Charlie Huston's Blog, page 88

I read with interest your blog on typos and thought I would comment on a related topic. I'll preface the comment by stating this is not aimed specifically at your writing, but is a general observation of a recurring trend in modern literature: Writers oft

You’re right, that is the problem. Some writers are better at managing formatting dialogue than others. Once you eliminate “she said” or “he said” from the equation the formatting issues are compounded. Cormac McCarthy throws his readers to the wolves to the extent that he offers no visible cues to differentiate dialogue from prose. No quotation marks, no font change, no em-dash, and certainly no “she said.” You know it’s dialogue by the context. And sometimes it ain’t easy. My own trick is t...

I read with interest your blog on typos and thought I would comment on a related topic. I'll preface the comment by stating this is not aimed specifically at your writing, but is a general observation of a recurring trend in modern literature: Writers oft

You’re right, that is the problem. Some writers are better at managing formatting dialogue than others. Once you eliminate “she said” or “he said” from the equation the formatting issues are compounded. Cormac McCarthy throws his readers to the wolves to the extent that he offers no visible cues to differentiate dialogue from prose. No quotation marks, no font change, no em-dash, and certainly no “she said.” You know it’s dialogue by the context. And sometimes it ain’t easy. My own trick is t...

again, no need to say anything else.

again, no need to say anything else.

"A profile of Yakzan Shishakly — a US-based businessman turned aid worker on the Syrian border"

“A profile of Yakzan Shishakly — a US-based businessman turned aid worker on the Syrian border”

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From Houston AC repairman to Syrian border camp mayor

Offered sans additional comment.

"The thing I was most worried about when leaving the airlock that day was my path to get to the..."

“The thing I was most worried about when leaving the airlock that day was my path to get to the telescope, because it was along the side of the space shuttle. And if you look over the edge of the shuttle, it’s like looking over a cliff, with 350 miles to go down to the planet. And there are no good handrails.



When we’re spacewalking, we like to grab on to things with our space gloves and be nice and steady. But I got to this one area along the side of the shuttle, and there was nothing good to...

TYPOS: A Note Upon

Typos happen in books.

After one of my books is published I, the writer, cannot undo them.

Said typos can only be undone when type is reset for possible, but not inevitable, future editions.

Typos really irritate some people and they seem compelled to make someone aware that these typos exist.

If you are one of those people, I’d like to suggest that you harness your irritation to the extent of emailing the publisher of any book that contains an irritating typo rather than emailing the autho...

Reading six bad things, and had to stop and give mad propps for the "Its a mad mad mad mad mad mad world" reference! Love that cooky flick!

My memories of it’s a too, too, too, too, too long title revolve around a youthful viewing at our local single-screen cinema. Pretty sure I napped.

A cultural aside: I was at a single-screen house a year ago, seeing some revival, and got sight of a young woman studying her ticket and then looking around somewhat confused. She wrangled an employee, displayed her ticket, and asked, “How do I know what screen my movie is on?”

Not sure at what age the assumption of a multiscreen theater begins, but...

Hey Charlie, I'm a big fan and looking forward to reading Skinner when it gets released in UK next month. In case contest is still running, can I nominate: (1) Charles McCarry-The Last Supper- the flawless tradecraft, a story spanning decades but what real

The contest was over some time ago, but you can nominate away. Especially seeing as all those tittles are new to me.

Research begins!

Hey Charlie, I'm a big fan and looking forward to reading Skinner when it gets released in UK next month. In case contest is still running, can I nominate: (1) Charles McCarry-The Last Supper- the flawless tradecraft, a story spanning decades but what real

The contest was over some time ago, but you can nominate away. Especially seeing as all those tittles are new to me.

Research begins!

Hey Charlie, I'm a big fan and looking forward to reading Skinner when it gets released in UK next month. In case contest is still running, can I nominate: (1) Charles McCarry-The Last Supper- the flawless tradecraft, a story spanning decades but what real

The contest was over some time ago, but you can nominate away. Especially seeing as all those tittles are new to me.

Research begins!