Most of the time, when I tell people I write fantasy, they immediately jump to the conclusion that I’m creating stories in some vast and sprawling Tolkein-esque world with wizards and dragons and warriors and the like.  That’s when I gird up my loins and ride into battle to attempt to correct yet another set of misconceptions.  There’s way more to the fantasy genre than pastoral settings, wise magic users flinging spells, and muscle-bound warriors with a heart of gold and a talent for swordplay. 

The kind of stories that most people think of when they think of fantasy, swords and sorcery, wizards and warriors et al, is called heroic or high fantasy.  And yes, there’s still plenty of it being published and eagerly consumed.  Just ask your local Wheel of Time fan what he/she thought of the latest tome penned by Brandon Sanderson (pinch hitting for Robert Jordan, who died before he could finish his epic series), you’re sure to get an earful.  But like I said before – there’s so much more to the fantasy genre.  There’s alternate history, where authors get to play with the historical facts as we know them, like – what would have happened if the South won the Civil War?  What if one of the many assassination attempts on Hitler had worked?  What if America had never revolted against England and was still a colony?  There’s paranormal romance, where readers get to enjoy their romance alongside a healthy dose of vampires, ghosts, and werewolves etc.  There’s also steampunk, which blurs the boundaries between fantasy and science fiction, set in an alternate Victorian Age where technology is far more advanced, but still uses steam, and the people still have their penchant for believing in fairies and spiritualism. 

But then there’s my favorite – Urban Fantasy.  This is fantasy that takes place in the world as we know it, but something is a little bit off.  There’s mermaids casting spells in the downtown city harbor, the Angel of Death is pouring coffee at the local diner, and the tooth fairy is real – and she’s not someone you mess with.  What I love about this genre is that it can lend a little bit of magic to everyday life, everywhere you look it’s not just the ordinary world, and anything can happen. 

You can see some of these magical elements buried in the real world in the stories I published with Echelon Press.  “Frankie’s Diner” takes place in modern day New York City and our protagonist is a mobster, but something is not normal in these city streets.  “Tony Came Home” could happen at any suburban hospital birthing center, but when was the last time you saw one of those with its very own ghost?  “Over the Hogmanay Threshold” is closer to your typical high fantasy because it’s not modern day, it’s the Scottish highlands in the middle of the 19th century, but it’s still firmly rooted in the world as we understand it.  “Hounds of Winter,” on the other hand, is decisively in the high fantasy camp.  It’s pastoral and rustic and we have fantastical creatures and magic going on.  As much as I love urban fantasy, sometimes a story needs to be told another way. 

So, the next time someone tells you they read or write fantasy, don’t just assume they mean hobbits and Balrogs, there’s a lot more out there.  Maybe you’d even like some of it.

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