Over the weekend and this past week, I’ve been consumed by the World N.K. Jemisin built in the Dreamblood duology.

The story was so compelling and surrounded me with its mysticism and compelling characters that I came out of it and immediately constructed the beginnings of an outline for a fantasy story set somewhere in Ancient Uganda when the Babiito were in control of the area.

Stories like this remind us of all the reasons why we pick up books and dig into them. We find strange customs and interesting characters hell bent on correcting a wrong in the World.

I’m reminded that my purpose in writing the stories that I do, is to present a different option for my readers, a view of how I think the World should be and how it should operate.

So even though stacks of books are waiting to be consumed, I think I’m going to let my mind sit in Gujareeh for a while.

Which book did you read recently that reminded you why you write? I’ll put it on my holds list.