Patrick Scalisi's Blog, page 7
January 16, 2013
Comic Books are No Excuse for Lazy Writing
Although I grew up reading comic books, I wouldn’t today consider myself a comic expert or fanboy. I’ve read a number of the classics -- Watchmen, Batman Year One -- but the dearth of comics on the market, not to mention the complicated mythologies, has always been intimidating to me. I don’t know the current state of the characters in X-Men, and I get most of the biggest comic news, such as a character’s death, from the mainstream media.
That doesn’t mean to say that there aren’t great writers doing exceptional work in the comic and graphic novel mediums. There are some, I would argue, who deserve a place among the greatest modern men and women of letters.
Despite using a simpler written narrative structure, comics (and from this point on I will use the term “comics” to mean comic books and graphic novels) are no excuse for lazy writing. While it’s true that a comic writer isn’t doing all of the heavy narrative lifting -- that burden is also shared by the artists, who are responsible for the depiction of setting -- it is still no excuse for writers to sit back on their haunches. The words of a comic are just as important as the graphic aspect; they are what keep me as a reader coming back for more.
This past summer, I learned that comic company IDW was issuing a new series of comics based on the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering. I had played Magic in my early teens and had fond memories of the comics issued by Armada in the mid-90s. These miniseries covered the backstory of Magic’s fantasy setting, offering up a history of the card game’s internal mythology. Seeing that IDW was publishing a new series awakened something in me -- a desire to both play the game again and to read this latest series of comics.
Looking back now as an adult, it is clear to me that the Armada Magic comics that I had enjoyed in my youth were simply a tie-in product to sell more cards. A lot of comics, it can probably be argued, are an attempt to sell something, be it toys, movies, DVDs or simply a brand. The company IDW makes it trade in this for the most part by publishing movie tie-in comics or comics based around popular television shows. Take, for instance, IDW’s graphic novel Star Trek: Countdown, which expertly bridged the gap between the film Star Trek: Nemesis and the J.J. Abrams reboot. Was this an attempt to get people preemptively excited about a summer blockbuster film? Certainly. But it was also packaged in a well-told story that was enjoyable to read.
The Armada Magic comics were the same way: another method to get people excited about the card game and perhaps sell more products for the game’s parent company. The stories, though, were well-told, and revisiting them 17 years later, the Armada Magic comics are comprised of stories that I think even an adult fantasy-lover would find interesting.
Unfortunately, that is not the case with the IDW Magic titles, and I worry that this is endemic in other comics as well. The current Magic comics use a stream-of-consciousness narrative to advance the story, one that is intertwined with spoken dialog. Often it becomes impossible to tell what’s going on because the reader has to read the internal monologue of the main character, Dack Fayden, and then go back and read the spoken dialog, all while ignoring the artwork. The result is that the reader has to look at each panel three times to follow the story. Not good.
Similarly, I’ve understood from the get-go that the comics exist to sell me something. Here again, the writers could have made the story more palatable. There are entire issues where Dack simply visits different locales in the Magic universe without advancing the plot. Do we really need an entire issue dedicated to sightseeing just so players will understand on which plane of the multiverse some of their cards take place? I think not. Tell a good story and the readers will want more -- regardless of the delivery method. (See: the dearth of Star Wars “expanded universe” products.)
I suppose the IDW Magic comics served their purpose in getting me to play the game again, and ultimately that will make more money for Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast than a monthly comic. I’m sorry to say, however, that I won’t be following the adventures of Dack any more, if for no other reason than the fact that his story is ill-told.
That doesn’t mean to say that there aren’t great writers doing exceptional work in the comic and graphic novel mediums. There are some, I would argue, who deserve a place among the greatest modern men and women of letters.
Despite using a simpler written narrative structure, comics (and from this point on I will use the term “comics” to mean comic books and graphic novels) are no excuse for lazy writing. While it’s true that a comic writer isn’t doing all of the heavy narrative lifting -- that burden is also shared by the artists, who are responsible for the depiction of setting -- it is still no excuse for writers to sit back on their haunches. The words of a comic are just as important as the graphic aspect; they are what keep me as a reader coming back for more.
