Warren Adler's Blog, page 33

Kate Breslin

My feelings have always been best expressed through the written word. I composed countless poems as a child then short stories in the classroom, while my diary entries spilled adolescent emotions onto the page. I even wrote song lyrics in the ‘80s while dabbling at playing the guitar. Writing was a path to my heart, the freedom to articulate on paper what oftentimes seemed too difficult to speak. Through it all, I devoured books, immersing myself into other worlds and gaining fresh insight through another point of view. I began writing romance novels in my thirties, fascinated with the complexities of human relationships. Eventually, my journey led me to write inspirational fiction, and storytelling took on a more profound role. I wanted to explore the universal questions, not just of the heart, but of the soul; to challenge myself and create stories I felt passionate about, stories of courage and faith, complex characters thrown into nearly impossible situations. In this I found my own courage, and a better understanding of the resiliency and sacrifice that ultimately lead to redemption. ­­

Author of For Such a Time 

www.katebreslin.com

The post Kate Breslin appeared first on Warren Adler.

John Donaghue

I started writing Under Cardiac Arrest right around the time my father started wearing a batting helmet everyday. Fear of falling. My mother became obsessed with buying cereal. Frosted Flakes, Raisin Bran, Wheaties, whatever was on sale. We had a garage full of the stuff. Being an only child, caring for my 80-something parents was challenging to say the least. Between doctor appointments, middle of the night 911 calls, grocery shopping, adult diapers, broken hearing aids, hospitals, I was stressed and angry a lot. I came up with the idea for “Under Cardiac Arrest” after my Dad’s second heart attack. Seeing some humor in all this helped me to keep going. Getting old is hard. But it doesn’t mean we can’t have a good laugh about it once in while.

Now that I am officially a senior I realize I am next at bat.  Well, at least I can give myself a lot of new material. If I can remember what it is.

http://www.undercardiacarrest.com

The post John Donaghue appeared first on Warren Adler.

AMERICAN THINKER Features “The 2016 Presidential Candidates and the Fine Art of Casting a Novel”

The hyperactive presidential campaign with its debates and exposure dominating the media provides enormous grist for the novelist’s mill. The array of characters throwing their hat into the ring to be the next president offers a cornucopia of humanity: ambitions, obsessions, biographies, anxieties, and yes, cunning, deception, hypocrisy, braggadocio and every other trait associated with the acquisition of power, prestige, celebrity and historical immortality.

Observing these people en masse with the novelist’s eye for insight and observation tempts the writer’s inner motivation, both conscious and subconscious to visualize potential protagonists for serious storytelling.

I am not confining such observations to the crowded rostrum of Republican wannabes but also the Democratic side with the primary candidate debating with her younger self and the other active candidate recreating a familiar character from the thirties. CONTINUE READING ON AMERICAN THINKER

The post AMERICAN THINKER Features “The 2016 Presidential Candidates and the Fine Art of Casting a Novel” appeared first on Warren Adler.

The 2016 Presidential Candidates and the Fine Art of Casting a Novel

The hyperactive presidential campaign with its debates and exposure dominating the media provides enormous grist for the novelist’s mill. The array of characters throwing their hat into the ring to be the next president offers a cornucopia of humanity: ambitions, obsessions, biographies, anxieties, and yes, cunning, deception, hypocrisy, braggadocio and every other trait associated with the acquisition of power, prestige, celebrity and historical immortality.

Observing these people en masse with the novelist’s eye for insight and observation tempts the writer’s inner motivation, both conscious and subconscious to visualize potential protagonists for serious storytelling.

I am not confining such observations to the crowded rostrum of Republican wannabes but also the Democratic side with the primary candidate debating with her younger self and the other active candidate recreating a familiar character from the thirties.

The Rich Kid

On the Republican side is the born rich kid trying to convince his beloved dad and fortune founder that he has the stuff to match the old man’s grit and purpose by one-upping him beyond the acquisition of mere money to reach a level of power far beyond his progenitor’s aspirations. Proud, boastful and successful his strategy is to upset the applecart of political candidates with a take no prisoners style.

The Skilled Surgeon

There is the amazingly talented and skillful surgeon illustrating that character is the test of moral aspiration and invoking God as his great motivating force guiding him from one great healing objective to another.

