Carl Alves's Blog, page 37
June 29, 2015
10 Questions with Benjamin Kane Ethridge
1. What was the basis for the mythos you used in Divine Scream where banshees are heralds for people when they die?
It was a very loose interpretation of a female spirit in Irish mythology, which is usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the underworld. In DIVINE SCREAM the banshee is not a spirit, but an actual living creature from a dimension that shares space with our own. Her job is to send dying people into the light, which can be an afterlife or can be nothing at all. Nobody knows. Not even the banshees. Just as with my other work, my agnostic nature guides some of my reluctance to commit to an afterlife, as well as not counting out the odd possibility we humans actually got something unknown right for a change.
2. What has been the greatest moment of your writing career?
That would have to be when I met my friend Michael Louis Calvillo at Dark Delicacies bookstore. That moment was pivotal to me, for had I never met him, I wouldn’t have been the same type of writer. Michael really set me on a path to get projects finished, to achieve things, to be passionate about creating art and darkness simultaneously. He was an enormous inspiration to me and still remains so today.
3. With Divine Scream and Bottled Abyss, much of your writing focuses on death. Why the fascination with death and what comes after?
It wasn’t exactly intentional. I always enjoyed the questions surrounding the River Styx and I always thought banshees should be more than mere wailing things you kill in role playing video games. So it wasn’t so much that the death part fascinated me, it just happened to come along with the mythological package.
4. How has being part of the Southern California horror scene helped you as a writer?
There are some tremendous writers here (but that can be said for all states). I’m especially lucky to be near Burbank where I’ve met some writers I’ve admired a long time and they’ve all helped in too many ways to describe. Lisa Morton, John Palisano, Brad Hodson, and so many others. There are also a wealth of screenplay writers in the area, with Hollywood being close, and so I’ve learned great things from them as well, without doubt.
5. How do you define success as a writer?
At one point I might have said that making a living as a writer would fit that definition, but after meeting many writers who put out book after book and still have day-jobs, I’m not so sure that qualifies these days. Being successful is different for everybody. Some go for acclaim. Some go for huge sales. I’d like to shoot big and go for both. That would satisfy my expectations for success.
6. Is Jared Kare based on any person that you know? Do you ever use people in your life as the basis for characters in your story?
All my characters are based on pieces of people, but never the whole. Jared is the exaggeration of one of my own qualities, which is to be reluctant and unsure about things, to fear change, to fear stepping outside my comfort zone.
7. What is your best quality as a writer?
I never give myself an easy book to write. I always struggle with what I write because the struggle will be more worthwhile in the end. That’s what I tell myself anyway. I’ve tried to write formulaic pieces, and I’ve gotten close on some, but that doesn’t make me want to write. The desire to write, for me, stems from uncovering something I’ve never seen before. That’s not everybody’s motivation however and I certainly don’t begrudge anybody this passion in whatever form it may take. If you want to write a thousand romance novels with the same plot and characters, and you’ve got a huge audience, and you sit down to the keyboard every day with a grin on your face, you’ve done well by yourself. Perhaps these folks’ best quality would be they don’t stress over the content of their stories. They have fun with the usual paradigm. The only fun I have with writing is when it has come to a close, and when I have something I’m convinced is new in most conceivable ways. I might be delusional about that, but I’m sticking with it!
8. Which person do you most admire?
I admire any unpublished storyteller who sits at a keyboard and believes.
9. If Divine Scream was being cast as a movie and the director allowed you to choose an actor to play Jared Kare, who would you select?
I’m so out of it when it comes to actors and actresses nowadays. Jared would have to be in his early thirties but definitely have a baby-face that indicates his immaturity. At one point I might have said someone like Shia Labeouf, but I think he’s singing Yankee Doodle Dandy off in a padded room somewhere now. For the Banshee, I would say Jennifer Lawrence or someone with her range and striking qualities.
10. What books are in your to read list?
I am quite embarrassed by how slow my reading has gone lately. I usually would finish a book or two every month and now it’s dwindled down to almost nothing. I enjoy reading immeasurably and I believe it’s the foundation of keeping the mind tuned to the narrative voice. However, the last year of my life has been a large transformative journey, and now that I’m getting past all that, I’m hoping books will follow. I really want to finish the Wheel of Time series, because I haven’t read the last one yet. I really want to read more Jeff Strand, because the man is amazing. More Jack Ketchum, Joe Lansdale, Jodi Picoult Bentley Little, Sara Brooke, Ira Levin, Sarah Langan, Rena Mason, and so many others. There are many books out there and so little time, but I need to start my reading diet again. Soon.
It was a very loose interpretation of a female spirit in Irish mythology, which is usually seen as an omen of death and a messenger from the underworld. In DIVINE SCREAM the banshee is not a spirit, but an actual living creature from a dimension that shares space with our own. Her job is to send dying people into the light, which can be an afterlife or can be nothing at all. Nobody knows. Not even the banshees. Just as with my other work, my agnostic nature guides some of my reluctance to commit to an afterlife, as well as not counting out the odd possibility we humans actually got something unknown right for a change.
2. What has been the greatest moment of your writing career?
That would have to be when I met my friend Michael Louis Calvillo at Dark Delicacies bookstore. That moment was pivotal to me, for had I never met him, I wouldn’t have been the same type of writer. Michael really set me on a path to get projects finished, to achieve things, to be passionate about creating art and darkness simultaneously. He was an enormous inspiration to me and still remains so today.
3. With Divine Scream and Bottled Abyss, much of your writing focuses on death. Why the fascination with death and what comes after?
It wasn’t exactly intentional. I always enjoyed the questions surrounding the River Styx and I always thought banshees should be more than mere wailing things you kill in role playing video games. So it wasn’t so much that the death part fascinated me, it just happened to come along with the mythological package.
4. How has being part of the Southern California horror scene helped you as a writer?
There are some tremendous writers here (but that can be said for all states). I’m especially lucky to be near Burbank where I’ve met some writers I’ve admired a long time and they’ve all helped in too many ways to describe. Lisa Morton, John Palisano, Brad Hodson, and so many others. There are also a wealth of screenplay writers in the area, with Hollywood being close, and so I’ve learned great things from them as well, without doubt.
5. How do you define success as a writer?
At one point I might have said that making a living as a writer would fit that definition, but after meeting many writers who put out book after book and still have day-jobs, I’m not so sure that qualifies these days. Being successful is different for everybody. Some go for acclaim. Some go for huge sales. I’d like to shoot big and go for both. That would satisfy my expectations for success.