This past summer, I learned that comic company IDW was issuing a new series of comics based on the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering. I had played Magic in my early teens and had fond memories of the comics issued by Armada in the mid-90s. These miniseries covered the backstory of Magic’s fantasy setting, offering up a history of the card game’s internal mythology. Seeing that IDW was publishing a new series awakened something in me -- a desire to both play the game again and to read this latest series of comics.
Looking back now as an adult, it is clear to me that the Armada Magic comics that I had enjoyed in my youth were simply a tie-in product to sell more cards. A lot of comics, it can probably be argued, are an attempt to sell something, be it toys, movies, DVDs or simply a brand. The company IDW makes it trade in this for the most part by publishing movie tie-in comics or comics based around popular television shows. Take, for instance, IDW’s graphic novel Star Trek: Countdown, which expertly bridged the gap between the film Star Trek: Nemesis and the J.J. Abrams reboot. Was this an attempt to get people preemptively excited about a summer blockbuster film? Certainly. But it was also packaged in a well-told story that was enjoyable to read.
The Armada Magic comics were the same way: another method to get people excited about the card game and perhaps sell more products for the game’s parent company. The stories, though, were well-told, and revisiting them 17 years later, the Armada Magic comics are comprised of stories that I think even an adult fantasy-lover would find interesting.
Unfortunately, that is not the case with the IDW Magic titles, and I worry that this is endemic in other comics as well. The current Magic comics use a stream-of-consciousness narrative to advance the story, one that is intertwined with spoken dialog. Often it becomes impossible to tell what’s going on because the reader has to read the internal monologue of the main character, Dack Fayden, and then go back and read the spoken dialog, all while ignoring the artwork. The result is that the reader has to look at each panel three times to follow the story. Not good.
Similarly, I’ve understood from the get-go that the comics exist to sell me something. Here again, the writers could have made the story more palatable. There are entire issues where Dack simply visits different locales in the Magic universe without advancing the plot. Do we really need an entire issue dedicated to sightseeing just so players will understand on which plane of the multiverse some of their cards take place? I think not. Tell a good story and the readers will want more -- regardless of the delivery method. (See: the dearth of Star Wars “expanded universe” products.)
I suppose the IDW Magic comics served their purpose in getting me to play the game again, and ultimately that will make more money for Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast than a monthly comic. I’m sorry to say, however, that I won’t be following the adventures of Dack any more, if for no other reason than the fact that his story is ill-told.
January 8, 2013
News: January 2013
Happy New Year one and all! January has already brought with it a slew of news, so I'll stop yammering and get right to it.
First up, Open Heart Publishing has published its interview with me regarding the upcoming release of An Honest Lie Vol. 4. This anthology will feature my short story "Salvage," and you can read the interview HERE. I've been told that the book is about 80 percent edited. News about its release will be posted here when available. In the meantime, you can read my story "The Registry of Lost Socks" in An Honest Lie Vol. 2, which was released in 2010.
Some good news also arrived for The Ghost Is the Machine, the anthology that I edited for Post Mortem Press. The book has received a glowing review from The Horror Zine. Reviewer Kristen Houghton, who also blogs for Huffington Post, writes that, "The Ghost is the Machine is an anthology that will quickly satisfy your reader hunger for horror stories that have a nicely sculpted beginning, middle, and end."
In addition, Ghost is up for a reader's choice award from Predators and Editors, one of the premiere writing sites on the Internet. You can vote for Ghost in the "Best Anthology" category by clicking HERE. (Please note that the website can sometimes be a little glitchy and/or slow, so reload the page if it isn't working.) You don't need to register an account to vote. Simply select the book from the list, input your name and email address, and click on the link that gets sent to your email. As a previous P&E voter, I can also assure you that your email will not be used or sold for anything other than voting.
