Phil Giunta's Blog, page 22
June 6, 2020
Book Review: The Masks of Time by Robert Silverberg
On Christmas Day in 1998, a charismatic being in the form of a nude man materializes from a shimmering electrical field in the middle of Rome. Calling himself Vornan-19, he claims to have traveled back in time 1,000 years to observe the cultures of primitive Earth.
Soon after, the United States government assembles a motley team of five scientists to escort Vornan across the nation, around the globe, even to the moon colonies, all the while studying him in an attempt to determine or debunk his authenticity. Yet, Vornan offers little more than nebulous scraps of information about the future and evades direct questions about the mechanics of time travel, asserting ignorance about all matters scientific and technical.
Rather, Vornan admits to being little more than a bored dilettante from the future seeking to amuse himself by partaking in the sexual customs of “underdeveloped” humans. He reveals only that he hails from a land known as the Centrality and that poverty, starvation, even death have been eliminated, somehow, during the 1,000 years between our time and his.
Among Vornan’s cadre of guardians is Leo Garfield, a middle-aged physicist stymied in his current academic career and in need of a distraction. It is his through Garfield’s point of view that we experience the escapades of Vornan-19, for it is with Garfield that Vornan forms the closest bond.
Vornan’s habitual venery not only extends to the female scientists of the group, but almost any random woman, or man, he happens to encounter in his travels. Despite Garfield’s attempts to keep him in check, Vornan manages to leave chaos and frustration in his wake wherever he goes. Whether that is intentional or a merely the result of being a stranger in a strange land is anyone’s guess.
His popularity in the media rapidly escalates, to the chagrin of a cult known as the Apocalyptists, who believe that the world will end on January 1, 2000. Their public protests and orgies become more fervent as they rail against Vornan, even while he amasses a rabid following of his own. To desperate millions around the world, this prophet from the future brings hope and wisdom. He becomes their new messiah.
Is Vornan-19 merely a simple observer from the future seeking an escape from ennui and indolence, or is he a sham taking advantage of a gullible and “underdeveloped” humanity?
The Masks of Time was published in 1968, during the Vietnam War and a period of violent civil unrest in the United States. People sought hope, equality, peace, but most of all meaning, and many of them looked to various new-age religions and cults to find it. Robert Silverberg deftly adopted all of these elements into the tale of Vornan-19.
While the story opens with the amusing and engaging arrival of Vornan in Rome, the second chapter is loaded down with exposition during Garfield’s initial visit with his friends Jack and Shirley in Arizona. From there, the pacing remains uneven, but the story held my attention to the end.
June 5, 2020
I Ask The Coldest of You Mortals
I ask the coldest of you mortals.
We revel in the beauty and diversity of the natural world, do we not? The blue of sky, the green of grass, the myriad colors of a rainbow, of flowers, of animals.
If those colors don’t offend and enrage you, why should the color of human skin? Is not our beauty and diversity also to be celebrated?
I ask the coldest of you mortals.
June 4, 2020
The Wrong Side of History
At one point, I remember my friend praising an incredibly detailed plastic model of Godzilla attacking the White House—until he learned that the builder constructed it in protest against George W. Bush. My friend instantly changed his opinion, condemning the model vehemently.
After Obama was elected in 2008, my friend sent an email to our circle stating that he did everything he could “to prevent this from happening” as if he were some modern semi-Svengali, who had failed to mesmerize millions of Americans to do his bidding.
Later, in 2009, my friend sent a scathing email to PA Senator Arlen Specter when Specter changed his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat. He told Specter that he would go door to door if necessary, to convince people never to vote for him again.
I don’t know if my friend ever followed through on that because it was at this point when I cut ties with him. He had become impossible to deal with and worse, he had carbon copied my work email address in his correspondence to Specter.
I mention all of this because on Monday, June 6th, I shared a video on my Facebook wall of Joe Biden’s laudable speech from Philadelphia . In that post, I made it clear that I have never been an admirer of Biden, but I also included a lengthy polemic against Donald Trump in which I said something to the effect of…
“If you are entertained by Trump’s abuse of social media as his personal platform to demean, threaten, bully, intimidate, and encourage violence against anyone he dislikes (like the petulant, callow man-child he is)…
If you condoned Trump’s use of 1960s racist threats to quell peaceful black protestors while white men looted and damaged property to incrimate those protestors (a fact he failed to acknowledge)…
If you found it acceptable when Trump emboldened and supported armed white men when they entered the Michigan state capitol in an attempt to coerce and intimidate Governor Whitmer and the state legislature regarding COVID-19 quarantine (I guarantee you, if the governor had been Republican, or the gunmen black, Trump would have been outraged)…
If you are not concerned that our president, after cowering in a bunker, ordered police to use pepper ball projectiles and smoke to remove protestors—and a priest—simply so he could walk to a church in D.C. and take a pointless photo op while brandishing a bible he never read (as if this benighted, feckless thug were some model of Christianity)…
If you agreed with this tawdry, ersatz leader when he boasted of being the greatest president since Lincoln…
If you delight in Donald J. Trump’s dangerous lies and rhetoric that have done nothing but divide this country rather than unite it…
Then unfriend me or unfollow me, and while you’re at it, go unfuck yourself.”
