Learning the Craft from the best: Ray Bradbury

All those who follow this blog know I'm an uneducated writer. By this I mean I majored in an unrelated area to Literature/Creative Writing/English. I do, however, believe in the power of education, and I do my best to learn from wherever I can. Hence my Creative Writing classes at my local college, and my stalking of writers that have the knowledge I crave. No body has complained so far. I guess we writers understand the need for an intensive study of personality...

Anyway, I've debated for a long time the pros and cons of going back to college and getting a Creative Writing Masters. On one side, I'm a mom of two and don't really have the kind of time I had at say, sixteen. I also don't know how much my career would benefit from it. I know I would be a better writer, but I don't think a diploma will get me any closer to a Big-Six-contract.

Anyhow, I know among you are those who belong to either side of this metaphorical fence. I would love to get your thoughts. Is it worth the time and effort? Or are the other ways (like informal classes and mentoring programs) to get the same knowledge just as effective?

Anywhoo, on a related note... A few days ago, Tim Waggoner (an excellent, successful speculative fiction writer, and Creative Writing teacher) shared on the internet the most fascinating story. It is a short story by the master Ray Bradbury, and it has no characters. At all. At least not in any way we are familiar.

THERE WILL COME SOFT RAIN is clearly Experimental Fiction, but unlike many other experimental pieces, it is logical, easy to follow, and it makes sense. Bradbury's rich vocabulary and expert weaving abilities conveys a complex story where there's no one left to tell it. A true delight for readers and writers alike.

Here, I share with you a version read by Burgess Meredith. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

The Hunger Games: Last Words

A long time ago I wrote a review of each book of the The Hunger Games saga. I also promised I would write a new post where everyone would be able to talk about every detail of the books openly. I know, I'm a slacker, but with the second movie about to open in theaters, I thought this to be as good time as ever.

So, readers beware: This is an open discussion about the saga, characters, and important plot points. All is fair here; we can talk spoilers all day long and enjoy getting out of our systems the nitty-gritty stuff about Katniss, Peeta, Collins, and The Hunger Games. If you are looking for a review of the saga without spoilers, click here, here, and here.

Now, let the Hunger Games discussion begin!

Out of the three books, the one I least enjoyed was the third. Not only we have Katniss hiding in closets for one third of the story (at least), but then Collins deals a terrible twist to Peeta that just ruins him. Prim dies--WTF! So all this for nothing!--and then there's the final chapter... But let's start slow.

How about your favorite character? From previous comments on my other posts, I gather Peeta is a fan favorite. He is the most likable of the whole, and the true hero of the story. Such a sweet boy that pays a high price for his closeness to Katniss. I could not stand to see him turned into a mutt. I confess I did not see that twist coming, him turned into a weapon against Katniss, and it broke my heart because I knew he could never recover from something like that. They damaged him for good and there's no turning back from it.

Prim's death is another horrible blow and makes the story go from sad to depressing. However, I got it. I may not have liked where the story was going, but I understood what Collins was doing. She was following the turn of events to their worst possible conclusion. She was also making a brave statement about war and violence without being preachy and I admired her for that. And then came the last chapter.

For me, that denouement was Collins attempt at bringing a peaceful and somewhat happy conclusion to the story. Through her treatment of the characters, it is clear that she feels bad for the damaged youths, but it is truly in that trying to fix things that she betrays the spirit of her own books. Like so many before her, Collins was unable to kill her darlings. She chose to write about an ugly reality without making it pretty, just to try and do just that with the ending. I mean, Katniss recovering from her crazy period to go on and have a family of her own. After killing the true head of the revolution. Really? In what messed up reality would such an act be pardoned 'due to reason of insanity'? Does Collins know the Che Guevara story?

Anyway, in my opinion the author was very conflicted about the kind of story she wanted and the story it turned out to be. But my biggest disagreement would be with all the fans out there who don't get tired of saying that Katniss is a strong leading role. Are you kidding me? She's manipulated throughout the whole story by anyone who knows a bit more than her. From Haymitch to Snow, passing through every other character in the books, even Peeta at some point. Everyone knows what they're doing and how to accomplish it except her. Sure, she knows how to shoot an arrow, but she lacks the confidence to take control of her life. And let's not even talk about how she does nothing but be the vulnerable, broken youngster incapable of taking care of herself for most of the third book. So annoying!

