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Beowulf Is The Greatest Classic Book, And I Will Not Be Taking Any Questions At This Time
September 26th, 2023
Header images: Books, Barbarian There's always someone out there trying to prove that one book or another is the all-time, stone-cold-est, greatest classic book of all time. And they're all fools, because unlike me, they didn't pose Beowulf, which is absolutely, 100% the greatest classic book.
Read Column →Storyville: Tropes As a Jumping-Off Point
September 25th, 2023
(For reference, check out tvtropes.org as it has a TON of great information.)
Read Column →Robert Kirkman's Non-Walking-Dead Comics
September 22nd, 2023
Header image: Pixabay Robert Kirkman is in a weird spot. Because The Walking Dead was such a cultural phenomenon, it’s what he’ll be known for forever, the first line in his obituary, FOR SURE.
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Happy Birthday To Agatha Christie, Inventor Of The Slasher
September 15th, 2023
Author photo: Wikipedia Commons Agatha Christie was born on September 15th, 1890. The author is already much celebrated as one of the greatest mystery writers of all time, but there’s one area where Christie still deserves recognition: as the inventor of the slasher. Whether intentional or not, the horror subgenre owes a huge debt of gratitude to Christie and her 1939 novel And Then There Were None.
Read Column →Storyville: Researching Your Novel—for Depth, Emotion, and Authority
September 14th, 2023
Are you thinking about writing a novel? Do you have the authority to tell this story, or do you need to do some research? Let me walk you through the process on my last book, Incarnate, and I’ll see if these suggestions can help you with your next novel.
Read Column →Why Progressive Kid's Books Suck
September 11th, 2023
Header via Pixabay While I was browsing the library a bit back, I came across a little book: Feminist Baby. I hated it. Not because I hate the politics of the book or feminism or hate women or have strong opinions on trans athletes in women’s sports or hate babies.
Read Column →Celebrating The Ampersand On National Ampersand Day
September 8th, 2023
Header image by Christopher Shultz How often do you think about the ampersand? If the answer is “not very often,” then today is a chance to give this symbol its due. That’s because today is National Ampersand Day.
Read Column →7 Trippy Horror Novels That Will Mess You Up
September 5th, 2023
Ever since watching Terry Gillam’s adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and subsequently reading the novel, I’ve been obsessed with mind-altering substances and psychedelic experiences. Not so much in real life (my body and mind are not equipped to handle it), but through art and movies and music and, of course, literature.
Read Column →The Absolute Worst Schools in Fiction
September 1st, 2023
For many, fall is their favorite time of year. The weather gets cooler, the leaves change color, and the holiday’s keep everyone busy. But there’s one thing we all dread: going back to school. There are the early mornings, the piles of homework, and everything in between. But all things considered, it could be much worse. You could be surrounded by assassins, spend detention in a coffin-sized closet, or face flying demons. To make you feel better about your first day of school, we found the absolute worst schools in fiction.
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