84% Compatible

Jarod K. Anderson is a fan of comic books, tattoos, pulp detective novels, herpetology, folklore, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, video games, and all things sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. Growing up, he wanted to be either a ninja or a maple tree. These aspirations led him to teach college English. Teaching college English led him to try other things. Jarod’s work has appeared in numerous online and print publications including Daily Science Fiction, Escape Pod, Electric Spec, The Colored Lens, and elsewhere. Look for his forthcoming work in Apex Magazine and Fantasy Scroll. His bestselling books of speculative fiction writing prompts (co-written with his awesome wife Leslie J. Anderson) include: Inklings: 300 Starts, Plots, and Challenges to Inspire Your Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy and 100 Prompts for Science Fiction Writers. He lives in Central Ohio. Find him online at: www.jarodkanderson.com Story Comments: I have no clue why I thought of a solar system wedged between two front teeth, but I thought of it more than once. That's sometimes how story inspiration works for me. I don't jot down every odd idea to pass through my head. If I did, I wouldn't have time for anything else. When an image starts cropping up more than once, starts to stick, then I guess I start paying attention. This image, the shinning solar system peeking out between teeth, seemed interesting to me, but I quickly came to the "so what" question. Okay. You have a solar system in your mouth. The novelty would wear off for you pretty quickly. It would be as normal as a freckle on your cheek. You'd probably just want to get on with your life. Unfortunately, people likely wouldn't make it that simple for you. So, what situation would really highlight that perennial struggle? A first date. And, maybe I'm a hopeless romantic, but I think there's someone for everyone.