There’s something nice about using classic characters as protagonists in your own books. Here Jim C. Hines uses Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and, of course, Cinderella, to create a fun caper with the wicked step-sisters as the antagonists. By using the classics, though, he automatically sets up expectations in our minds and so when he confounds those expectations, we’re doubly surprised. Continue reading “Review: The Stepsister Scheme”→
A week or two ago, I was talking to my friend AAron. We try to keep up on a semi-weekly basis and this time there other people with him and his family and one of these other people, upon finding out I lived in Lithuania, had a question for me.
“Do you know any left-handed, redhead dentists?” she asked. Puzzled, I asked her why. She said when she needs to explain something as rare, the phrase which has become second nature to her is “rare as a left handed, red haired Lithuanian dentist.” I acknowledged that I did not know anyone who fit that particular description and we chuckled, but it started me thinking.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier couldn’t be more “ripped from the headlines” if it were an episode of Law & Order. On top of that, it delivers on most every promise it sets up and it does it without pandering to the audience and providing some pretty good action and enough plot to keep it all going.
In general, the film takes place a little while after the incident in New York, as explained in the Marvel Cinematic Universe production of The Avengers. Here, Cap (Chris Evans) is still adjusting to life in the present day after being frozen for 70 years and trying to understand the world as it is… And that’s actually the point of the whole film.
I just don’t think I like Doctor Who books all that much. The story on this one wasn’t too bad, had some interesting ideas but it certainly feels different than the show. The other, rather weird, thing about this particular story is it was read by David Tennant, the 10th Doctor himself. Except when he was reading the Doctor’s lines, he didn’t sound like the Doctor. He did when he was reading narration, but the actual dialogue it felt like he was using a put on voice. Very odd.
I’ve listened to other Doctor Who stories read by him and they were fine. I realize this one involves a monster who eats sound and can mimic voices, so Tennant might have been making a conscious choice, but still, sounds strange.
In the Serpent of Venice, Christopher Moore once again visits the physical world of Pocket the fool and the literary world of William Shakespeare (with a slight touch of Edgar Allan Poe thrown in for good measure). This time around, instead of King Lear, the source material is a mash-up of Othello and The Merchant of Venice, only set in the late 13th century and Pocket is embroiled in a battle to save Venice from itself while at the same time, helping the course of true love… all while dealing with his own depression over the loss of his queen Cordelia. Oh yeah, and there’s some sort of sea monster roaming around the Venetian canals wrecking havoc an death on whatever comes across its path. Continue reading “Review: The Serpent of Venice”→
Mostly I’m putting this here for me. There are some great bits of information here, things which any writer could and should hear from time to time. Some of this is motivational, some is good solid advice and some is funny (but funny because it’s true).
And while I was going to close with a Neil Gaiman quote, that’s a bit cliche at this point so instead, I’ll sum up with probably the best advice one could ever get, this one coming from Richard Ford:
“Marry somebody you love and who thinks you being a writer’s a good idea.”
Like a majority of Niven’s books, this focuses more on the concept than any type of tangible story. We get really cool technology, awesome aliens, some pretty cool thought experiments but at the end of the day, there’s really not much more than that.
Last week, as class ended, a student came up to me and handed me a small box of chocolate, saying “this is for you.” I said thank you and asked why. “Just because.” was the answer.
Inside was this note.
This is why I do what I do – to try and keep the stories moving forward.
The late W.T. (Bill) Rabe, known for his clever PR stunts from his days as a Detroit-area publicist, created the Unicorn Hunters in 1971, shortly after he was hired as LSSU’s Director of Public Relations. Bill, with the assistance of LSSU Professors of English Peter Thomas, John McCabe, John Stevens and others, came up with the Hunters as a way of garnering more publicity for LSSU, which had just established itself as an independent school after being a branch of what is now Michigan Technological University. The Unicorn Hunters made the news often for activities and events including: the annual List of Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-Use, Over-Use and General Uselessness, burning a snowman on the first day of spring, World Sauntering Day, International Stone-Skipping Tournament held annually on Mackinac Island, Unicorn Questing Season and Teacher Thank You Week.
Like the Beloit Mindset list, this is an amazing example of the way a university zeitgeist can enter non-academic worlds and have a profound effect. Personally, I think we need more Unicorn Hunting! The regulations seem pretty fair and equitable to me and hey, the license itself is free.
This is really a phenomenal piece. The awkwardness and passion, the downright humanity on display, is enough to make me really happy today.
There’s a part of me that wants to know the follow up story, did the pairings become couples, become friends, but I guess that’s the writer, the storyteller in me. I want to know the rest of their story. But then there’s another part which thinks this is perfect the way it is. We don’t need to know what happens because the only that matters, in this case, is the present.
The fact they all had a connection seems to me to be the most wonderful thing of all.
UPDATE: Turns out this is a clothing ad. Not sure how I feel about that. As a marketing bit, great. it gets everyone talking. And it’s certainly not the first time viral marketing has been used to sell a product. But then I guess this is what everything has become – there is no are anymore, it’s all commerce. I still like the piece for what it represents, but no longer for what it shows. They say the people (all of whom are “personalities” of some sort) really didn’t know each other and the reactions are genuine, but at the same time, as performers, there’s a certain amount of expectation they’re bringing to the project so I can no longer trust them.
Ah well… until the next time we’re all taken in by something which tugs at our heartstrings only to get at our wallets.
24 years ago today, March 11, 1990, The country of Lithuania declared its independence from the Soviet Union with the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania. It was the first of the satellite nations which had been occupied by Russia to stretch its wings and test the limits of Gorbachev’s glasnost policies.
This declaration was not immediately acknowledged and was even declared illegal by Gorbachev, who demanded the Act be rescinded. 10 months later came the “January Events,” when soviet forces invaded Vilnius’ TV Tower, killing 14 and injuring hundreds more.
Eventually, in February of 1991, Iceland became the first nation to recognize Lithuania’s independence. The United States followed September 2, 1991 and on September 6, 1991, Russia acknowledged it as well.
Lithuania served as a model for other nations and ultimately led to the collapse of the USSR.
A much more detailed, on the ground report can be found here, courtesy of 15min.lt
Happy Independence Day to my adopted home! In light of recent events, let’s keep this flag waving high and remember all who fought to get it there!
Saw an interesting film yesterday, Kaddisch für einen Freund, a german language film. Now, I was told before going there would be subtitle in English and Lithuanian so I wasn’t concerned. It was also cool because the screening, part of a German film festival, was being held in Romuva, Kaunas’ version of an art house cinema. I’d been there before, about a year and a half ago I was asked to be part of a steering committee to try and rejuvenate the place into a hipper, more popular venue. That plan eventually fell apart but I’d never gotten the chance to see a film there, so this was exciting. The film itself was interesting, being shown from house center from a laptop and a wall projector. Continue reading “Review: Kaddisch für einen Freund”→
Ten rules for writing fiction | Books | theguardian.com
Getting the Hang of Thursdays 