E.P. Isaacs's Blog, page 2

Thoughts On … #1: Fighting Climate Change, Part Two

So, in regards to yesterday’s post, the take-aways I have are as follows –

Without sustained, long-term efforts to remove greenhouse gases from the environment, global warming will get worse (United Nations Global Environment Outlook for 2019, 44). Second, the changes precipitated by global warming will have numerous unwanted consequences around the world – with the possibility to cause mass extinctions, global food crises, economic catastrophe, and a host of other problems that no one needs. Even if one were to do away with the most dire scenarios being forecast (such as the end of human civilization by 2050), is it so hard to accept the following points –

The five hottest years on record across the globe have occurred in the past five years. This trend will continue unless global warming is addressed worldwide.A major source of the world’s freshwater supply comes in the form of melting mountain snow that flows down mountains to feed rivers.Hotter weather in the United States (and the world as a whole) is adversely affecting the formation of mountain snow – and thus, fresh water stocks in the US (the same can be said for the world).Agriculture is one of the primary consumers of the world’s fresh water supply (consuming about 70% of freshwater used worldwide in a given year).Putting aside the effect a warmer planet will have on crops like coffee and cocoa, staple food crops will also be adversely affected.Food will cost more worldwide (along with everything else). The poor will bear the hardship of rising prices harder than any other group.The strain of the costs of global warming on governments and families worldwide will force more and more individuals into poverty, increase human migrations from the warmer areas of the world (areas closer to the Equator) to areas nearer the Poles, and destabilize and outright overwhelm governments worldwide. Human conflicts over basic necessities will increase. Meanwhile, governments struggling with providing basic social programs for their citizens (and migrants) will find it increasingly difficult to maintain order within their borders.

So much for doing away with ‘the most dire scenarios.’ This all looks kind of bleak. Though technology can address the freshwater crisis that global warming makes worse, things like desalinization plants (that make saltwater … unsalty?) have their own issues. Most experts agree that desalinization cannot solve the host of problems the world will see from global warming – as outlined above.

Starting tomorrow, then, I hope to outline a thought experiment in earnest. And, as the days and weeks stretch ahead, I hope to get others involved, too. Hope springs eternal. I think it’s time to hope – and act … for all of us

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Thoughts On … #1: Fighting Climate Change, Part One

Welcome to the first part of a thought challenge. Today’s challenge is climate change. I will not attempt to frame the total mess our planet’s climate is in here. If one wants to read the work of others who have done this much better than I could, try this article. Or this one. Or – this one.

Still with me? Rockin’! What I will attempt to do here is outline – in very broad strokes – thoughts on how climate change can be fought. For any of you wishing to know why Nika and I are writing about this on her blog – well, Nika would tell you that thinking is what Thought-werks do best. I have to agree with her.

So, time to think.

On the face of it, climate change is a simple concept. Carbon is a basic building block of life on our planet, and all known life on Earth is carbon-based. When something dies, all of that body’s carbon is open to being released back into the world. That release can happen in any number of ways. One of the ways the release tends to happen is as a gas. The gases can be carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, or any of a number of other carbon-linked gases. These gases trap and hold heat from the sun.

Don’t believe me? Wrap yourself in carbon paper and stand out in direct sunlight on a hot day. Then, try standing out after wrapping yourself in bleached paper. Which is warmer? Tomorrow, I look at the United Nations Global Environment Outlook for 2019.

See you then.

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An Evening With Ceejay Writer: Interview of Nika Thought-werk at Fantasy Faire 2019

What follows is a transcript of the interview of Nika Thought-werk conducted by Miss Ceejay Writer for Fantasy Faire’s Litfest 2019. To view a sample of the upcoming book discussed by Miss Writer and Miss Thought-werk during the interview (The Clockwork’s Orange: Tales of the Robot Nika, Volume Two), please click on the following link: https://wp.me/a6pfGX-cj

The full version of this children’s novel will be available for sale from Amazon.com as of May 7, 2019. Special Thanks go out to Miss Ceejay Writer, Miss Saffia Widdershins, and the entire Fantasy Faire staff for the countless hours they have volunteered to make this event and the ones to come happen. Nika says she had a great time.

**** INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT FOLLOWS ****

Nika Thought-werk Nika Thought-werk  waves

Ceejay Writer: Nika, feel 
free to find a cozy seat!

Ceejay Writer: Saffia! Our special guest is here, and all
ready to go.

Saffia Widdershins: Hi! I can’t stay … as it’s 3am but
shall I send a notice?

Nika Thought-werk Nika Thought-werk  folds her hands quietly and waits to begin

Ceejay Writer: So polite!

