Fast Facts
Author: Nicholas C. Rossis
Genre: Epic Fantasy and Short Sci-Fi
Who is Nicholas C. Rossis?
Nicholas Rossis lives to write and does so from his cottage on the edge of a magical forest in Athens, Greece. When not composing epic fantasies or short sci-fi stories, he chats with fans and colleagues, writes blog posts, walks his dog, and enjoys the antics of two silly cats, one of whom claims his lap as home. His children's book, Runaway Smile, earned a finalist slot in the 2015 International Book Awards.
Finding Inspiration
Like many authors, I’m asked on occasion where I find inspiration for my stories. The answer varies. Many of them stem from a dream. Others, from something I’ve read, or even a song that I’ve heard. Usually, the initial idea bears little resemblance to the final story.
This is particularly true of short stories; one of my favorite genres. To illustrate my point, here is how I came up with each of the stories in my recently published collection, Infinite Waters: 9+1 Speculative Fiction Short Stories.
The Things We Do for Lust
Beware of Greek gods bearing gifts
As a Greek, I grew up with ancient Greek myths. I was listening to some theories about Greek gods the other day. Everyone seems to have their own theory about them, describing them from anything between aliens to Atlantis refugees. “The Things We Do for Lust” offers a light-hearted alternative. Trekkies will probably enjoy the many Star Trek references.
The Twist in the Tale
A confused woman meanders through a sleepy town. But not all is as it seems
“A Twist in the Tale” came to me while reading on Alzheimer’s. What if the warped reality of those suffering from this terrible disease is actually based on fact? What if we pity them only because we can’t see the full picture?
James' Life
A man with nothing to look forward to but oblivion, discovers it's not that easy to escape his life
“James’ Life” is lighter in nature, despite the heaviness. I was reading about advances in 3D technology. What if video technology evolved to the point of the characters having their own feelings about what was happening to them? How happy would they be repeating the same mistakes night after night?
What's in a Name?
A cruise has an unexpected ending
I thought of “What’s in a Name?” while listening to Little Blue by The Beautiful South. I wrote two versions of this story; one in a tropical setting, and a second in a science-fiction one.
The Lucky Bastard
How far will the luckiest man alive go to escape his luck?
I was going through a rough patch when I thought of “The Lucky Bastard.” Life can throw us a whole lot of curveballs, but where would we be without them? I started wondering how important these times are to us. Would we be able to appreciate a life with no hardship whatsoever? Would someone who has led a perfect life be happy, or deeply miserable, unable to enjoy and appreciate any of their achievements?
Two's a Crowd
Blood runs thicker than water. Especially when you spill it.
The idea behind “Two’s a Crowd” came to me from a comic I read as a young teenager, and that I was thinking about the other day. A man has a recurring nightmare. Every single night he fights axe-wielding monsters in a bloodied battlefield. When a monster kills him and the police find his body, they are baffled as to why anyone would commit murder with a large axe. However, once again, it is the nature of reality that’s really questioned here. “Am I a butterfly dreaming I am a man, or a man dreaming I am a butterfly?”, as Chuang Chou put it.
Is There a Doctor in the House?
A high school student just loves to experiment
A late-night special lies behind “Is There a Doctor in the House?” It is the tongue-in-cheek story of a well-known doctor’s son. What would he be like, as an awkward teenager? Would he continue his father’s experiments?
Sex and Dinner
A timeless combination. Or is it?
“Sex and Dinner” was a Valentine’s special I wrote for my blog, stemming from a discussion with a couple of friends about the strange ways species use to procreate.
Would You Like Flies With That?
Nothing's scarier than a supermarket.
“Would You Like Files With That” is pretty much copied verbatim from a strange dream I had. I simply added the Halloween aspects when I published it on my blog as a Halloween special.
Infinite Waters
A woman seeks her future at a carnival. She discovers more than she expected.
Finally, I wrote “It’s in the Cards” as a contribution to the Rave Soup for the Writer’s Soul anthology. It comes from another dream, and was published there in December 2014, and became the container for these other stories under the new title, “Infinite Waters”.
Author at Work
As you can see, an author can find inspiration in pretty much anything. So, if you see me sitting on a chair, listening to music, and staring at a wall, please keep in mind that I’m not lazy: I’m actually hard at work!
What readers are saying about Nick's fantasies:
"Philosophical ideas woven into science-fiction stories that read like classic stories by the masters, often with a delightful, thought-provoking and unexpected twist at the end."
"Phil K. Dick is up on a cloud laughing with glee"
"From the very first sentence I realized I was not reading a book, I was going on an adventure."
For more on Nick or just to chat, visit him on:
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