alternate reality.