Cruisin'

Today, I ended up behind a *sah-weet* ride--a completely chrome-plated Infiniti. What a snazzy car! I could even see myself in the bumper! Okay, not really, but it was quite eye-catching, particularly when the red brake lights flashed. All I could think was, "Man, they missed the boat by not installing chasing red lights and having the license plate CYLON." That's what I would do.

Of course, I had an awesome silver sports car with the plate JEDIKNT. Yeah, I'm nerdy that way. The attached picture was even featured in an edition of Star Wars Insider. My favorite memory in this car was going to see Episode 2. We happened to get a cherry spot, just outside the front doors of the theatre. As we pulled in, windows down and the Imperial March booming as loudly as my speakers would play it, we drew the attention of the waiting crowd. It was awesome!

So what does this have to do with my writing and upcoming book release? I'm so glad you asked. As creator of my universe, I get to determine the technology my characters use. I get to design their starships and other modes of transportation. A daunting task at times, but also rather handy.

The only thing is...I wish I could draw!

I see them in my head. I know exactly how they fly. I know which character can operate or pilot which ship. As for the technology behind how they work, I leave that as a given, much like Star Wars. Do any of us really know how hyperspace works? Or the warp drive of the Enterprise? Well, I imagine some of you do. But my brain isn't aligned that way, so I rely on your imagination to flesh out the basic concepts I give you.

From the Midnight Sun in Poison to the Sovereign in Valor to the Halcyon in Asylum...I enjoy creating these ships to allow my characters to whisk from planet to moon and back. It's a perk of the writing.

If only imagination could manifest into reality! (Okay, maybe sometimes not so much...but in this case, I'd totally take a trip on a starship!)

---