Happy New Year again, and thanks for reading!
First up, Open Heart Publishing has published its interview with me regarding the upcoming release of An Honest Lie Vol. 4. This anthology will feature my short story "Salvage," and you can read the interview HERE. I've been told that the book is about 80 percent edited. News about its release will be posted here when available. In the meantime, you can read my story "The Registry of Lost Socks" in An Honest Lie Vol. 2, which was released in 2010.
Some good news also arrived for The Ghost Is the Machine, the anthology that I edited for Post Mortem Press. The book has received a glowing review from The Horror Zine. Reviewer Kristen Houghton, who also blogs for Huffington Post, writes that, "The Ghost is the Machine is an anthology that will quickly satisfy your reader hunger for horror stories that have a nicely sculpted beginning, middle, and end."
In addition, Ghost is up for a reader's choice award from Predators and Editors, one of the premiere writing sites on the Internet. You can vote for Ghost in the "Best Anthology" category by clicking HERE. (Please note that the website can sometimes be a little glitchy and/or slow, so reload the page if it isn't working.) You don't need to register an account to vote. Simply select the book from the list, input your name and email address, and click on the link that gets sent to your email. As a previous P&E voter, I can also assure you that your email will not be used or sold for anything other than voting.
Happy New Year again, and thanks for reading!
December 18, 2012
My Next Big Thing
A week ago, fellow Post Mortem Press author (and Connecticut native) G. Elmer Munson tagged me in the traveling blog known as The Next Big Thing. Here's a little bit about my next project.
1.) What is the title of your next book/work?
My next published work will be a short story titled “Salvage,” set to appear in the anthology An Honest Lie Vol. 4. This is an annual series put out by Open Heart Publishing, and this year’s theme is “Petulant Parables.” Apart from that, I also have a book in the beta-reader phase titled The Lamplighters, about a group of paranormal investigators in New Haven, Conn. This latter work is the one I’ll be talking about in this interview.
2.) Where did the idea come from for the book/work?
I’ve worked in downtown New Haven for seven years, and there’s a great confluence of history and culture here. The area, too, is also a great place to find secret and/or fraternal societies: Yale’s Skull and Bones, the Knights of Columbus, the Masons, etc. While walking through the city one day (which is nicknamed “The Elm City” because of all the trees), I thought, “What if a drunk driver slammed into one of these trees and unleashed some kind of demon?” From there, I put everything into a soup that became the book.
3.) What genre does your book/work fall under?
Paranormal fantasy / urban fantasy.
4.) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Probably unknown or lesser-known actors. I’ve been thinking about this since I received this questionnaire and really can’t come up with a good answer, though I see the main character as a 20-something version of Anthony Stewart Head.
5.) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Apollo Walker, the head of New Haven’s paranormal investigative unit The Lamplighters, has enough going on without having to deal with a rogue demon in the city.
6.) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Unknown at this time, though with each passing day I become more and more disenchanted with the agency-traditional publishing model. It won’t be self-published, but I may go with an indie press like the great guys at Post Mortem Press, Evil Jester Press or Open Heart Publishing.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
Probably a year or more. I began working on the book in 2007, picked it up and put it down over the years. The latest draft/rewrite took about six months.
8.) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Simon R. Green’s “Nightside” series or perhaps Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files (though I haven’t read any of the latter -- yet!)
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
(See question #2.)
10) What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
This isn’t a book loaded with symbolism or hidden meaning; it’s simply meant to be entertaining. If the reader goes along for the ride and has a good time, then I’ve accomplished my goal.
1.) What is the title of your next book/work?
My next published work will be a short story titled “Salvage,” set to appear in the anthology An Honest Lie Vol. 4. This is an annual series put out by Open Heart Publishing, and this year’s theme is “Petulant Parables.” Apart from that, I also have a book in the beta-reader phase titled The Lamplighters, about a group of paranormal investigators in New Haven, Conn. This latter work is the one I’ll be talking about in this interview.
