Readers ask all the time where authors get their ideas.
But first, I need to bring something to everyone’s attention. If you hang out on science websites at all, I imagine you’ve heard about Comet 3I/Atlas that’s visiting our solar system right now. In case you missed it, it’s an unusual little guy. The tail is sticking out forward instead of backward like normal comets, and it glows green instead of white or blue. It zoomed by Mars and is now spending a few weeks behind the Sun, but before our telescopes lost sight of it, we learned it’s venting carbon dioxide and cyanogens. Atlas will swing back by at the end of this month. Some researchers were briefly concerned that its large size, anomalous behavior, and a trajectory that appears to originate from the same area of space as the Wow signal might indicate that it was a vehicle of some kind, but since July, most astronomers are satisfied it’s just a comet.
I, however, have a different theory. What if it’s the long-prophesied return of the Tree Messiah? MIllions of years ago, the trees left seedlings on Earth, hoping to colonize the brand new planet as another home world for all the green and growing things. But somehow humans showed up, and eventually started taking advantage of the slow-growing tree population, cutting them down and burning their limbs. But the trees knew their forebears would someday return, and rescue them from their misery under human rule. 3I/Atlas (remember, it’s green!) is carrying cyanogens to release into the atmosphere. This should wipe out all the humans (at least, all the ones who haven’r been raptured, because I hear that’s also happening today or tomorrow. But I digress…) Anyway, once the people are gone, Atlas will release its CO2, feeding the trees and helping them become bigger and stronger now that they are the planet’s overlords.
Sound silly? Maybe. But that’s how authors get their ideas. We have a thought, and extrapolate where that thought might lead. And soon there’s a book. Easy peasy! Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s coffee time. At least until the coffee plants rise up and wage war against the trees.
What, you didn’t see that coming?