Phil Giunta's Blog, page 10
March 30, 2023
Book Review – TV:2000 edited by Isaac Asimov, Charles G. Waugh, Martin Harry Greenberg
Gathering some of the best SF writers of the time including Isaac Asimov, Larry Niven, Theodore Sturgeon, Robert Silverberg, and more, TV:2000 offers tales of television’s effects on society, how it can be used to shape opinion as much as entertain, misinform, disinform, and overwhelm.
As with any anthology, some stories are better than others and a few seem to miss the theme. My favorites included “The Jester” by William Tenn, “The Prize of Peril” by Robert Scheckley, “Mercenary” by Mack Reynolds, “And Madly Teach” by Lloyd Biggle, Jr., and “Interview” by Frank A. Javor.
March 15, 2023
About This Writing Stuff…
This week, we spotlight BookBub with articles about gaining followers, growing your readership, how BookBub’s auction model works, and strategies for using ads on their platform.
Becca Puglisi, co-author of the Emotion Thesaurus, offers tips on how to create insecure characters while Sarah Gribble provides a guide to writing horror. Do you know who your target audience is? If not, Amy Wilson has some advice for you.
All that and a little more, including a few discussions about Ray Bradbury. Enjoy and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
What’s Autofiction? Should You Fictionalize the Story of Your Life? by Anne R. Allen
Point of View: What’s the Best Choice? by Jami Gold
Honing Your Author Voice by Heather Webb
BookBub Ads 101: How the Auction Model Works by AJ Jack
Using BookBub Ads to Drive Series Sell-Through by AJ Jack
Who is My Target Audience? by Amy Wilson
How to Write a Novel Synopsis from Good Story Company
How to Write Horror: 8 Crucial Components to Terrify and Delight by Sarah Gribble
Ray Bradbury and Roald Dahl by David Boaz
10 Tips for Growing a Global Audience of Readers by Mark Leslie Lefebvre
Can Writing Heal Physical Pain? by Sue Coletta
In Favor of Present Tense Writing by Rhiannon Richardson
Writing Insecure Characters by Becca Puglisi
14 Ideas for Getting More BookBub Followers by Diana Urban
The Sideshow Magician Who Inspired Ray Bradbury—Then Vanished by Erik Ofgang
February 17, 2023
About This Writing Stuff
This week, Kathryn Craft provides strategies for managing POV in your story while James Scott Bell discusses the three types of “mirror moments” in fiction.
Chris Winkle encourages writers to simplify their stories for improved reader experience. Looking for better ways to build suspense? Tracy Clark has a few tips for you.
With language AI gaining attention, Erma Clare examines ChatGPT as a story development tool for writers and Joe Bunting reviews the ten types of stories and their underlying values.
All that and a bit more. Enjoy!
A Copy-Editing Checklist for Novelists by Dana Isaacson
Writing for Theater and Film by Carina Jaramillo*
How to Write an Optimized and High-Converting Book Description by Rob Kosberg
4 Ways to Organize Your Third-Person POVs by Kathryn Craft
5 Strategies I Use to Launch New Books on Kindle Unlimited by Nicholas Harvey
6 Tips for Building Suspense by Tracy Clark via Hank Phillippi Ryan
How Promo Stacking Helps Authors Hit Bestseller Lists by Diana Urban
Put a Funhouse Mirror in the Middle of Your Mystery by James Scott Bell
Managing Exposition Starts With Simplifying the Story by Chris Winkle
Friend or Foe: ChatGPT Has Pushed Language AI into the Spotlight by Erma Clare
An Anxiety Episode Changed My (Dis)Belief in Writer’s Block by Kathryn Magendie
How to Use Scars to Deepen Characterization by Sue Weems
The Ten Types of Stories and How to Master Them by Joe Bunting
*Special thanks to youth services librarian and educator Chloe Pederson and her student, Anna, for alerting me to this one. Who would have thought a home theater furniture store would offer such a helpful blog?
