tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post2017335267106331032..comments2023-09-07T07:16:10.305-04:00Comments on Flights of Fantasy: Five uses for mushrooms in fantasyMarian Pererahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-18407079310099010472011-01-14T08:18:19.114-05:002011-01-14T08:18:19.114-05:00I think your Five uses for _____ posts have often ...I think your Five uses for _____ posts have often had an effect on my writing. <br /><br />I really enjoy when you do these and I always go away thinking, which I think is generally a good sign.<br /><br />In my current project mushrooms are used in gardens both as decorations and as a gateway to the faerie world. I think they're under appreciated and work well in a lot of different ways. Thanks for the lovely post.D L Dziobahttp://dldzioba.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-87523634975849326632010-12-10T08:24:06.915-05:002010-12-10T08:24:06.915-05:00Your #3 reminds me of the Cordyceps fungus, which ...Your #3 reminds me of the <i>Cordyceps</i> fungus, which likes to infect arthropods. There's a species which infects ants and makes them climb upward as far as possible. The ants then stay there for the rest of their lives, and the fungi that infect them have a great spot to disperse their spores from.<br /><br />We already suffer from microbes that manipulate us in order to spread themselves, microbes that cause coughing and diarrhea and the like.<br /><br />So what might some <i>Cordyceps hominis</i> do? Make its victims want to go up to the roofs of buildings and then destroy its victims' appetites?Lorenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13984896453534621864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-45936277912610209332010-12-08T19:57:07.425-05:002010-12-08T19:57:07.425-05:00Thanks, DRC! There are other interesting uses of m...Thanks, <b>DRC</b>! There are other interesting uses of mushrooms - in Maria Zannini's <i>Touch of Fire</i>, "a flush of mushrooms" sprouts from the ground when an Elemental appears. I love details like that.<br /><br /><b>Volataire</b> - Glad you like the post! And I just remembered the myconids from D&D. Neat idea: communication through emitted spores.<br /><br /><b>Shannon</b> - Thanks for mentioning setting and theme. Yes, even though they can be colourful and useful, fungi usually mean something is slowly rotting away.Marian Pererahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15700524210146863718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-79578569103117054082010-12-07T19:55:36.170-05:002010-12-07T19:55:36.170-05:00What an interesting question and some really inter...What an interesting question and some really interesting answers. Great article, and on such an obscure topic. Mushrooms and moulds are also great for theme, either by adding an exotic element (they're rarely just there for ornamental, background purposes) or by reinforcing a theme of decay, abandonment, or the wilds reclaiming the urban.Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00456068019298922261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-82801657018251017152010-12-07T16:09:31.457-05:002010-12-07T16:09:31.457-05:00I've always found that in fantasy novels and m...I've always found that in fantasy novels and movies they use mushrooms quite a bit. I've never actually used any in my works, but I think I may try to in the future.<br /><br />Thank you for the very interesting post. :)Volatairehttp://volataire.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2125325709844932289.post-49379413716161265422010-12-07T06:08:07.768-05:002010-12-07T06:08:07.768-05:00What a great and inspiring post. I use mushrooms ...What a great and inspiring post. I use mushrooms briefly in my work, but reading this has made me realise I can use them a lot more and that they'll help towards my world building.<br /><br />Thanks xDRChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03352970077497112668noreply@blogger.com