Real Places Inspiring Forest of "Will to Survive"

Now that I've finished "Will to Survive," I'm planning on writing several shorter fanfics in the coming weeks. Before I move on, I thought I'd give a sort of "Behind the Scenes" of "Will to Survive" for anyone interested. When I was considering the forest of Underworld, I performed some research to craft the jungle. Many of the seemingly fictional plants, beaches, and bodies of water used in the story are actually inspired by real places. Unfortunately, I'm having difficulty using the "Insert Image" for pictures so I'll have to settle on telling you about the big ones.

Glow Vines --> Waitomo Caves, Glowworm Caves
In New Zealand just outside the town of Waitomo, there is a cave tingling with bioluminescent creatures that emit a blue-green light called glowworms. They create an image of stars twinkling in the darkness. When I first saw it, I thought it was a painting and could not believe it was real. The glowing tendrils Spike finds in Chapter 3 and later names glow vines were inspired by this enchanting imagery.
http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/glowworms-transform-new-zealand-cave-into-a-mystical-starry-world

Pinkie Pie Sand --> Pink Sand Beach, Bahamas
The pink sand Spike encounters in Chapter 7 is similar to the Pink Sand Beach of the Bahamas. From what I gather, this color is the result of coral, shells, and calcium carbonate materials left behind by tiny red and pink shelled marine creatures called foraminifera. I'm sure Pinkie Pie would love playing hide in seek in the sand.
http://thewowstyle.com/most-outstanding-beaches-in-the-world/

Cliffs on the Beach --> Isle Royal National Park, Michigan
The cliffs that prevent Spike from turning right in Chapter 6 were inspired by photographs of Isle Royal National Park, Michigan.

Pond of Pinchy --> Ichetucknee Springs State Park
In Chapter 4, Spike sees a crab and scorpion fighting near a pond. The imagery of the pond is based on the glowworm caves and the waters of Ichetucknee Springs State Park.
https://roadtrippers.com/us/fort-white-fl/nature/ichetucknee-springs-state-park?lat=40.80972&lng=-96.67528&z=5

Moss-covered Trees --> Baker River Valley, Hoh River Rainforest and miscellaneous
While wonder moss is not real (to my knowledge), plenty of moss covered trees inspired the descriptions of wonder moss trees in Chapter 4. The first picture (see the link) from Baker River Valley was one of the sources of inspiration. The description of "bearded moss" was inspired by the beard-like appearance of moss of the Hoh River Rainforest seen in the second link.
http://www.wta.org/hiking-info/nature-on-trail/nature-on-trail-forest-floor-plants
http://www.artinnaturephotography.com/photo/hoh-rainforest-mossy-treebeards/?gallery=galleries
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fuerst/8023981484/in/photostream
http://honestly-wtf.tumblr.com/post/6292000300
http://wtffunfact.com/post/43327290085/vietnam-cave-largest-cave-in-the-world-awesome

I have a Pinterest Board titled "Pictures Inspiring Location/Forest in 'Will to Survive'" for those curious to see the pictures that inspired the forest floor and other aspects of the jungle. Some pictures didn't make the cut, while others were front and center. For those who are interested, here's a link:
https://www.pinterest.com/cmcgrath3052/pictures-inspiring-locationforest-in-will-to-survi/

Thanks for your support, and I hope you have a good day.

Comments

[Shine]

You put a lot of thought into this.

[Zephyr Spark]

4103473 Thank you. Drawing inspiration from real nature was immensely helpful for writing "Will to Survive."

[Shine]

4103628

[Zephyr Spark]

4103635