Steven Barnes's Blog, page 51

The Little Engine That Will

I’ve been attacked for saying that the only social standard that will satisfy me is  statistical representation, diversity among the decision makers.   No, I’m not interested in another generation of going to a group of white people, hat in hand, and begging them to understand American history, or why its not a good idea to have the only black people in your movie die.  It is not worth my time.  Been there, done that.

 

For instance, is it racist to have breathed a huge sigh of relief when I...

An Infinite Pulse

14 billion years ago, there was a “pulse”, and our universe came into being, expanding outward from a single point of unimaginable density.  For a fraction of a second matter and energy flew apart at a speed beyond that of light…but then it began to clump together into nebulae, and stars, and planets.  Our Earth was born 4.5 billion years ago, and as it began to cool, more and more complex chemical combinations were created, and after a billion years one of those chemical chains had the abili...

On fungus and fellowship

A few days ago a white reader was decrying police violence against blacks.   “We’re next,” he said.   “It could be worse.  It could be us.”

 

I like that. It is honest, naked self-interest.   IT DOESN’T MATTER AS MUCH WHEN IT IS “THEM,” RIGHT?

 

I’m not in the slightest offended.

 

But you’d better believe I’m also not offended when black people say it will be  BETTER when more innocent, unarmed, unresisting white people are being killed by the police.  Oh, yes.  Because then, finally, they’l...

The Obstacle is the Answer

The most persistent obstacles in your life are constructed of your own psychological substance.  The answer is NOT “out there”.  It rarely is, since the purpose of life is to be happy, and happiness depends on what you’re doing in your head and heart, not just external circumstances.

Let’s look at this notion, first in fiction, and then in life.

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JURASSIC PARK.  The problem is that “Life finds a way.”  Hammond creates a park stocked with extinct creatures, designed to prevent them from...

TWELVE DAYS and multiple perspectives

 

Now that we’re beyond twenty reviews, I can stop pushing that (I’ll keep my eye on it until we reach 100), but can finally take the time to “unpack” the book itself, while not  revealing plot points.  It isn’t that I’m holding TWELVE DAYS up as an exemplar of some kind, but as I know exactly the conscious processes involved, and have a decent handle on the “unconscious competence” aspects of the story, I can address those things usefully.  I’ll be happy to discuss anything that happens in t...

Dark Nights and Good Grief Glinda

 

Once you see the pattern of life in the Hero’s Journey, the next step is to apply it so as to gain leverage.  The largest advantage is knowing AHEAD OF TIME what is going to happen to you as you seek to improve your life or solve a major problem.  That allows you to lay in  emotional or material resources before you get there.   Women have told me that if they really remembered the pain of childbirth, they’d never have sex again.   Good reason to forget some of the pain of transformation!

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“Into the Wild” (2007)

Always thoughtful Adam-Troy Castro kicked off a morning essay as follows:  “A couple of decades ago Jon Krakauer wrote a widely-acclaimed book, which became a widely-acclaimed movie directed by Sean Penn, called INTO THE WILD. It followed the mystery of a young man named Chris McCandless, who on the eve of attending Law School gave his college fund to charity, hit the road, cut off all communication with his family, and was not heard from again until hikers in the Alaskan wilderness found his...

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

A John Hughes “Spider-Man” movie?

“Peter Parker’s Day Off”?

A very street-level view of the Avenger’s world?  I kind of like that, because we are getting a view of larger events, humanized by the very best Spidey ever, the very first one who actually feels like a kid.

 

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So…everyone knows the story, and it isn’t repeated verbatem in SPIDER MAN: HOMECOMING, thank goodness. There are enough clues around the edges that tell us this is the same universe we’ve known for fifty-five years: kid was...

The Writer’s Journey 2017

One of the first things people ask is HOW the “Hero’s Journey” relates not just to the plot of a story, but the process of writing it. Let’s apply this to TWELVE DAYS, because with the book just hitting, I’m raw with the emotions of it.  Yeah, I try to stay cool–to not turn backflips over a good review, or crash-and-burn if I read a bad one.  Have to stay balanced, or the external world will gain the power to crush me, damage my heart, spin me off balance.  I cannot afford that.   Have commit...

First , I wanted to thank you guys. We now have seven rev...

First , I wanted to thank you guys. We now have seven reviews on Amazon!  As I’ve said, when we get to twenty the algorithm treats the book differently, and with greater respect.  Only thirteen to go!

https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Days-Novel-Steven-Barnes/dp/0765375974/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499271570&sr=8-1&keywords=twelve+days+barnes

 

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There were only three things I wanted as a child: a family to love, martial expertise, and a writing career.   That kind inside me is very happy: the...