I know a girl who ran into the basement and called police when someone broke into her house. It worked. They had no interest in her. I have often said that if kids in horror movies knew they were in one, they'd behave very differently. Then, there is Home Alone.

Super popular ones, so you're not alone!

Yes! Not so bad when teens do it, and they don't always think of consequences, but adults should know better. Unless you're running from zombies and plan to knock out the stairs, head outside! LOL

"How would people react if..." is a great way to approach an idea. (And you gave me an idea for a post, so thanks for that!)

I love how you approached it, and it sounds intriguing. Best of luck with it! Sounds like a winner.

You're most welcome. It really is. I've spent hours with various writers friends all wracking our brains for new ideas on someone's story 🙂 Mine included!

I think a good re-take on "the chosen one" might be that the person sent to find the chosen one turns out to be more important–i.e., the chosen one has the needed talents, but perhaps not the moral fabric or even insights how/when to use them. The one who brings them back to help is the one who'll ultimately keep them from doing more harm than good... and be the one the village/whatever really needs to stay on after... the chosen one can just go back to whatever old life they had before, not missed. Just a thought. I'm not the one to write it, though.

I started with one common trope, an alien abduction, but did my best to leave all other tropes behind. Mine weren't horrible and grotesque; they resembled elegant gazelles. They weren't bloodthirsty and warlike; they were farmers who preferred to negotiate a peaceful, bloodless surrender. They didn't want to kill us; they wanted to employ us... but only on their own terms.

This was liberating for me. The struggle between my main characters and their captors became not a battle of weapons; it became a battle of wits and ideas. Even after my characters devise an escape and a means to warn earth, they realize the aliens might not really be the greatest threat to humanity. They'll have to re-think their whole plan.

It was a great pleasure to write. It let me explore the characters well, including the aliens. It allowed me to incorporate fun twists and some humor (which all stories need, imho). And it's given me enough material to complete a tetralogy. Book two is complete and being queried.

~Kris