Columns

10 Resolutions to Help Make 2018 Your Best Reading Year Ever

January 2nd, 2018

Well, now that the dumpster fire known as 2017 is behind us, I suggest we fully embrace the social construction of New Year's resolutions and try to make the world better by reading more. Here are some suggestions that could make 2018 your best reading year so far:

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All the Way There: The Best Books of 2017...Part 2

December 29th, 2017

Back in June, I wrote about the best books of the first half of the year (Halfway There: The Best Books of 2017...So Far). Now that the year is almost over, it's time to look at all the good stuff that came our way since then. Here are the best books of the second half of 2017, in no particular order.

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Why Microsoft Word's New Grammar and Style Corrections Suck

December 28th, 2017

Microsoft Word has always been that know-it-all prick that's correcting your spelling and grammar. It HAS to interrupt you while you're talking, and you get the distinct feeling that it's not really listening to what you're saying. It's like telling your friend, "And that's when my dad done died." and your friend says, "You really shouldn't say he 'done' died."   The newest iteration of Word corrects more than ever. Wordiness? No more, says Microsoft. Cliche? Not here! Jargon? Excised. Er, replaced.

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How to Reconcile the Writing Life and Faith

December 26th, 2017

Faith has been an important aspect of my life since I was a child. My family did, in fact, pack everything up and move to Italy because we believed it was God’s calling on our lives.

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The Top 10 XXXmas Books

December 22nd, 2017

Holiday season a little too cold for them bones? Heat things up with some erotic Xmas sexcapades. Just make sure the kids are nestled all snug in their beds, visions of sugar-plums dancing in their heads. Because we don't want them accidentally seeing mommy and daddy's sugar plums, now do we? Enjoy responsibly.

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Harry Potter and the Merry Christmases, Ranked from Worst to Best

December 22nd, 2017

Christmas is in town and everyone’s gleeful, putting up decorations on Christmas trees… unless you’re Harry Potter, who is not a normal teenager. Poor Harry has experienced some pretty traumatic Christmases over the years, since the day also happens to be a plot point that figures pretty importantly in Rowling’s narrative arc.

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Why You Should Never Buy A Writer A Notebook

December 21st, 2017

It’s a no-brainer. Your friend, your mom, your person, is a writer. You aren’t going to buy them a new Macbook. You thought about gifting that vintage typewriter until you tried to lift it, learned it weighs 800 lbs, and priced it at about a dollar for every one of those pounds. No problem. You go with a notebook. Simple, practical. Supportive. Good choice, right? Maybe not. Hear me out.

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7 Books to Read After You've Watched Netflix's ‘Dark’

December 21st, 2017

This year Netflix has really brought their A-game with great television shows like Mindhunter, Ozark, and Stranger Things Season 2. But Netflix’s first German-language original series, Dark, may top them all. Co-created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, Dark has drawn comparisons to Stranger Things due to various thematic similarities, though in terms of tone and aesthetic it has much more in common with the likes of Les Revenants, Forbrydelsen, and even Top of the Lake.

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Storyville: Top 10 Things for Writers to See, Do and Buy this Holiday Season

December 20th, 2017

This holiday season, take a few moments from your busy schedule to hang out with family and friends. Here are some idea of what you can do. Have fun!

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Why Coming of Age Crime Stories Work So Well

December 20th, 2017

Who among us didn't come of age as a criminal? Wait, that can't be. No, no, you were a criminal too. You just might not realize it. Whether it was that pack of gum you stole in fifth grade or the test you cheated on to pass math in junior high, you're a criminal just like me. Just like us all. 

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