***Do you think I’m a fantasy grrrl***

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I’ve been working on PD for several weeks now. If you’re new to my blog, PD is my latest work-in-progress (WIP): a love story (not romance) set in modern San Diego. My unique twists for this story include the Asian community playing a prominent role (one of the love interest is Asian and roughly half the cast as well); the medical community (The Spouse has to be useful for something else besides being a bedwarmer); and role-playing games (rpgs).

Yes, I am a geek. If you have a prob with that, let’s take this outside…to a Star Trek convention, that is.

The rpg twist will be interjected throughout the novel like its own story. I envision its scenes to be in italics. There will be entire sections that read:

Dailus watched as the dragon retreated to lick its wounds. As the last remnants of its fire vanished within the cave, the warrior finally succumbed to his own injuries. Before falling unconscious, he heard his name cried out and he wondered if it was Marticul who called or the Dark Lady Herself to take him into the Underworld.

“Dailus” would be the alter-ego of one of the main characters in the novel.

My conception is not unique; I’ve read many novels that use similar techniques. However, those stories usually have the gamers transporting into the fantasy worlds of the game. There will be no such elements in PD. The game, instead, will serve as a metaphysical “battleground” where the two main characters clash and, later, reveal themselves in a warped reflection to their real lives.

It’s not strange that I add such a twist to said story. Obviously I used to play rpgs. Of more importance is the fact that I’ve been primarily writing fantasy these past few years. Here’s an opportunity to use such writing into a decidingly non-fantasy work.

Light, brighter than any sun, greeted Dailus. I'm alive, he thought. He realized he was lying down and tried to stand. A hard hand shoved him down.

"Barg's festering feces! Here's one that's still alive!" This time multiple hands grabbed him and the warrior was quickly bound. But he was barely conscious of the thick rope. He recognized the accent of the speaker.

Orcs!