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Why the Commodore Amiga? There's the answer Laura gives in Amiga, "The Amiga made me feel like anything was possible because when I was 24, anything was possible." For Julie in Escape from Arzack's Castle, the Amiga provides a connection with her father:
Dad was still on my mind as I went to the Commodore Amiga 1200 at the end of my computer desk. He bought it when he went to work for BlitterDrive. I grew up with that computer. Even though my friends had Windows XP computers or G4 iMacs, I loved my dad’s old Amiga. I inherited it when he passed away.
Both Laura and Julie must confront their pasts as they deal with problems in the present. These vintage computers enable my characters to connect with their histories—and find the solutions that can help them.
For me, the Amiga represents what might have been in the computer industry. It was a machine that was ahead of its time with features that wouldn't be matched by Windows and Macs for years. It also represented a time of possibility and innocence in computing. We still saw technology as beneficial and its potential dangers as the realm of science fiction. (Who can think of a villain as evil as Palantir?)
At the Commodore LA Super Show, I will talk about how the Amiga boosted my creativity, including when I used one for writing. I hope you'll join us in Burbank this weekend.
I'll also have an exciting announcement... |