My Inspiration
Writers are often asked where they get their inspiration for their writing. The awesome thing about this question is that from project to project, the answer changes.
Most of the time I get my inspiration from life experiences; from conversations, I've had with my loved ones, or experiences at work. Sometimes I think about historical places and events that haven't been portrayed in fiction yet, and I delve into either the fictionalized or true stories of those people that were alive at the time.
Other times all I have to do is take a walk in the city, and my mind is overwhelmed by ideas.
What Inspired the Danger of Exposure?
I first developed the idea for the Danger of Exposure in Spring 2020 just after "you know what" created the biggest world upheaval of our time. People were beginning to strategize what they would do if the 'grid' shut down. I was brainstorming such solutions as hooking up a woodstove, making sure that our well had a manual pump as well as a jet pump, setting up solar panels on our roof and buying candles wholesome, etc., etc.
This survivalist mentality got me wondering if maybe half of society would just leave their homes and start walking north. Maybe those people would build themselves a wooden fort-like village and promote sustainability. After a time, their children's children, or maybe even their children, would create stories of government conspiracy and intrigue.
Of course, the world didn't actually collapse in Spring 2020. The hydro companies continued to produce hydro and our propane truck came at the exact same time as it did the year before. But the question of 'what if' remained in my head and heart and that is where "The Danger of Exposure" came from.
It's the year 2256 and everything is different. And the world is not to Malcolm's liking. He dreams of being freed from the wooden prison that everyone else in the village seems to be ok with. He is soon assigned the role of forager and is responsible for finding materials from abandoned towns that could be useful to the village. But instead, he finds intrigue and the truth behind all the lies that the village had told him.
It is said that the truth sets people free. But Malcolm must decide if he is willing to set others free at the risk of losing the love of the most beautiful girl in the village.
