Is it bad that, upon seeing a smoke-filled sky, these were some of my first thoughts?
- At least it’s not a pandemic.
- The air quality danger is down to “very unhealthy,” so I can probably go for a walk!
- I’m still going to a rock concert tonight (Temples — very good!).
- Hey, now I can use some of my leftover N95 masks! Or maybe I can really get stylish and break out my old cloth masks!
Are we getting used to the kind of thing we used to read about in dystopian novels and post-apocalyptic films like The Road Warrior?
People often ask me if this kind of thing inspires me to write. Honestly, what it inspires me to do is to retreat into a popcorn video game like Marvel’s Midnight Suns or an optimistic TV show like Ted Lasso. Ah… fictional England, all they care about there is the next soccer football match!
I have been working, slowly, on a new novel. I am not addressing the COVID-19 pandemic or our imminent environmental doom. Those are great topics for other authors, but not much of an escape for me.
Yes, I’m still writing in the dystopian genre, and it’s not another comedy (though writing a political satire was a great escape from a depressing series of years!). I’m having a good time figuring out what makes my characters tick, as well as spending more time on the world building as well. In other words, I’ve been taking a lot of notes. However, I’m feeling optimistic that the end product from all this will be worth the effort.
Assuming the world doesn’t end first.
Stay safe, everyone!
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