The Eloquent Executive

There is the elegant and eloquent woman who despite crushing personal tragedies had the grit and confidence to crash through the glass ceiling and strut upon the male stage of power and prestige, only to stumble and lose traction in the male- dominated boardrooms of the business arena. Her greatest asset is the learning experience that comes from defeat and the wherewithal to pursue an even higher aspiration.

Indeed, every person on both stages has failed at one time or another and has had aspirations frustrated and intentions blunted but enough guts to be persistent to remain a viable contestant.

The Blue Blood  

On the Republican stage is a sibling and son of an aristocracy of the ruling class determined to show that his genes are as worthy of command as his father and brother. Therein is a classic story of the royal entitlement by blood.

The Golden Boy  

There is the youngest aspirant, who by brains, struggle and biography has made his bones early in life and feels ready to step up the ladder. He is obviously brilliant, brash and attractive with a clear mind and golden tongue, hoping to use his youth and energy to reach the summit of his ambition.

The Humble Governors

There is the group of governors, all with experience and conviction that they can bring to the highest office the same smarts that made them able to navigate the tides and shoals of a smaller entity. Each is self-made, symbols of the American success story of upward mobility, iron will, ambition and conviction. All possess the biographies of humble origins of which they are proud.

The Persistent Outlanders

There are two outlanders, senators with persistence, conviction and certainty that they can upset the applecart of politics as usual and bring their own stubborn vision to the Presidential office. Both are bold new faces with the courage to voice their views without fear or favor. There are others as well, a proud senator who with skill, daring and courage, offers dire warnings of the decline in American military power, arguably the Achilles heel of our slippage as the world’s greatest source of stability. He, too, expresses himself with clarity and honor.

The Steel-Willed Woman

The dominant female candidate on the Democratic side, with more than a hint of entitlement, has been on the public stage for a quarter of a century. Bruised and burned with past defeats and humbled by marital problems, she has managed to remain standing and trying once again to reach the hallowed top rung that she has striven for with obsessive zeal most of her adult life. Despite the constant incoming barrage pointed in her direction, she stands steady and ready to pursue her great ambitious craving and one day sit in the chair her husband occupied. Wounded often and understandably overly self-protective, she can be admired for her steel will and certainty, although at this point, the real antagonist in her debate is herself.

The Courageous Socialist

Surprisingly strong is her serious contender, an avowed and courageous socialist who truly believes that there is still value in a philosophy that has failed persistently in every government entity in which it has been tried. He acknowledges such but believes that his special brand of wealth sharing and government largesse will solve all of America’s problems. He certainly gets high marks for persistence and courage and has won a wide swath of followers who see a chance for success in his once failed vision.

I know I missed some individuals still on the wannabe stage, but there is no question that those cited, even in this brief summary, are the raw material for the novelist’s imagination. Certainly they are worthy, as Cervantes understood, to be observed carefully by the literary artist’s inner eye with a view to discover what motivates the human animal to embark on such a quest. Perhaps, inside their cells and perhaps inside of all of us is the DNA of Don Quixote.

Whatever one’s political predilections, those brave folks on the stage are complex, colorful, courageous, articulate, talented, audacious people, worthy of our admiration and awe whatever their politics.

For the serious novelist they are a gift from heaven.

This piece has also been featured in American Thinker.

 

 

The post The 2016 Presidential Candidates and the Fine Art of Casting a Novel appeared first on Warren Adler.

THOUGHT CATALOG Features “Will TV/Film Kill the Literary Star?”

As a longtime practitioner of the art of fiction writing and a committed reader of the works of others, I have been thinking a great deal about the impact of the proliferating film/TV industry on the future of reading.

Having lived through the golden age of Hollywood films shown in ubiquitous neighborhood theaters in the United States with outlets throughout the world, I hadn’t given much thought to the moving images’ actual impact on reading up until recently. Although there were voices that persisted in sounding the death knell of the novel, the popularity of novels and short stories never seemed challenged by the movies.

The novelist as hero was a celebrated figure and outsized literary personalities like Earnest Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis, William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, Pearl Buck and numerous others were accorded celebrity status and given serious prizes on the national and international scene. The competition emanating from watching films did not seem to diminish the popularity of reading.

