For starters ...

As most of my friends know, I am a major fan of science fiction and fantasy. I have never gotten more excited at the mere mention of attending the San Diego Comicon, and I can quote the "Star Wars" trilogy like it's part of my own normal dialogue. So it was only natural that I would go down that path when creating my own literature. I have been influenced by so many that it's really difficult to name them all, but I suppose I'll try: Lord of the Rings, Metropolis (both the Fritz Lang and Osamu Tezuka versions), Miami Vice, Cowboy Bebop, Kill Bill, The Matrix, Final Fantasy series, Band of Brothers, X-Men comics, Bubblegum Crisis, Have Gun Will Travel, Ghost in the Shell, Sandman, American Gods, Neverwhere, The Dark Tower series, Batman, Samurai Champloo, Saving Grace ... seriously, this could go on forever because I tend to grab ideas from anywhere (I once drew a woman from a snapshot of leaves that were shaped like lips - I'm weird).

But it was very daunting to create a novel. I've attempted so many times and nearly went crazy trying to actually finish it. It always ended up into this multi-arc epic that ran away with me. But I also had difficulties creating single short stories because, well, I had waaaay too much stuff I wanted to say. Novellas? A little harder to market, especially nowadays.

Then, while I was watching "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (yes, another creative spark of mine), I thought about the idea of a "season." I know it's been done before, but it was a lightbulb solution for my problem: overarching theme and storyline with freedom to explore subplots and introduce minor characters that will reinforce whatever the singular story I'm trying to tell. It set me forward with a whole new spurt of imagination, which had been sorely lacking from my life. Plus, it also gives me the chance to use my artistic abilities because I'm going to stir things up a bit with short comic stories.

Understandably, this is one hundred percent my baby. And it is going to take FOREVER.