Thoughts on Living the Life Creative
Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (2012) - Clay Jannon is an out of work graphic artist who stumbles on a job as the night clerk at the strangest bookstore he’s ever seen. It comes with strange customers, stranger books and a mystery that spans centuries. Oh, and he’s not supposed to read... Continue Reading →
The Rainmaker (1997) - A small-time lawyer and his ethics bending paralegal take on an insurance company that denied a claim for a young man with leukemia. Fresh out of law school and with no courtroom experience, how can they win? Directed by Francis Ford Coppolla Starring - Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Clare Danes Why... Continue Reading →
Here’s another common question on the writer's forums I frequent: What software do you use to write your (whatever)? The simple answer is – use whatever is comfortable for you. The writing vehicle has no impact on your writing EXCEPT to the degree that it is comfortable/uncomfortable for you. Remember, Shakespeare wrote with a quill... Continue Reading →
I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang (1932) - Railroaded by a rigged justice system in the deep south, James Allen (Paul Muni) finds himself in the cruelest prison of the day, the chain gang. It is a sentence from which he will never be able to escape. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy Starring Paul... Continue Reading →
The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu (2006) – Set in China during the Cultural Revolution, a military project sends messages into space in an attempt to contact alien life. The race that hears the message desperately needs a new planet, and Earth looks like an inviting target. George R.R. Martin calls this a “...blend of scientific and... Continue Reading →
The Americanization of Emily (1964) – An American naval officer finds his cushy, rear-echelon assignment challenged by his superior officer’s unbalanced vision for a dangerous frontline mission, and a beautiful English girl. He might lose his heart and his life in the same week. Directed by Arthur Hiller Starring James Garner, Julie Andrews, Melvyn ... Continue Reading →
Writing is a planned process, with a detailed outline of the story ready before the writer begins. Writing is a creative burst, inspired in the moment and created on the fly. Does one of those descriptions speak to you more than the other? If you approach your work through the first example you are a... Continue Reading →
The Dark Tower (2017) - In the ongoing battle between the darkness and light, the last Gunslinger teams up with a boy to save all of Creation. Directed by: Starring Idris Elba, Matthew McConnaughy Why I Liked It – Enough of the good stuff makes it through. This movie should be right in my wheelhouse.... Continue Reading →
Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman (2015) - A collection of short stories by the modern writing master. 24 stories that span many ideas, from a re-visit to his "American Gods" universe, to a script for "Dr. Who". Some have appeared elsewhere, while "Black Dog" (the "American Gods" story) was written especially for the collection. Let's... Continue Reading →
Mr.Moto’s Last Warning (1939) - The great detective must stop a plot to mine the Suez Canal and drag the British into an international incident. Director: Starring Peter Lorre John Carradine, Virginia Field, George Sanders Why I Liked It: Lorre is charming as the master detective. This movie presents a problem right from the start... Continue Reading →
Stories Are My Life 