However, I later realized that in writing that closing line, I was no better than my friend from 12 years ago. I had allowed my rage at what I perceived to be damage inflicted on my country—by a bloviating, incompetent fraud—to get the better of me. On that day, I allowed myself to be dragged down to Trump’s level and to that of my former friend.
So I deleted that post, but not because my opinions regarding Trump have changed. He remains a disgusting and repulsive monster, a fact he reinforces on a daily basis. My estimation of this deranged tyrant is not based on mainstream media but on observation and the evidence of his own words and conduct, which are far from the mark of a true leader.
Remind me again how a president with a revolving door on his Cabinet of Corruption has been successful in “ draining the swamp. “
How about that wall that Mexico was supposed to pay for?
For a president who claimed that he would never leave the White House because there is too much work to be done , how many golf outings has he taken?
No, I deleted that Facebook post because it was out of character, cut against the grain of who I am, and I have enough decency to check myself when that occurs. Unlike political extremists on either end of the spectrum, I welcome intelligent, spirited, and civil discourse—within reason.
For example, I patiently debated the same person four times in six months on Facebook over my candidate of choice, Tulsi Gabbard. Every time I mentioned Gabbard’s name on my Facebook wall, this fellow writer railed against her and I entertained a spirited exchange once, twice, three times, but by the fourth incident, I felt it to be harrassment and I finally had to unfriend and block the individual.
Of course, the incident proved yet again that no one ever changes their mind as a result of a political debate on social media. It’s a waste of time. All those fruitless hours I’ll never get back!
In conclusion, I will replace my original, antagonistic closing line from my Monday Facebook post with this:
If you support Donald J. Trump, you are on the wrong side of history.
June 3, 2020
About This Writing Stuff…
This week, Ruth Harris reminds us that writing is a marathon, not a sprint while Meghan Ward offers tips for ramping up the action in our stories.
Jami Gold provides a three-part series on point of view, Kristen Lamb discusses the benefits of using an unreliable narrator, Sandra Beckwith guides us through the challenges of book marketing, and Chris Winkle walks us through plotting a novel series.
All that, and a little more. Enjoy!
A Writer’s Guide to Patience, Practice, and Persistence by Ruth Harris via Anne R. Allen
Is Your Story a Bit Lazy? Five Ways to Improve the Action by Meghan Ward via Anne R. Allen
7 Questions to Ask Before Creating Your Book Marketing Plan by Sandra Beckwith
Is Our Story’s Point of View Really What We Think It Is? by Jami Gold
How Does Our Characters POV Affect Our Story? by Jami Gold
What Do Readers Want from a Story’s POV? by Jami Gold
Deception as a Storytelling Device: Introducing the Unreliable Narrator by Kristen Lamb
Will China’s Entry into U.S. Publishing Lead to Censorship? by Ed Nawotka
How to Plot a Novel Series by Chris Winkle
Getting Comfortable with Failure by Jael McHenry
Into the Woods by Dave King
Learning from Pinocchio: Creating Charaters Who Are Fully Alive by Barbara Linn Probst
June 1, 2020
Taking a Hiatus from Social (Disease) Media
Aside from posting writing and publishing news, I will be away from Facebook and Twitter on a daily basis for the remainder of 2020.
I no longer have time or energy to waste in such a toxic environment as social media, which is becoming worse by the day and will doubtlessly continue to deteriorate as the Presidential election nears.
We all have enough stress to deal with in our lives. Speaking for myself, I’m tired of being subjected to the daily onslaught of vituperation, lies, rage, pettiness, immaturity, fear-mongering and, most recently, harassment. As usual, give the human race a tool and they will find the most effective way to weaponize it.
I have healthier uses for my time rather than squandering it online in what is essentially a festering degenerative disease eroding the mental stability and intellect of the masses.
I will be available via Facebook Messenger and email if you need to reach me. Otherwise, as stated above, I will check into Facebook and Twitter when I have announcements to share.
Be well.
May 29, 2020
SCARY STUFF!
Looking forward to seeing my short story, “Burn After Writing” in SCARY STUFF, a horror anthology coming later this year from Oddity Prodigy Productions. The book is an homage to the classic EC Comics titles Tales from the Crypt, Vault of Horror, and Haunt of Fear, as well as the magazines Eerie and Creepy.
More information forthcoming!
May 27, 2020
“Burn After Writing” – A Tribute to Harlan Ellison
On what would have been Harlan Ellison’s 86th birthday (May 27), Episode #11 of Got a Story for Ya is LIVE with “Burn After Writing,” a short story dedicated to Harlan and soon to be published in SCARY STUFF, an anthology by Oddity Prodigy Productions.
Legendary writer Adrian Halka has died. Disobeying his mentor’s instructions to burn all incomplete manuscripts upon his death, struggling writer Shane Conrad pilfers one of Halka’s unreleased novels. After publishing it as his own, Conrad learns the blistering consequences of playing with fire.
“For a brief time, I was here, and for a brief time, I mattered.”
