h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

For me right now a big problem is getting to the point where I feel I am making the best possible contribution to the world *and* also earn some money with it. I want to say: money as such is *not* my goal. But for better or worse we live in a world where money as gained much importance. And it could be used for good. If I had some money I could use it towards positive ends - and I'd do my best to do that.

So: my ideas for books.

The first is a Colours of Wildlife book - the idea is to base it around my art. I have now almost a hundred Colours of Wildlife articles here! Now depending on the publisher I could use the same articles I have here, or rewrite them - I would actually wish to rewrite some or most of them, to make them more suitable for the reading experience of a book. Also I am thinking of putting in more black-and-white sketches and also apart from the chapters dealing with specific animals, also put in some general chapters where I speak about evolution, ecology, biodiversity, conservation and the value of all living species - some of my personal nature-philosophy. I do think I could make this very interesting and unique. I could also say what art means to me, what wildlife means to me - how it inspires me as an artist. I could even put in what wildlife and nature does for my psychological state.

I will think of ways of making this work as a *book*. My art and articles are available online but not available to a very large audience. Also, if the book is printed in high quality the pictures could look very good. And you can leaf through the book faster than navigating through web pages and without distractions. I think it could be great for an e-book as well. And there could be follow-ups since I will keep up with the wildlife art for the rest of my life.

How does this sound for a book idea?

The next idea is for my Wavendreem's Garden fantasy stories. Now the thing with these is I write and will try and also illustrate them. In these stories I try to do several things which as far as I know no fantasy author has seriously tried before. I don't want to give too much away, just this: the stories are a combination of hard science fiction and fantasy - in fact what I'm trying to do in these stories is show that the two aren't necessarily different things (Arthur C. Clarke's quote: a sufficiently high technology is indistinguishable from magic). Next I have female protagonists and do *not* sexualize them. I try and write women who are interested in adventure rather than romance; also they are heroes who are simultaneously tough and vulnerable, they are also warm, gentle and friendly - while being no lesser heroes than any male fantasy heroes. Also, I am going against a trend I see in contemporary fantasy art: no matter what woman sort of characters feature, good or evil, they *always* look young, beautiful and sexy (or horriffic-looking but still sexy to those of a certain taste). As a man I try and show that it is possible to do this. I put in many *important* female characters who are not that, who look like what you would consider 'normal' or 'real' women - except still in a fantasy setting, they have fantasy powers but those powers are not looking like a pinup, and those powers are often due to their own hard work (still in the context of the fantasy setting) and not magically bestowed on them. In the end I'm trying to show that my characters are real people - I am also trying to focus more on characters' ideas and feelings than on miraculous stuff (although there's plenty of magic and spectacle too). But anyways this and many other things I'm attempting in these stories, the end being a kind of *realistic* fantasy (even if the setting is far from realistic). And I'm trying to do it on a BIG scale: I'm planning to do twelve novels in the Wavendreem's Garden series - and then there could be further novels around the characters and the setting/s. I have two novels pretty much finished and the third almost.

How does that sound for a possibility?

Third possibility: I've been thinking of a children's story called 'Clakyll Gets Lost'. The idea for this so far is vague, but it's about a little kind of alien character called Clakyll living in an alien world - a fantasy world yet again. He looks like nothing on Earth but I think he's still endearing and kids will accept him. He lives in a little treetop village with his mom and dad and each day they go into the forest to collect their food. But Clakyll gets distracted easily, and one day - maybe his parents are preoccupied or maybe something else, but the end is that litlte Clakyll gets separated from them and is lost in the huge forest. The rest of the story is his adventures, meeting with strange creatures, some friendly and some not - and he now has to try and remember what his parents have said in all their advice and their warnings.

The idea with this story is that I want to write a *substantial* story aimed at young children. It will be lavishly illustrated and the idea is that the book will go way beyond the little children's books ... it will be something they or their parents can read a chapter or two at a time but that will last for a good long while. I think children deserve something like this and I also think it could get many of them interested in reading poper novels.

How does this sound for a possibility?

Then there's the idea suggested by Stone Aart that I write a biography detailing my weird experiences and struggles. I haven't started on this yet while I have started already with all of the previous projects I mention... so I was thinking perhaps doing those first and then when I've had some success in life I can write a proper autobiography that, because I've achieved some success despite my problems, could be inspiring to other people.

How about that for an idea?

Those all sound great!

My father-in-law self-published a book using something I can't remember the name of right now He's got it listed on Amazon. I don't know how it's doing, but it's a bit of a niche book, anyway--your ideas would be interesting to a much larger audience (I, for one, would actually read yours...)

I'll try to find out what my father-in-law used, and get back to you

Hello Amy! I would of course love to hear about how your father-in-law got the book published, and what its name is. Me, I don't want to self-publish, though ... I'd much prefer to find a good publisher willing to take them on.

I think a Colours of Wildlife book would sell. I know I'd buy it, even though I've read them all here - it would make a lovely book.

I agree KB, I think a lot of people would be interested.

Websailor

Thank you very much for the votes of confidence KB and Websailor!

Amy, would you be interested if I sent you a chapter or two of my fantasy novels? The first three chapters already have illustrations, though just black-and-white right now ...

Though I won't have time to read for the next week or so--fireworks selling season starts at noon the day after tomorrow, and so far the booth volunteers consist of Tom and I (and L, who will be watching the fireworks overnight so we don't have to stock and unstock each day).

All right Amy - could I send it to you then and you read it when you're ready?

Sounds like a great idea!

And, once I've read it, would you like me to send it to someone I know that likes science fiction/fantasy that *doesn't* know you, for an unbiased opinion? Just so you can't later think that I'm just being nice if I love it?

Of course, Amy! Your email ... does the yahoo one still work? I also have one at 'treasurer' ... which one would be the right one?

The yahoo one is correct--I've not worked at the Treasurer's Office for nearly a decade now (Last day there was 2 days before PaperKid was born, and her birthday is 2 weeks from today.)