Kern Carter's Blog, page 138

Have you ever read a visual novel?

I admit that I never have. Maybe because a visual novel is essentially a literary video game with still images helping to tell a fictional story and I’m really not into video games. But somehow, I’ve now become intrigued by reading one, or maybe experiencing one would be a better description.

The little bit of research I’ve done has shown me that this form of storytelling originated in Japan and dates back to the early 1980s with a visual novel called Portopia Renzoku Satsuji Jiken (or Portopia Serial Murder Case). It’s interactive in that players need to make decisions that lead to different versions of the story, which I think is kind of cool. And I can totally see how that works with a murder mystery.

This is new for me, and as someone who is an avid reader, I’m surprised I haven’t partaken in the visual novel experience.

What about you? Do you read or have you ever read a visual novel?

Have you ever read a visual novel? was originally published in C.R.Y on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Reese Witherspoon chooses the first YA title for her bookclub

The power of book clubs still exist, especially when they’re connected to celebrity readers. Oprah’s is probably the most famous, but Emma Watson, Sarah Jessica Parker and on a more informal level, Barak Obama, have all had book clubs.

Reese Witherspoon is among that group, and for the first time in its existence, she has chosen a YA book.

You Should See Me in a Crown is the debut novel by author Leah Johnson. It’s the first YA selection from Reese’s book club and the fact that it’s a debut makes the selection even more special.

What do you think of Reese’s selection? Have you read it?

Reese Witherspoon chooses the first YA title for her bookclub was originally published in C.R.Y on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Rappers will become more accountable for their lyrics

Or audiences will just stop listening

Continue reading on C.R.Y »

Barak Obama is releasing a new memoir in November

After Michelle Obama absolutely crushed the publishing industry with her memoir Becoming, it’s Barak’s turn. Penguin Random House recently announced that the former president will be releasing his newest memoir titled A Promised Land.

This will be the third book project by Obama. His first memoir was Dreams from My Father, which came out back in 1995. Then in 2006, he released The Audacity of Hope before starting his first term as president.

A Promised Land will be released on November 17. Penguin Random House is expecting huge sales numbers. They’ve ordered 3 million copies for the first printing. This after Michelle Obama sold over 10 million copies of her memoir.

Barak Obama is releasing a new memoir in November was originally published in C.R.Y on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

What to do when life happens

As creatives, it’s like we’re living double lives. Part of the day, we’re imagining, thinking, observing and creating pieces we hope will inspire even a single person. The other part of the day, we have to deal with life and all that comes with it.

That’s part of the emotional navigation we talk about at CRY. Our careers are unique and demand our full selves if we hope to produce work that moves people. We’ve had so many stories about life interrupting our art. Let’s take a look back at some of our favourites.

LOSER by Kern CarterMY NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE CHANGED THE WAY I FACE MY FEARS by Evangeline HemrickNOT ALL WRITERS ARE BRAVE by R.J Quirk

As you can see, there’s a lot to deal with. And as creatives, not only do we deal with it, we use it for inspiration. It’s a double-edged sword that we have to handle with care.

What are you dealing with? What’s life throwing at you that you’re trying to manage while creating your art?

Remember to follow CRY on IG @wecrydeep

What to do when life happens was originally published in C.R.Y on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Call for submissions — How have you tried to fit in?

Call for submissions — How have you tried to fit in?

I think we’ve all done this at one time or another. We tried to fit into a situation because we wanted to be accepted. It’s a normal human need. We want to belong among others and not have to stand on our own all the time.

For this submission request, we’re going to give a little leeway. Tell us about a time you compromised your creativity because you thought it would get you ahead. In that same notion, you can also tell us about a time in general that you tried to fit in but it still didn’t work out.

We’ll be giving more weight to the creative stories, but we won’t have any problem at all posting the general stories. So feel free to share experiences about either because we’d love to read them.

Same rules as always:If you’re already a writer for CRY, go ahead and submit.If you’re not a writer for CRY but would like to submit to this request, let us know and we’ll add you ASAP.Be as creative as you want in your submissions. As long as you stick to the topic, we’ll consider it.Just because you submit doesn’t mean we’ll post. If you haven’t heard back from us in three days, consider that a pass.Deadline to submit is Monday, September 21.

Please reach out if you have any questions at all. If you are new to Medium, here’s how you submit a draft to a publication.

Call for submissions — How have you tried to fit in? was originally published in C.R.Y on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Eating Disorder Recovery, Relationships and Vulnerability

One Author’s Transformation to Help Others Recover

Continue reading on C.R.Y »

Hachette is launching a free fiction development program

Grow Your Story is the new fiction development program being launched by Hachette. The program is meant for BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) authors who do not have an agent or have never been published.

Part of the program includes having one-on-one mentorship with an agent and editor for up to nine months. Only 10 writers will be selected and applications are currently open. This is for writers from the UK and Ireland exclusively.

For more information, check out The Future Bookshelf.

Hachette is launching a free fiction development program was originally published in C.R.Y on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Touch a heart before asking for a hand: How this dance instructor quadrupled his student base…

Kwesi Sakyi’s passion for dance is only rivalled by his understanding of what it takes to succeed.

Continue reading on C.R.Y »

Recyclable

— a poem of potpourris.Am I truly just another thing waiting for disposal?Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

I’m so used to being used
I don’t mind them for
always leaving afterwards.

I’m so used to being used
I don’t mind their
cold hard stare in the hallway
when we walk past each other.

I’m so used to being used
I don’t mind the ghost
that I know will come running after.

I’m so used to being used
I don’t mind blaming
myself for not learning every time.

But what I do mind
are all the nights I spent awake
with the same thoughts, came rushing through:

“What if …”

and just spending the rest of my days
thinking of what would happen
if the demons acted differently

and what would happen if they’d come again
with flowers on their hands.

Recyclable was originally published in C.R.Y on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.