Steven R. Southard's Blog, page 81
April 1, 2012
Mixed Genres and the Platypus
Authors are having a lot of fun playing among the traditional genres these days. In an era when Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, and the movies "Ninjas vs. Vampires" and "Cowboys and Aliens" are popular, we might well question whether the term 'genre' has any meaning any more.
What is (or was) a genre? It's "a category of artistic works based on form, style, or subject matter, into which artistic works of all kinds can be divided." In its entry on genre...
March 30, 2012
Book Review — Ship of the Line
It's clear to me now: reading C. S. Forester's series of Horatio Hornblower novels in the wrong order is not the way to go. After reading Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (1st in chronological order, 6th one written in the series) some time ago, I just finished Ship of the Line (8th chronological, 2nd one written).
I listened to the Books on Tape version of the book, narrated by Geoffrey Howard. This novel features Horatio as captain of the 74-gun HMS Sutherland. He is shown as being more in...
March 25, 2012
Hurrah, Hurrah, Hurrah for Steampunk!
You may have heard the term 'steampunk,' a word I've used in several blog posts. Perhaps you're wondering what it means. The word sounds vaguely repulsive with that 'punk' part, as if it's something distasteful you'd want no part of.
At first the term referred only to a genre of literature where stories take place in a time or setting where the primary technology is steam power. The word arose when science fiction author K.W. Jeter sought a term to apply to novels then being written which...
March 21, 2012
Book Review — The Lost Goddess
I just finished reading The Lost Goddess, by Tom Knox. I listened to the Recorded Books version on audiotape, narrated by Christopher Evan Welch. This is the first book I've read by Knox. From the blurb, it promised to be an interesting historical thriller. I'd say it delivered.
The book follows the lives of two people whose paths are destined to connect. Julia Kerrigan is an American archaeologist digging at a site in a French cave. Jake Thurby is a British photographer trying to snap m...
March 18, 2012
Being Prolific — Is That the Secret?
Should you aim to be prolific? To be prolific as a writer means to be highly productive, to write a lot, and (one hopes) to be published a lot. Should that be your goal? If so, what is the key to being prolific?
The ultimate aims of writers vary, but a short list of such goals could include:
I want to be a famous writer, popular in my own time.I want my books to be remembered through the ages.I just have an inner need to tell a story.I want to maximize my financial earnings.I want to publish...March 11, 2012
The Iron-Clad Discipline of Writing
Many years ago, I attended one of our nation's service academies. When, during a meal, one of the upperclassmen heard some unnecessary talking at the table by an underclassman, he would ask, "Mr. —–, how's the discipline at that end of the table?" The only correct answer was to bang your fist on the table and shout, "Iron-clad, sir!" Discipline is a vital attribute of military service; is it also important in writing?
This excellent blog post by Jocelyn K. Glei explores the whole idea of...
March 10, 2012
Book Review – Behemoth
I enjoy a good steampunk novel. Two years ago I read Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, and it was high time to read the next book in the series.
That book is Behemoth, and I listened to the CD version put out by Recorded Books and read by Alan Cumming. This series is aimed at the young adult market, grade 7 and up, and should appeal to either young girls or boys.
Whether you start the series by reading the first book or the second, Westerfeld transports you right into his world, and it's...
March 4, 2012
Hook ‘em, So You Can Reel ‘em In
How will you begin your next story? The beginning, called the ‘hook,’ is important. These days readers don’t have much time. Other things like TV, video games, and the Internet compete with your story for their attention. If your first sentence or paragraph doesn’t grab them, they’re on to doing something else.
Here are some examples of great hooks used in novels as chosen by the editors of American Book Review:
Call me Ishmael. Moby-Dick, Herman Melville
Marley was dead, to begin with. A Chris...
Hook 'em, So You Can Reel 'em In
How will you begin your next story? The beginning, called the 'hook,' is important. These days readers don't have much time. Other things like TV, video games, and the Internet compete with your story for their attention. If your first sentence or paragraph doesn't grab them, they're on to doing something else.
Here are some examples of great hooks used in novels as chosen by the editors of American Book Review:
Call me Ishmael. Moby-Dick, Herman Melville
Marley was dead, to begin with. ...
February 26, 2012
The Stories behind the Stories, Part II
Today I'll continue my attempt to convey where my ideas come from by listing the remainder of my published short stories, and the source of the ideas for each one. If you missed Part I, here it is. And now for the most recent seven stories:
"Blood in the River." At Ralan, I came across a request for submissions for a horror anthology about fish or fishing, to be called Dead Bait. I had no desire to write horror fiction, and tried to move on to other writing projects. My muse, however...
