When people read Catch 22 they tend to come away mainly thinking about the concept that gave the book its title. And that’s fair. The idea of a regulation to get things done that keeps them from getting done, that’s … Continue reading →
Great novels, a low price, and a chance to help a good cause (AbleGamers). When I grew up, stories of alien contact were everywhere. Made for TV movies, specials, and the like told me about Area 51, and the Grays, … Continue reading →
With the release of the second novel in The Telepath Trilogy, Immoral Telepathy, I find myself thinking about psychic powers as portrayed in the movies. Most such movies have … not done all that well. The Fury, The Power, Scanners, … Continue reading →
Blake Snyder has written a very good screenwriting book called Save the Cat.* The idea that gives the book its title is that a gruff or potentially dislikable protagonist can gain viewer sympathy quickly if you show the protagonist saving … Continue reading →
I’ve been trying to put my finger on what bothers me about Agents of SHIELD. Well, that’s not entirely true. I feel profound irritation every time they dismiss the existence of powers like telekinesis, telepathy, E.S.P. and other psychic phenomena. … Continue reading →
There’s never enough time. There always seem to be more books to read, more movies to watch, more songs to hear, more games to play, more things to learn, et cetera. We all do what we can with the time … Continue reading →
So, I spent my last week on the Oregon coast taking an intense class about writing science fiction. How intense? I missed the fact that the World Series started. I don’t mean I missed the first couple of games, though … Continue reading →
As part of a workshop group I’m in, I recently had the pleasure of critiquing the first chapter of a space opera. (A genre of which I may have a few opinions. Ahem.) Within the first couple of paragraphs I … Continue reading →
Recently on GooglePlus, Jason Wade Howard asked the question, “Why do we write Science Fiction?” I couldn’t resist giving a flip answer first: Short answer: because those are the stories that play in my head anyway. I might as well … Continue reading →
I saw World War Z, and came away much happier than I expected. I’d held off reading the book, as I always do when I find out the movie is coming. Though I must admit that in this case the … Continue reading →