Columns

Comic Book vs. Film: Man of Steel vs. Superman Unchained

June 20th, 2013

Let's start with a disclaimer. This is not a "traditional" book vs. film piece. Because not only are we looking at a comic book, we are comparing it to a film that is not an adaptation of a specific work, a film that draws from many different ongoing works. Still, I believe it's a worthy comparison to make because two major Superman efforts were delivered last week: Zack Snyder's Man of Steel film and Scott Snyder and Jim Lee's Superman Unchained comic book.

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Why The F*ck Aren't You Reading Scott Phillips?

June 19th, 2013

Before we get started, a quick word of warning: the opening paragraphs of this column contain a SPOILER. But for me, the vaguely described passage from the final chapter of The Ice Harvest by Scott Phillips is the very definition of noir and the core of Phillips as a storyteller. So, if you're a "only the destination matters" type of reader, go ahead and skim past the first parts.

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The 7 Cardinal Virtues of Successful Writers

June 19th, 2013

While the seven deadly sins are generally agreed upon, there are many lists of life's most important virtues. Today I will bring you another such list: Here are the seven cardinal virtues of successful writers. 1) DILIGENCE for regular writing I've said it before and I will keep saying it until it gets stuck on loop in your own head: To be a writer, what you have to do is write. Everything else you need to know can be picked up along the way.

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Wasteland Gems: Fiction's Post-Apocalyptic Top 10

June 18th, 2013

This month sees the release of two post-apocalyptic films: the thriller World War Z and the comedy This is the End, proving that audiences still have an appetite for end-of-the-world fare. If anything, its popularity seems to be increasing. Television shows like Revolution, Falling Skies, and Defiance are all recent productions. Games like Fallout and Borderlands continue to sell well.

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Digital Longhand: 4 Handwriting Tips for Tablets

June 17th, 2013

Some may argue that the ascension of the almighty word processor has rendered the longhand writer a near-extinct specimen, a dinosaur clinging to old ways, stubbornly refusing to get with the times. However, writing longhand can provide a deeper connection to your work—it may be a slower method, but for me that means it's more deliberate. My stories run less of a risk of becoming stream-of-consciousness, nonsensical journeys into the wholly unleashed imagination when writing by hand.

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Father Figures: Father-Child Relationships in Fantasy Fiction

June 14th, 2013

[Father of the Year image via Sherri Osborn]

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Storyville: 3 Essential Books You Should Read in Every Major Genre

June 14th, 2013

This list is entirely subjective, based on books that I’ve read over the years. But what they all have in common is that they’ve stayed with me. Many of these titles I’ve read over and over again. Some are touchstones, lodestones that I reference when I get blocked, bowing at the feet of masters that have taught me everything I’ve ever learned about what makes compelling fiction. I’m hoping that you’ve read most of these and will spend much of this column nodding your head in agreement.

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The Blagger's Guide to Kathy Acker

June 13th, 2013

To blag (v): to sound like you know what you’re talking about when you don’t. The Blagger’s Guide to Literature (n): an invaluable resource for those who wish to blag about books without actually reading them.

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Cum for Bigfoot: A Sexy Self Publishing Success Story

June 12th, 2013

When I decided to write a silly camping story with a vacuous teenage girl as the protagonist, I thought it would be pretty cool to have her kidnapped by Bigfoot. Porsche was rather slutty to begin with, having already slept with Mr. Vandekamp, who was the stepdad of one of the teen boys on the trip, the night before. Luckily, this story was written in the erotica genre, which allowed me to describe all the ins and outs in glorious, mostly raunchy, detail.

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...and ACTION!: The Who, What, When, and Why of Verb Conjugation

June 12th, 2013

Verbs are action words. Yep, you remember that from grade school, but then there was all that other stuff about conjugating verbs for tenses, moods, and forms…and, well…you don’t remember all that so well.

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