6. Is Jared Kare based on any person that you know? Do you ever use people in your life as the basis for characters in your story?
All my characters are based on pieces of people, but never the whole. Jared is the exaggeration of one of my own qualities, which is to be reluctant and unsure about things, to fear change, to fear stepping outside my comfort zone.
7. What is your best quality as a writer?
I never give myself an easy book to write. I always struggle with what I write because the struggle will be more worthwhile in the end. That’s what I tell myself anyway. I’ve tried to write formulaic pieces, and I’ve gotten close on some, but that doesn’t make me want to write. The desire to write, for me, stems from uncovering something I’ve never seen before. That’s not everybody’s motivation however and I certainly don’t begrudge anybody this passion in whatever form it may take. If you want to write a thousand romance novels with the same plot and characters, and you’ve got a huge audience, and you sit down to the keyboard every day with a grin on your face, you’ve done well by yourself. Perhaps these folks’ best quality would be they don’t stress over the content of their stories. They have fun with the usual paradigm. The only fun I have with writing is when it has come to a close, and when I have something I’m convinced is new in most conceivable ways. I might be delusional about that, but I’m sticking with it!
8. Which person do you most admire?
I admire any unpublished storyteller who sits at a keyboard and believes.
9. If Divine Scream was being cast as a movie and the director allowed you to choose an actor to play Jared Kare, who would you select?
I’m so out of it when it comes to actors and actresses nowadays. Jared would have to be in his early thirties but definitely have a baby-face that indicates his immaturity. At one point I might have said someone like Shia Labeouf, but I think he’s singing Yankee Doodle Dandy off in a padded room somewhere now. For the Banshee, I would say Jennifer Lawrence or someone with her range and striking qualities.
10. What books are in your to read list?
I am quite embarrassed by how slow my reading has gone lately. I usually would finish a book or two every month and now it’s dwindled down to almost nothing. I enjoy reading immeasurably and I believe it’s the foundation of keeping the mind tuned to the narrative voice. However, the last year of my life has been a large transformative journey, and now that I’m getting past all that, I’m hoping books will follow. I really want to finish the Wheel of Time series, because I haven’t read the last one yet. I really want to read more Jeff Strand, because the man is amazing. More Jack Ketchum, Joe Lansdale, Jodi Picoult Bentley Little, Sara Brooke, Ira Levin, Sarah Langan, Rena Mason, and so many others. There are many books out there and so little time, but I need to start my reading diet again. Soon.
June 24, 2015
Divine Scream by Benjamin Kane Ethridge
Divine Scream takes place in one day, the day that Jared Kare finds out that he is supposed to die. While waiting for a doctor’s appointment (one in which Jared is going to be given the bad news) a banshee who is supposed to be the herald for his death intervenes. She has been following Jared for his whole life and knows every detail about him. She is defying all the laws of the universe in intervening in his death because he is destined to be a gift to the Assembly, a group of beings who operate in a hive mentality sharing each other’s thoughts and consciousness. They serve a purpose in the order of the universe but are also psychopathic and depraved. Their plan is to torture Jared in the most creative manner until Jared is used up, and they discard him.
I found the universe that Benjamin Kane Ethridge created in this novel to be utterly fascinating. It was such a cool concept and Ethridge built layers and nuance into it. It was also orderly and well-conceived with many rules that flowed in a logical manner. This novel moves at a lightning fast pace with all of the action taking place within a few hours of story time. The Assembly is constantly coming at Jared, and the Banshee does everything in her power to keep him from becoming their gift. This mostly consists of various screams, which can bend the world around them. I liked the creativity that can be found in the variety of screams. About my only criticism is that Jared isn’t a very strong character. He doesn’t have many skills and relies on people around him to do things for him. I would prefer a stronger and more assertive main character. He does, however, experience change during the course of the novel, so he does evolve in the process and by the end isn’t quite so weak. This is a really cool novel that I would certainly recommend.
I found the universe that Benjamin Kane Ethridge created in this novel to be utterly fascinating. It was such a cool concept and Ethridge built layers and nuance into it. It was also orderly and well-conceived with many rules that flowed in a logical manner. This novel moves at a lightning fast pace with all of the action taking place within a few hours of story time. The Assembly is constantly coming at Jared, and the Banshee does everything in her power to keep him from becoming their gift. This mostly consists of various screams, which can bend the world around them. I liked the creativity that can be found in the variety of screams. About my only criticism is that Jared isn’t a very strong character. He doesn’t have many skills and relies on people around him to do things for him. I would prefer a stronger and more assertive main character. He does, however, experience change during the course of the novel, so he does evolve in the process and by the end isn’t quite so weak. This is a really cool novel that I would certainly recommend.
June 22, 2015
Movie Review: Jurassic World
Jurassic World is a continuation of the series that started with the classic action thriller Jurassic Park. At this point, the dinosaur theme parks have been well established to the point that the park owners need to find new and different dinosaurs to thrill the fans. I personally can’t imagine dinosaurs ever getting old, but such is the concept of the film. Now they have created a new genetically modified dinosaur, the Indominus rex that is smarter, bigger, scarier, and more dangerous than its predecessors. As Owen, marvelously played by Chris Pratt, mentions when he finds out they are genetically modifying and creating new dinosaurs, that’s a really bad idea. Of course, Owen is correct. The Indominus rex is let loose and all hell breaks loose.
There’s good and bad in this movie. On the good side, there is action galore and never a dull moment. The dinosaurs and the special effects are really well done. Chris Pratt does a phenomenal job and brings his character to life. There is drama and tension in abundance. Unfortunately, there’s a good bit to be desired as well. For one thing, the characters, for the most part, are very cliché and poorly developed. From the corporate lady who runs the park who is your typical uptight, straight-laced, greed driven corporate type. Then there is the military guy, who plans on militarizing the dinosaurs, and is such a megalomaniac that even when the dinosaurs are killing his own people, he still is hell bent on using the dinosaurs as weapons when anyone with half a brain would realize that it’s futile. Then there’s the irritating older brother, who is taken right out of Hollywood casting. There were many things that stretched the realms of believability. Not to mention, this is basically the same movie as Jurassic Park, so it feels like a bit of a retread. As it stands, the movie to me wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. For its entertainment value, it’s worth watching, but set your expectations lower.