February 12, 2023
Farpoint 2023 Recap
Farpoint’s 30th anniversary has come and gone and it was a fantastic weekend filled with amazing cosplayers (far more than pictured below), lively discussion panels, cooperative weather, and most importantly, quality time with friends.
Treasures from the dealer room at Farpoint.
Saturday Night in the lounge with Keith DeCandido, Russ Colchamiro, Glenn Hauman, Christopher D. Abbott, Mary Fan, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Wrenn Simms, Michael Jan Friedman, Phil Giunta, Jonathan Roth. Out of frame: Heather Hutsell and Aaron Rosenberg
Blair Learn and the Famous Farpoint Snow Shovel
It’s those horses in every hotel room. They stare… neigh, they judge. Neigh, I say!
Photo credit: Blair Learn
Photo credit: Paul Balze
Photo credit: Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Star Trek: First Contact
Photo credit: Laura Inglis
Dumb and Dumber and The Mask!
Photo credit: Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Carmen Sandiego meets Seven of Nine
Photo credit: Blair Learn
Admiral Kirk – Star Trek II
Captain Avatar – Starblazers
February 7, 2023
Book Review: Holy Cow by David Duchovny
Elsie the curious cow wanders to the window of the farmhouse where her human owners are watching a graphic TV show about the slaughter of animals at industrial meat farms. Shaken by this revelation of her own imminent fate, Elsie is determined to escape, but to where? She later learns of a country called India, where cows are worshipped, and devises a plan to get there.
Of course, word spreads quickly on a farm. Enter Jerry the Torah-quoting pig with a desire to live in Israel and Tom the turkey who wants flee to–you guessed it–Turkey. Together, the three embark on a globe-trotting escapade of enlightenment, understanding, and mutual respect.
Duchovny’s anthropomorphic adventure is a fast, funny, and uplifting read. Be prepared to suspend your disbelief while opening your mind and heart.
February 6, 2023
Book Review: Enemy Mine by Barry B. Longyear / Another Orphan by John Kessel
In the middle of a war, two enemy pilots crash land on a desolate and inhospitable world. The human, Willis Davidge, and the Drac, Jeriba Shigan must overcome their mutual hatred and learn to work together not only for their own survival, but for that of the child that Jeriba is carrying.
Barry Longyear’s Hugo and Nebula award-winning novella was adapted to the 1985 film starring Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett, Jr.
In John Kessel’s Nebula award-winning novella, Another Orphan, stockbroker Patrick Fallon is plucked from his civilized life by an unknown force and dropped on the whaling ship, Pequod, as a member of Captain Ahab’s crew during his quest for the white whale. However, the story doesn’t proceed as written by Melville and Fallon learns a grueling lesson about the nature of reality and freewill.
January 28, 2023
My Farpoint 2023 Schedule
If you’re attending Farpoint SF Convention in Hunt Valley, MD during the weekend of February 10-12, 2023, here’s my schedule of events. Otherwise, I’ll be wandering around the con somewhere. Look forward to seeing everyone!
FRIDAY
5PM – Salvaging Old Ideas – Salon D (mod)
SATURDAY
11AM – Part Time Vs Full Time Writing – Salon D
1PM – Author Readings (Giunta, Knight, Hauman) – Derby
2PM – Toys From Our Past – Salon E
5PM – Author Autographs (Wilson, Giunta) – Table 1
SUNDAY
12PM – Publishing Nightmares And Cautionary Tales – Salon D
January 27, 2023
About This Writing Stuff…
This week, Kristen Lamb asks, “Would you STILL write even if I told you you’d never make a dime and likely die in obscurity?” Something to ponder as you embark on your writing journey.
Christina Delay explains how to clear our creative “ley lines” when we’re feeling blocked while Anne R. Allen encourages us to create (or resurrect) a blog rather than relying on the train wreck that is social media.
James Scott Bell helps us avoid sinkholes in our plot, Dave King speaks out in defense of the prologue, and Oren Ashkenazi points out typical mistakes when writing fight scenes—both with and without weapons.