The quality of the books is not an issue at all. Collins is a good writer and the story--however annoying or incongruent--never fails to be interesting. She also managed to surprised me at least once per book, and I have to tell you: It doesn't happen that often. So, in case anyone reading this feels affronted by my comments, understand that this is simply my opinion. I'm not judging the writer herself, or her ability to write. I'm simply stating the plot points I feel missed the mark and let me down. We are all entitled to our own opinions and I'll be happy to receive all your comment as long as you are polite.

Now go ahead and shoot.

Coffin Hop Winners and IWSG

I want to start by thanking the amazing people who make possible the Coffin Hop: Axel Howerton and Julie Jansen. Their dedication to organizing and visiting everyone's blog shows in the success of the hop, year after year. To all of those who participated, reading your entries was a lot of fun, and the prizes were awesome. And finally, to all of you who kept coming back to read and comment, I owe you a debt of gratitude I cannot pay. I HAD A BLAST and hop you feel the same.

So, the winner of a digital copy of DEATH BY DRIVE-IN, the Coffin Hop anthology, is:

JEANETTE J!!

Congrats!!!

Please, leave your email in the comment section so we can get in contact to send you the file.

And like that October is gone and November is here. The year is coming to an end, can you believe it? For the penultimate Insecure Writers' Support meeting I don't have a sad story or a personal moment of self doubt. Instead I want to direct a message to all IWSGs participating in NaNoWriMo this year:

Source: Terrible Minds

Because I value my sanity and my marriage, I don't participate in NaNo. One day the girls will be grown up and I won't have PTO meetings, Girl Scouts duty, soccer, or swimming. Then I'll pound the heck off my computer keys and join you in the fun. But in the meantime, I'll live vicariously through you. 

Keep writing, guys. Don't worry about good writing, just write. You'll edit tomorrow. Go you!!

B-Movie Coolness

So Halloween is finally here and, as every year, I'm torn. I'm happy because I love going trick or treat, I also love the amount of movies I can watch on TV, but I'm sad that it has gone so fast! So, to go with a bang, the prize today will be a digital copy of the Coffin Hop anthology: DEATH BY DRIVE-IN. It is fantastic, and I'm sure who ever the lucky winner is, he/she will enjoy it. I'll announce the winner on Monday, so there's a chance for more people to participate.

But first, though, I must announce tuesday's winner. Drum roll, please... The winner of a 1st edition, signed PERPETUAL NIGHT paperback copy is:

JOANNA PARYPINSKI

Congrats!!!

Now, todays theme is: B-Horror movies, of course!

Tell me which was the B-horror movie that scared you the most. Does it still scare you? 

In 1986, I was a young kid--and admittedly a bit of a wuss--when my father's younger brother brought home a movie to watch. It's called The Creeps, and it gave me plenty sleepless nights. In fact, this was the flick that started my love/hate relationship with zombies. Don't ask. It's complicated. For one, they are a bit self-involved, but they are soooo driven!

Anyway, here you have the trailer for this jewel of the 80s. Now, tell me it doesn't sound awful-ly good?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL!!!

History and Symbols in Dreams

Well, thank you all for your comments and interesting thoughts on our different places in history and how certain things can redefine our perception of what is truly important. Now, as I promised, I'll reveal the winner. The person who will take a digital copy of the GOTHIC BLUE BOOK III: THE GRAVEYARD EDITION is... *cue drumroll*

Lori Parker !!!!

I'll be contacting you within 24 hours to get you your prize. Congrats!

Now, back to our scheduled post. Today I'm also being hosted on M.C.V. Egan's A Day in the Spotlight where an excerpt from PERPETUAL NIGHT will be highlighted; so go ahead, check it out. I'll wait for you here.

Ready and spooked? Great!

In the spirit of that excerpt, I've decided to delve into the world of dreams. What do dreams mean? It is a question that has stump humanity for centuries. As far back as 7000 years ago, the Mesopotamians wrote the first compilation of dream symbols and their meanings. They viewed dreams as signs from their Gods and would go to "Dream Priests" to foretell the dreamer's future.

Later on Egyptians wrote their own Dream Book. This ancient culture celebrated rituals, gave sacrifices, and recited prayers in hopes that their dreams would reveal what was to come.

Dreams had a big influence directing the most important decisions of public Greek life, through the Oracle of Delphi, and sometimes even in the military. And even more influential, Hippocrates was the first man of science to associate dreams to physical and mental health.