Nika Thought-werk Nika Thought-werk  smiles at Miss Edda

Ceejay Writer: Please, if you could Saffia?

Jimmy Branagh: Aren’t the speaker’s seat up here?

Edda Underwood (edan.borrelly)Edda Underwood (edan.borrelly)
finds a comfy place to sit, “Hi, everyone”

Ceejay Writer: They are, but I gave Nika the choice to be
anwhere she likes.

Philip Underwood (pilipo.underwood): Hey everbuddy!

Jimmy Branagh: Ah okie

Ceejay Writer: Hi Philip!

Nika Thought-werk Nika Thought-werk  waves to Mister Underwood and to the others
present.

Jimmy Branagh: Hoy Mr. Philip!

Saffia Widdershins: Hello Mr Philip and Jimmy.

Ceejay Writer: We will start in a few minutes, let’s give
people fighting the lag monsters time to slay them.

Nika Thought-werk  nods “I know about fighting monsters a
little.”

Ceejay Writer: If you wish, you could tell us about that
tonight.

Jimmy Branagh: An’ Hoy Miss Saffia!

Philip Underwood (pilipo.underwood): Hullow Jimmeh

Nika Thought-werk Nika Thought-werk  nods

Jimmy Branagh: An’ Miss Edda!

Edda Underwood (edan.borrelly)Edda Underwood (edan.borrelly)
waves!!!

Nika Thought-werk : So … there was a time … when I
fought a troll … it was a big one, see?

Ceejay Writer: Ohhhh. Was it as big as this one we are
inside of?

Nika Thought-werk : No … I think it was smaller. He was on
a bridge. Trolls like bridges. Did you know that?

 Ceejay Writer: I’ve
read a few stories about trolls under bridges! And I met one, in Seattle.
That’s a mythical city where it never stops raining.

Jimmy Branagh: Do they? 
Oy know Billy-Goats Gruff do

Edda Underwood (edan.borrelly): what kind of bridges do they
prefer?

Nika Thought-werk : Well, wood or stone work well for them

Nika Thought-werk Nika Thought-werk  blinks

Saffia Widdershins: goodnight all

Edda Underwood (edan.borrelly): ooooh, I always had wondered
about that

Jimmy Branagh: Night!

Edda Underwood (edan.borrelly): night

The Pig-Keeper’s Assistant: A Steampunk Take on The Swineherd

When planning out my week last week, I knew I was going to be busy. I am deep in illustrating for my second book in The Tales of the Robot Nika book series and up against a deadline. That means I have to crank out pictures for it whether I like the pictures or not (and I don’t have much room to slow down). I had another Postage Stamps strip to plot out and draw (which is oddly enough turning into a gag-a-week strip. Given how heavy most of my writing is, the comic is a nice change). I had an online game to write in an html framework called Sugar Cube. I had a newsletter to produce for the week. I also had to reach out and follow up on a number of publishing tasks. I knew I would not have a lot of time for reading.

So, in order to keep with book review schedules. I chose a short story to review for today. The Pig-Keeper’s Assistant is a recent addition to the Amazon library. It is a short story that I could read in an hour. It is a steampunk take on a classic fairy tale.

What’s not to love – about love?

The characters and the setting evoke the flavor of period pieces like the Poldark series and Little Women. The author, listed as E. Long, beautifully weaves the romantic characterizations of women in love as they were often depicted in Victorian times with steampunk tropes – all squeezed into the framework of a Hans Christian Anderson classic. I would almost love it. I love the story itself – but there is a downside. The author nails so many high points in this retelling – and I can’t wait to read more from them. If they are a young author, as the story’s acknowledgements suggest, I think they may have a very bright future ahead.

The downside to this gem is grammar. The author is amazing (in my opinion). However, it was impossible for me to let myself go and lose myself in this story (I truly wanted to) due to the number of grammatical mistakes and misused words (sediments in place of sentiments, for example). Things like this happen to any of us – and this is nothing a good editor can’t fix. That said, I hope the author gives things another go soon – just with a solid proofreader at their side.

They are displaying a real talent here.

This is Victorian-era romance at its finest, and if you can look past grammar to enjoy a nice, quick little dose of story, this may be just what the doctor ordered. You can find The Pig-Keeper’s Assistant for sale in the Amazon Kindle store here.