There’s good and bad in this movie. On the good side, there is action galore and never a dull moment. The dinosaurs and the special effects are really well done. Chris Pratt does a phenomenal job and brings his character to life. There is drama and tension in abundance. Unfortunately, there’s a good bit to be desired as well. For one thing, the characters, for the most part, are very cliché and poorly developed. From the corporate lady who runs the park who is your typical uptight, straight-laced, greed driven corporate type. Then there is the military guy, who plans on militarizing the dinosaurs, and is such a megalomaniac that even when the dinosaurs are killing his own people, he still is hell bent on using the dinosaurs as weapons when anyone with half a brain would realize that it’s futile. Then there’s the irritating older brother, who is taken right out of Hollywood casting. There were many things that stretched the realms of believability. Not to mention, this is basically the same movie as Jurassic Park, so it feels like a bit of a retread. As it stands, the movie to me wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. For its entertainment value, it’s worth watching, but set your expectations lower.
June 20, 2015
10 Questions with Jeff Strand
If you could have a voodoo doll of any living person, who would you choose and why?
I would have a voodoo doll of a voodoo priestess, so I could be all like, “Make me MORE voodoo dolls! And more! And more!” Then I could rule the world, which I would do in a fair but firm manner.
2. Of all the books you’ve written, what are you most proud of?
Can I call it a tie between Dweller and Kutter? Those aren’t actually my personal favorites (the books I have the most affection for are Kumquat, Benjamin’s Parasite, and Fangboy) but those are the two that I think had the most difficult concepts to successfully pull off. A 50-year friendship between a boy and a monster, and a savage serial killer who becomes a better person after finding a Boston Terrier. If I’m not allowed to have a tie, I’ll go with Dweller because it’s longer.
3. Who is your favorite comedian?
Ack! Just one? Fine. Patton Oswalt. With honorable mentions to Stephen Wright, Nick Griffin, and Don Reese.
4. If you were a contestant on Survivor, what strategy would you choose to outplay, outwit, and outlast?
Y’know, the game is so unpredictable that any kind of elaborate strategy going in is probably doomed. I would work hard around camp, stay out of petty squabbles, start making alliances immediately (even though sometimes that comes back to bite you), and cheerfully lie to people about being in their alliance even if they made me swear on the life of a family member.
5. What current writing projects are you working on?
I just finished a young adult novel called The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever. Right now I’m working on a non-horror novel about a stand-up comedian, which is a funny, filthy, tragic book that I guess you’d call “mainstream” fiction. I don’t have an official title for it yet, which is driving me insane.
6. If you couldn’t be a writer, what would you do for a living?
If I could have my dream non-writing job, I’d be a cartoonist. The answer to this question assumes that we’re in a magical world where I have drawing talent. In the real world…I dunno…marketing or something?
7. What would you rather have to face, a family of cannibals or a horde of zombies?
Zombies. You can shoot as many as you want with nary a moral qualm. When you start killing cannibals, there’s the whole “But they’re human beings, too!” issue to deal with. I suppose I’d need a more specific definition of family (three?) vs. horde (three hundred?) to get into the whole survival aspect, but in terms of retaining my humanity, I’ve gotta go with the zombies.
8. What made you start writing?
Genetics. I don’t mean that I came from a family of writers (my relatives are almost exclusively on the academic/scientific/non-arts side) but I’ve never NOT wanted to be a writer.
9. What made you want to start writing horror?
A couple of friends got me into horror movies in a big way in high school, and my reading tastes quickly moved in that direction as well. So I started writing some horror as part of my thousands of pages of unpublished “practice” work. I really just considered myself a humor writer until after Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary) was published, which other people called a horror novel even though it was written as a mystery/comedy. After that, I embraced the “horror writer” label.
10. If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
Douglas Adams. Or Beverly Cleary.
I would have a voodoo doll of a voodoo priestess, so I could be all like, “Make me MORE voodoo dolls! And more! And more!” Then I could rule the world, which I would do in a fair but firm manner.
2. Of all the books you’ve written, what are you most proud of?
Can I call it a tie between Dweller and Kutter? Those aren’t actually my personal favorites (the books I have the most affection for are Kumquat, Benjamin’s Parasite, and Fangboy) but those are the two that I think had the most difficult concepts to successfully pull off. A 50-year friendship between a boy and a monster, and a savage serial killer who becomes a better person after finding a Boston Terrier. If I’m not allowed to have a tie, I’ll go with Dweller because it’s longer.
3. Who is your favorite comedian?
Ack! Just one? Fine. Patton Oswalt. With honorable mentions to Stephen Wright, Nick Griffin, and Don Reese.
4. If you were a contestant on Survivor, what strategy would you choose to outplay, outwit, and outlast?
Y’know, the game is so unpredictable that any kind of elaborate strategy going in is probably doomed. I would work hard around camp, stay out of petty squabbles, start making alliances immediately (even though sometimes that comes back to bite you), and cheerfully lie to people about being in their alliance even if they made me swear on the life of a family member.
5. What current writing projects are you working on?
I just finished a young adult novel called The Greatest Zombie Movie Ever. Right now I’m working on a non-horror novel about a stand-up comedian, which is a funny, filthy, tragic book that I guess you’d call “mainstream” fiction. I don’t have an official title for it yet, which is driving me insane.
6. If you couldn’t be a writer, what would you do for a living?
If I could have my dream non-writing job, I’d be a cartoonist. The answer to this question assumes that we’re in a magical world where I have drawing talent. In the real world…I dunno…marketing or something?
7. What would you rather have to face, a family of cannibals or a horde of zombies?
Zombies. You can shoot as many as you want with nary a moral qualm. When you start killing cannibals, there’s the whole “But they’re human beings, too!” issue to deal with. I suppose I’d need a more specific definition of family (three?) vs. horde (three hundred?) to get into the whole survival aspect, but in terms of retaining my humanity, I’ve gotta go with the zombies.
8. What made you start writing?
Genetics. I don’t mean that I came from a family of writers (my relatives are almost exclusively on the academic/scientific/non-arts side) but I’ve never NOT wanted to be a writer.
9. What made you want to start writing horror?
A couple of friends got me into horror movies in a big way in high school, and my reading tastes quickly moved in that direction as well. So I started writing some horror as part of my thousands of pages of unpublished “practice” work. I really just considered myself a humor writer until after Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary) was published, which other people called a horror novel even though it was written as a mystery/comedy. After that, I embraced the “horror writer” label.
