“Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures.” -Henry Ward Beecher
Even though Pale Blue Scratch will be a self-published book, I won’t be skimping on cover art. My friend Marcia Furman will be depicting one of the devices in a watercolor sketch for book cover. You can check out her watercolors here and her “normal” artwork here.
Though I wouldn’t say Pale Blue Scratch is outright speculative fiction, there are some strong elements of the genre present. One of them, more of a MacGuffin to the story than a necessary plot device (heh), is based on the Farnsworth fusor.
In the simplest terms, a fusor is a vacuum tube filled with some metal and gas that utilizes very high-voltage electrical currents. Depending on the type a fusor can give off a purple or star-like glow when activated. Since they “almost” perform nuclear fusion, fusors give off harmful radiation, though the device is a favorite of electrical engineering hobbyists.
Here’s links to two videos. One, a crash-course in building a rather professional, “nuclear” looking fusor in your very own home, and a second video of a demonstration of a much simpler fusor.
Watching either video will be harmful to one’s health but they may arouse curiosity…
How to Make A Fusion Reactor
My farnsworth fusor