(updated 2019 June 24)
A standing sage bit of advice / truism given to beginning writers (especially novelists) is, “Write what you know.”
In the words of those great American mid-20th century Motown recording artists / lyrical philosophers, The Essex, in their 1964 popular song hit, that recommendation is, “…easier said than done.”
Let the record show, when the Adventure— series’ setting dropped into James Hood’s head that cold Saturday morning in 1973, he certainly had not life-experienced background material for what became the Alternate World and Adventure—‘s (published and coming) stories.
A parallel reality of our world with many similarities and some cheeky differences was by no fantasy, however exotic, not where this Chicago suburbanite writer lived.
Nope, Adventure—‘s fiction concept felt as a “gift from the ethers,” dumped into a waiting brain already packed with varied bits of “applicable” and much arguably “useless” information”…which has been added to, literally, by the day, and continues. Thank Heaven for that moment.
“Write what you know;” only partially applied, especially about exploration. However, this writer already knew quite a bunch about what he liked to read and about geography, history and the stories’ “hardware;” ships, aircraft, vehicles, the British East India Company….
By the way, “Easier Said Than Done,” remains as of this writing, the only #1 song written and recorded by active-duty US military personnel. How about a big round of applause for United States Marine Corps recording performers Billy Hill, Rudolph Johnson, guitarist Walter Vickers, drummer Rodney Taylor and lead singer Anita Humes. Active-duty Marine, William Linton, co-wrote the song. Semper fi!
JAMES HOOD 