2.) Where did the idea come from for the book/work?
I’ve worked in downtown New Haven for seven years, and there’s a great confluence of history and culture here. The area, too, is also a great place to find secret and/or fraternal societies: Yale’s Skull and Bones, the Knights of Columbus, the Masons, etc. While walking through the city one day (which is nicknamed “The Elm City” because of all the trees), I thought, “What if a drunk driver slammed into one of these trees and unleashed some kind of demon?” From there, I put everything into a soup that became the book.
3.) What genre does your book/work fall under?
Paranormal fantasy / urban fantasy.
4.) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Probably unknown or lesser-known actors. I’ve been thinking about this since I received this questionnaire and really can’t come up with a good answer, though I see the main character as a 20-something version of Anthony Stewart Head.
5.) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Apollo Walker, the head of New Haven’s paranormal investigative unit The Lamplighters, has enough going on without having to deal with a rogue demon in the city.
6.) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Unknown at this time, though with each passing day I become more and more disenchanted with the agency-traditional publishing model. It won’t be self-published, but I may go with an indie press like the great guys at Post Mortem Press, Evil Jester Press or Open Heart Publishing.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
Probably a year or more. I began working on the book in 2007, picked it up and put it down over the years. The latest draft/rewrite took about six months.
8.) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Simon R. Green’s “Nightside” series or perhaps Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files (though I haven’t read any of the latter -- yet!)
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
(See question #2.)
10) What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
This isn’t a book loaded with symbolism or hidden meaning; it’s simply meant to be entertaining. If the reader goes along for the ride and has a good time, then I’ve accomplished my goal.
December 12, 2012
In Defense of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
I have a confession to make: I love Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Yet more than four years after its release, the film has taken a spot as one of the lowest points of the Indiana Jones franchise.
But I think the film is a lot smarter than most people realize.
Right about now, you’re asking what this has to do with writing, or even with books. The answer to this question reveals why Crystal Skull is such a smart movie. (Why I was prompted to write this “rant” now -- four years after the fact -- is simply a question for the cosmos.)
One of the major complains about the film is the fact that it ventured into science-fiction territory. Somehow, using religious artifacts from the Judeo-Christian tradition was fine in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. But add aliens into the mix and suddenly everyone’s got their panties in a ruffle.
Consider this: The film opens in 1957, a very good time for sci-fi as a genre. Following the golden age of pulp fiction and the end of World War II, sci-fi truly began to mature. In his book The History of Science Fiction, Ron Miller writes: “Earlier science fiction usually concerned itself with how problems could be solved by physical or scientific means. There were few moral or psychological ambiguities…. Beginning in the 1950s, science-fiction writers made problems more complex” (46-7).
Is it any wonder, then, that Crystal Skull -- an Indiana Jones movie set in the 1950s -- would take on a sci-fi milieu? After all, this was the decade that saw the release of Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy, Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451, and dozens of others. From the first shot of the “Atomic Café” in the opening sequence of Crystal Skull to the unearthing of a box from Roswell, N.M., we know that this is the world that our archeologist hero now inhabits. A story involving aliens (or “transdimensional beings, in point of fact,” as John Hurt’s character points out) is fine with me for a 50s Indiana Jones adventure.
Still other viewers complained that Harrison Ford was too old to slip on the fedora one more time. However, I feel that there’s a smart explanation for this as well.
Indiana Jones is nothing if not a pulp character, drawn from the imagination of George Lucas, who was practically weaned on stories that would today be considered part of the “pulp” canon. Indy is hard-boiled and has a clearly defined sense of right and wrong. Scratch deeper and you'll find that Indy is a pretty flat character, albeit a great one that we love to root for.