10. If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
Douglas Adams. Or Beverly Cleary.
June 16, 2015
Game of Thrones: Mother's Mercy
The Season 5 finale of Game of Thrones came to a screeching halt with a wild, thrilling, and sometimes perplexing conclusion. There’s a lot to chew on, so I will dig right in.
Arya Stark
I knew Ser Meryn Trant wasn’t long for this world when Arya first spotted him and later when she witnessed his horrible perversions. I pegged Arya as the third girl right away, and enjoyed the utterly brutal way in which she killed him. Hey, the bastard had it coming. The confusing part was what came later. First, Jacqen H’gar supposedly kills himself only to reveal that he was really the girl standing next to him. Then Arya peels off face after face of the dead person until it’s her own face. As if this wasn’t baffling enough, she goes blind. This was the worst part of the episode, since I have no idea what the hell happened in that scene. If a scene of a show serves to utterly confuse the astute observer, then it’s a poorly conceived scene. I wouldn’t call this an epic fail, but it left a lot to be desired.
Stannis Baratheon
Stannis was doomed for failure, which really started when he sacrificed his own daughter. What kind of king would do such a thing, and how could he possibly expect people to follow him after doing that? This battle was lost from the start. It was obvious when Stannis’s troops were on foot and the Boltons on horseback that they were going to get slaughtered. Stannis deserved to go down hard and it was appropriate that Brienne would be the one to slay him.
Sansa Stark
Sansa picked a good time to make an escape with the battle raging on below her. After putting the candle in the tower, she is confronted by Ramsay’s mistress. It was a bit predictable that Theon Grayjoy would intervene to save Sansa. My two least favorite Game of Thrones characters try to escape by jumping off a tower…and then what? They just left it hanging. How can you leave this hang for next season? Another disappointing aspect of this episode.
Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion is now the man in Mereen with Daenerys gone and Daario and Ser Jorah Mormont off to find Daenerys. Well, at least Mereen is in capable hands, especially with the appearance of Varys to help him out. They’re probably the two most intelligent characters on the entire show, and it should make for some interesting viewing.
Daenerys Targaryan
After Daenerys magnificent escape from the fighting pits, her dragon is in no condition to do any more flying. I enjoyed the interaction between Dany and her dragon. It reminded me of a wife nagging her husband to do something, and him waving her away just wanting to lay down and rest. When she winds up being surrounded by a whole mess of Dothraki, my guess is that they will accept Dany as their queen, and she will return with a new set of warriors back to Mereen. Or they may take her as prisoner, but I’m going to remain optimistic.
Cersei Lannister
This was a rough episode for Cersei. Not that she doesn’t deserve her comeuppance, but this was a bit much. First the chopping off of her hair, and then parading through King’s Landing naked with people yelling obscenities at her and throwing all kinds of crap at her. All the while, I kept thinking these Sparrows are complete morons. Don’t they realize the first thing she is going to do is round up her henchmen to kill all of the Sparrows as soon as she returns to the Red Keep? Then we see the return of who is presumably the Mountain ready to crush people at her bidding. Poorly played, Sparrows.
Jon Snow
This was without question the most jarring part of the episode. When it was getting to the end of the episode, I knew they were going to finish with something big. After teasing in the opening about Benjin Stark, and then Ser Alliser informing Jon Snow that Benjin is back, my first thought is that Benjin has been turned into a White Walker. I certainly didn’t think they were going to kill Jon. Killing Jon makes no sense, since he is going to be the one to save Westeros from the White Walkers. But alas, I don’t think this is the last we will see from Jon. Mallisandre left Stannis even before the battle because I think she came to the conclusion that she had it all wrong, and that Jon was the savior she was looking for. I think she resurrects him from the dead and he thrashes those who slew him before taking on the White Walkers. And what’s up with Olly giving the final blow, the little bastard? Jon gave him a prime position as his steward and this is how he repays him?
Well, that’s a wrap for another utterly compelling season of Game of Thrones. I’ll be anxiously waiting for the next season.
Arya Stark
I knew Ser Meryn Trant wasn’t long for this world when Arya first spotted him and later when she witnessed his horrible perversions. I pegged Arya as the third girl right away, and enjoyed the utterly brutal way in which she killed him. Hey, the bastard had it coming. The confusing part was what came later. First, Jacqen H’gar supposedly kills himself only to reveal that he was really the girl standing next to him. Then Arya peels off face after face of the dead person until it’s her own face. As if this wasn’t baffling enough, she goes blind. This was the worst part of the episode, since I have no idea what the hell happened in that scene. If a scene of a show serves to utterly confuse the astute observer, then it’s a poorly conceived scene. I wouldn’t call this an epic fail, but it left a lot to be desired.
Stannis Baratheon
Stannis was doomed for failure, which really started when he sacrificed his own daughter. What kind of king would do such a thing, and how could he possibly expect people to follow him after doing that? This battle was lost from the start. It was obvious when Stannis’s troops were on foot and the Boltons on horseback that they were going to get slaughtered. Stannis deserved to go down hard and it was appropriate that Brienne would be the one to slay him.
Sansa Stark
Sansa picked a good time to make an escape with the battle raging on below her. After putting the candle in the tower, she is confronted by Ramsay’s mistress. It was a bit predictable that Theon Grayjoy would intervene to save Sansa. My two least favorite Game of Thrones characters try to escape by jumping off a tower…and then what? They just left it hanging. How can you leave this hang for next season? Another disappointing aspect of this episode.
Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion is now the man in Mereen with Daenerys gone and Daario and Ser Jorah Mormont off to find Daenerys. Well, at least Mereen is in capable hands, especially with the appearance of Varys to help him out. They’re probably the two most intelligent characters on the entire show, and it should make for some interesting viewing.
Daenerys Targaryan
After Daenerys magnificent escape from the fighting pits, her dragon is in no condition to do any more flying. I enjoyed the interaction between Dany and her dragon. It reminded me of a wife nagging her husband to do something, and him waving her away just wanting to lay down and rest. When she winds up being surrounded by a whole mess of Dothraki, my guess is that they will accept Dany as their queen, and she will return with a new set of warriors back to Mereen. Or they may take her as prisoner, but I’m going to remain optimistic.
