This was recently posted on the website Learn from my Fail: “I got into an argument with this at school. She was of the opinion that Twilight was better than Harry Potter. Her reasoning? Harry Potter’s characters had too much personality, while Twilight’s characters were blank and boring enough that she could put herself in their places.” Now, before you say … Read More
Guest blog: Deborah Blake on maladaptive intertia
Deborah Blake is the author of six nonfiction books and the paranormal romance Witch Ever Way You Can, as well as the excellent short story “Dead and (Mostly) Gone,” found in The Pagan Anthology of Short Fiction, along with my story, “Draw Down.” Deborah has been kind enough to write about a condition every author has, or will, experience. (And catch … Read More
A dialogue on the “Common kickass heroine”
Recently my friend, author Teresa Frohock, brought to my attention a review of a current urban fantasy/paranormal romance title in which the reviewer referred to the main character as “the common kickass heroine.” We were both struck by the implications: that what was once a fresh symbol of female empowerment in the male-heavy world of fantasy had become, through repetition … Read More
Bang Head Here: passive vs active voice
A Facebook friend, Henry Snider, recently asked me, “Why is it that fewer writers seem to understand the difference between showing versus telling? Passive voice (running my head into a wall)!” In my case, passive voice–vastly simplified, the use of “-ing” verbs (telling) instead of “-ed” words (showing), such as “I was running” instead of “I ran”–is simply how my … Read More
The best* Christmas Eve gift
*Sarcasm. Once about ten or twelve years ago, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I went through a process that will be instantly familiar to every struggling writer: I sent a query letter to a publisher, and they responded with a request to read the first three chapters of my manuscript. This happened fairly often, so I did not … Read More
Wake of the Bloody Angel cover art
For all the fans of Eddie LaCrosse, here’s a peek at the cover for his next adventure, Wake of the Bloody Angel. Watch for it summer 2012!
To Avoid Shark-Jumping
As I await the page proofs for Eddie LaCrosse IV (Wake of the Bloody Angel) and begin the first draft of Eddie LaCrosse V (so far, Eddie LaCrosse V), it occurred to me that every book in the series begins with two concepts, one of which is the same each time, while the other is very different. If you’re out … Read More
Review: Treasure Island (1990)
I’ve read Treasure Island many times, both for my own enjoyment and to my kids. It’s a great novel, an exciting story and a terrific basis for a film. But only one of the many film versions gets it right: 1990’s version for television, directed by Fraser Heston and starring his father Charlton and a young Christian Bale. For years this has … Read More
Review: The Wages of Fear
I’m a long-time fan of the French film Le Salaire de la peur, a.k.a. The Wages of Fear, as well at its big-budget American remake, Sorcerer. Both tell essentially the same story of losers hired to drive trucks of nitroglycerin to extinguish an oil fire, and while the details differ greatly, the ultimate thematic point remains the same: the universe doesn’t … Read More
Interview: playwright Steven Stack
Recently I attended the premiere performance of Welcome to the Neighborhood, a play written by Steven Stack. Steven also teaches acting at Forte Studios, and has written several other productions for them. Welcome to the Neighborhood is set at a teen slumber party. Chloe, the new girl, invites three friends over. As they take magazine quizzes, Chloe realizes how little … Read More