By the 1950s, the pulp sci-fi magazines were dying out, just as gruff Indiana Jones is running out of gas as well. Ford wears the character’s world weariness on his skin, commenting on how getting out of a jam isn’t as easy as it used to be. Indiana Jones -- just like the pulp magazines -- are barely holding on, almost ready for that great archive in the sky.
Considering this symbolism -- whether intentional or not -- makes Crystal Skull for me a rewarding and entertaining experience. Does the film have its weak points? Sure. Could I have gone without actually seeing the aliens? Absolutely. But if you’re not sold, perhaps we can still agree that Crystal Skull was still better than Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
But I think the film is a lot smarter than most people realize.
Right about now, you’re asking what this has to do with writing, or even with books. The answer to this question reveals why Crystal Skull is such a smart movie. (Why I was prompted to write this “rant” now -- four years after the fact -- is simply a question for the cosmos.)
One of the major complains about the film is the fact that it ventured into science-fiction territory. Somehow, using religious artifacts from the Judeo-Christian tradition was fine in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. But add aliens into the mix and suddenly everyone’s got their panties in a ruffle.
Consider this: The film opens in 1957, a very good time for sci-fi as a genre. Following the golden age of pulp fiction and the end of World War II, sci-fi truly began to mature. In his book The History of Science Fiction, Ron Miller writes: “Earlier science fiction usually concerned itself with how problems could be solved by physical or scientific means. There were few moral or psychological ambiguities…. Beginning in the 1950s, science-fiction writers made problems more complex” (46-7).
Is it any wonder, then, that Crystal Skull -- an Indiana Jones movie set in the 1950s -- would take on a sci-fi milieu? After all, this was the decade that saw the release of Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy, Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451, and dozens of others. From the first shot of the “Atomic Café” in the opening sequence of Crystal Skull to the unearthing of a box from Roswell, N.M., we know that this is the world that our archeologist hero now inhabits. A story involving aliens (or “transdimensional beings, in point of fact,” as John Hurt’s character points out) is fine with me for a 50s Indiana Jones adventure.
Still other viewers complained that Harrison Ford was too old to slip on the fedora one more time. However, I feel that there’s a smart explanation for this as well.
Indiana Jones is nothing if not a pulp character, drawn from the imagination of George Lucas, who was practically weaned on stories that would today be considered part of the “pulp” canon. Indy is hard-boiled and has a clearly defined sense of right and wrong. Scratch deeper and you'll find that Indy is a pretty flat character, albeit a great one that we love to root for.
By the 1950s, the pulp sci-fi magazines were dying out, just as gruff Indiana Jones is running out of gas as well. Ford wears the character’s world weariness on his skin, commenting on how getting out of a jam isn’t as easy as it used to be. Indiana Jones -- just like the pulp magazines -- are barely holding on, almost ready for that great archive in the sky.
Considering this symbolism -- whether intentional or not -- makes Crystal Skull for me a rewarding and entertaining experience. Does the film have its weak points? Sure. Could I have gone without actually seeing the aliens? Absolutely. But if you’re not sold, perhaps we can still agree that Crystal Skull was still better than Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
December 9, 2012
News: December 2012
Hello all, and happy holidays to all of my readers. With Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, etc. now upon us, I've been finding it harder and harder to carve out time to write. Even so, with the end of November came the completion of an important writing goal for me: the finalization of the third draft of my novel, The Lamplighters. Though I did not participate in NaNoWriMo, I did hope to complete the latest draft of the book by the end of last month. I did, and the manuscript is now out to several beta readers to see how it stacks up.
Last month, I also had the good fortune to attend Anthocon in Portsmouth, N.H., with the good folks from Post Mortem Press. At the event, I got to meet fellow PMP authors T.L Barrett, Nicholas Conley and G. Elmer Munson. Be sure to check out these writers and their great books.
Finally, I also wrote a critique of character development in YA novels that I published here on Goodreads. You can read it HERE. Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments.
Until next month, thanks for reading and have a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year.