Cersei Lannister
This was a rough episode for Cersei. Not that she doesn’t deserve her comeuppance, but this was a bit much. First the chopping off of her hair, and then parading through King’s Landing naked with people yelling obscenities at her and throwing all kinds of crap at her. All the while, I kept thinking these Sparrows are complete morons. Don’t they realize the first thing she is going to do is round up her henchmen to kill all of the Sparrows as soon as she returns to the Red Keep? Then we see the return of who is presumably the Mountain ready to crush people at her bidding. Poorly played, Sparrows.
Jon Snow
This was without question the most jarring part of the episode. When it was getting to the end of the episode, I knew they were going to finish with something big. After teasing in the opening about Benjin Stark, and then Ser Alliser informing Jon Snow that Benjin is back, my first thought is that Benjin has been turned into a White Walker. I certainly didn’t think they were going to kill Jon. Killing Jon makes no sense, since he is going to be the one to save Westeros from the White Walkers. But alas, I don’t think this is the last we will see from Jon. Mallisandre left Stannis even before the battle because I think she came to the conclusion that she had it all wrong, and that Jon was the savior she was looking for. I think she resurrects him from the dead and he thrashes those who slew him before taking on the White Walkers. And what’s up with Olly giving the final blow, the little bastard? Jon gave him a prime position as his steward and this is how he repays him?
Well, that’s a wrap for another utterly compelling season of Game of Thrones. I’ll be anxiously waiting for the next season.
June 13, 2015
A Bad Day for Voodoo by Jeff Strand
A Bad Day for Voodoo is an absolute masterpiece. Having already read Jeff Strand in the past, I was already a fan, but this surpassed anything I have ever read from him. The story mostly takes place in one day, a very bad day for Tyler, a teen living in Florida. It starts off with one innocuous decision when his best friend gets a voodoo doll of their teacher Mr. Click. When Tyler sticks a pin in the doll’s legs, Mr. Click’s legs fly apart and start gushing blood. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Tyler’s friend in a fit of panic gets a voodoo doll of him. From that point forward, more bad decisions are made and hilarity ensues as they have to keep Tyler’s doll safe (something that’s not as easy as it may seem). Along with Tyler’s girlfriend, they come across a gang of thugs, a family that’s a cross between the Leave it to Beaver family and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre family, a zombie, and a slightly deranged taxi driver in order to reverse the curse.
After reading this novel I have to conclude that Jeff Strand is a genius; not in a Albert Einstein or even Bill Nye the Science Guy way, but a genius nonetheless. He is the best author I’ve ever read in terms of blending horror and humor together. In fact, A Bad Day for Voodoo is the funniest novel I’ve ever read. It was a fast paced novel that I breezed through. There were elements of the book such as a letter written by the editor because a chapter got lost or what the scene would have read like if it was dramatized that ordinarily I would consider gimmicky, but Strand made them work flawlessly. This was an enjoyable novel that I devoured. I highly recommend reading it. This novel will make your day.
After reading this novel I have to conclude that Jeff Strand is a genius; not in a Albert Einstein or even Bill Nye the Science Guy way, but a genius nonetheless. He is the best author I’ve ever read in terms of blending horror and humor together. In fact, A Bad Day for Voodoo is the funniest novel I’ve ever read. It was a fast paced novel that I breezed through. There were elements of the book such as a letter written by the editor because a chapter got lost or what the scene would have read like if it was dramatized that ordinarily I would consider gimmicky, but Strand made them work flawlessly. This was an enjoyable novel that I devoured. I highly recommend reading it. This novel will make your day.
June 4, 2015
Game of Thrones: Hardhome
“Hardhome” featured the first battle against the White Walkers, and it was pretty damn impressive. I’m not sure if this is going to be an ongoing thing or if this was a tantalizing preview of what is to come. Now to the break down.
Arya Stark
After serving an apprenticeship in the House of Black and White, Arya is ready to serve the many-faced-god and the Faceless Men. Jaqen H’gar gives her an assignment. She takes on the guise of Lana, an oyster salesperson, and her assignment is to assassinate a really creepy guy who is screwing over the people of Braavos. The question is does Arya have it in her to kill this guy? The answer—absolutely. This dude is as good as dead.
Cersei Lannister
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Cersei really thinks highly of herself. She thought she was at least the equal of her father and that she was Tywin Lannister’s rightful heir, but she isn’t even close. Tywin would never have gotten caught up in this mess. If King Tommen had a spine, he would send in his army to kill off the Sparrows, but as explained in the show, he isn’t taken this too well. I can’t say as I feel bad for Cersei. You reap what you sew.
Sansa Stark
Wow, we actually saw some emotion out of Sansa. The scene was certainly predictable, that Reek/Theon Grayjoy would tell her that Bran and Rickon aren’t actually dead, that it was two other boys who got burnt to a crisp. I generally dislike any scene that these two characters are involved in, but I actually liked this one. Theon is starting to break free from Ramsay’s hold, albeit slowly. Speaking of that evil bastard (pun fully intended), a war is brewing between the Boltons and Stannis. My guess is that Ramsay’s plan will work and they will defeat Stannis. Stannis could have learned a lesson from the Germans in World War 2 fighting in Russia in horrible conditions that they were not used to. It’s not going to go well for them.
Tyrion Lannister
Great interaction between Tyrion and Daenerys. He gave her some sound advice concerning Ser Jorah Mormont. She shouldn’t kill him because he is devoted to her, but she can’t trust him either so he has to go. Also, the fighting pits are a good idea. Daenerys showed good wisdom in keeping on Tyrion as an advisor instead of killing him. As for the gray-scaled Jorah, I’m not sure what he’s trying to accomplish going back to the fighting pits. It seems as if they want to keep him involved in the story line, but the writers aren’t sure what to do with him
Jon Snow
All I can say is wow. Beyond the battle with the White Walkers, I enjoyed Jon’s plea in trying to get the Wildlings to join them. It was as an impassioned plea, and also realistic that not everyone would want to join. Jon and Tormund seem to have developed a strong bond, which will be needed to get the Wildlings to join him. And then there was the battle scene with the White Walkers, which was pretty over the top and awesome. The fighting was just so intense. I loved the giant swatting away the White Walkers. We also find out that Valyrian steel works fine in killing them as Jon found out in his epic fight with the white-bearded Walker. I loved the ending scene after the Wildling dead rose and became White Walkers. I think Jon was left with the same feeling that I had—how in the hell are they actually going to defeat these creatures? It seems like Mission Impossible, but I have faith in Jon Snow, who seems like Westeros’s only hope at surviving this.
Great episode. Can’t wait for the next two.
