Fictional stories either take place in the real world or a fantasy world.

Sometimes, the distinction is obvious. TV cop shows like NYPD Blue and Homicide generally take place in the real world. The Star Wars movies, on the other hand, take place in a fantasy universe, as does Lord of the Rings.

What about a show like Smallville, however? Smallville conceivably takes place in the real world because on the show, the existence of aliens and super-powered beings are kept secret from the public at large. (The X-Files falls in the same category.)

The Marvel Universe is a fantasy world. In that universe, Spider-Man can be seen swinging across Manhattan skyscrapers, people are aware of the existence of mutants and their potential threat to humans, Wonder Woman can be spotted in her invisible jet… (I know… wrong universe. Just wanted to see if you were paying attention.) Now… the moment Smallville’s creators decide to have the public learn of Superman’s existence, the show moves into the “fantasy world” category.

What I intend to do with Twilight Lady is begin in the real world and move slowly into a realm of fantasy. You’ll see this world change, for better or worse, as a result of the introduction of the being known as the Lady in the Hood. This change will be gradual, happening over the course of the entire series. By the end, you will witness a completely new realm, vastly different from the “real world” depicted in the opening chapters which you’re currently reading.

Of course, the real real world – our world – will no doubt change as well, in the time that I’m going to be working on this project. It will be interesting to compare the eventual reality to the fantasy.