Columns

6 Mainstream Comic Book Characters as Written by Non-Comic Book Authors

February 16th, 2016

There’s a reason why Will Eisner championed the terms “graphic novel” and “sequential art” as replacements for comic book: they are by their very natural a visual medium. That, and he was hoping to achieve a degree of respectability. That comes, for better or for worse, when mainstream comic books jump to the big screen, gaining validity in the eyes of some. But while the cinema allows for a fluid translation considering comic books function like storyboards, there have been other attempts over the years at transitioning into more virtuous channels.

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Book vs. Film vs. TV Series: 'Hannibal Rising' Vs. 'Hannibal'

February 15th, 2016

'Nothing happened to me, Officer Starling. I happened. You can't reduce me to a set of influences...' —Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

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Words Mightier Than Bullets: Tarantino on Story

February 12th, 2016

  Be warned, this will be a spoiler-filled discussion.

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5 Famous Bestsellers That Were Rejected (And 50 More)

February 12th, 2016

Receiving rejection slips is a pretty disheartening process, so being upbeat I thought I’d write an entire column on the matter. But instead of providing tips on how to deal with rejection (spoiler: keep on writing, keep on submitting) I’m highlighting a group of famous bestsellers that were rejected.

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Wanted: 8 of Literature's Most Dangerous Couples

February 12th, 2016

To quote Stephen King in The Drawing of the Three: “This is what romance gets you—a noose around your neck and a crazy woman with two guns somewhere behind you.” How “dangerous” something is depends on your point of view, but these characters generally fit the bill if you're a law-abiding human being with a sliver of common sense.

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Book Tour Diaries: Planning the Trip and What to Pack

February 11th, 2016

I am both thrilled and horrified that, in a few days, I'm embarking on my first book tour. Thrilled because, c'mon, that's awesome. Horrified because, what if no one shows up to my events? What if a LOT of people show up and I do something stupid, like trip and fall on my face? What if a stranger offers me candy and I accept because what kind of lunatic says no to free candy, and I end up getting tortured in some basement in the middle of nowhere?  There is a lot to consider here. 

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7 Romantic Valentine's Day Novels

February 11th, 2016

Valentine’s Day and Romance go together like chocolate samplers and roses. And what better way to celebrate a holiday centered on love than with some incredible swoon-worthy reads? Whether you’re single and looking, or attached and blissed out, these seven Valentine’s Day romances will put you in the loving mood.

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Is the Supernatural My Security Blanket?

February 10th, 2016

Six years.  Six years, and eight books, and countless short stories. Six years, and in all that time: everything I've written has had a touch (at the bare minimum) of supernatural or speculative elements.  Every. Single. Story. When I began writing, six years ago, I envisioned myself (of course) writing the next great American novel. I envisioned myself as a Jewish Toni Morrison, perhaps, or at least a new Harper Lee. A woman writer, or rather a Woman Writer. Literary and great. 

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Storyville: Love in Fiction

February 10th, 2016

When I read a story, what often leaves me flat is the lack of empathy I have for the characters. One way you can get your reader to care more about what’s happening on the page, and with your characters, is through love. How can you show us love in your short stories and novels? There are many different types of love. Here are a few ideas.

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10 Love Poems Beyond Roses Are Red

February 9th, 2016

This column originally started with the origin of the "Roses are red" poem. But frankly, it's boring. That thing can be traced back to 1594, which is a ridiculously long time ago. The first flush toilet was invented around the same time, and its inventor wrote a long treatise about it which was, of course, a thinly-veiled political attack of some kind. Because EVERYTHING was a thinly-veiled attack on a politician back then.

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