Columns

The Building of Worlds

June 26th, 2012

Fantasy fiction, like its sibling Science Fiction, often depends on worldbuilding to be successful. A contemporary tale that takes place in our world depends on our sense of being alive in this present to give us grounding. But secondary worlds often demand explanation - whether it’s how a particular history developed, what kind of creatures exist in the world, what the physics are, whether magic exists and how it works, and so on and so on.

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The Long & Winding Road: Part V - Submitting to Publishers

June 25th, 2012

Recap: The Long & Winding Road is a multi-part essay about my endeavors to get an agent and publish my first novel. Part I discussed writing my first novel and seeking representation, Part II discussed "revision hell", Part III discussed talking to and landing an agent, and Part IV discussed editing with an agent.

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LURID: Bad Trips - Ten Novels With Serious Drug Psychosis

June 22nd, 2012

LURID: vivid in shocking detail; sensational, horrible in savagery or violence, or, a twice-monthly guide to the merits of the kind of Bad Books you never want your co-workers to know you're reading.   “I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked, dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix…” —Allen Ginsberg, Howl (1956)  

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YA Novels vs YA Comics

June 22nd, 2012

Already I have to warn you that the title of this piece is incredibly misleading. If you’re talking about YA Novels, you’re obviously talking about anything from Harry Potter to Hunger Games, but if you’re talking about YA Comics, you could be talking about two very different things. 

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With Comics Based On Our Favorite TV Shows, We Never Have To Say Goodbye

June 21st, 2012

Certain television shows - anything in the supernatural, science fiction or superhero oeuvres - appear to be made for comics. Particularly because many of those shows suffer from limited budgets and relatively low ratings, but benefit from vehemently loyal fans who are reluctant to say goodbye.

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Is This Your Card? How Michael Chabon Uses Suspense in Literary Fiction

June 20th, 2012

Perhaps my favorite thing about Michael Chabon’s writing is that whether writing about academics or comic-book creators, writing swash-buckling adventures or navel-gazing sexuality-discoveries, he knows how to craft a story with a capital S.

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Why I'd Rather Be Unpublished Than Considered "Beach Reading"

June 20th, 2012

Every year, around May or June, booksellers get busy setting up their big displays. They've weathered the post-gift-giving lull and are ready for sales to pick back up again--particularly if they're selling books in, say, airports, where people are still prone to purchasing actual paperbacks to take with them on the plane and, ultimately, on vacation. "Beach reading" season is upon us. Unfortunately, much like "chick lit," just because being deemed "beach reading" may be great for sales, it's not always excellent for the reputation of a writer.

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The Blagger's Guide to James Joyce

June 19th, 2012

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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Indie Bookstore Spotlight: Tattered Cover, Denver, CO

June 19th, 2012

ADDRESS: 1628 16th Street, Denver, CO 80202

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LitReactor Photo Album: Show Us Your Reading Environment

June 18th, 2012

Last month we asked you to share your writing environment with us. Now, we'd like to see where you read.  Is it a comfy chair? A quiet little alcove? In a public park? At a monster truck rally? Where is it that you find the quiet and solitude you require to dig into a book?

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