Columns

Required Reading: Hellboy And The Mignolaverse

April 11th, 2019

One of the burdens of comic book nerdom is that whenever a new comic book movie comes out, you get the same question: “Which comics should I read? Number 1, right?” Gross Generalization: No, it’s not #1. With a new Hellboy movie out, I’m sure many of you are wondering which Hellboy books are worth reading. I’ll let you know, but I also need you to learn about the wider Mignolaverse. Because there are too few other geeks who care about this stuff, and damn it, I’m looking to swell the ranks.

Read Column →

How To Make The Most of D.E.A.R. This April

April 10th, 2019

Beverly Cleary once said: “Quite often somebody will say, 'What year do your books take place?' and the only answer I can give is, in childhood.” Indeed, since it was first published in 1955, Cleary’s Ramona series has shown her unique ability to write from the complex but always honest perspective of a child. It’s therefore no huge surprise that “Drop Everything and Read” (or D.E.A.R.) is celebrated annually on Cleary’s birthday, April 12th.

Read Column →

The Shaky Return And Possible Season 2 Missteps Of "American Gods"

April 9th, 2019

Neil Gaiman's acclaimed novel American Gods had a rough time making it to the screen. First published in 2001, it wasn't until the spring of 2017 that a television adaptation finally hit the airwaves. Created by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green (Hannibal, Stark Trek: Discovery), upon its debut, the Starz series perfectly grasped Gaiman's blend of meditative social commentary and fantasy action.

Read Column →

10 Authors Who Should Run for President

April 8th, 2019

Between reality show stars, wrestlers, and actors, it's obvious that anyone can run for office. Need some reminders? Al Franken, Jesse Ventura, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jerry Springer, and Sonny Bono have all been in politics. I think it's time we get some writers in the mix. Hell, I think it's time we get some writers to run this country. Here is my list of nominees, in no particular order.

Read Column →

A Song Of Samwise

April 5th, 2019

Still, I wonder if we shall ever be put into songs or tales. We’re in one, of course; but I mean: put into words, you know, told by the fireside, or read out of a great big book with red and black letters, years and years afterwards.  – Samwise Gamgee, The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien

Read Column →

10 Reasons Why Bookstagrammers are Awesome

April 3rd, 2019

Photo by Emily Rudolph Two weeks ago I had a chance to catch up with Jeremy Robert Johnson over the phone. Besides being one of my favorite humans, Jeremy is also a mentor whose words I pay attention to. At one point our conversation turned to things we had recently learned, and we ended up talking about how amazing bookstagrammers are and how crucial they can be for a writer's career. I thought about that for days after our conversation and even mentioned it to my MFA students.

Read Column →

6 Reasons We Should Celebrate Hans Christian Andersen — 214 Years After His Birth

April 2nd, 2019

For a man who wrote some of the most lasting stories in history, Hans Christian Andersen is never venerated like Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, or Ernest Hemingway. Indeed, his fairy tales precede him and Andersen himself is much shrouded in mystery.

Read Column →

A List of Books I Recommended to Autumn Christian for "Girl Like a Bomb"

April 1st, 2019

I like to be a hands-on editor. Playing in bands, when I share songs with other musicians, I want them to understand where I'm coming from and what influences me. I tell them to check out certain bands to inspire them and help them build off what I'm trying to.

Read Column →

April Showers Bring May Manuscripts

April 1st, 2019

The shower is one of humanity’s greatest inventions. Okay, it’s not really an invention. We just ripped off nature’s idea—rain—but the shower is generally warmer, and it’s easier (legally) to be naked in the shower than it is to stand at the end of the driveway naked while it rains. Take my word on this one. The shower is pretty good for cleaning the body, but it’s got a magical, second function. It’s the place where a lot of us get good ideas.

Read Column →

Improve Your Stories By Eliminating Agendas

March 29th, 2019

Recently, a student of mine handed in a story that was far and away better than anything he’d written since joining the MFA Program here at Arcadia University. In itself, this is not uncommon. Students have writing epiphanies all the time, and I’m always happy to see them. When I asked this student what he’d done differently for this story, he told me something I’ve never heard before from a pupil: he said this was the first story that he didn’t approach with an agenda.

Read Column →