Arya Stark
After serving an apprenticeship in the House of Black and White, Arya is ready to serve the many-faced-god and the Faceless Men. Jaqen H’gar gives her an assignment. She takes on the guise of Lana, an oyster salesperson, and her assignment is to assassinate a really creepy guy who is screwing over the people of Braavos. The question is does Arya have it in her to kill this guy? The answer—absolutely. This dude is as good as dead.
Cersei Lannister
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Cersei really thinks highly of herself. She thought she was at least the equal of her father and that she was Tywin Lannister’s rightful heir, but she isn’t even close. Tywin would never have gotten caught up in this mess. If King Tommen had a spine, he would send in his army to kill off the Sparrows, but as explained in the show, he isn’t taken this too well. I can’t say as I feel bad for Cersei. You reap what you sew.
Sansa Stark
Wow, we actually saw some emotion out of Sansa. The scene was certainly predictable, that Reek/Theon Grayjoy would tell her that Bran and Rickon aren’t actually dead, that it was two other boys who got burnt to a crisp. I generally dislike any scene that these two characters are involved in, but I actually liked this one. Theon is starting to break free from Ramsay’s hold, albeit slowly. Speaking of that evil bastard (pun fully intended), a war is brewing between the Boltons and Stannis. My guess is that Ramsay’s plan will work and they will defeat Stannis. Stannis could have learned a lesson from the Germans in World War 2 fighting in Russia in horrible conditions that they were not used to. It’s not going to go well for them.
Tyrion Lannister
Great interaction between Tyrion and Daenerys. He gave her some sound advice concerning Ser Jorah Mormont. She shouldn’t kill him because he is devoted to her, but she can’t trust him either so he has to go. Also, the fighting pits are a good idea. Daenerys showed good wisdom in keeping on Tyrion as an advisor instead of killing him. As for the gray-scaled Jorah, I’m not sure what he’s trying to accomplish going back to the fighting pits. It seems as if they want to keep him involved in the story line, but the writers aren’t sure what to do with him
Jon Snow
All I can say is wow. Beyond the battle with the White Walkers, I enjoyed Jon’s plea in trying to get the Wildlings to join them. It was as an impassioned plea, and also realistic that not everyone would want to join. Jon and Tormund seem to have developed a strong bond, which will be needed to get the Wildlings to join him. And then there was the battle scene with the White Walkers, which was pretty over the top and awesome. The fighting was just so intense. I loved the giant swatting away the White Walkers. We also find out that Valyrian steel works fine in killing them as Jon found out in his epic fight with the white-bearded Walker. I loved the ending scene after the Wildling dead rose and became White Walkers. I think Jon was left with the same feeling that I had—how in the hell are they actually going to defeat these creatures? It seems like Mission Impossible, but I have faith in Jon Snow, who seems like Westeros’s only hope at surviving this.
Great episode. Can’t wait for the next two.
May 28, 2015
Movie Review: Mad Max Fury Road
I had heard so many positive reviews and praise heaped upon Mad Max Fury Road that it was hard not to have high expectations. Although I enjoyed the movie and thought it was well done, I don’t think it was quite worthy of the hype. The movie starts off with Max taken captive in a post-apocalyptic desert wasteland. Immotan Joe is the leader of the Citadel. He lives high in the hog while the common people live in utter squalor. Every so often he bestows his generosity by dumping water onto them.
After this intro, the movie is basically one long car chase through the barren wasteland of this world. It starts when Furiosa, expertly played by Charlize Theron, takes a massive war rig to collect gasoline, but Furiosa abandons her orders and instead has taken Immortan Joe’s five wives and plans on bringing them to freedom and the home of Furiosa’s childhood. Immortan Joe sends his War Boys after Furiosa including Nux, and his prisoner Max, who Nux straps onto his vehicle during the chase. After going into a wild looking sandstorm Max escapes and joins Furiosa in an uneasy alliance. Max and company are chased with improbable odds of survival considering how many enemy vehicles are chasing them.
There was a lot to like about the movie. The action, the stunts, the special effects (non-CGI) are pretty amazing. The movie goes at a non-stop pace, which makes for an enjoyable ride (pun fully intended). On the downside, there were many things in the movie that weren’t well explained or just plain odd. Although Charlize Theron’s performance was impressive, the same can’t be said about Max, played by Tom Hardy, who is no Mel Gibson. The plot itself lacked in complexity and intricacy. Ultimately, I liked the movie but didn’t love it.
After this intro, the movie is basically one long car chase through the barren wasteland of this world. It starts when Furiosa, expertly played by Charlize Theron, takes a massive war rig to collect gasoline, but Furiosa abandons her orders and instead has taken Immortan Joe’s five wives and plans on bringing them to freedom and the home of Furiosa’s childhood. Immortan Joe sends his War Boys after Furiosa including Nux, and his prisoner Max, who Nux straps onto his vehicle during the chase. After going into a wild looking sandstorm Max escapes and joins Furiosa in an uneasy alliance. Max and company are chased with improbable odds of survival considering how many enemy vehicles are chasing them.
There was a lot to like about the movie. The action, the stunts, the special effects (non-CGI) are pretty amazing. The movie goes at a non-stop pace, which makes for an enjoyable ride (pun fully intended). On the downside, there were many things in the movie that weren’t well explained or just plain odd. Although Charlize Theron’s performance was impressive, the same can’t be said about Max, played by Tom Hardy, who is no Mel Gibson. The plot itself lacked in complexity and intricacy. Ultimately, I liked the movie but didn’t love it.
May 25, 2015
Game of Thrones: The Gift
Last week’s episode was a bit of a disappointment, but I think things made a turn for the better with “The Gift”. There were lots of intrigue and big moments, along with a couple of real head-scratchers. Read on to see what it all means.
Samwell Tarly
Maester Aemon met his demise in a pretty peaceful way, which is unusual for this show. Sam does a fine job of eulogizing the old Targaryen, but as he soon finds out, he’s out of friends in the Wall. This became obvious when two black brothers try to rape Gilly. Sam tried to stand up for her, but was knocked senseless until Ghost came and saved the day. Sam got his reward for his bravery when he loses his virginity to Gilly. Go Sam. The world of A Game of Thrones needs more heroes.
Sansa Stark
Things did not get any better for Sansa in this episode. She was counting on Theon sending a message for her to get help, but that useless nimrod came up small once again. Theon continues to be my least favorite GOT character other than Sansa herself. The result of Theon’s betrayal is that a woman who told Sansa that she would help got skinned alive. Pretty gruesome.