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A Mouse Divided: A Book by Jeff Ryan

Anyone that knows me knows I am a huge fan of the 1910s-1930s. I love the work of Charlie Chaplin, Clarence Ashley, Washington Phillips, and Elsie Segar more than I will probably ever like Tom Cruise, Lady Gaga, or Robert Kirkman. Not to say anything bad of artists and actors from this day and age – just … we all have our preferences. I knew about Elsie Segar, George Herriman, W.W. Denslow, and Winsor McCay prior to trying to learn to draw. Ub Iwerks was a different story. I discovered Ub through diving into a study of Walt Disney (specifically early-Disney). It’s through that study – and discovering Ub – that I discovered the book A Mouse Divided: How Ub Iwerks Became Forgotten and Walt Disney Became Uncle Walt.

This story is gripping – and I would suggest it for anyone who is a fan of Disney, animation, art, or who is trying to start a business. Why? Throughout its pages, Mr. Ryan builds a story of two men who would build one of the largest companies in world history. Their destinies would be intertwined whether they wished it or not. Walt Disney is shown as very much a man who started from nothing and never gave up. Because of his perseverance, his string of bankruptcies would lead to the creation of a multimedia powerhouse. This was not something he could do alone. At his right hand in his early days was Ub Iwerks – an animation and technical genius.

It’s at this point that the book resonates for me. For anyone just starting out on a new path in life, self-doubt can be a constant companion. Recognizing and playing to one’s strengths is essential. In A Mouse Divided, Jeff Ryan presents the strengths and personalities of Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks – and how these two men were essential in the rise of the House of Mouse. And, when it becomes time for Ub Iwerks to decide if he will stay with Disney, the book makes it understandable why he wouldn’t. Here though, is the rub.

Walt Disney pressed on through the 1930s – and Disney the company survived. Disney played to his strengths. Ub didn’t – at least not initially. Disney would keep pressing on, and he would go on to build a team to give to his company what Ub had before. The character study is immense, intense, and informative for anyone trying to start a business – or trying to start over. As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day. You shouldn’t expect it to be. And more often than not, the two strongest determinants to success are recognizing and playing to your strengths – and simply pressing on when everyone else thinks it would be mad to keep going.

If one is merely seeking a book on Walt Disney, Ub Iwerks, the early history of Walt Disney Studios, or animation, this has you covered. You won’t go wrong adding this book to your library. Here, for me, the fact that Jeff Ryan is able to include as thorough a picture of Iwerk’s studio (for the time it is in existence) as he does and what went on there is a bit of a gem.

There is one last point in the book that Mister Ryan makes that – in retrospect – almost brings me to tears. The author explains the almost seeming absence of Mickey from the movies as Disney progresses on to today. The movies, America, and the world are not what they were when Mickey Mouse first debuted in 1928. In so many ways, I wish they were. Optimism is never, ever a bad thing. At its heart, optimism keeps us going when the world tells us to do everything but that. That optimism, coupled by sheer small-town niceness and decency characterized Midwestern boys made good.

That niceness and optimism would become the hallmark of their most famous creation – in a world that first embodied – and then sorely needed – niceness and optimism more than ever. Walt Disney Studios, in this world of ours, I wonder if Mickey Mouse isn’t needed now as much as he ever has been.

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Review – The Flight to Brassbright

This sweet coming-of-age story by Lori Alden Holuta is the second installment of stories dealing with the fictional land of Industralia (the first being the short-story The Steamkettle Kids Save The Day). In a number of ways, this outing is superior to the other works of Miss Holuta’s that have been reviewed so far – which is to be expected (it is, after all, approximately ten times longer).

Miss Holuta uses that extra space to focus on the development of her characters – and her main character. The reader becomes acquainted with Constance quickly. From there, no matter who she might run into or whatever she might face, there is no doubt that this is her story. The depth of care that Miss Holuta invests in her writing pays huge dividends, too. Whether one is prowling the bookstore with Constance after hours, knee deep in circus life, riding alongside a new friend on a junk wagon, or booking a one-way ticket to a new home, the twists and turns are developed nicely and insure the reader wants to find out what happens next.

One criticism of the story itself is that the plot (at times) moves a bit too smoothly. Constance almost always seems to have help at hand exactly when she needs it – which might be off-putting to some. Still, the imagery and the characters bring to mind recent movies such as Big Fish and Dumbo. I can almost see Constance spinning the tale as a yarn that is mostly true (and that glosses over the rougher bits of her tale). Even were this not the case and the story happened just as it is presented, this is a fine story for young adults – or a not-so-young adult searching for a bit of wonder and a pick-me-up in the here and now.

The Flight To Brassbright is available on Amazon, Second Life, and wherever fine books are sold (if you ask the booksellers to carry it).

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Legends and Adventures of Industralia #3 – A Life Invented

Lori Alden Holuta serves up an extra helping of Industralia with her third novella in the series – A Life Invented. As with the previous two installments, the story is aimed at young adults – but it is something that can be enjoyed by someone of any age. The story focuses on slices in the life of Gerard Liddle, a character first introduced in the novel A Flight To Brassbright.

