I ran across this little mystery published in Slate recently and found it rich story soil. The idea that someone in the public eye might wish to disappear but find they are more well known and sought after once they have vanished is intriguing.
As a for instance, imagine how a reluctant hero has her Legend increased after she withdraws from public eye. Maybe she was a healer, and now she must retreat further because the demand for her abilities is impossible to manage. Assignment: explore what happens next.
Another possibility is that a less innocent – okay – evil person uses a staged disappearance to intentionally build a legend for nefarious reasons. Assignment: explore what happens when people are betrayed by the false legend.
There are infinite possibilities here. These sorts of real life mysteries offer a framework for a writer to start delving into a story and characters. Why did this happen? What effect did it have on those it happened to?
Kevin J. Fellows 