Last month, I also had the good fortune to attend Anthocon in Portsmouth, N.H., with the good folks from Post Mortem Press. At the event, I got to meet fellow PMP authors T.L Barrett, Nicholas Conley and G. Elmer Munson. Be sure to check out these writers and their great books.
Finally, I also wrote a critique of character development in YA novels that I published here on Goodreads. You can read it HERE. Agree? Disagree? Let me know in the comments.
Until next month, thanks for reading and have a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year.
November 12, 2012
YA Books and Character Development
Since I am a fan of fantasy and science-fiction literature, I am often accused of reading "kiddy lit." This is a badge I wear with honor. Some of the best books, in my opinion, were written with children in mind as the ideal audience, from The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia, to more modern classics like The Blue Sword or Patricia C. Wrede's Enchanted Forest Chronicles.
Of course, YA is a hot genre right now, so it's more socially acceptable to be caught with a copy of, say, The Hunger Games than it might have been 10 or even five years ago. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that I read a fair amount of YA books.
That having been said, I've noticed a disturbing trend of late regarding character development in YA literature. Authors as famous as Suzanne Collins seem to be guilty of this misstep, and I'm wondering why it exists with such prevalence. Is making a character do or say something that is out of his or her nature meant to accurately represent the indecision and angst of adolescence? Or is it just lazy character development on the part of so many authors?
Let me offer an example from the book that prompted me to write this post. Ann Aguirre's Enclave is about a post-apocalyptic society that lives in small settlements underground (the eponymous "enclaves"). Deuce, the main character, is a Huntress charged with protecting her enclave from the mutated freaks that roam without. Her partner (and, of course, romantic interest) is a young man named Fade.
Deuce and Fade have a relationship born of soldiers who have fought together. This is important, because it underpins most of their actions and, indeed, their romance. Deuce and Fade trust each other, fight back to back (literally), and have survived terrible ordeals together.
When Fade loses someone important midway through the book, he begins to draw away from Deuce in his grief. This is not unexpected. What is unexpected are exchanges like these:
At this point, Deuce is still too emotionally closed off to utter a phrase like "I love you" or even "I like you." Her response of "I don't trust anyone like I do you" is perfectly in character, the epitome of their relationship. And yet Fade is unhappy with this. What? It simply doesn't align with the 220 pages that came before the exchange.
Dozens of similar examples exist in the Hunger Games trilogy, especially in the second and third books in the series. Katniss' actions, especially regarding her two would-be suitors, read like a rollercoaster with switchbacks. Before long it becomes impossible to even guess what she might do next -- and not in a good way that builds narrative suspense.
I'm not saying that characters shouldn't change or grow throughout the course of a book. On the contrary, the characters in these extraordinary circumstances would most certainly change unless they were made of non-sentient wood. But to have a character do something at random that is not in line with his development trajectory is, unfortunately, a hallmark of weak writing. Why is this happening so often in books that are climbing the best-seller lists?
Of course, YA is a hot genre right now, so it's more socially acceptable to be caught with a copy of, say, The Hunger Games than it might have been 10 or even five years ago. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that I read a fair amount of YA books.
That having been said, I've noticed a disturbing trend of late regarding character development in YA literature. Authors as famous as Suzanne Collins seem to be guilty of this misstep, and I'm wondering why it exists with such prevalence. Is making a character do or say something that is out of his or her nature meant to accurately represent the indecision and angst of adolescence? Or is it just lazy character development on the part of so many authors?
Let me offer an example from the book that prompted me to write this post. Ann Aguirre's Enclave is about a post-apocalyptic society that lives in small settlements underground (the eponymous "enclaves"). Deuce, the main character, is a Huntress charged with protecting her enclave from the mutated freaks that roam without. Her partner (and, of course, romantic interest) is a young man named Fade.
Deuce and Fade have a relationship born of soldiers who have fought together. This is important, because it underpins most of their actions and, indeed, their romance. Deuce and Fade trust each other, fight back to back (literally), and have survived terrible ordeals together.
