Columns

Storyville: Editor Interviews—Shock Totem, Shimmer, and The Dark

December 30th, 2013

I decided to do something a little different this column. I wanted to reach out to a few editors to get their thoughts on what they are looking for these days—what their magazine is all about—five quick, easy questions. I decided to select markets that have not only been elusive to me, for this first column, but also markets that I consider to be some of the best out there. Shock Totem publishes some of the most entertaining and layered horror I’ve read, and they’ve really become a favorite of mine.

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Exploring the Digital Wilds: Expanding Our Approach to Novels

December 27th, 2013

Telling stories is a part of human nature, but the way we tell those stories changes constantly. Once upon a time, neolithic cave-dwellers shared stories around the fire. This transformed into oral storytelling traditions, religious morality tales, representational drama, epic poetry, romances, novellas, and novels. Now the mode of storytelling is changing again thanks to our journey into the digital landscape.

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The 2013 Author Awards

December 27th, 2013

Actors get the Oscars. Musicians get the Grammys. Sportspeople get sponsorship deals. Authors get zilch. Apart from a dedication on the inside cover and (if they are really famous and/or pretty) a photo on the back, when it comes to public recognition, writers are the red-headed stepchildren of the entertainment world. This is a wrong begging to be righted, in which spirit I now pick out those in the literary sphere who made themselves conspicuous in 2013. And not always in a good way…

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Freelancing: The Art of Saying Yes

December 26th, 2013

This is the story of how I came to stand within arm's length of Annie Leibovitz as she led a small group of writers and photographers through her highly-touted, extraordinarily personal new exhibit: Pilgrimage.  But wait. Back up. Hold the phone. This is a writing site. A reading site. Why do you care about me getting to see a really famous photographer? Why am I talking about this?

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2014: A Retrospective of the Year in Books

December 23rd, 2013

Image from The Time Machine, Warner Bros. Editor's Note: As far as we know, Cath does not actually possess a time machine, thus her claims cannot be verified.

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Santa’s Naughty Past: A Look at the Long, Hard History of Robert Devereaux’s Santa Claus Chronicles

December 23rd, 2013

When you think of Santa Claus, what do you see? You likely picture a jolly, round old man with a flowing white beard. He likely wears a red suit and red cap. Perhaps there are cookie crumbs in his beard, a wishful child on his knee. Like the NSA, he’s got a list and you’re on it. Have you been naughty or nice? Too late to delete your browser history. Santa’s seen it. Don’t worry, he’s into redheads too. At least, he’s into one particular redhead in Robert Devereaux’s trilogy of bizarre, erotic Christmas novels.

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8 Awesome Word-Nerd Games

December 20th, 2013

I'm a huge fan of word- and story-based games. Whether you're looking for a (belated) gift for your favorite writer or you're finally getting enough time off that you'll have the chance to play word-nerd games with friends and family, this is definitely the season for playing. I'm going to show off eight of my favorites and tell you why these games are especially great for writers.

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LitReactor Staff Picks: The Best Books of 2013 (Part 2)

December 20th, 2013

Previously: LitReactor Staff Picks: The Best Books of 2013 Part 1

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Book vs. Film: 'A Christmas Carol' vs. 'Scrooged'

December 20th, 2013

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has had more film adaptations than just about any other book in the English language, beginning all the way back in 1901 with a silent short titled Marley’s Ghost.  Ebenezer Scrooge has been reinterpreted not only by live actors, but by Mickey Mouse, Mister Magoo, and the Muppets. Anyone who’s ever watched television around the holidays is likely to already have a firm understanding of the story, as well as who Ebenezer Scrooge is and what he’s supposed to look like.

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Five Failed Attempts to Bring Superheroes to TV

December 19th, 2013

It wasn’t always so hard to do superheroes on TV. Back in the early days, when expectations were far lower, there were a few successes like Adventures of Superman, Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk. Classics of their time, to be sure, but they haven’t aged well. Although superheroes have ruled at the box office for the better part of a decade, every attempt to duplicate that success on TV has fallen hilariously flat. Below, you will find five of the worst offenders.

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