Why I Write Fantasy – Marsha A. Moore

Amber: Welcome Marsha A. Moore, writer of classic romanticism and soft erotica.

Marsha: Thanks lots for your invitation to be here this week, Amber.

Amber: Why do you write fantasy?

Marsha: I’ve always loved to escape into imaginary worlds. I’m always world-building, even apart from my writing process. It’s who I am.

I enjoy reading/researching fantasy writing through the ages in folktales, myth, legend, and lore. My library of those is constantly growing. I often blend ideas of folklore from around the world into my works. I’ve used a foundation of Chinese lore in my recently completed manuscript, The Enchanted Bookstore: Seeking a Scribe, the first of a five-part series. The forces upholding good in my novel are the four auspicious Chinese animals: phoenix, unicorn, tortoise, and dragon. These represent the four elements, fire, earth, water, air, respectively, which are believed to balance our world.

In my book, Tears on a Tranquil Lake, releasing in February, 2011, I was intrigued by the legends of the pirate José Gaspar, known by his nickname Gasparilla. In the winter of 2008, I moved to Tampa, home of the yearly Gasparilla Festival. That inspired me to create a fantasy with a love triangle between a lovely mermaid, a handsome merman, and a smooth-talking pirate captain.

Amber: What is the difference between classic romanticism and soft erotica in the fantasy genre?

Marsha: Great question! Classic romanticism refers to attention paid to subtleties, of human personalities and of nature. Its passion lies in revealing and exalting simple beauty. I earned a minor in English in college, and spent much time studying classics. The romantic period of literature captivated me.  I’ve read the entire Thomas Hardy catalog. I spent years engrossed in reading George Elliot, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, James Fenimore Cooper, and Washington Irving. I love how they elevated setting to the level of importance of a main character. Their richly textured settings inspire me enormously. The influences of those works infuse my own writing.

In contrast, erotica is a contemporary genre, placing importance on sexual interactions. I tend toward soft erotica. Utilizing the magic of fantasy, I like to explore nuances of sexuality in ways we wouldn’t normally be able to appreciate. A magical touch may elicit heightened sensations, typically overlooked. Concentrating on subtle sensuality, it becomes an extension of classic romanticism.

Amber: Has moving to Florida changed your writing? (It's where I started writing fiction, so it's a magical place.)

Marsha: Certainly, moving here has changed my writing. Even after two years, it still looks to my mid-western mind like a Dr. Seuss world, which is terrific because I still adore his books – easily, my favorite childhood author. Daily, I step outside to see crazy-looking trees which remind me of truffula trees and water birds that look like swami-swans. I smile and love living within my childhood fantasies. I cycle several times each week and inevitably my mind is lured by the unusual nature here to create fantasy settings for my books.

Amber: Why do readers love fantasy?

Marsha: Readers love fantasy as an escape, to see how a new situation with new problems and happinesses could change their lives. It’s a release from the everyday.

Amber: Would you write fantasy even if no one read it?

Marsha: Absolutely. I enjoy the process of immersing in an incredible world, letting my imagination take me on adventures.

Marsha A. Moore is a romantic and a writer of fantasy romance/soft erotica. She loves being creative and enjoying the creativity of others in all art forms. Her other creative pursuits include watercolor painting and drawing. She moved from Toledo to Tampa in 2008 and is happily transforming into a Floridian. Crazy about cycling, she usually passes the 1,000 mile mark yearly. She is also a yoga enthusiast and never has enough days spent at the beach, usually scribbling away at new stories with toes wiggling in the sand.

Her upcoming release, Tears on a Tranquil Lake, will be available from MuseItHot Publishing on February 1^st, 2011. 

Marsha A. Moore . . . the magic of romance

To learn more about Marsha

visit her website
(Don't miss the graphic on the first page.)

and her blog!