I’VE ALWAYS HAD a fascination with the weird and wonderful.

Whether it was the X-files as a teen, ghosts and the paranormal as a young adult, or now – as a dork in his mid-thirties – keen subscriber to alternative media channels like David Icke, Max Igan or Richie Allen.

Whether you believe in what some may label ‘conspiracy theorists’, isn’t the point of this post. With my writer hat firmly in place, I recognise these influencers as a source of wonderful ideas that can provide fodder for short stories and novels.

Many examples litter history – concepts and objects considered outlandish in their day – conceived by imaginative creatives and which have since entered our reality. Talk about thinking outside the box.

Many historians and academic scholars are dogmatic in their beliefs. Understandable, perhaps, given that their very career climb in a given field is influenced by their ability to successfully repeat what their teachers taught them (and their teachers ad infinitum). Colouring outside the lines and asking questions that suggest other conclusions or the complete opposite to what has long been held, would not be tolerated.

It’s very hard to be inspired if everything is already known and accounted for.

But as Einstein famously said, ‘imagination is more important than knowledge’.

I believe it’s incredibly important for writers to read widely. Not only can you pick up cues and tells from masters in other genres, but you will also be opening up pathways to ways of thinking that may provoke new ideas.

When I listen and read about odd quirks of history or things that don’t fit conveniently into the narrative spun by academia (The Baghdad Battery, ancient civilisations, Tesla and free energy), I become quickly interested. Not necessarily in the veracity of the claims, but by how they could be framed as part of a story.

Let me share a couple of quick examples having listened to the following video.

#Example 1 – It is speculated that in the mid 1800’s, there was a mud slide of several feet that covered Europe. Apparently some buildings from today show evidence of this. The effect would have been devastating and it would have killed many. Photography came into effect around the same time. Many photos taken at that time show entire cities devoid of people.

Speculators have suggested that the Victorian day kids (or urchins – think Charles Dicken’s times) were tasked with the clean-up. Where were the adults? Where were all the people in these photos of abandoned cities?

Where did all the children come from and why were they not wiped out? (see this video for more)

#Example 2 – Believing that all diseases could be cured by sound and light waves (including cancer), Dr. Royal Raymond Rife created a high-magnification time-lapse microscope which could analyse a blood sample.

Believing that everything functioned (or could be broken) at a given frequency, or harmony, he experimented with blasting waves of energy at diseased cells to see how they reacted. What we perceive as visible light and our audio perception, falls within a very narrow band (think UV light and dog whistles and you get the idea). Through trial and error, he was able to balance the waves that resonated with the cell to reach a point that would destroy the alien host, much like when an operatic tenor is able to smash a glass with the pitch of their voice.

And they say Fact is stranger than Fiction.

Whether you believe any of the above or not doesn’t matter. The writer in me really gets excited by learning about these cases.

It was the work of David Icke and his reptilian assertion that inspired by short story Spectrum. Crystal Clear, (also free), was probably dreamt up while reading about some of the historical artefacts that don’t fit neatly into any timeline that we’re told to believe.

The inspiration for your next story could be found by digging in the bushes off the beaten track.

You never know what you might find there.