Total Environmental Backlash - Natural Disasters Make Me Think of Writing

Lately there have been quite a few environmental disasters and they all remind me of one thing. No, they don't remind me of climate change, or how humans have doomed themselves by their repeatedly stupid choices. I don't even think of the horrible destruction that is wrought on human property and lives. That would make sense. That's what normal people do.

But I'm a writer.

Instead, I think of one thing. I think of Book 2 and the characters within it. By now, you already know from The Brothers there is a hidden world with an ancient race of beings that is tied to natural elements and forces. If you haven't read it, you need to in order for Book 2 to be in context, but I can tell you a few things without giving the second book away (I hate spoilers, so I won't say too much).

If a group of people felt their home was threatened they would take action. If that group of people had supernatural powers, they'd do a little more damage than your average human made bomb. So you can imagine why these natural disasters make me think of Book 2 and then, wonder exactly how bad things could get in Book 3.

I've done my share of avid news watching when tsunamis or hurricanes hit coastlines. I've seen the kind of aftershock that earthquakes and volcanic eruptions can have, when they're by themselves. But what would happen if these things happened one right on top of another? What would happen if someone actually chose to cause these kinds of events to occur? And what if you had the power to stop it?

The Brothers starts out somewhat slow, by laying groundwork for the things that will happen later. Forgiveness, self-discovery, and understanding are important to Khloe's development. But by the time we get to Lovers and Rivals, things are blowing up, and by Book 3, we're going to wonder what exactly the Otherworld will decide to do with humanity. After all, it is up to them making a choice to be merciful or not, and humanity to go along with it, or be destroyed. And Khloe, our lovely young heroine, is in the center of it all.

So when I hear about another earthquake, another storm, I think about that choice. We're at the mercy of the earth, allowed to be here. We can choose to go along with what it needs, or we can choose our own destruction. Seems simple doesn't it? Amazing how complicated we make these things become.