When Fade loses someone important midway through the book, he begins to draw away from Deuce in his grief. This is not unexpected. What is unexpected are exchanges like these:
He (Fade) stared at me (Deuce) for such a long time that I grew uneasy. And then he asked, "Are we still partners? I know Silk put us together, but would you choose me now?"
As before, I had the feeling he meant something different with the word. "I don't trust anyone like I do you."
By the way his face closed, it wasn't the response he wanted.
At this point, Deuce is still too emotionally closed off to utter a phrase like "I love you" or even "I like you." Her response of "I don't trust anyone like I do you" is perfectly in character, the epitome of their relationship. And yet Fade is unhappy with this. What? It simply doesn't align with the 220 pages that came before the exchange.
Dozens of similar examples exist in the Hunger Games trilogy, especially in the second and third books in the series. Katniss' actions, especially regarding her two would-be suitors, read like a rollercoaster with switchbacks. Before long it becomes impossible to even guess what she might do next -- and not in a good way that builds narrative suspense.
I'm not saying that characters shouldn't change or grow throughout the course of a book. On the contrary, the characters in these extraordinary circumstances would most certainly change unless they were made of non-sentient wood. But to have a character do something at random that is not in line with his development trajectory is, unfortunately, a hallmark of weak writing. Why is this happening so often in books that are climbing the best-seller lists?
November 4, 2012
News: November 2012
A slow news month as we head into the start of the holiday season. A lot of items are pending, which makes me feel like my writing life is in a bit of a holding pattern: several professional outlets have expressed interest in reviewing The Ghost Is the Machine, but none of the reviews have been published yet; a couple of short story submissions are pending; editing is ongoing for my novel, The Lamplighters,; and the release of my latest short story, "Salvage," should be imminent.
"Salvage" will appear in volume four of the Honest Lie anthology series put out by Open Heart Publishing. OHP previously published my short story "The Registry of Lost Socks" in An Honest Lie Vol. 2. It's one of my favorite stories, so check it out if you haven't already.
I'll also be attending Anthocon with the good folks from Post Mortem Press on Nov. 9. If you're in the New Hampshire area, be sure to stop by and say hello.
Until next month, thanks for reading (and if you live in the United States, don't forget to vote on Election Day, Nov. 6).
"Salvage" will appear in volume four of the Honest Lie anthology series put out by Open Heart Publishing. OHP previously published my short story "The Registry of Lost Socks" in An Honest Lie Vol. 2. It's one of my favorite stories, so check it out if you haven't already.
I'll also be attending Anthocon with the good folks from Post Mortem Press on Nov. 9. If you're in the New Hampshire area, be sure to stop by and say hello.
Until next month, thanks for reading (and if you live in the United States, don't forget to vote on Election Day, Nov. 6).
October 7, 2012
News: October 2012
Last month, I had the good fortune to attend the Baltimore Book Festival with the good folks from Post Mortem Press. I would venture to say that like most writers, I very much attending writing / publishing / author events. Not only was Baltimore a great way to meet some of my fellow PMP authors -- like the inestimable Paul Anderson, Kenneth W. Cain and Jessica McHugh -- but I also left feeling very energized and ready to write.
The past several weeks have been more productive for me than the last few months combined. I'm resuming my regular writing schedule again and getting some productive work done. I'm currently composing a short story for consideration in a new anthology. After that, I'll continue editing the latest draft of my first real novel, which I haven't had a chance to work on since March.
In other news, the release of my latest short story, "Salvage," should be imminent. Salvage will appear in volume four of the Honest Lie anthology series put out by Open Heart Publishing. OHP previously published my short story "The Registry of Lost Socks" in An Honest Lie Vol. 2.
Finally, my good friend, Katie Carroll, whom I’ve known since college, has seen the release of her first book, Elixir Bound. If you like YA fantasy, you owe it to yourself to check out Katie’s book.
