Truth is stranger than fiction, so let's abuse it!

I saw a special not too long ago about real hobbits. Here's an article from NatGeo:

Real Hobbits Found

I thought at the time it would make a good SF/F story, but I never did anything with it. Maybe it will inspire someone else!

-- Marcy

Excellent idea for a thread, Bahamut!

Recently, while reading my brother's blog, I read an entry of his on cork forests. Yeah, I knew cork was grown, but I didn't know it's as renewable as it is and I most certainly did not know it was accompanied by its very own ecosystem, including plants, insects, whatever of species that exist nowhere else in the world. I know, I know - cork does not sound interesting! But I'm telling you, read that article and you'll change your mind.

I once read a news story in a legitimate newspaper about a family of five who was kidnapped by an old man and held hostage for about ten years. Several family members held jobs, but apparently, their kidnapper kept one of the family locked up at all times, threatening to kill that one member if any of the others dared to speak up about it. I still can't believe that one.

Another time, I came across a story in which a judge would lessen the sentences for young, good-looking guys if they washed his hair. Boston Legal anyone?

And finally, there was a series of stories about a young man in Arizona, I believe, who married a woman who took him for everything he was worth (not much - a few thousand dollars and some maxed-out credit cards). The woman turned out to be a guy in drag. And, yes, the marriage was consummated. What got me about this was a police officer who was interviewed and said that the young man was, "not very bright."

Truth is stranger than fiction.

I'm afraid I haven't suggestions but I saw the ad for that show and it made me think so much of the fantasy stories I already write, which are based on an actual location, Mackinac Island, Michigan. Now, this island in itself isn't terribly strange or bizarre or anything, but it's covered with rock formations and caves and such, and has a lot of native mythology centered around it, so naturally that built up into my stories. Most of these formations (which really do exist) have all sorts of strange powers about them in my writing.

Why did the crystal cave remind me of this? Mackinac Island is composed mostly of brecciated limestone and according to old records there are sinkholes here and there within the island, out of reach of tourists. In one old guidebook, the writer says you can hear possible hollows beneath the ground when walking in certain areas, and I'm not sure if it's true or not, but the ground did sound hollow a few times when I walked certain trails. One writer hypothesized there could be little subterranean caves, and this fits in perfectly with the way the limestone erodes through water action over time. It's how the rest of the island was formed, after all.

In the mythology I created, the fantasy Island I write about is Swiss-cheesed with subterranean caves and tunnels, both dry and underwater, and there are special crystals encrusting most of them. These crystals have a huge bearing on how the physics of the story work. The next story, following my current WIP, will take place partly in these caves/tunnels and then in a sort of alternate world beneath the Island. The crystals, caves, and tunnels provide means of transport between realms and everything. I've become terribly used to my characters wandering around in them, so probably as much of the story takes place underground as above it!

So of course, when I saw those gigantic crystals (I didn't even know they could get that big!), it made me drool all over wanting to put such things in my story, since they'd fit perfectly.

I realize this isn't a suggestion for ideas, but I adore using things and places from reality to set up fantasy worlds, and even though the stuff I use isn't terribly bizarre, it's interesting enough to me. It's gotten me through two serials and most of a third one, with ideas for a fourth, so far.

I like to base on my worlds on something real so I have a solid jumping off point to work with. For example, I set a story on a lake, and I wanted something huge and shallow. I found Lake Victoria in Africa and that was perfect. By researchunbg the area, I found some fun details that I'd never have thought of that added a nice sense of realism to my world. I don't think anyone who reads my novel will look at it and say "hey! that's Lake Victoria!" but having a real geography and ecomonic system to work with added a lot of depth to my culture.

I tell you: All the best news comes from India.

Deputy Mayor of Dehli killed by monkeys!

Elephants steal booze, get drunk and go on a rampage!

Elephant Highway Robbery! Tapioca trucks stopped and looted by wild elephants!

Man Sexually assaults peasant woman. Woman cuts his head off with a sickle and carries it to police station. (she later denied carrying his head to the police station)

Sandalwood smuggling Bandit on the lam for 60 years! Exploits include: Killing a forest ranger and using his skull as a sacrificial vessel! Hundreds of Murders! Kidnapping India's most famous actor, demanding pardon for his release! Entire province intimidated! Dies in shoot out with army after a life of crime!

Thousands of worshippers throng to worship ice-penis! So many came that their body heat made it melt!

I mean, if you want crazy news, just link to the india news section.

I am positive they are all from reputable news sources

If you don't believe the long one, google Veerappan. I was wrong, it wasn't 60 years, it was more like 30 years.

I saw the decapitation story on CNN a few days ago, so I know that one's legit. (or, at least more legit than The Onion. )

There was also the story about a woman who had maggots growing inside her nasal cavity and had to be removed surgically. If they'd been left there any longer, they would have started to eat the woman's brain. Also in India.

To be fair, we get our share of nutso stories here in Sri Lanka, too. And today, I saw a flat bed truck hauling... an elephant.

The bandit story is true. As for the others, India has more than three times as many citizens as the US, so it should generate at least three times as many stories...

My personal favorite has always been a San Francisco nugget. An abandoned traffic barrier was worshipped for years as a symbol (specifically a phallic symbol) of the god Shiva...until the SF mayor's office decided the traffic barrier therefore violated the separation of Church and State by being abandoned in a public park.

Bahamutchild said:

Personally, this one takes the cake (posted by another AWer)

Horse gets head stuck in tree

Click to expand...

Only in West Virginia...

back hands truth across the face. ... oh not like that? uh sorry...

i saw this one, and though i don't know how it could be used in a story, i had to laugh and share it.

http://www.huliq.com/3257/71370/smelly-farts-may-lower-your-blood-pressure