Daniel Stalter's Blog, page 21

SAY CHEESE AND DIE

Fits of Nostalgia: Goosebumps #4

 

Spoiler-Free Review

This was one of the of the most iconic covers and titles of the series. It had a fun and original concept as well. I thought Greg and his friends were believably bored kids in the suburbs, and that the plot built up the tension nicely throughout the first two thirds of the book. It fell apart for me in the final act, though. The big reveals just felt like info dumps, which killed almost all of the built up tension surrounding the mysteri...

KENYA PART I: NAIROBI

I have a pretty cool day job. Like most writers and aspiring writers I know, I need it to support my writing habit. In my case, I work for a global nonprofit organization running AV on events and assisting people with all sorts of computer ailments. I also have access to unique opportunities to travel. Earlier this year I applied for –and was accepted to– an internal scholarship program we have called Contested Spaces. It’s purpose (in a nutshell) is to visit a country that is currently in fl...

MONSTER BLOOD

Fits of Nostalgia: Goosebumps #3

 

Spoiler-Free Review

Evan and Andy made for the most interesting characters in the series so far, as did Evan’s mysterious Aunt Dorothy. Unfortunately they were not enough to save this book from its mess of a plot. For starters, green slime that keeps growing isn’t that scary. There was actually an interesting storyline buried in Aunt Dorothy’s odd and reclusive behavior, but how it ultimately tied in with the Monster Blood was just perplexing. Monster Blood...

SOME LIKE IT HOT

I have struggled for years to find some balance between a healthy workout routine, pursuing my creative passions, and the demands of a 40-hour work week. More often than not, I feel like my own ambitions are constantly butting heads with the restraints of time. So about a year and a half ago, I tried something new. I started practicing hot yoga once a week. It was something I had been doing off and on for a couple of years, but had never been consistent. The goal was a simple enough that I wa...

PARTY SUMMER

Fits of Nostalgia: Fear Street Super Chiller #1 Spoiler-Free Overview

I had no recollection of reading this one, but according tho my recently unearthed notebook of book reports from fourth grade – I most certainly did. My favorite part of the book were it’s two main characters, Cari and Jan. The biggest letdown was that I didn’t feel like the book ever went far enough. While it was well-plotted and Stine accomplished what he set out to do, I still wanted more. The opening passage foreshado...

THE APOLLO MIXES

The year 2011 was one of the best and most difficult years of my life. I was truly in love for the very first time, and had finally managed to move to the big city. I also survived the death of my partner, Blair. I’ve already written extensively on this in other posts, so I won’t be telling that story here. The story I am going to tell begins 3 years afterwards and lead up to the present day.

In the summer of 2014, I decided to channel my grieving process into making mixes for Blair. It had b...

STAY OUT OF THE BASEMENT

Fits of Nostalgia: Goosebumps #2

 

Spoiler-Free Review

I really enjoyed the concept of this one, though it was a little more sci fi than horror. The biggest weaknesses were the characters and the plotting. First, Margaret and Casey are incredibly boring. It felt like they had no interests outside of throwing frisbees and being worried about their father. Maybe I just don’t remember what it’s like to be a bored 12 year old, but I wish Margaret at least had an interest in botany or something l...

WELCOME TO DEAD HOUSE

Fits of Nostalgia – Goosebumps #1.

 

Spoiler-Free Overview

I remember this being one of the scariest books in the series as a kid, and for the most part I can see why. The book opens with Amanda and her family moving to a creepy old house in a new town, which is a real life fear that I think most kids could relate to. Combine that with the abundance of trees everywhere that block out the sunlight and the strange behavior of their new friends, and you have some of the perfect elements for a g...

FITS OF NOSTALGIA

Showing off my bad ass new Batman pajamas circa 1990.

 

Nostalgia can be a really powerful force. It’s what has driven me to keep old journals, song notebooks, and stories. It’s why I’ve been slowly making my way through every episode in every series of Star Trek for the last five years. Most recently it has lead me to revisit some of the books that enthralled me when I was younger; namely the Star Wars, Goosebumps, and Fear Street variety. I would say this is all something new for me, but th...

KICKSTARTER & THE ANXIETY FACTOR

Thoughts on Pursuing Your Dreams Without Sacrificing Your Own Well Being.

Way back in September, I ran my second successful Kickstarter Campaign with my creative partner Reed Olsen. Our first one was in 2016. Over the years, I have read more than a handful of “tips and tricks for success” articles. Some of them have been repetitive, others extremely helpful, but I have never read one that spoke in depth on the emotional labor, sleep deprivation, stress, and anxiety that go on behind the scen...