All that and much more! Enjoy…
The Prologue is Past? by Dave King
Finding Those Laser Beam Words by PJ Parrish
To the Pain: Is Writing a Career or a Hobby? by Kristen Lamb
Three Things That Can Sink Your Novel by James Scott Bell
Creativity: Avoiding Blocks and Refreshing Ideas by Christina Delay via Jami Gold
Five Common Weapon Mistakes in Speculative Fiction by Oren Ashkenazi
Six Common Mistakes in Fight Scenes and How to Avoid Them by Oren Ashkenazi
7 Tips from Ernest Hemingway on How to Write Fiction by Open Culture
Stephen King’s 20 Rules for Writing by Open Culture
Blogging is Essential in the Era of Fragmenting Social Media by Anne R. Allen
Honey, I Shrunk the Plot! Learning to Love Synopses by Diana Giovinazzo
The Art of Misdirection: How to Keep Readers on Their Toes by Maggie Smith
TikTok to Sell Books Directly to Users via Marketplace by Arwa Mahdawi
BookBub Ads 101: How the Auction Model Works by AJ Jack
January 14, 2023
Book Review: Robert A. Heinlein’s Red Planet
On Mars, members of Earth’s South Colony prepare to migrate north before winter arrives. It is also the beginning of a new school year at the academy on Syrtis Minor, near the North Colony. Returning to the school are best friends Jim Marlowe, Frank Sutton, and Jim’s pet, Willis. The latter is a round, furry Martian creature with the uncanny ability to remember everything it hears and repeat it with perfect accuracy.
This talent comes in handy when Jim, Frank, and Willis arrive at the academy and find themselves subject to the draconian rules and regulations of the new headmaster who confiscates Willis and locks the Martian in his office. While there, Willis overhears a conversation between the headmaster and the colony’s leader, Harold Beecher. After he is liberated by Jim and Frank, Willis recites all that he heard, including a plot to prevent the colonists in the south from migrating, thereby assuring that many will not survive the winter. With the headmaster monitoring all communications to and from the academy, there is no way to send a warning.
Can Jim and Frank break out of the school with Willis and survive the journey back to the South Colony on their own?
Published in 1949, Red Planet is the third in Heinlein’s juvenile novel collection (what might be called young adult in today’s vernacular). It’s a delightful romp with an imaginative take on indigenous Martians and their world’s landscape. I couldn’t help but think of Percival Lowell upon reading about the canals that our heroes traversed during their journey home.
December 16, 2022
About This Writing Stuff…
It’s been three months since I gathered a collection of informative articles here, something that was once a monthly feature on this blog. My life took an unexpected and disquieting detour in September which affected my health and my writing. I’m struggling to put both back on track as we head into the new year, but for now…
Philip Athans thinks there should be a little bit of Harlan Ellison in all of us and I agree. Harlan remains one of my literary heroes.
Kristen Lamb warns us against self-sabotage in all its forms while over at Good Story Company, Mary Kole offers advice on dealing with criticism.
Anne R. Allen encourages believability over realism in our fiction, Jami Gold explains the differences between foreshadowing and spoilers, and Amanda Patterson shows us how to use motifs.
All that and much more. Enjoy!
Maybe We Should All Be More Like Harlan Ellison by Philip Athans
How to Deal with Negative Criticism by Mary Kole
Self-Sabotage: I Don’t Deserve Success by Kristen Lamb
5 Tips to Boost Your Professional Writing Cred by Lori Freeland
7 Ways Public Readings Can Help Your Writing by Kathryn Craft
Revise for Success – A Stree-Free Plan for Polishing Your Novel by Jodie Renner via Anne R. Allen
Why Realism is Irrelevant in Fiction: Aim for Believability Instead by Anne R. Allen
How to Enhance Contrast In Your Writing by Jessica Strawser
Foreshadowing vs. “Spoilers”: What’s the Difference? by Jami Gold
Do You See Dead People? by PJ Parrish
How to Motivate Yourself to Write and Finish Your Novel by Lorna Faith
What is a Motif in Fiction? by Amanda Patterson
