How Weird Are My Ideas?

A thought popped into my head (dangerous, I know) because I've been thinking about where great ideas come from. Many TED-type people will tell you different things, but it all comes down to chaos coalescing into something that actually makes sense in the end.

Are my ideas for novels bad, great or just plain bizarre? I wanted to blog about some ideas I haven't even touched yet, so none of these have anything to do with my current novel. That idea is, actually, rather mundane in my opinion. But, even a great idea is worthless if executed poorly, and some bland ideas are done so well in content, they become best sellers. So, I'm not worried about that.

Here are a few ideas for novels I've been batting around in my head, as of late: 


1. Teen girl saves a man's life and turns him into a cyborg so he can destroy all the evil robots causing the apocalypse. 

Is this odd, or what? I like this idea, so don't get me wrong. I like all these ideas, but this is pretty funny in that either it is terrible or awesome. This is a story with the characters salvaged from a YA urban fantasy I was writing last year, but abandoned. I love the characters too much to just leave them in my head.

The robots are the element iron in living form. They are anything that was man-made metal turned into living metal creatures that destroy everything because they are not able to sustain an animate state without going mad. The protagonist has her personal reasons for wanting to get rid of all the robots and the man-turned-cyborg is the only hope she and humanity have that they can be destroyed because he's at least half "bad guy." But, controllable, unlike the bad guy robots.

I also love this play on Frankenstein and a potential blend with Pygmalion, which is kind of the opposite of Frankenstein. Not to mention the mental state of this cyborg guy and his brain fusing with living metal inclined towards madness. The Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde trope could factor in, as well. This is what makes writing fun!  




2. Cinderella + Hamlet.  

Yep, you read that right. The world's most recognized "happily-ever-after" story coupled with the world's most notorious "everyone-dies-at-the-end" tragedy. How in the world is this story going to end, right? I honestly don't know at this point and I'm kind of excited to find out. 

I realize that in order to make this work, you have to have the Cinderella/Opheila character as the protagonist, otherwise the Hamlet character will take over the story to the point it won't be a blend of Cinderella and Hamlet. With her at the helm, it could work. It's like Cinderella is in love with a mad prince who has to revenge-kill his evil uncle for assassinating his late father, the former king. Is the Prince more interesting now, or what? And all the deaths that occur? How will she live happily ever after? Will she live at all? 

I wanted to use a character I created in an Adult sci-fi novel I was writing last year and have him be the Hamlet character, because, again I like him too much to let him rot in my head. He's kind of insane, so he could play this role, only he'd be younger and look different. I was a Shakespeare student in college, so I could actually do this.... probably. Maybe. (Pray for me!)

 
3. The most beautiful female in the world is cursed with instantly killing every man who lays eyes on her.

This is an idea for an original fairy tale that I'm not so sure about writing anymore, but I've had the premise in mind for well over a decade. Maybe it's just so dramatic and tragic. What a lonely girl. I also like the theme that beauty can be a curse and not always a blessing. In this case, a curse when in excess. I don't have a plot worked out, or at least not a viable one, so I have no idea what I would do with this character and what she would need to accomplish, story goal-wise. But, maybe this one has some potential if I were to put my mind to it. 


Are my ideas weird? What story ideas do you have that seem far-fetched? Anything insane or just totally amazing?

        

"Did I Notice Your Book?" Blogfest!

The Ninjas and Knights are joining forces!

"Did I Notice Your Book?" Blogfest, October 17, 2012

Post about a book you’ve noticed.

You can choose a book that you’ve read, something you saw on a blog or social media site, Goodreads, or a sales website. Anything that caught your eye because of a great cover, blurb or reviews, but DON’T tell the author that their book has been noticed. Instead, shout out on social media sites, and encourage others to do the same, until the author finds his/her book.

Leave a blog comment at Ninja Captain Alex or Ciara Knight’s blog when the author finds their book.

Only two rules:

1)You can’t post about your own book.

2)The book shouldn’t be on the New York Times or USA Today bestseller list.

This is your chance to shout out about a book that might not have been noticed by others.

Let’s blow up the blogosphere with great new reads!

Go HERE to enter the Blogfest.

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This is a really cool feature I've seen on Ciara Knight's blog, so I wanted to get in on this blogfest.

The book I've chosen to highlight ascribes to my love of (read: weird obsession with) Frankenstein fiction, anything inspired by Mary Shelley's classic novel Frankenstein. (Also, kind of works for the current October season, doesn't it?)

So, I chose My Frankenstein by Michael J. Lee. I have not read this novel, yet, but I do own it. As far as I can tell it is a self-published retelling of the Frankenstein story and geared towards the YA, paranormal romance-loving crowd with some horror elements, obviously.

And, this cover is TO DIE FOR. *dies*

Synopsis: In a small village in early 19th Century young Eva is enthralled by the new young baron, Viktor Frankenstein. Viktor promises to transform the traditional little town into a beacon of science and gives the book loving Eva access to his fantastic library. Eva becomes his student and assists him in a secret experiment, though she is kept in the dark about its ultimate aim. Soon after that Viktor introduces Eva to his “cousin” Adam. Adam is horribly disfigured with stitches running across his face. Viktor claims he is mute and simpleminded, but Eva takes pity on him and sets out to teach him to speak.…

What follows is a combination of tragic romance and classic horror as Eva is pulled between Viktor, who grows jealous and takes murderous steps to ensure his secret, and Adam, who possess tremendous strength and rage yet deep inside is innocent and vulnerable.

In his debut fantasy novel, Michael J. Lee retells the classic story by Mary Shelley as a dark romance with steampunk overtones.


Praise for My Frankenstein: "I would highly recommend giving this a read, probably more than once, and if you love Frankenstein, then this is an absolute must for your reading collection." 
        -Eric Swett, My Writer's Cramp


Know of any novels you feel need more love?