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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Cheryl Brooks: The Joy of World Building




Imagine the galaxy of the distant future. Human culture remains similar to our own, but the details are fuzzy. Who else lives in this universe, and how do they relate and communicate with one another?

Now imagine the planets themselves. Earth is already filled with wonders—many of them as yet undiscovered. Take them a few steps farther and they become the wonders of a dozen new worlds, filled with creatures whose talents are often lurking just beneath the surface.

Adding a magical component is unnecessary. Those alien beings have abilities different enough from our own so as to seem like magic, but what is magic for us is normal for them.

This is what makes science fiction so much more believable for me than fantasy. Sure, it’s nice to be able to turn into a bat at will, but explain how that happens without some form of magic. My practical mind won’t let me do it.  

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a good ghost story as much as the next person, but believing in them is difficult. I can, however, believe that life exists on other planets throughout the galaxy, and even though the facts discovered thus far don’t support it, the potential is still there. On the other hand, neither I, nor anyone I know, have ever come face-to-face with a vampire or a werewolf.

That being said, science fiction still requires the suspension of disbelief. The idea that space travel could ever be fast enough between star systems to establish any kind of community stretches credibility, which is why I set my Cat Star Chronicles series a thousand years in the future. Already, several milestones in futuristic fiction have come and gone. We don’t have flying cars—at least none that are practical—and a utopian future is still a dream.

I’d like to believe that mankind will grow up someday, and stop the waste of life and resources on war and conquest. I’d like to believe that one day our descendants will look back on us as we look at cavemen now—primitive, savage, and uncivilized. My vision of the future a millennium from now is not perfect—the need for growth and greater understanding remains—but that vision of the future is why I dream.
And also why I write.

What about you? How do you envision life in 3013? Would you want to live in that time or ours?
Post a comment telling us your thoughts for your chance to win a signed copy of Wildcat, book nine in The Cat Star Chronicles! 

***Cheryl's winner is Erin!  Please email totebag@authorsoundrelations.com with your mailing information.***

20 comments:

Cheryl Brooks said...

Hello, everyone! I'll be checking in from time to time to answer questions and respond to comments. Don't be shy!

Lil said...

Hi Cheryl! I envision 3013 as something more homogenous in race and that we sustain ourselves off of plant based diets by that time. That said, I imagine that there remain country boundaries though not necessarily of the ones that we know today. And though I hope that we will all have learned to live in complete peace, my suspicions are that people will still suffer some greed, jealousy, unfairness and disdain enough to cause incidents of unrest.

little lamb lst at yahoo dot com

Kimmi Crook said...

I hope that in 3013 we finally find a planet that can house us humans like Terra Minor. I would love to live in a time where the medical field has evolved but people wouldn't depend so completely on the tech of today (or tomorrow). I hope that we are not all alone in this universe and that we could meet and learn from other life forms. I think that I would be like Jack and quote things from our time. Maybe I could meet my very own Cat! That alone would be reason enough to want to live in 3013!!!

Stefanie said...

I think 3013 will be something we can´t even imagine right now. As people 1000 years ago wouldn´t have been able to imagine how we live today.
I do think we´ll live more in harmony with nature (we´ll have to).

Cheryl Brooks said...

The plant-based diet is likely, as is the unrest. The homogenous race has already begun, and hopefully, peace will come along with it. ;)

Cheryl Brooks said...

LOL! Cat would definitely be worth it!

Cheryl Brooks said...

You're right about having to live in harmony with nature. It's a lot stronger than we are, for sure!

erin said...

Thanks for the great post and congrats to Cheryl on the newest release! Oh man... what a hard question. I look at what 1913 looked like and it's worlds different from now. So 3013 would blow my mind :)

Anonymous said...

I cannot even imagine how we will live in 3013. I don't think people won't be any more happier! They always want more and more and are never satisfied! I just hope that nature will still be part of their lifes! Can you imagine reading in 3013!!! Honestly I never read any books of this series but would gladly love to win a signed copy of Wildcat. Thanks for this nice giveaway!

Cheryl Brooks said...

Well...in my version of 3013, people still read. And nature is still a part of their lives. :)

Cheryl Brooks said...

Yes, but even in 1913, people lived in houses, wore clothing, ate food, and had children. Those basic human needs probably won't change, even if we drive flying cars. ;)

Pat Cochran said...

Not even thinking of the distant future at
this point. I'll take & enjoy every second
of the time I have now, that's my focus!

Pat C.

Pookietoes said...

I would think by that time we will have colonies on the moon and Mars. I would hope by that time we will have learned to respect each other and nature. I also hope that questions such as who else shares the universe with us are answered.

Eli Yanti said...

3013 I think will really different from now especially in technology and not sure earth is still exist, but hope it's still :)

Mary Preston said...

That seems so far off. Chances are we have right royally stuffed up this planet & so are living off world or are now extinct.

Cheryl Brooks said...

The now is the only thing any of us has any control over. Good place to focus!

Cheryl Brooks said...

Yeah. The Earth will strike back at us eventually. We need to cherish our world for the jewel it is.

Cheryl Brooks said...

I prefer to be optimistic about the future. Yes, things will change, but I think the changes will be for the better.

Kimmi Crook said...

Or any other of those Zetithian Hotties!

Cheryl Brooks said...

Sounds good, Pookietoes!