Enough of an introduction – what about an actual review?

As with her previous outings, Miss Holuta presents a happy little world where the conflicts are quickly resolved and – at their best – lead to learning opportunities for all involved. It’s also refreshing to see a family – and parents – working to understand a child on the child’s own terms. The glimpses that the author provides of Gerard’s life like this are sweet, refreshing, and – for the children and young adults reading them – must be affirming and hopeful.

If one might level a criticism to this type of story, though, is that it is short – and presents numerous events (in a very short space). Out of the three stories in this series so far, the first (Steamkettle Kids) seems to be the strongest.

Why?

All three stories are short (no more than 35 or so pages apiece). The Steamkettle Kids Save The Day excels compared to the other two stories because it uses this space to present the readers with a believable and small roster of characters. In the space of the story, the author then presents the reader with a concise story and a central conflict. This type of storytelling is as old as storytelling itself. It works because it invests the reader in the characters (who seem not so different from themselves). It lets the readers care – and want to know what happens next.

In comparison, both A Life Invented and The Legend of the Engineer are a little less refined – for different reasons. In The Legend of the Engineer, there is a central conflict (will there be enough coal for the Engineer?). Still, the central character in this conflict (Margaret) is presented in a very short space of the story’s short space. More could have been done to develop the conflict and the characters – and this would have helped pull readers in, keep them focused, and make them yearn for more. Still, the reader has a conflict. The reader has a character. The story has all it needs from which to grow from a good story – to a great one. The focus just needs to be there.

In A Life Invented, the reader has a central character (Gerard). There are conflicts (tons of them). Still, short spaces and a lack of focus can lead to an uneven story. A central conflict in the short space of story would help focus Gerard, help readers invest themselves in him, and help readers keep coming back for more.

There is a ton (of bricks of good – not being tossed by a trebuchet) good in A Life Invented. It’s optimistic. It’s warm. It presents a picture of parenting done right. These are things young readers need to … read. Still, focused stories help younger readers focus. Focused stories help focus characters (which help all readers care about them). And characters readers care about help readers keep coming back and wanting more.

Just my two cents. Feel free to share your feelings in the comments below. A Life Invented is available both on Amazon and in Second Life.

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The Legends and Adventures of Industralia #2: The Legend of the Engineer

So, you are having a bad day. Or a bad week. Maybe even a bad month.

If you are having a bad year – sorry, that. The year is nowhere near finished, yet. Things can get better?

While you wait (or to help stave off the bad day blues), there is always The Legend of the Engineer: The Legends and Adventures of Industralia #2, by Lori Alden Holuta. This perfectly packaged story connects to the world of Industralia (first presented in The Steamkettle Kids Save The Day – see last week’s post) and to characters first presented in The Flight to Brassbright (which has a review on this site yet to come). Miss Holuta gives to her readers a charming tale of the holidays – gone right. No real mishaps. There is a lot of love between all the characters. Were I to try and pinpoint a focus or ‘main story’ in this weaving in and out of the lives of the five or so characters the story presents over thirty pages (not counting the Engineer or the Tikkerbots or any of the kids except Margaret) is Margaret (for me).

This is a holiday story – and the gem of it all is the anticipation that the children seem to have waiting and hoping for the Engineer. Margaret captures this feeling of hope perfectly. When she is present, the story works for me.

She’s not the only character, though, and I can’t feel right in calling Margaret the main character. There are none (I don’t think). Like its predecessor, this is a beautiful and poignant story fit for all ages. It is also short. The writing brings to mind many of the stories I loved as a kid – especially ones written (yet again) by Robert Newton Peck. Still, for all its charm, I wish Miss Holuta had focused a bit more on one character – or had lengthened the end to show (more than tell) the truth behind the ‘Legend.’ I would have paid more for this happily – especially as nicely as she writes.

Still, it was a nice little story – and it leaves me looking forward to reading (and reviewing) A Life Invented next week.

The Legend of the Engineer is available both on Amazon and in Second Life for those in the know – and with a little change to spare!

Starting Posts Again In Earnest: The Steamkettle Kids

As Nika’s Bazaar Books is rebranded in Second Life to Werks from the Iron Road, I am dusting off the blog and the Werks from the Iron Road website to get it moving again. Stan and Ollie have come and gone. Do Clockworks Dream of Gear-Toothed Sheep? has moved into a second edition. It’s been a while.