Harlan Ellison, 1934-2018
May 14, 2020
About This Writing Stuff…
This week, Melodie Campbell offers advice on how to save that sagging middle in your novel while Penny Sansevieri shows you how to optimize your Amazon Author Central page.
Jennie Nash provides a short checklist of common mistakes that might land your manuscript in the rejection pile and Jami Gold explores how our characters can drive the narrative—despite our best laid plans.
Esther Jones extols the benefits of reading SF and fantasy, Julie Glover defends the practice of editing as you go, and Donald Maass helps us to understand how to develop a meaningful narrative.
All that and a little more. Enjoy!
My Novel is as Mess: How to Survive the Chaos Point in Your Novel by Melodie Campbell via Anne R. Allen
Science Fiction Builds Mental Resiliency in Young Readers by Esther Jones
5 Quick Fixes for Making the Most of Author Central (and Why it Should be a Top Priority) by Penny Sansevieri
Do Your Characters Take on a Life of Their Own? by Jami Gold
In Defense of Editing as You Go by Julie Glover
The Secret to More Efficient Revision: Pattern Recognition by Jennie Nash
The Meaning of Meaning by Donald Maass
Eight Ways You May Be Bungling Dialogue by Katherine Grubb
The Art of Condensing an Entire Book into a Brief Sales Pitch by Florence Osmund
Six Common Problems with Short Stories by Oren Ashkenazi
The Rich Can’t Hide from a Plague. Just Ask Edgar Allan Poe by Maya Phillips
April 26, 2020
The New Normal: COVID-19 and the Struggle for Balance
I forced myself to remain awake for another hour to finish watching a Joe Rogan podcast with Mel Gibson and Dr. Neil Riordan about stem cell treatments for injuries and chronic pain. Rather timely, given the aches and pains resulting from these four to six hour stretches of yard work as of late. I ain’t gettin’ any younger, as my back, knees, and shoulders consistently remind me.
Speaking of reminders, I had planned to write for about an hour this morning, until I recalled that for the past three weeks, I’ve not been able to make time to watch two 90-minute training videos pertaining to my volunteer work with CERT (Community Emergency Response Team).
I watched the first of two this morning—Operational Stress Control in the COVID-19 Pandemic. The focus was on recognizing and treating the stress among overburdened first responders and health care workers. I am neither, but as a support tech, some of that information was appropriate.
I’ll save the second video, Behavior and Communications in Public Health Emergencies, for later tonight after a few hours of housechores.
While scanning past posts on my Facebook author page, I was appalled to note that I haven’t made time to write in 11 days. Extreme and unpredictable work hours definitely wreak havoc with one’s personal life, not to mention the enervating power of exhaustion and burnout. Of course, I have little room to complain. I’m not a healthcare worker. They are the true heroes right now and need our support. I’m merely an IT support tech, and as of late, that has meant 12-14 hour days and a few 60-80 hour weeks.
Then there’s the domino effect that occurs in your schedule when your job devours your personal life and the time allotted to other activities such as self care, writing, yard work, house chores, home repairs, etc. Now, you’re scrambling to catch up with all of that and inevitably, some of the above will be neglected. Balance will be lost. It happens. Don’t beat yourself up over it.
I’m doing the best I can to manage my time and I know you are, too. When stress, anxiety, and depression threaten to overtake me, I stop and acknowledge all that I have accomplished as of late, especially since this crisis began. I’ve simply been too busy working and struggling to stop and appreciate that. I’ve also had more than my share of raging meltdowns over the past month and these were a wake-up call.
During these distressing and uncertain times, be sure to stop and take care of yourself and acknolwedge that you’re doing the best you can.
There’s always more work to be done, but there is only one YOU.
April 25, 2020
About This Writing Stuff…
This week, we start strong right out of the gate with Gabino Iglesias and ten types of authors who, let’s just say, he doesn’t like.
Anne R. Allen advises us on how to prepare for life after death on social media, while Hank Phillippi Ryan, Brian Andrews, and Meg Dowell offer tips on writing—and surviving—during the pandemic.
Jami Gold reviews the concept of Scene and Sequel, the folks at Now Novel wax lyrical about crafting captivating prose, and Callie Sutcliffe differentiates between creating a new draft of your work versus editing.
All that and a little more. Enjoy!
Ten Types of Authors Who Can Go F*ck Themselves by Gabino Iglesias
Don’t Become a Social Media Ghost: Appoint a Social Media Executor by Anne R. Allen
Getting Your Writer Brain Back on Track by Hank Phillippi Ryan
A Submariner’s Guide to Crisis and Isolation by Brian Andrews
12 Tips for Writing When You’re Not Calm and the World is Burning by Meg Dowell
Scenes & Sequels: Adding Reflections for Meaning by Jami Gold
Can Comic Books Survive the Coronavirus Era? by Dave Itzkoff
Using Letters in Creative Work—What Writers Should Know About Copyright Protection by Matt Knight
The Practice Novel by Dave King
First Draft, Second Draft, or Editing: How to Know What Draft You’re On by Callie Sutcliffe
Lyrical Writing: 5 Tips for Crafting Richer Prose by Now Novel
