#PennedPossibilities 655 — What’s the most unusual source of inspiration you’ve found?

(Okay, I edited my post with my answer. I was too exhausted last night for any writing, even for just a quick prompt answer.)

This was such an interesting prompt. For the moment, I'll stick to the series I'm currently working on. I write in every genre, having written many different stories, and inspiration strikes at any moment.

Inspiration for this series, however, is quite a mind-blowing concept. Time to put my thinking cap on. It comes mostly from Blade Runner (an adaptation of Philip K. Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and is set in a dystopian, futuristic Los Angeles in 2019). It was my first experience with the genre. The rest of my inspiration comes from decades of playing cyberpunk #TTRPG stuff, like #CyberpunkRED, #Cyberpunk2020, and my own homebrew games that fall within the genre. I'm actually a game master for TTRPGs, so all the hard, grueling work for my players is done (and created) by me. It's helped a ton. It made me fall in love with the genre. Combining that with SFF was a beautiful idea, and one that made everything fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. It worked out perfectly for me.

Inspiration strikes at the oddest of times and in the most interesting of places.

@Fuchskind Hey, sehr schön.
Bei uns geht es am Wochenende mit der #GURPS #InfiniteWorlds Kampagne weiter, wo unsere Charaktere aktuell auf der #Cyberpunk2020 Zeitlinie "Arasaka" unterwegs sind. *hibbel*

#PennedPossibilities 632 — What originally inspired your WIP’s plot?

Oh, that's easy. For me, it was playing #CyberpunkRED, #Cyberpunk2020, and finally moving on to GM the games as well. The universe used in the homebrew games I've created is the same one featured in the novel. I love creating original universes, worlds, and stories.

We revisit how Night City's landscape changed (and districts simply moved) between #Cyberpunk2020 (the RPG) and #Cyberpunk2077 (the video game).

Es war eine richtig coole Session.

Unsere SC sind via Quantum-Transporter auf das Los Angeles der Arasaka Zeitlinie gewechselt. Die Infinity Patrol Basis vor Ort hat ihnen dann nahegelegt, zumindest eine Chipbuchse als Cyberware installieren zu lassen, was zu einigen Irritationen geführt hat. Welcher gesunde Mensch lässt sich freiwillig operieren, um sich mit Tech vollstopfen zu lassen?

#PennedPossibilities 566 — What hobbies do you have outside of writing?

Because I'm a writer, I think reading also goes without saying here. I love reading (and listening to audiobooks) so much. So, number one, and at the top of the list: I'm a podcaster. I have a paranormal podcast named #PANDASDEN.
 
Random fact about me, I'm a huge gamer. To name a few of my loves: Call of Duty Zombies, Assassin's Creed, Dragon Age, Baldur's Gate, Layers of Fear, Diablo, Zelda, and The Witcher. I have a full gaming desk setup, love my Switch, and older gaming systems too, of course.

As far as gaming goes, I'm also a #TTRPG game or dungeon master as well. I've had some campaigns running since about '09 or '10 with close friends. I love it. We have or are playing various games such as #DnD / #DungeonsAndDragons, #CyberpunkRED, #Cyberpunk2020, #VampiretheMasquerade, #CallOfCthulhu, and a lot of homebrew stuff as well.

Aside from that, I'm a sports fan. That keeps me busy enough, believe me. I probably get my daily cardio minutes in during games or races.

Not to be forgotten, I love cooking as well. And photography. I'm (more than) a bit of a classic film nut, too. TCM feels like home. You guys know that about me, I'm sure.

#PennedPossibilities 561 — Give us your thoughts on the genre of your WIP. Do you love it, is there not enough stories written within it, are you an avid reader of the genre, etc.?

First off, yes, I love my two genres. No, I wouldn't say that there isn't enough of them. There are some fantastic #cyberpunk stories. #SFF stories as well. And lastly, yes, I'm an avid reader of those two genres.

My thoughts on the genre(s), though?

Well, let me put it to you this way... At the heart of cyberpunk is a simple yet meaningful contrast: high-tech and low-life. The technology in these worlds is incredibly advanced, but it exists in dystopian societies marked by extreme inequality and corruption. It mirrors our world in such a terrifying way. It's therapeutic to write. Beyond that, however, there is a hope for a better future, and even a love for our MCs, SCs, and their own character arcs that naturally occur within stories. It's a genre that I've poured a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into. For years, I've played #CyberpunkRED and #Cyberpunk2020 as well. That says enough. It's definitely on my list of favorite genres. I'll always return to it. I love #hopepunk, #grimdark, and #solarpunk tales as well. This series delves ever so slightly into those subgenres, too.

Generally, I simplify things and say that it's a dark romance series set in a science fiction fantasy (and cyberpunk-inspired) universe.

@randomwizard the localized hit point system in TS/SI was great, a simple, quick way to solve the "pile o ' hit points" AD&D (and most simpler #TTRPG systems) issue.

#Cyberpunk2020 (aka Cyberpunk v2.0) also had a very interesting, easy way to address that.

#PennedPossibilities 547 — What inspired you to write your current WIP?

It's all quite simple. For me, it's a love of all things cyberpunk and simply wanting to put my own mark on the genre if I could, even in some small way. This series is so dear to me. I've gone into detail on here about how I play a lot of #TTRPG stuff, how I'm a game or dungeon master, and how Alexios was created from years of playing #CyberpunkRED and #Cyberpunk2020, etc. It all stems from this fact right here: I love SFF and cyberpunk tales. I wanted to combine the two, to create my own original cyberpunk-inspired planet. It's been a lot of fun.

So my Bluebrixx Project ist on hold no enterprise this month as it seems because parts are missing and I can't finish anything without the service, which has extrem long answer times ATM...
So it's back to gaming and the new Photo Mode in Cyberpunk 2077 and the new parts in the character creator and while figuring it out two new ideas for Cyberpunk Characters sprang to mind. A Scave called Sigg Jaw and a Joytoy called MoXy LoVe. I should stop throwing out characters like people loosing microscopic droplets of saliva while talking... It gets confusing.