Still, for as much as things have changed over the past few years, some things haven’t. I still haven’t written a promised review of the works of Lori Alden Holuta! I wrote one way back in 2015 – and in an effort to things moving again, I am going to reprint my 2015 review of The Steamkettle Kids Save The Day below in its entirety. If, after reading the review, you want to give the story a try, you can find it on Amazon and in Second Life.

********************************************************************

The Steamkettle Kids Save The Day

Type: Short Story

Author: Lori Alden Holuta

Available At: The Brassbright Chronicle

Whatsis:

The story concerns the budding world of Industralia.  For the uninitiated, this is a land that first appears in print with this story, however, it will be expanded in the book “The Flight To Brassbright.”  The story concerns two children and their attempts to thwart a group of ne’er-do-wells bent on a scheme that will hurt the working people of their city gravely.

Thoughts:

To me, this tale evokes images, characters, and the general feel of other tales for preteens and teens that I’ve read growing up – such as “Soup” by Robert Peck, “The Ransom of Red Chief” by O. Henry, and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain.  Generally speaking, I liked it a great deal.

When Positives and Negatives Collide:

The setting, for the story’s size is well-detailed.  However, I went into the story not knowing that it wasn’t a full book.  I quickly identified with the heroine, a Miss Paisley Pockets.  For the size of the story, the author does a very good job of telling the reader about her – just enough about her – to move the story forward and make the reader want to connect with her.  She seems like “Little Orphan Annie Meets Huck Finn.”

The other characters are good, but Paisley steals the show.  I don’t feel as much of a connection with them.  That could just be me.  It could be that we are only dealing with a short story.  Who knows?  As the universe of Industralia expands, however, I think the residents we find in Miss Holuta’s freshman work will each find their own time to shine.

All in all, this was right up my alley.  I loved it.  It’s fun, and innocent, and good – in style and otherwise.  The only real negative is that I feel cheated.  I want more story, because when the story ended, I wasn’t expecting it.  I guess if I want more, I have to “buy the book.”  Shrewd marketing ploy, Miss Holuta!  For you and your publisher, and I think I just might bite.

At 99 cents, why not buy your own copy of “The Steamkettle Kids Save The Day”, and tell me what you think?

A Clockwork’s Critique: The Works and World of Lori Alden Holuta, Part One

Dear Reader:

Herein, I shall attempt a series examining the (both existing and upcoming) works of author Lori Alden Holuta.  The series starts with the first published review (I think!) of her short story The Steamkettle Kids Saves The Day.  From there, I will work through the reset of her works in order of publication.  I hope to end the series with an interview with the author about her writings, her influences, and her hopes – not only for her writings but for the world she has created.

Sincerely,

E.P. Isaacs

********

The Steamkettle Kids Save The Day

Type: Short Story

Author: Lori Alden Holuta

Available At: The Brassbright Chronicle

Whatsis:

The story concerns the budding world of Industralia.  For the uninitiated, this is a land that first appears in print with this story, however, it will be expanded in the book “The Flight To Brassbright.”  The story concerns two children and their attempts to thwart a group of ne’er-do-wells bent on a scheme that will hurt the working people of their city gravely.

Thoughts:

To me, this tale evokes images, characters, and the general feel of other tales for preteens and teens that I’ve read growing up – such as “Soup” by Robert Peck, “The Ransom of Red Chief” by O. Henry, and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain.  Generally speaking, I liked it a great deal.

When Positives and Negatives Collide:

The setting, for the story’s size is well-detailed.  However, I went into the story not knowing that it wasn’t a full book.  I quickly identified with the heroine, a Miss Paisley Pockets.  For the size of the story, the author does a very good job of telling the reader about her – just enough about her – to move the story forward and make the reader want to connect with her.  She seems like “Little Orphan Annie Meets Huck Finn.”

The other characters are good, but Paisley steals the show.  I don’t feel as much of a connection with them.  That could just be me.  It could be that we are only dealing with a short story.  Who knows?  As the universe of Industralia expands, however, I think the residents we find in Miss Holuta’s freshman work will each find their own time to shine.

All in all, this was right up my alley.  I loved it.  It’s fun, and innocent, and good – in style and otherwise.  The only real negative is that I feel cheated.  I want more story, because when the story ended, I wasn’t expecting it.  I guess if I want more, I have to “buy the book.”  Shrewd marketing ploy, Miss Holuta!  For you and your publisher, and I think I just might bite.

At 99 cents, why not buy your own copy of “The Steamkettle Kids Save The Day”, and tell me what you think?

 

 

Filed under: Literary Reviews, Steampunk, Uncategorized Tagged: Books About Industralia, clockpunk, Lori Alden Holuta, novels, short stories, Steampunk