Women Who Pretended to Be Men to Publish Scifi Books

“In 1980, science fiction writer and editor Ben Bova told a group of women writers, ‘Neither as writers nor as readers have you raised the level of science fiction a notch. Women have written a lot of books about dragons and unicorns, but damned few about future worlds in which adult problems are addressed’.” 

In Women Who Pretended to Be Men to Publish Scifi Books, we get a nice list of the varied and fascinating female authors who, in order to not alienate male readers, had to pretend (at least on paper) to be men. 

As the soon to be father of a daughter, and as a science fiction lover, I find this despicable in a number of ways. So please, read the article. Then click over to Amazon or, better yet, hit up your local book store. Do yourself a favor and grab some books for summer reading. You can thank me later. 

Periodic Table of Storytelling

I love learning about writing. I love how there’s “theory” for creative processes. Makes me laugh when it all gets winnowed down to a base formula. That said, the TV Trope website is great for looking up things which have been done to death as well as learning new phrases for old ideas.

Here, a designer named James Harris uses the TV Tropes site and ideas to give us the basic building blocks with his Periodic Table of Storytelling. If you need inspiration for a new piece of fiction, all you have to do is combine elements like a chemist and add your own spin to things. It’s like alchemy when it works. 

Of course, when it doesn’t, no harm no foul, right? You learned something in the process. And hopefully, you had fun doing it. 

 

DAVID: Father’s Day

David_6_16.jpgHappy Father’s Day!! As this is my last year of NOT being a father, we decided to take a little time and seek some advice from the best father I know – mine!

This short interview is a condensed form of a conversation we had (and I assume we will continue to have).

Thanks, Pop! You mean the world to me!

And hey, since the world of print is limiting, here’s a couple of bonus shots of us from when I was a wee one:
Continue reading “DAVID: Father’s Day”

DAVID: Sense – The Impresario of Vegas

This month, we take a look at Troy Heard, creative director of Table 8 Productions and The Onyx Theatre.

He’s doing amazing stuff in the world of Vegas theatre, helping to build our scene and culture. Remember, there’s more to live performance than the Strip and the Smith Center.

Impresario of Vegas

Thinking in and about English on a Sunday Morning

shakespeare-big-willy-funny-poster

You know, Shakespeare didn’t always sound like Shakespeare. Sometimes he sounded like a pirate. And in fact, just for good measure, English didn’t always sound like English.

Anyway, here’s a couple of videos to get your brain working. Continue reading “Thinking in and about English on a Sunday Morning”

Books for and about Magicians

So… as you may (or may not, no judgement on my part) know, I like magic. Now, to be specific, I like magic with a “c” not magik, with a “k.” There’s nothing wrong with the latter, but the spiritual side, the part that says magik is a mystical, real thing just doesn’t interest my skeptical mind nearly as much as the art of prestidigitation.

Continue reading “Books for and about Magicians”

Green Eggs, Ham And Metaphysics: Teaching Hard Ideas With Children’s Books | WBEZ

I love this! Sure, most of us know we can use these books to teach bigger concepts. I’m sure the authors knew it, too. But having it all codified and with lesson plans makes it so much easier!

Stories that are great for learning to read can teach all kinds of things — from philosophy to financial literacy.

Source: Green Eggs, Ham And Metaphysics: Teaching Hard Ideas With Children’s Books | WBEZ

Review: Confessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and Irreverent Look at Motherhood – The Good, The Bad, and the Scary

Confessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and Irreverent Look at Motherhood - The Good, The Bad, and the Scary
Confessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and Irreverent Look at Motherhood – The Good, The Bad, and the Scary by Jill Smokler
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

 

To start with, I’m not a mother. I’m not even a parent…yet. But my wife and I listened to this book in the hopes of gleaning some advance knowledge or get a humorous look at what’s to come. In this, we were kinda disappointed.
Continue reading “Review: Confessions of a Scary Mommy: An Honest and Irreverent Look at Motherhood – The Good, The Bad, and the Scary”

Review: Atlanta Burns

Atlanta Burns
Atlanta Burns by Chuck Wendig
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have a problem here. I have long been a fan of Terrible Minds, the website/blog of Chuck Wendig. His blogs and books about writing are usually spot on and I have long recommended him to my writing students. Then I read this book.  Continue reading “Review: Atlanta Burns”