Colleen Anderson's Blog, page 56

Booty and Buying Jeans

I'm one of those gals with booty, as they like to call it. Or a bigger ass than is the norm. However, I must really wonder what the norm is. We often think we're the only ones with an issue or a problem, but mention it and it turns out it's common for a lot of people.

Like booty. My hips and waist have quite a difference in ratio. First I must get them over my hyper developed calves, (not the ones mooing in the fields), then over the larger than average thighs and hips to the smaller than...

Writing: Passive Language

I'm looking at a story for a friend right now and I'm reminded of a couple of things that new writers often do. One is using passive language. Passive language slows down action and in general creates lag in the plot. It might be best used when talking in the past. Stories are most often written in past tense but this does not mean that it is the past as far as the action goes.

Confusing? Yes. The modern convention is to write what is called past simple tense, such as, "He tossed the ball and...

RCMP & Police Vie For Worst Enforcers

It seems in BC that both police forces, the municipal police and the RCMP, have not yet learned a lesson on justice and temperance. They still continue to see how badly they can tarnish their reputation.

I actually feel sorry for all the good cops out there and I still believe they are a majority, but it looks pretty bad when police brutality and general thuggery seems to be worse than what the criminals are doing. The latest took place in Vancouver last week. Police were called to a home...

Writing: Canada Protests the Google Book Settlement

IFf you're a Canadian author or copyright holder, you might be interested in the following in regards to your published or future published works. Writer Katherine Gordon was on CBC and you can hear the interview here if you're interested: www.cbc.ca/onthecoast/

Following is a letter put together by some Canadian authors and if you're at all worried about Google trying to grab everything in regards to copyright, then you might want to get your name on these petitions.  

Fellow authors and...

Writing: Anyone Can Write

Yes, anyone can write, just as anyone can paint or dance or sing. Whether they do it well or not is another story. Some people are born with a certain talent, an ability that is more natural to them than to others. But even they must practice and hone their art or skills. People without that inborn talent have to work harder but it doesn't mean they are inferior to those with the inherent skills. And then again, much is subjective. A person being a great painter may only be because that...

Writing: Prix Aurora Awards

In speculative fiction (horror, fantasy, SF, crossgenre, etc.) in Canada there are several awards. One is the Prix Aurora Award, voted on by anyone who is Canadian, to choose the best in short and long fiction, art as well as fan achievements. There are awards for English and French works.

The award categories are under revision and the site is being updated but for this year these are the categories:

Best Long Form (English & French)Best Short Form (English & French)Best Work in English ...

Movie Review: Avatar and a Comparison II

Now a story or movie being derivative is not necessarily a bad thing. All stories build on those that have gone before, going back to the oldest tale ever told around a fire about heroes or how the world was made. Nothing is truly original. However, being cliché and stereotypical, done to death is a big problem.

Several people have compared Avatar to Dances With Wolves and Ferngully. I just watched Ferngully to see the comparison and it is pretty close. Avatar's plot was unfortunately...

Movie Review: Avatar and a Comparison I

Well, I'm late out of the gate in seeing Avatar but I'm going to review it anyway. Some of this will have already been said and some not yet. I'll look at elements of plot and Avatar sadly lacks originality there, and I'll compare it to some stories and novels, specifically David Moles' "Finisterra." And yes there will be spoilers in this review.

First, what worked. It's been a while since Final Fantasy came out and comparing these two movies is like comparing a hand beater to electric...

A Fascination of Colors

Who can say why we like a certain color or not? It's as much a whim as a default for some. But there are certain factors that will affect people's choices for favorite color. The biggest would be cultural. If we were a society where we'd always worn pink and there was no emasculation to pink then men might be listing it as their favorite color. Our cultural fads will affect certain predilections to color.

In North America, sleek and sophisticated is represented by black and silver. Techy or...

From Snow to Rainforest

I grew up in Calgary, where winters were defined by snow and snowsuits, giant mitts and yes, that Canadian thing, tuques. As kids our tuques (toooq) were balaclavas. They had an inner piece that could be pulled down over the face. Today they're called ski masks and have a big opening around the eyes. Ours had two eye holes and maybe a mouth hole. Pretty much  only burglars wear them now. It was nearly worth the risk of frostbite not to wear these horribly uncool and unfashionable items, even...