Jaime Lannister
Not much happened here for the imprisoned Jaime Lannister other than her he got conclusive evidence that his daughter/niece doesn’t know him well, let alone know that he is her father. I also didn’t see much of a point to the Bronn/Sand Snake scene. If she poisoned him, why is she giving him an antidote after mesmerizing him with her nakedness? This was the weakest point of the episode.
Cersei Lannister
I have been saying for a while that Cersei’s bargain with the High Sparrows was eventually going to bite her and that came to fruition in this episode. After taunting Queen Margaery, she is thrown in jail after it is revealed that Lancel has told all. Although Lancel doesn’t know firsthand about her incestuous relationship with Jaime and their bastard children, he would have spilled the beans about the fact that Cersei convinced him to kill King Robert by poisoning him, and then had their own incestuous relationship. The part that didn’t make much sense is the implication that Littlefinger put him up to this. That was what I gathered after his conversation with Lady Olenna, but I would presume that when Lancel joined the Sparrows, he would have confessed of his misdeeds at that point. Although I enjoyed Cersei getting her just due, that aspect was a little clunky and confusing. As weak and feeble as King Tommen is, the only sensible thing is that he unleashes his army on the Sparrows.
Tyrion Lannister
The highlight of the episode was far and away when Ser Jorah Mormont was getting sold as a fighter in the slave pits, how Tyrion made a case that they were a team and that he was a fighter too. Tyrion proceeded to pummel the bejesus out of one of the guards. Tyrion is without question the MVP of GOT. He steals the show every episode. When Jorah reveals himself at the end to Daenerys, he presents her with his gift, aka Tyrion. I see great potential here. Daenerys is in dire need of someone with Tyrion’s wisdom to guide her through. She has been making poor decisions of late, and Tyrion will guide her back into the right path.
Cool episode. Tyrion rocks.
Samwell Tarly
Maester Aemon met his demise in a pretty peaceful way, which is unusual for this show. Sam does a fine job of eulogizing the old Targaryen, but as he soon finds out, he’s out of friends in the Wall. This became obvious when two black brothers try to rape Gilly. Sam tried to stand up for her, but was knocked senseless until Ghost came and saved the day. Sam got his reward for his bravery when he loses his virginity to Gilly. Go Sam. The world of A Game of Thrones needs more heroes.
Sansa Stark
Things did not get any better for Sansa in this episode. She was counting on Theon sending a message for her to get help, but that useless nimrod came up small once again. Theon continues to be my least favorite GOT character other than Sansa herself. The result of Theon’s betrayal is that a woman who told Sansa that she would help got skinned alive. Pretty gruesome.
Jaime Lannister
Not much happened here for the imprisoned Jaime Lannister other than her he got conclusive evidence that his daughter/niece doesn’t know him well, let alone know that he is her father. I also didn’t see much of a point to the Bronn/Sand Snake scene. If she poisoned him, why is she giving him an antidote after mesmerizing him with her nakedness? This was the weakest point of the episode.
Cersei Lannister
I have been saying for a while that Cersei’s bargain with the High Sparrows was eventually going to bite her and that came to fruition in this episode. After taunting Queen Margaery, she is thrown in jail after it is revealed that Lancel has told all. Although Lancel doesn’t know firsthand about her incestuous relationship with Jaime and their bastard children, he would have spilled the beans about the fact that Cersei convinced him to kill King Robert by poisoning him, and then had their own incestuous relationship. The part that didn’t make much sense is the implication that Littlefinger put him up to this. That was what I gathered after his conversation with Lady Olenna, but I would presume that when Lancel joined the Sparrows, he would have confessed of his misdeeds at that point. Although I enjoyed Cersei getting her just due, that aspect was a little clunky and confusing. As weak and feeble as King Tommen is, the only sensible thing is that he unleashes his army on the Sparrows.
Tyrion Lannister
The highlight of the episode was far and away when Ser Jorah Mormont was getting sold as a fighter in the slave pits, how Tyrion made a case that they were a team and that he was a fighter too. Tyrion proceeded to pummel the bejesus out of one of the guards. Tyrion is without question the MVP of GOT. He steals the show every episode. When Jorah reveals himself at the end to Daenerys, he presents her with his gift, aka Tyrion. I see great potential here. Daenerys is in dire need of someone with Tyrion’s wisdom to guide her through. She has been making poor decisions of late, and Tyrion will guide her back into the right path.
Cool episode. Tyrion rocks.
May 23, 2015
10 Questions with S.G. Browne
1. In Less Than Hero, your heroes get their superpowers by being pharmaceutical guinea pigs. How do you feel about the use of pharmaceutical drugs in our society?
While I do realize that pharmaceutical drugs provide a benefit to many people (I have several friends who couldn’t otherwise function without them), I also believe that they’re marketed to consumers in a way that creates a culture of over-medication and encourages the populace to reach for a pill first and make wholesale changes in their dietary, exercise, and lifestyle habits second. I also think there’s a big issue with a lack of understanding of possible side effects, both by health care providers who don’t always have expertise in the drugs they’re prescribing and by the patients who trust that their doctors know best.
2. Do you outline prior to writing your story, or do you work out the plot as you write?
I discover the story as I write it. In technical writing terms, I’m a pantser—writing by the seat of my pants. Occasionally I do have an idea of where the story is going, but I try to let my characters drive the plot rather than the other way around.
3. If you could pick having one superpower, what would you choose?
It’s always a toss-up for me between flying and invisibility. But today, I’m in more of an invisibility mood, although I would definitely want a special suit that would mimic my superpower so I wouldn’t have to walk around naked. Otherwise I’m just asking to get arrested for indecent exposure.
4. What current writing projects are you working on?
I’ve written some short stories inspired by Karen Russell’s collection St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves and am working on several others. It’s kind of liberating jumping back into writing short fiction and having fun with that. As for novels, I’m bouncing around between a couple ideas and seeing which one sticks.
5. Who is your favorite superhero?
I grew up with reruns of the Batman TV series starring Adam West, so the Dark Knight was my favorite superhero for the bulk of my youth. But as the X-Men has become my favorite superhero franchise, I’d have to go with Wolverine. Or maybe I just want to be Hugh Jackman.
