Columns

Feedback Loop: Revisiting Autobiographical Fiction

December 3rd, 2018

Autobiographical Fiction: Using Your Real Life to Craft Great Fiction posted on Leap Day in 2012 (2/29/12) and in the almost 7 years since then, I have

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6 Reasons We Still Love L.M. Montgomery's "Anne of the Green Gables" 110 Years Later

November 30th, 2018

With seven television, film, and miniseries adaptations in English alone — amongst numerous adaptations in other languages, like the Japanese anime series — it couldn’t be clearer: since its publication 110 years ago in 1908, Lucy Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables is here to stay.

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Storyville: Finding Hope in Dark Fiction

November 29th, 2018

(There will be spoilers about some of my stories below.)

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Why You Shouldn't Ignore Religion in Your Fiction

November 27th, 2018

"Three-quarters of U.S. adults say religion is at least 'somewhat' important in their lives, with more than half (53%) saying it is 'very' important. Approximately one-in-five say religion is “not too” (11%) or “not at all” important in their lives (11%)."

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The 7 Very Best Scenes from C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia

November 26th, 2018

In the immortal words of Andy Samberg and Chris Parnell, we love the Chronic — what! — cles of Narnia. Ever since its fateful beginning as a present to Lewis’s goddaughter Lucy (yes, he named the youngest Pevensie after her — can you say “adorable”?), the series has been capturing the hearts of children and adults alike.

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LitReactor's 2018 Black Friday For Readers And Writers

November 23rd, 2018

Chuck Palahniuk famously wrote “It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.” Which is why we’ve got this Black Friday column going. See, in order to follow this advice, you have to lose some stuff. Before you can lose some stuff, you have to OWN some stuff. Is it an accomplishment to be a so-called “minimalist” if you never had any stuff to begin with? Will you ever appreciate how free you are without your stuff if you never had any stuff to begin with?

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Celebrate Wolfenoot With These 10 Unique, Subversive Werewolf Novels

November 23rd, 2018

In October 2018, a viral Facebook post introduced the entire world to a new holiday created by a seven year-old in New Zealand, called Wolfenoot. As outlined by the boy's mother on the holiday's official website, the concept is simple enough: It is when the Spirit of the Wolf brings and hides small gifts around the house for everyone. People who have, have had, or are kind to dogs get better gifts than anyone else.

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Dear Mr. Gaiman: Why I Can't Re-Read Sandman

November 20th, 2018

First of all, Mr. Gaiman, happy late birthday. And thanks for all the stuff. All the great stuff. Your work was there for me when I was growing up, and there’s even more still coming, stuff that’s here for me now as a grown-up. A grown-up who ate mini Snickers for breakfast. And a second lunch. Now that we’ve got the warm fuzzies out of the way, I’m sorry, Mr. Gaiman, but I don’t think I can ever re-read Sandman.

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Storyville: Using Terror and Horror to Tell Powerful Stories

November 19th, 2018

In one of my previous columns I talked a bit about the difference between terror and horror, and I wanted to expand that conversation—go deeper and elaborate. So let’s dig in.

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Black Friday: Buy Nothing and Opt Outside!

November 16th, 2018

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Black Friday was a single shopping day that had some good deals. It was a way to kickstart the holiday shopping season, for both vendors and shoppers. Shops put their Christmas finery on display and lit their trees and suddenly the month transitioned from fall harvest to winter wonderland. It was a busy day at the mall, sure, but maybe you were able to get those winter boots for your kid at a great price.

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