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Bascomb James
Author | Scientist | Science Fiction Fan

​Inspiration and Tech Used in Disposal, Inc.

9/22/2017

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Inspiration
The inspiration for Disposal, Inc. came from two things.  The first bit of inspiration is the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan. The second source is the Canadian Government's plan to store nuclear waste in a bunker just 1.2 kilometers from Lake Huron, one of the largest fresh water lakes in the world; the lake that just happens to be the source of my drinking water. The blithe disregard of community concerns is all the more aggravating when you consider that some of the waste and dismantled reactor parts they intend to store will remain radioactive for more than 100,000 years. I mean, what could possibly go wrong in a hundred millennia?

"Wouldn't iit be great,"I thought, "If I could teleport all the nuclear waste to the Moon for disposal?" Who knows, maybe that single act might make nuclear power a little safer. On the remediation side, maybe we could decontaminate the Chernoble and Fukushima sites without creating problems somewhere else on Earth.

Technology
Given this premise, I started thinking about transporter technologies.  Like Bones in the original series, I have real concerns about Star-Trek inspired transporter technologies. The thought of disassembling (aka, killing) people and sending them through space as a pattern, then re-assembling them at the destination makes me wonder about the nature of humanity and the value of human life. Are transported individuals natural or artificial entities?  Heck, you can probably use the pattern buffers to create soldiers, slaves, or organ donors. In the real world, people and organizations are trying to patent genetic sequence information. In the future, who would own your pattern once you stepped through the transporter?  What would/could they do with that pattern?

The very thought makes me shudder so this story won't use Star Trek-based transporter technologies.  Instead, I plan to use a fold-space transporter. In my imaginary world, the device would fold space so that the two quantum-entangled units are permanently connected through subspace. The units act as if they are adjacent to one another, but separated by a wall. Once the mechanism is activated, the matter transmitter acts like a lazy Susan, rotating a defined volume of space from one side of the subspace wall to another.  At the same time, the volume over the far unit is rotated to this side.

Think about it.  We could colonize Mars by sending a large and a small matter transport pad to the red planet.  Once the pad is on the ground and functional, people could step off the Moon and onto Martian soil.  (We don't want to bring Mars bugs to Earth.)  If something happens to the large platform, you could send a repairman through the small door.  We could also send a spacecraft to Alpha Centauri, popping in in every now and again to see how things are going.

That"s it for now.  Next time we can discuss the story arc.  Leave a comment if you have ideas or comments.
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The Perils of Writing after Midnight

9/20/2017

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I was feeling good about my WIP, stringing words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs when I hit quicksand. I struggled to escape, to find firmer ground, but every action pulled me deeper into darkness. My heart pounded like a jackhammer. My throat closed. I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. I was in over my head.

Sharp writhing shapes pressed against me, their claws tearing at my flesh as they worked their way toward the page. I was helpless; terrified and appalled by the darkness.  Manic madness emerged from my fingers, the pulsing stain oozing across the page, desecrating the virgin white space, creating a trail of darkness and despair.  

Fear. My fear makes them stronger. The rising gorge of horror and desolation threaten to consume me. I fight grimly, but my strength...God, my strength and focus are failing. Thousands more press against me.  My struggle attracts them. It fuels their frenzy, their hunger.  I'm...I'm losing control.  My  
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Seven Story Prompts for Romance Writers

9/9/2017

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In her article for Writers Digest, Leigh Michaels lays down "The Essential Elements of Writing a Romance Novel." This nice overview concentrates on the following requirements:  

  1. A  hero and a heroine to fall in love
  2. A problem that creates conflict and tension between them and threatens to keep them apart
  3. A developing love that is so special it comes about only once in a lifetime
  4. A resolution in which the problem is solved and the couple is united

Point number 2, the problem and conflict must also include the context in which the conflict happens.  In providing this context, the reader often learns about new places, businesses, or fields of inquiry, making the story both educational and emotional.  

Think of the context as the cup that constrains and shapes the story. We all want to consume goodness that lives within the cup, but the experience is enhanced by presenting that goodness in a pretty or interesting vessel. 

The goal of this post is to describe several different storytelling vessels that could be used to shape your next romantic story.  

Boxers and Briefs
The protagonists include a sports attorney and an injured boxer or mixed martial arts fighter. Lots of room for backstory, contrasting worlds, intrigue, and conflict.


What the Frack!
The protagonists are an oil-field geologist and an environmentalist.  They initially square off during a fact-finding meeting run by a state oversight committee.  Thrown together during an Oklahoma earthquake, their personal interaction reaches the smoking point and eventually catches fire.


Altering Your Genes
Set amid the raging controversy on human genetic alterations, this story has many potential protagonists including single parent(s) whose child(ren) is/are impaired by a genetic mutation, the genetic purists who believe we shouldn't play God with the genetic code, the scientific team who developed methods for making the genetic changes, and political appointees have their own agenda.  Look at CRISPR/Cas9 news articles for more background information. 

Three Sheets to the Wind
The protagonists are a crusty marine racing engineer and a female racing captain.  The woman is struggling to get ahead in this high-stakes, male-dominated field.  


Mechanical Advantage
The protagonists in this story are a psychologist and a mechanical engineer.  They are part of a team working with Gulf War veterans to develop better artificial limbs.  They disagree on the ultimate goal of the project.  Should they strive to create a prosthesis that mimics the flesh and blood version or should they push the envelope, giving the recipient enhanced strength and durability?  How would these changes affect the injured soldier?  Cyborg controversy. Would you be willing to have a normal arm amputated if replacement arm gave you enhanced abilities?

Backstory
A research librarian takes a historical fiction novelist to task for inaccuracies in his/her newest work.  Respect and love blossom during their public/private arguments.  The couple find they have more in common than they initially thought.   

The Woollie Womb
With the recent sequencing of the woolly mammoth genome, there is an increasing desire to bring back these extinct animals.  The protagonists are a genetic engineer and a large animal zoologist specializing in elephants.  To bring back a woolly, the embryo would have to be carried in an elephant womb.  This could have disastrous consequences for the host.  Heated arguments turn into another kind of heat as the story progresses.  Follow the links for more information.
http://bit.ly/2xlKAPO and http://bit.ly/2xW5Pov

Well, there you have it-- seven settings for building your next romance story.  Let me know how you like them.
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