The past several weeks have been more productive for me than the last few months combined. I'm resuming my regular writing schedule again and getting some productive work done. I'm currently composing a short story for consideration in a new anthology. After that, I'll continue editing the latest draft of my first real novel, which I haven't had a chance to work on since March.
In other news, the release of my latest short story, "Salvage," should be imminent. Salvage will appear in volume four of the Honest Lie anthology series put out by Open Heart Publishing. OHP previously published my short story "The Registry of Lost Socks" in An Honest Lie Vol. 2.
Finally, my good friend, Katie Carroll, whom I’ve known since college, has seen the release of her first book, Elixir Bound. If you like YA fantasy, you owe it to yourself to check out Katie’s book.
September 5, 2012
News: September 2012
September is very much my favorite time of year -- it marks the beginning of autumn. The weather is typically not as warm as July or August, and the trees may even begin to change by the end of the month. Death in nature is glorious, especially in the Northeast; we can all only hope to go out so brilliantly.
September also brings a new contest to my Facebook fan page. If I have 150 fans by the end of the month, I will give away a first-edition hardcover copy of Mostly Harmless, the fifth book in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams. So visit the page and "Like" away, and be sure to tell you friends as well.
The Ghost Is the Machine, the anthology I edited for Post Mortem Press, has been on the shelves for only a few weeks, but readers -- the most important folks of all -- are already praising the book.
On Amazon, user greatmommy says, "This compilation of stories is great!" while user Sharon S. Church raves, "This collection is so much fun! Steampunk meets the classic ghost story, they fall in love, and produce fantastic stories!" Over at GoodReads, user Suzanne Hartwick gave the book four stars and said, "A fun read, I'd recommend."
I swear I haven't paid or bribed any of these users!
Now it's time for you to experience the horror-steampunk anthology that has received all four- and five-star ratings on Amazon and GoodReads. The Ghost Is the Machine is available in paperback for $16.00 or on the Kindle for $4.99. Click HERE to pick up your copy today! And be sure to leave a review once you've read the book. Good, bad or indifferent -- we want to hear it all because constructive criticism is the only way that we become better storytellers.
In other news this month, I'm working on a new short story for an anthology that I was personally invited to participate in. There's no guarantee that my story will be selected, but I'm nonetheless excited about the project, especially since this is the first new story that I've had the chance to work on since The Ghost Is the Machine went to press.
September also brings a new contest to my Facebook fan page. If I have 150 fans by the end of the month, I will give away a first-edition hardcover copy of Mostly Harmless, the fifth book in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams. So visit the page and "Like" away, and be sure to tell you friends as well.
The Ghost Is the Machine, the anthology I edited for Post Mortem Press, has been on the shelves for only a few weeks, but readers -- the most important folks of all -- are already praising the book.
On Amazon, user greatmommy says, "This compilation of stories is great!" while user Sharon S. Church raves, "This collection is so much fun! Steampunk meets the classic ghost story, they fall in love, and produce fantastic stories!" Over at GoodReads, user Suzanne Hartwick gave the book four stars and said, "A fun read, I'd recommend."
I swear I haven't paid or bribed any of these users!
Now it's time for you to experience the horror-steampunk anthology that has received all four- and five-star ratings on Amazon and GoodReads. The Ghost Is the Machine is available in paperback for $16.00 or on the Kindle for $4.99. Click HERE to pick up your copy today! And be sure to leave a review once you've read the book. Good, bad or indifferent -- we want to hear it all because constructive criticism is the only way that we become better storytellers.
In other news this month, I'm working on a new short story for an anthology that I was personally invited to participate in. There's no guarantee that my story will be selected, but I'm nonetheless excited about the project, especially since this is the first new story that I've had the chance to work on since The Ghost Is the Machine went to press.
August 21, 2012
The Ghost Is the Machine Now Available!
Just a quick note to let everyone know that The Ghost Is the Machine is now available from Create Space and Amazon. Order your copy today for $16 plus shipping!