In today’s world, visual storytelling of every conceivable variety is a worldwide staple surpassing in scope and volume what was churned out in Hollywood in its golden age and what was available on network television in the days when only a few select networks dominated the media. CONTINUE READING ON THOUGHT CATALOG

The post THOUGHT CATALOG Features “Will TV/Film Kill the Literary Star?” appeared first on Warren Adler.

Will TV/Film Kill the Literary Star?

As a longtime practitioner of the art of fiction writing and a committed reader of the works of others, I have been thinking a great deal about the impact of the proliferating film/TV industry on the future of reading.

Having lived through the golden age of Hollywood films shown in ubiquitous neighborhood theaters in the United States with outlets throughout the world, I hadn’t given much thought to the moving images’ actual impact on reading up until recently. Although there were voices that persisted in sounding the death knell of the novel, the popularity of novels and short stories never seemed challenged by the movies.

The novelist as hero was a celebrated figure and outsized literary personalities like Earnest Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis, William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, Pearl Buck and numerous others were accorded celebrity status and given serious prizes on the national and international scene. The competition emanating from watching films did not seem to diminish the popularity of reading.

In today’s world, visual storytelling of every conceivable variety is a worldwide staple surpassing in scope and volume what was churned out in Hollywood in its golden age and what was available on network television in the days when only a few select networks dominated the media.

As the international demand for narrative film/TV content continues to soar with popular streaming services like Netflix and others the two questions then become: will the coming generations receive most of their entertainment through visual means rather than through the written word and will such a proliferation of narrative film/TV reduce the importance of reading?

Growing examples of this trend include the diminishment of fiction in the common core curriculum, the ever-rising culture of computer games, the tsunami of streaming services of enormous international reach, and the blockbuster movies filled with special effects geared towards children and teenagers. Nor must we ignore the economic dangers that lie ahead for the written word. The narrative film industry is a moneymaker that dwarfs the publishing industry currently in the throes of financial revolution and disorder. As the distribution channels of the written word lose traction, the danger to its economic survival will become more and more evident.

The other underlying question, of course, is does it really matter if the written word bows to the world of film/TV? From my perspective, any diminishment of fiction delivered by words is a loss for mankind and must be confronted.

There is no greater human attribute than the imagination. It lies at the very soul of the human species. It is the brain’s most powerful engine. It is the essential muscle of life and like all muscles it must be exercised and perpetually strengthened.

Writing and reading are the principal tools that inspire, create and empower our imagination without which we are bereft, muted and lesser. Anything that diminishes that power is the enemy of mankind.

It should be known that I am not categorically opposed to the myriad manifestations of new media and technological advances. As an author who has always considered himself an entrepreneur I have always felt it necessary to adapt to evolving technology and modes of distribution. When SONY came out with the first viable reader, I was asked to make the first pitch for its use at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronic Show in 2007 along with my friend Nick Taylor, former President of the Author’s Guild. What’s more, a number of my novels are in various stages of development for film, TV, and live stage productions. Any serious novelist and entrepreneur can relate to the desire to share their work in as many mediums as possible, reaching a wider audience. My hope is that the written word will only stand to be enhanced and complemented by its visual counterparts, not pushed to the brink of extinction.

My argument here is for a greater, not a lesser emphasis on the written word as the paramount storytelling device ever invented for human communication beyond speech itself.

Words conjure deeper, more creative possibilities of thought and interpretation than what is pre-packaged for our consideration. The heart of storytelling is the ultimate quest for “what happens next,” which motivates us to contemplate our mortality. It is the mystery of all human life, a necessary component of our existence. Where are we going? What is ahead? Is there anything beyond disintegration and the end of life?

These are the primal questions behind the idea of storytelling. The imagination is indispensible to our existence and the speculations that reside in fiction, as presented in words, are the stimulant that facilitates that projection.

I know this may sound a bit lofty and though there is arguably somewhat of a touch of pessimism in my essay, I know I am not alone. The canary in the coal mine is singing its song of warning.

Of course, there are those who will present passionate arguments for the superiority of the moving image over the written word. Each has its place. My argument is for making the preservation of the art of the written word a priority and finding the right balance between it and the moving image.

This piece has also been featured in Thought Catalog.

