Columns

10 African American Authors to Read This Month

February 13th, 2018

Header via thirteen.org February is African American History month and the month when we celebrate Women in Horror. I have strong, mixed feelings about both of these because I think women and black authors should be part of your reading all year long.

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Forget the Love Poems This Valentine's Day, But Fall in Love With Poetry

February 12th, 2018

Valentine's Day is upon us, and with it—for those of us with kids, at least—comes the inundation of Valentines to our children and from our children, with ridiculous Hallmark poetry about roses and candies and choo, choo, choosing you.

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'Veronica Mars' Should Continue…In Book Form

February 12th, 2018

Last month, Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell and creator Rob Thomas did their semi-annual rounds, reaffirming their sustained interest in creating more stories about the former teen detective.

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The 12 Steps for Struggling Writers

February 9th, 2018

1) We admitted we are powerless over the literary marketplace—that our writing life has become unmanageable. When you humble yourself and admit, “I don’t know what I’m doing when it comes to writing, and what I'm doing is not working.” A lot of writing struggles occur when you’re writing to an audience of one—yourself—or you’re too paralyzed to continue because you are focused on the results—publication.

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7 Interesting Romance Fiction Trends from the Past 10 Years

February 8th, 2018

All corners of publishing are affected by market trends. If more people start buying more books on computer programming, then publishers will naturally acquire and publish more manuals. If a female-led thriller becomes the read of the summer (think Gone Girl), then you can bet that agents will be looking for a Girl on the Train or a Woman in the Window. However, no category is more affected by market forces than the romance novel. In no other literary genre will you see trends pursued so doggedly.

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20 Women in Horror: Recommended Reading

February 6th, 2018

There are lots of good posts out there supporting Women in Horror Month, many arguing its merits and shortcomings. There are also many, many lists of female horror authors. I don’t know about you, though, but I find them a little daunting. I mean, it's great to have a master list, but where should I start in a list of dozens or even hundreds of names, many of which I’ve never heard before, and whose books I know nothing about?

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Rocket Launcher Bayonets, Secret Babies, Rock Powers: This Is 'License To Love'

February 5th, 2018

Allow me to take you on a journey, not only of romance and love, but of Vegas magicians and UFOs. Take my hand and marvel with me at the plot of a book that features the most asinine poker scene of all time. And learn the ideal way to read a romance novel (spoiler: 5 feet from a toilet with a belly full of disgusting wine). Make the commitment. Earn your License to Love. How I Got The Book My own stupid life is my own stupid fault.

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James Joyce Loved Trieste, As Do I

February 2nd, 2018

Image via Trip Advisor There is a statue of James Joyce on a bridge across the Grand Canal in Trieste, Italy. A few steps down the road is a bar (coffee shop) called Café James Joyce. It has green walls, a shiny gold bar, and tables set into the wall in front of windows, so you can sip an espresso, people-watch, and ruminate about James Joyce, all at the same time.

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Celebrating Langston Hughes

February 1st, 2018

Langston Hughes photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1936. In 2008 I was living in a minuscule apartment with no heat and a borrowed mattress with a dent in the middle that made me feel like a human taco. I had left behind my country, language, family, friends, and favorite places to pursue a degree. My only friends back then were books, and I paid a lot of attention to what they said. When you have no money, no car, and no friends, books offer so much that you forget about what you lack.

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5 Reasons Why You Should Write a Screenplay

January 31st, 2018

Let's start with a story. A trip down memory lane, if you will. The year was 2003, and I had just finished watching Con Air for the eight-hundredth time. In that viewing, something struck me—something wonderful. The story wasn't over. When Cameron Poe is reunited with his family at the end, we are led to believe the story ends there, but it doesn't. Steve Buscemi's character, Garland Greene, escapes and no one seems to care. He was having fake tea with a little girl for God's sake.

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