Columns

Why Giving Books as Christmas Presents is a Bad Idea

December 22nd, 2016

Shopping for Christmas presents is always hard, especially as you get older. When you’re a kid it’s easy: you want toys, and for the most part you don’t have to buy anything for others. But as you pass by your 20s and enter nebulous adulthood, you have to suss out two things: who do I get presents for, and what do I get them?

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The Fictional Wilderness: 5 Books for a Cold Winter

December 22nd, 2016

I'm not really a hiking, outdoors kind of guy, but I love reading about it almost as much as I love reading about haunted old mansions. Now whether you're someone like me, who'd rather read about it than experience the real thing or someone who actually gets out once in a while, there's something here for everyone. Both informative and inspiring, the following books should keep you entertained until Spring comes along and you can hit the trails.

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Finding Beauty in the Darkness

December 21st, 2016

Photo by Jose Purdam A few years back, I went through an Allen Ginsberg phase. I faced some darkness, then. Inner demons, really. Anxiety, depression, generalized melancholy. It was a world post-9/11. I was shaken. Worried. The future felt bleak. Sodden. I couldn't imagine being happy and lighthearted ever again.

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Writing the Crime Scene: Autopsies

December 21st, 2016

A fifteen-year-old girl found dead in the woods lies naked on a stainless steel table. The examination room is quiet except for the buzz of the fluorescent lights and the hum of the dictaphone running on the counter. Your protagonist picks up a scalpel to prepare for the initial incision. But where does she cut first? And what exactly is she looking for? These are the types of simple questions that can halt any crime writer in mid-flow when writing about an autopsy in their manuscript.

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Storyville: When to Be Conventional, and When to Be Weird

December 20th, 2016

Throughout my career as an author, over the past nine years, I’ve often struggled to find my voice. Especially early on, when I was trying to figure out who I was. Who would I let influence me—Stephen King, Chuck Palahniuk, or Will Christopher Baer?

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LitReactor Community Spotlight: December 2016

December 19th, 2016

Most cities and towns have a part of the newspaper that lines up the best holiday light displays so that we can all drive around and see the glory of electric power. Where I grew up, the paper not only listed the best houses, they gave out awards. "Most colorful," "Best moving display," "Best Block." Stuff like that.

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What Works & What Doesn't: "Gremlins"

December 19th, 2016

Welcome once again to What Works & What Doesn't, whereby we analyze a particular film script for its merits and flaws. This month, we're going to take a look at the "Creature Feature" by way of the timeless holiday classic Gremlins—a film the esteemed critic Joe Bob Briggs once called "the kind of movie that grosses your mother out when you're 14 years-old." 

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Fuck Apologies: A Guide for Writers

December 17th, 2016

You're an author, a novelist, a wordsmith. You possess a gifted mind that allows you to create narratives out of thin air. You are the proud owner of a truly unique set of skills that let you create amazing stories and give voice to nonexistent characters. The world should read and appreciate your work. Social media should pay attention to everything you say and do. Sure, things don't always go that way, but don't fret; here are some pointers to help you achieve and maintain a special status as a publsihed author and media personality: 

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7 Reasons Why Posting Politics Kills Your Career

December 16th, 2016

Your social media platform is one of the most powerful tools you have as a writer. It is free, marketable, and provides the opportunity to build a readership if you use it right. The question is: Will you use it for effective marketing or for your personal political agenda? For creativity or career destruction? Good or evil? Make your choice. 

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5 Classic Novels for the Revolution: Southwest Edition

December 16th, 2016

On Wednesday, November 9, 47.7 percent of the voting populace woke up with the worst hangover in history; 47.5 percent of the voting populace woke up ready to troll some Clinton supporters, roll back environmental regulations, and make America white again; and 43.2 of the eligible voting population realized that,

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