Columns

The Feminist Fairy Tale of Captain Marvel

April 18th, 2019

Before it was released, before it had even begun filming, Captain Marvel was beset by naysayers and discouragement. Comment sections, message boards and Twitter were filled with angry men spewing hatred at it simply for existing. And there were plenty of opinion pieces and critical analyses explaining with a veneer of condescension why a female-led superhero movie was a bad idea doomed to fail. It was review-bombed before it was ever seen.

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Library Love: April Showers Bring...Wet Books?!?

April 17th, 2019

Water, the giver of life. And, the worst enemy of your book collection. Ever seen a wet book? They're gross. Left untreated, mold will develop in the nooks and crannies, the paper will wrinkle, the spine will bend out of whack. You will never want to touch or read it again. But it doesn't have to be that way.

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30 of Webster's Worst Words

April 15th, 2019

Neologism is a fancy term for “new word.” While Urban Dictionary has provided the general populace the ability to trace neologisms as they develop, it’s still Merriam-Webster that really counts. It counts in Scrabble, spelling bees, and if you’re ever having a barroom argument over whether or not “embiggen” is a “cromulent” word, Merriam-Webster is the place to go.

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10 Writers Killing It On Twitter in 2019

April 12th, 2019

I've been teaching my MFA students about platforms, social media engagement, and brand recently. It has forced me to think about perfect examples of writers who do the Twitter thing right. It's more than just being approachable and constantly plugging your latest book. If you want to know more, go check out what these writers are doing. Here they are in no particular order: 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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