Monday, March 14, 2011

Maddeningly Unhelpful Monday--How Does Your World End?

My daughter asked me yesterday what would happen if everyone on the planet screamed at the exact same time. Well, one of two things, I told her. Either we would all implode or the world would spontaneously combust. (Maybe not everyone would implode, but for sure all the mothers of the world would. Or maybe they would just collectively say, "Shh" which would set off a whole different sequence of events.)

This got me thinking about post apocalyptic novels. I don't write them, but I'm very interested in the different 'end of the world' scenarios out there. If you were writing a novel that took place after a major World Destroying event, what would that event be? Or maybe you'd be like Cormac McCarthy in "The Road" and never tell the reader what actually happened to the world, just that it was destroyed. And maybe you would write such a good book that your reader wouldn't notice you never told her what exactly happened, nor would she notice that you never used a single quotation mark in the book (okay, so she would notice the quotation mark thing, but she'd be very much surprised that it didn't bother her in the least). So Mr. McCarthy? What happened? Did everyone scream at the same exact time?

*If you haven't already, don't forget to sign up below to win a free book. Contest ends tomorrow at midnight. :)


  1. Your daughter is super smart for thinking of sucha questin. I have boys, they dont do much but put fingers up there nose. Im kidding, of course...

  2. Hmmm. I think my world destruction scenario would be: the mother of a super-advanced alien life form, whose science fair experiment our world is, gets fed up and tosses us in the galactic garbage.

  3. I would say how I think the world ends, but that would give away a lot in my current WIP. Not that anyone else would care about that, but it might ruin a few things for you when you read it.

    THE ROAD sounds intriguing.

  4. Animals! Taking over the earth! They're not as stupid as we thought they were! They will destroy us! The animal kingdom will become reality!

  5. I want to read it someday Candice, so don't give it away! :D
    I don't write post apocalyptic either. They seem to be too depressing for me to actually write.
    I have no idea what would happen. Probably just a big explosion and it takes everyone with it. Then I wouldn't have to have my characters survive in horrible conditions...
    Wonderful attitude, I know! LOL That is probably why I don't write post apocalyptic! :)

  6. Some say the world will end in fire,
    Some say ice.

    From what I've tasted of desire,
    I hold with those that favor fire.

    But if I had to perish twice,
    I think I know enough of hate
    to say that for destruction ice
    is also great
    and would suffice.

    -Robert Frost

  7. Or a world scream. That would be also do the trick.

  8. I'm just going to agree with Candice and Renee and leave it at that. I don't want to give away anything from a future WIP and who can top Frost? :)

  9. umm i dont give you permission to use that scream thing for your "book". thanks.

  10. Yeah, well I'm with Candice because it would give away my book. Why are you trying to get us to spill our secrets?

    However, if I had to choose a favorite end-of-world scenario I would choose instant annihilation (with the exception of a baby or two sent to an alien planet in a small capsule in order to fulfill their destiny as tights-and-cape-wearing members of society.)

  11. So, what Renee is saying is that poem didn't originate with Twilight? I'm very disappointed. Excuse me while I go rethink my feelings on the whole series.

  12. It's true. I memorized that poem in my senior year of college because I liked it so much. (Yeah, I was that kind of teenager.) I have mixed feelings about it being attached to Twilight.