The post Will TV/Film Kill the Literary Star? appeared first on Warren Adler.

Joel Fried

I hated being caged up, our cramped apartment, too much family, too little space. I escaped to the library, reading everything that wasn’t history or biography. Reading led to writing. I started with short Sci-fi stories. I wrote in spite of F/A grades: F for grammar & spelling, A for content/originality. I wrote in the face of forced writing-practice due to extremely poor penmanship. Later very gladly I took up typing, at which I excelled, despite striking the “m” key for “w” and “p” for “q”. In Jr. High I wrote love songs for the tough guys to give to their girlfriends as theirs, which afforded me a degree of protection in the schoolyard, being more verbal than physical. After the Service, in which I was assigned a decent MOS due to my typing skills, I made a living writing and shooting educational filmstrips. However, I was a better photographer and editor. I loved words connected to pictures. Then the Apple was invented. I started a software company that was among the first to develop open-ended writing programs that allowed children of all abilities to move graphics around (it sounds so retro), add text anywhere on the screen and print out their creations. Words and picture on computers became my career. Now retired, after years of not working as a writer, I have the time to set down my hyper-aware observations, sitting in bars talking to strangers, collecting conversations, poeming, tweeting and ranting. In the end, writing is the way I “talk” to myself and to those close to me in ways I’m rarely honest enough to do off the page.

The post Joel Fried appeared first on Warren Adler.

Lee M. Phillips

Growing up, I was always the shy girl daydreaming in the back of the classroom. I was more content to live inside my own head rather than let others in. My mother had no idea what she’d created when she first told me, ‘You should write these things down!’ I’ve wanted to be a writer ever since. Art is probably one of the few true paths to immortality – my biggest hope is that my words will live on long after me.

  http://authorleephillips.blogspot.com/

The post Lee M. Phillips appeared first on Warren Adler.

Kathleen Elle

My music writing career began in my sophomore year of high school when I traded extracurricular sports for music and took a weekly one-hour class taught by Dr. Kenneth Lampl, who through skill, constant encouragement and patience, awakened in me a talent for writing music I had no idea I possessed. Having always admired great songwriters who made an impact on listeners, I strove to do the same and one of the first songs I wrote was “Don’t Let Them In,” intended to empower bullying victims by encouraging them to be true to themselves and to not let bullies’ hurtful words into their hearts. After placing the song online, I began receiving messages from victims across the globe that “Don’t Let Them In” comforted and empowered them to face their bullies, and even saved a few lives. It won awards from Seventeen Magazine and Abercrombie & Fitch, was featured in radio and online publications, but the ultimate reward was getting messages like the one I recently received from a chronically bullied girl in the Philippines who said my song convinced her to abandon her second attempt at suicide and her relentless pursuit to please bullies who she now knows will never like her.

http://www.kathleenelle.com/

 

The post Kathleen Elle appeared first on Warren Adler.

Edie Melson

When I Decided to Keep Writing

A lot of people ask me why I started writing, or when I started writing. Truthfully, I’ve been making up stories and writing them down ever since I could hold a crayon and reach a wall. I’m just wired to process life through the written word.

But there was a time when I made a conscious decision to make writing my life’s work.

I had written a small piece about a tough time I’d gone through. It wasn’t anything special, really not much more than a journal entry. A few months later, a close friend began to experience the same thing. I hesitantly shared what I’d written with her. To my shock, I watched as God used my words to bring her comfort and peace.

Her response humbled me. In a moment of clarity, it became clear that I’d been given a gift. With that revelation came the surety that I’d found my life’s calling. I knew I had a long way to go as far as ability, so I began to get serious about learning how to write well.

BIO:

Edie Melson—author, blogger, speaker—has written numerous books, including While My Soldier Serves, Prayers for Those with Loved Ones in the Military. She’s also the military family blogger at Guideposts.org. Her popular blog for writers, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month, and she’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. Connections: Social Media & Networking Techniques for Writers is a print expansion of her bestselling ebook on social media. She’s the Social Media Mentor at My Book Therapy, the Social Media Director for Southern Writers Magazine, and the Senior Editor for NovelRocket.com. Connect on Twitter and Facebook.

The post Edie Melson appeared first on Warren Adler.