I’ve seen your eyebrows quirk when I tell you I write fantasy. That little
twitch of the brow is enough to alert me to your inner-realist. You want books
that you can relate to, you think. Not a bunch of dragons and wizards and
faeries. That stuff is for kids. You require grown up fiction.
Happily, I’ve converted quite a few nonbelievers like yourself. From
grandparents that have never picked up a fantasy book, to hard-core historical
romance buffs, The Tethered World Chronicles have made some unexpected fans.
Fantasy themes, you see, are not so different from our everyday issues. In fact,
they often bring the bottom line into sharper focus due to the larger-than-life
contrasts of the characters and setting.
For your consideration, I’ve collected my top five reasons to read fantasy. I
hope you’ll test my assertions for yourself! I’d love to know if you ever read
fantasy (and if so, what’s your favorite book?). If you don’t read fantasy,
what’s holding you back? One lucky commenter will receive an ebook of THE TETHERED WORLD to jump into right away.
Fantasy reflects our own flawed humanity on a grander scale. Some
fantasy books include humans, others have entirely made up races. But either
way, readers can see issues like discrimination, prejudice, and pride in a more
objective way. They are not coming to the book as a conservative or liberal with
their biases—which might normally make them dismiss a story that pushes against
their belief system if it dealt with more familiar issues like politics and
religion.
Fantasy provides the ultimate escape. Although fiction itself is a
form of escapism, fantasy frees our imagination to a greater degree. Getting
caught up in impossibilities can be refreshing for body, mind, and soul. In a
world full of bad news and constant negativity, fantasy can offer an oasis of
adventure while also reminding us that our own, personal dragons can be slain.
Fantasy encourages creative thinking. When an author takes us to
places that are not on this planet, our brains work a little harder to imagine
what that might be like. In the process, we tap into creative parts of our
cranium that normally don’t get exercised. Warning! This might lead to a reader
creating worlds of their own to share with others. This is what happened to me
after reading The Chronicles of Narnia :)
Fantasy clarifies reality. This may seem like a contradiction to #2,
but it’s really a two-sided coin. We may not have a system of magic in the daily
grind (piles of laundry? Poof! Not any more…) but fantasy can teach us to
see the significance of the little things. The joy of a birth, the impact of
death, the beauty of a waterfall, the power of cleansing rain…these things are
profound when we take time to acknowledge their influence in our lives. A little
bit of magic, so to speak, is everywhere for everyone, if you know how to
recognize it. Fantasy can provide that lens.
Fantasy reminds us that Good vs Evil is a universal problem. A
hallmark of fantasy stories is the clash of darkness and light, usually
culminating in an epic battle. It doesn’t take a very perceptive individual to
recognize the evil in this world. But evil is only distinguishable because we
also see goodness and hope. In that way, fantasy also helps to clarify reality
(see #4). Sometimes we need the reminder that good will, ultimately, defeat
evil. That a Hobbit like Frodo, and children like the Pevensies, can take on and
bring down dynasties of darkness. We all have a part to play in this ongoing
battle here on earth, and fantasy clarifies that the struggle is real, and we
all have opportunities to be everyday heroes.
She took down the Nephilim queen—but can she and her brother save the
kingdom?
Sadie Larcen may have defeated the traitorous Queen Estancia, but she’s quite
happy to be home with her family. Unfortunately, their fiendish neighbor, Mr.
Marshall, is still up to no good. He’s called a press conference with plans to
introduce the world to a living, breathing Bigfoot.
As a Sasquatch expert, Sadie’s mother Amy is coerced into lending her
expertise to the spectacle. When Sadie and her brother Brady spy nefarious,
uninvited guests at the gathering, they know there’s trouble brewing in the
Tethered World. The two are driven into separate, dangerous exploits as they are
thrust back into the schemes of the forces of darkness. Schemes that include
using their autistic brother Brock as leverage to seize control of the Flaming
Sword and the Tree of Life. The Gargoyles and Trolls have an ambition that
extends beyond dominating these powerful elements. They’ve set their sights on
the Topside realm—with or without the help of Mr. Marshall.
Deception is rampant, the enemy is subtle, and love dares to tug at Sadie’s
heart amid the turmoil below. Once again, she and Brady will cling to God's
faithfulness as they fight for the people and creatures they care for, and
against the enemies they fear.
Heather L.L. FitzGerald writes from her home in Texas, while dreaming of
being back in the Pacific Northwest, where she grew up. When her four kids were
young, she enjoyed reading aloud until her voice gave out. (Her son, who is
autistic, would just move on to his favorite audiobook). Certain stories became
good friends—the kind you want to revisit. The kind you wish never needed to say
goodbye. Those are the types of stories Heather aspires to write. Stories worthy
of delicious coffee. Stories difficult to leave. She hopes you will find her YA
Fantasy trilogy The Tethered World Chronicles to be one of those kind of
tales. All three books, THE TETHERED WORLD, and THE FLAMING
SWORD, and THE GENESIS TREE are
available on Amazon or can be ordered at any book retailer.
Heather is a member of the North Texas Christian Writer's group, ACFW, CAN, and
helps with the Manent Writer's group in Fort Worth, Texas. You can connect with
Heather on her website/blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Character blog: (Sadie’s
mother has a blog pertaining to legendary creatures), Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.
I've read some fantasy books before. Sci-fi, too. I don't know if it is fantasy or not (it has been a while since I read just plain fantasy, and I'm not counting YA ones), but Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series. Mercedes Lackey also write some wonderful fantasy books, too. (Ela Raymundo 10:06pm July 1, 2017)
I am 61 and i have always loved fantasy.It is the ultimate escape. (Debby Creager 11:13am July 2, 2017)
I love a good fantasy book. (Mary Smith 9:35am July 4, 2017)
I love fantasy, and this sounds unique! (Diane Pollock 11:11pm July 5, 2017)
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