The Spark of Inspiration
(The title of this post is a funny little joke, if you know that the main character of my book has electricity powers.)
Since I finished the first draft of my WIP, Amp, in December and officially started my final grad school semester in January, I’ve been thinking about how to incorporate more manuscript and writing content into the Moratorium Library and my online presence in general. One way to do that——and also publicly shame myself into finally reading more of the books pictured below——is to share some books that I’ve found inspirational and/or that I still need to read but hope will either help me come up with new, fun ideas or be comp titles for my own project someday.
[photo of Amp comp books]
My WIP is basically a superhero mystery, aka a blend of my two favorite things in the world. I was heavily inspired by the X-Men and probably an unconscious dash of Watchmen, and my list of comics, movies, and TV inspiration is also very long. (I do also have an entire Goodreads shelf dedicated to books focused on superheroes and comic books, both fiction and nonfiction, in case you’re curious. I spent most of my last year of college writing a thesis about comics.)
But here’s the full list of the titles I’ve bookmarked, from top of the stack to bottom, and a bit about what about them caught my eye:
Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie: No, I do not think I’m going to be the next Salman Rushdie. But while researching comps for a previous marketing class, this book came up as something sort of superhero-adjacent, and I think it will help me lock in on the societal issues I want to weave into Amp.
Heroine Complex and Haunted Heroine by Sarah Kuhn: I got both of these books at Ripped Bodice, and they both just look like a lot of fun! I want my project to tackle big questions and issues, but I do also want it to be entertaining.
Middlegame by Seanan McGuire: Honestly, the cover and the back cover summary just have the right vibe. Also, I love Seanan McGuire (no relation, unfortunately) and Tor is one of my top publisher targets for Amp.
Vicious by V. E. Schwab: This is another title I stumbled upon while researching comps, and though it’s an older title and so not quite the up-to-the-minute sales comp agents and editors are looking for, I can still read it and learn from it. Diverging friendship paths and superpowers? Excellent.
The Refrigerator Monologues by Catherynne M. Valente: I dedicated basically an entire missive to what this book means to me and why I think it’s an incredibly entertaining and important read. Needless to say, it’s a guiding light for me in my writing and revising.
The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind by Jackson Ford: I was so excited when I found this book at McNally Jackson just before the end of last year. I saw the most recent book in the series on a shelf and then was thrilled to see that the first one was also there. That said, as of this writing, I’m over halfway through this book and I, uh . . . don’t love it. At least I’m learning the value of good pacing. (Full review to come, once I’ve finished reading.) [2/23/25 UPDATE: I finished it. I didn’t love it.]
A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon: As you may remember from a semi-recent missive, this book didn’t quite succeed for me in terms of its plot or prose, but the world-building here around magical girls is so well developed. Definitely now inspired to add at least a mention of some kind of superhero unions.
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire: Yes, here she is again. This is a little more fantasy/Narnia than sci-fi/spec fic/capes-and-tights-y, but there’s some great friendship and teamwork here. Also, ace rep. Let’s go.
Starter Villain by John Scalzi: Another source of inspirational ideas and world-building. The funny first-person narrator is also spot-on for Amp (though I think I manage not to edge into being cringey most of the time, oop——for my full thoughts, read my review from a few weeks back.)
Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots: I believe I read this one before the Moratorium Library began and I didn’t love it as much as I’d hoped. But this is another book that did some excellent world-building around a world in which superpowered heroes and villains truly exist.
If after all this you’re feeling kind——and inspired——please feel free to send me additional suggestions and must-reads! I’d love to read more superhero fiction while I also catch up on all the superhero media I’ve missed the last few years. (Yes, I’ve still only watched one episode of The Boys. I’ll finish it soon, I promise!!)
