Travis Burnham's Blog, page 2

5.0 / 5.0If I can, I usually enjoy reading the book befo...

 5.0 / 5.0

If I can, I usually enjoy reading the book before watching the movie or series that the book is based on. A book is often considered a collaboration between the writer and the reader, whereas a movie/series, I feel, often involves a bit more leading. I read the novel first because I enjoy forming my own images and meanings before I see someone else's interpretation of those same images. 

'The Queen's Gambit' is an excellent novel. First and foremost it's a character study...

5.0 / 5.0If I can, I usually enjoy reading the book...

 5.0 / 5.0

If I can, I usually enjoy reading the book before watching the movie or series that the book is based on. A book is often considered a collaboration between the writer and the reader, whereas a movie/series, I feel, often involves a bit more leading. I read the novel first because I enjoy forming my own images and meanings before I see someone else's interpretation of those same images. 

'The Queen's Gambit' is an excellent novel. First and foremost it's a character study...

Book Review - Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

4.25 / 5.0 Is 'Ready Player Two' as good as the 'Ready Player One'? 
 Of course not. But that's really not much of a crime, as I find It's a very rare sequel that is as good as the original. The novel has its flaws, mostly the mid-story slump that feels a bit samey-samey, and though the stakes are high, I didn't often feel that the characters felt the fear of failure. 
 But 'Ready Player Two' recovers well in the final stretch, and this, for me at least, partly earned back the ground lost becaus...

Book Review - A Passage to India by E.M. Forster

3.5 / 5.0

Way back in the day, I remember reading 'A Room with a View' and really enjoying it. If my flawed memory is correct, I like that novel more than 'A Passage to India'.

There's a lot to love in this 'India', but I feel that it's an imperfect blend of two novels. One, a "crime" drama, and two, a slow burn story of the simmering tensions between two friends (which plays as a metaphor). I think on this count, the blend isn't super successful. The "crime" drama overrides the other plot and as ...

Book Review - The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

3.45 / 5.0

So this book is a bit of a conundrum to rate. In many ways, it's good, but the whole plot is fairly predictable (I guess about 1/4 of the way through I knew what was going to happen at the end). The main character is likable, and I even had some genuine emotion for her, which is key. The book's concept is fun, as well.

I don't think I can adequately explain what I *didn't* like about the book without laying down some spoilers, so beware.

*** Avast, spoilers ahead ***

This is pretty much a...

Book Review - Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin

3.45 / 4.0

This book is lyrical and beautiful, and filled with humans/characters you can love, or despise, or somewhere in between.

So why the 3 star rating? A large portion of the narrative force of this book deals with religious topics, such as redemption, salvation, and the struggles of faith inherent in worship. I think if you are strongly religious, you will feel a much greater connection with this book than I did. My two cents, anyway.

Where Baldwin nailed it, and why this novel, I feel, has ...

Book Review - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

4.5 / 5.0

I feel 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn' endures because of its honesty about periods, and lovemaking, and sorrow and childbearing and parenting and everything in-between. But what really makes the novel a lasting work? The characters.

The sister/aunt, Sissy, is quirky and hilarious and fabulous and oh-so-very human. The whole scene with the tricycle? So. Funny. And then with the teacher? The grandmother, Mary, is wise and interesting. The father, Johnny, the mother, Katie, Neeley, really just ...

The Importance of Ritual in Writing ... at least for me.

Setting up a certain set of conditions, at least for me, is key to getting a lot writing done.

I know that I focus best in the morning. Early, like 5am. Know thyself and when the muse is most likely to visit you. Don't be afraid to experiment and see what time works best for you. What conditions do I use?
Set up everything the night before so I'm ready to start writing right away.Listen to nature sounds (my favorites are rain, waves and wind).I like wearing noise cancelling headphones to listen...

Wigleaf's Best Flash Fiction 2018

I'm very excited to announce that my flash story, 'That Dark, Sweet Magic' made Wigleaf's Best Flash Fiction of 2018 (#20). So mosey on over to Flash Fiction Online and read it! It's less than 1,000 words, which means it will take you about 6.5 minutes to read, less if you're fast!

New Fiction and the Aussie Pink Floyd Show @ the Belk Theater, Charlotte, NC

My flash piece, 'That Dark, Sweet Magic' is up over at Flash Fiction Online. Would love love love if you went and checked it out:



In other news, I caught the Aussie Pink Floyd Show just a few days ago (8/13/2017). They put on a fantastic event.

While playing covers from 'The Wall':

A taste of how amazing the show is. The finale: