When I say Fantasy, what is the first thing you think of? Is it dragons and magic, unicorns and fairies, Tolkien, wizards, talking animals? Whatever it may be, something came to your mind that does not necessarily obey the natural laws of planet earth.

For many who are drawn to the fantasy genre it has always been about escape. Literature, cinema, theater, games, they all provide an escape in different ways. But the fantasy genre itself – in my opinion – gives a deeper and richer opportunity to find something beyond what we see around us.

I’ve been drawn to fantasy since I can remember. My first major introduction was the Chronicles of Narnia. To this day, I still have CDs in my car with a spectacular dramatized rendition. Every few months or on summer road trips I will take my journey through Narnia again.

My newest favorite is Lord of the Rings. Somehow, this one did not come into my life until the last few years. Looking back it makes no sense how I could be a lover of fantasy and not experience Middle Earth. But I have often been guilty of reliving favorite books and not exploring new ones. When my brother in law discovered I had never read the books or seen the movies, well let’s just say he freaked out a little. Cut to a three day watch party with him and my sister one summer and I was hooked. This was somewhere in the later stages of my own writing journey and I was so inspired by Tolkien I made a few changes just before publication to try and enhance my own work. I could only dream of having the abilities of the greats like himself, but I am grateful of his influence.

Now as I am listening to the Lord of the Rings audiobooks, I am so caught up in the bygone era Tolkien was writing in. If Lord of the Rings were to be published today, how much would we have lost? How much would have been sliced by an editor looking to keep the story moving. All due deference – I love my editor – but it is the time we live in. We do not have much patience for drawn out scenes, careful world building, and intricate plots. I find myself in the same boat, but because LOTR comes from a different time it holds a special pass. For those willing to take the time to explore, there are endless stories to be found.

Which brings me to my title: is it cheating? I think more than ever we need an escape. The world has been in turmoil since the garden and as humans we have been looking for escapes ever since. I look at my students who use school as an escape. Some would rather be anywhere else, but there are many who are escaping home life. I know there are many who dread summer vacation and who had an incredibly tough few years during the pandemic. Forced into situations with no escape, we turn to what we know brings us comfort. To get to turn away from your problems for a few hours and enter a world where the impossible is ordinary gives us hope.

In writing fantasy I have found my own escape. I often let my mind wander into Ailos and dream up new stories for Ari. I know there are many stories that will not make it into my books, but that live in my head. So I encourage you this summer to wrap yourself in the blanket of a fantasized world and find ways to escape when you need a break.