6. Is there an overall theme to your writing?
While it’s not something I consciously set out to do, all of my novels are about figuring out what it is you’re supposed to do with your life. In Breathers, it was finding your purpose in a society in which you have no purpose. In Fated, it was discovering your fate or destiny and a reason for your existence. Big Egos was about figuring out the role you’re supposed to play. And Less Than Hero mixes questions of destiny with finding something that matters and gives your life meaning. So I guess I’m still trying to figure that out for myself. But isn’t that why we’re all here? To figure out our purpose? The thing is the older I get, the more I realize that no one really knows what they’re doing. No matter how much we try to plot out our lives, we’re all just pantsers, making it up as we go.
7. What made you intertwine the setting of Fated and Less Than Hero?
Both novels take place in New York City and both deal with questions of fate or destiny, so as I went along and wrote certain scenes, I started to wonder if I could incorporate characters from Fated into Less Than Hero. Once I decided I could, I chose to make the two novels appear during the same time frame (an undefined year somewhere around 2009-2011) and include actual scenes from Fated that are seen from a different perspective but that work without causing the reader to wonder: What the hell was that all about? It was a fun process and one that I hope readers of both novels will enjoy.
8. What advice do you have for beginning writers?
Don’t quit your day job. Actually, do quit your day job and pursue your passion, but just make sure you can pay your bills because there’s nothing worse than a 30-year-old who still lives at home mooching off his or her parents. But when it comes to writing, write the story you want to read. Write something that matters to you. Something that makes you laugh or cry or sends shivers down your spine. Something that resonates with you. Because if it doesn’t resonate with you, it’s not going to resonate with anyone else.
9. Do you feel that fate is predestined or that people are capable of making their own fate?
I’m not a big believer in predestination. If everything in your life is already determined—every choice, every decision, every moment—then why even bother to get up in the morning? It’s the ability to make a difference in your life, to make good choices and bad choices and to have a say in your life that makes the journey worth taking.
10. Your heroes in Less Than Hero have an odd mix of heroic traits (putting people to sleep; making them blow up in size; create rashes, etc.) What made you choose to have such an eclectic mix of superpowers for your heroes?
Since I was writing a social satire about prescription drugs with clinical trial volunteers as my heroes, it only made sense that they would develop superpowers that were in line with a number of common side effects found on the warning labels for pharmaceutical drugs. So rather than developing the ability to fly, become invisible, or shoot fire out of their fingertips, they develop superpowers that cause vomiting, rashes, seizures, drowsiness, and rapid weight gain.
While I do realize that pharmaceutical drugs provide a benefit to many people (I have several friends who couldn’t otherwise function without them), I also believe that they’re marketed to consumers in a way that creates a culture of over-medication and encourages the populace to reach for a pill first and make wholesale changes in their dietary, exercise, and lifestyle habits second. I also think there’s a big issue with a lack of understanding of possible side effects, both by health care providers who don’t always have expertise in the drugs they’re prescribing and by the patients who trust that their doctors know best.
2. Do you outline prior to writing your story, or do you work out the plot as you write?
I discover the story as I write it. In technical writing terms, I’m a pantser—writing by the seat of my pants. Occasionally I do have an idea of where the story is going, but I try to let my characters drive the plot rather than the other way around.
3. If you could pick having one superpower, what would you choose?
It’s always a toss-up for me between flying and invisibility. But today, I’m in more of an invisibility mood, although I would definitely want a special suit that would mimic my superpower so I wouldn’t have to walk around naked. Otherwise I’m just asking to get arrested for indecent exposure.
4. What current writing projects are you working on?
I’ve written some short stories inspired by Karen Russell’s collection St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves and am working on several others. It’s kind of liberating jumping back into writing short fiction and having fun with that. As for novels, I’m bouncing around between a couple ideas and seeing which one sticks.
5. Who is your favorite superhero?
I grew up with reruns of the Batman TV series starring Adam West, so the Dark Knight was my favorite superhero for the bulk of my youth. But as the X-Men has become my favorite superhero franchise, I’d have to go with Wolverine. Or maybe I just want to be Hugh Jackman.
6. Is there an overall theme to your writing?
While it’s not something I consciously set out to do, all of my novels are about figuring out what it is you’re supposed to do with your life. In Breathers, it was finding your purpose in a society in which you have no purpose. In Fated, it was discovering your fate or destiny and a reason for your existence. Big Egos was about figuring out the role you’re supposed to play. And Less Than Hero mixes questions of destiny with finding something that matters and gives your life meaning. So I guess I’m still trying to figure that out for myself. But isn’t that why we’re all here? To figure out our purpose? The thing is the older I get, the more I realize that no one really knows what they’re doing. No matter how much we try to plot out our lives, we’re all just pantsers, making it up as we go.
7. What made you intertwine the setting of Fated and Less Than Hero?
Both novels take place in New York City and both deal with questions of fate or destiny, so as I went along and wrote certain scenes, I started to wonder if I could incorporate characters from Fated into Less Than Hero. Once I decided I could, I chose to make the two novels appear during the same time frame (an undefined year somewhere around 2009-2011) and include actual scenes from Fated that are seen from a different perspective but that work without causing the reader to wonder: What the hell was that all about? It was a fun process and one that I hope readers of both novels will enjoy.
8. What advice do you have for beginning writers?
Don’t quit your day job. Actually, do quit your day job and pursue your passion, but just make sure you can pay your bills because there’s nothing worse than a 30-year-old who still lives at home mooching off his or her parents. But when it comes to writing, write the story you want to read. Write something that matters to you. Something that makes you laugh or cry or sends shivers down your spine. Something that resonates with you. Because if it doesn’t resonate with you, it’s not going to resonate with anyone else.
9. Do you feel that fate is predestined or that people are capable of making their own fate?
I’m not a big believer in predestination. If everything in your life is already determined—every choice, every decision, every moment—then why even bother to get up in the morning? It’s the ability to make a difference in your life, to make good choices and bad choices and to have a say in your life that makes the journey worth taking.
10. Your heroes in Less Than Hero have an odd mix of heroic traits (putting people to sleep; making them blow up in size; create rashes, etc.) What made you choose to have such an eclectic mix of superpowers for your heroes?
Since I was writing a social satire about prescription drugs with clinical trial volunteers as my heroes, it only made sense that they would develop superpowers that were in line with a number of common side effects found on the warning labels for pharmaceutical drugs. So rather than developing the ability to fly, become invisible, or shoot fire out of their fingertips, they develop superpowers that cause vomiting, rashes, seizures, drowsiness, and rapid weight gain.
