Healing Powers of Fiction

I'm a firm believer in Fiction. Great stories don't have to be blockbusters or bestsellers to captivate us, nor do they always inspire others the same way they do us. Stories, whether romances, adventure, sci-fi, history, or horror, are about individuals, and we, as individuals, relate to some and not others. That's the beauty of the infinite variety of stories.

Of course, that's also the supreme challenge for storytellers. Do we aim to inspire the most people on a broad scale? Or do we go deep and reach an underserved group? (zombie apocalypse used to be this, until The Living Dead television show).

If we're fortunate, our work touches the heart and mind. I've had readers tell me they cried for teenage Teal in my novel, Desperation Falls, identified with Sam Riley's struggle in Perilous Cove, wanted to save Rayne Evans in Storm Song.

As for healing powers, fiction transports us beyond our limited world and opens our minds to new possibilities. I mean, who wouldn't want some of the super powers of the Marvel world characters? How much good could we do? But maybe it's something a little less supernatural, such as trying a new career, not settling in a poor relationship, or taking a risk by moving to a new city or country.

Has a novel, movie, or play challenged you recently?