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Father Figures: Father-Child Relationships in Fantasy Fiction
June 14th, 2013
[Father of the Year image via Sherri Osborn]
Read Column →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.
Read Column →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.
Read Column →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.
Read Column →...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.
Read Column →LURID: Boss Prophets - the Cult Narrative in Fact and Fiction
June 11th, 2013
LURID: vivid in shocking detail; sensational, horrible in savagery or violence, or, a guide to the merits of the kind of Bad Books you never want your co-workers to know you're reading.
Read Column →Questions Every Writer Should Be Asking But Isn't
June 10th, 2013
Despite the overwhelming amount of information available to writers online and on the shelf about how to land an agent and how to publish, despite the many exciting and not so thrilling changes we’ve faced in the industry these last few years, despite the many new technological developments affecting how we read and spread the word about great books, emerging writers are still coming to author, writing and professional trade publishing events with the same goal in mind – how can I get my work in front of a decision maker?
Read Column →Recap: Game of Thrones 3.10 - Mhysa
June 10th, 2013
This is going to contain spoilers for this episode, and also for the books. Deal with it. And that's the season, folks.
Read Column →Literature's Ten Most Disturbing Sociopaths
June 7th, 2013
How many times have you imagined smashing someone's windshield with a tire iron after they cut you off in traffic? Or stabbing your boss with a sharp pencil when he denies you that raise yet again? Or conning your way into a carefree life of luxury? We all have dark urges—at least I hope it's not just me or this is going to be one seriously awkward article—but very few of us act on them, which might be why we love reading about people who do. Many sociopaths are charming, witty, and intelligent.
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