In Rome, Julius Cesar promulgated an edict that required every citizen who had a dream about the empire to talk about it in the market of their town.

Freud, Jung, Faraday, they all defined in one way or another our present understanding of nighttime visitations. And yet, the definitive answer remains elusive. When you dream of a serial killer that's stalking you, is it caused by watching Halloween one too many times? Or perhaps it is your more deathly side, fighting to be acknowledged?

For a chance to win a signed paperback copy of PERPETUAL NIGHT's first edition, tell me about your most scary dream. If you have ever experienced a prophetic kind of vision, do share! As usual, the winner will be selected randomly and announced in my next post.

Don't forget to visit the rest of the participating Coffin Hop bloggers for more chances to win. Enjoy!

Haunted Manhattan: The Algonquin Hotel. Coffin Hop 2013

Manhattan has its fair share of old, scary buildings; yet, in this town being old and scary doesn't mean  a place can't be glamorous. The Algonquin Hotel sits in the heart of the city, surrounded by Broadway, Times Square, and Rockefeller Center. Designated as a Historic Hotel of America by the National Trust of Historic Preservation, from its earliest days in 1902, The Algonquin has been the preferred meeting site for celebrities and literary masters alike.

By the 1920s a group of literary luminaries met daily for lunch at The Algonquin's Round Table, among them Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, Franklin Pierce, Robert Sherwood, Harpo Marx, Alexander Woollcott, Harold Ross, George S. Kauffman, Heywood Broun, Marc Connelly, and Edna Ferber. This group, known as "The Vicious Circle", cemented the hotel's fame for centuries to come.

As the country sank into the difficult years of the Great Depression, the hotel owner, who'd always had a soft spot for celebrities, let struggling writers eat for free. The rumor got around, and soon big names like William Faulkner were adding to the place's mystique. It is said that Faulkner wrote the first draft of his 1950 Nobel Prize acceptance speech while at the Algonquin.

And so, it is only logical that after so many fates where directed from the tables of the Hotel's restaurant, and so many golden days were spent within its wall, that some of its former visitors decided to stay. Forever.

Reports range from paranormal singing in the elevator, noises of furniture being dragged across the recently renovated room on the 13th floor, sightings of Dorothy Parker in the bar, and ghostly steps on the staircase.

So, what happened to me?

Well, nothing, besides a lovely lunch with my husband. We went there during the summer, enjoying of a rare change to go out by ourselves since the girls were in Mexico with my parents. I insisted on eating at the famous Round Table, asked the waiter about the story of the place, and snooped around.

The Algonquin Hotel is a place steeped in history and I felt a special connection to it since I'm myself a struggling writer. And even though no preternatural figures visited us, we couldn't avoid to feel under the shadow of some of the greatest minds ever.

For a chance to win a copy of DEATH BY DRIVE-IN, the Coffin Hop anthology, tell me about an experience that made you re-evaluate your position in history. The winner will be selected randomly from the comments, and announced here on my next post.

Don't forget to stop by the rest of the participating blogs!

Coffin Hop 2013

So here we are again, time for a new Coffin Hop! For those who haven't been here before, this is an amazing even with more than 70 blogs celebrating the spookiest season. On previous years I've gone with real personal ghost stories and a series of themed posts. This year, however, I'm going to take a minimalist approach.

On Halloween day, Burial Day Books will release the GOTHIC BLUE BOOK III: The Graveyard Edition. My story A DIARY OF MADNESS is included, among AUNTIE GRAVE by best-seller author Jessica McHugh, SINS OF OUR MOTHER by Edward J. McFadden, and many more awesome authors.

On top of this radtacular release, the Coffin Hop will also be releasing their own anthology. DEATH BY DRIVE-IN is a collection with 21 of the best and brightest coffin hopers tapping on their scariest B-movie memories. And what's even better: All proceeds will go to Litworld.com to support literature around the globe.

As you see I have plenty of reason to be happy this All Hallows Eve, besides the candy and horror flicks. So, the deal is this: I'll write three posts for the hop, each one will prompt you to comment on the specific theme of the day. One visitors will be selected randomly and announced on the following post. The prizes are a copy of my novel PERPETUAL NIGHT, a copy of the Coffin Hop's anthology, and a surprise book that I'll announce later on (One book for each post/winner).

So boys and girls, drop by as frequently as you can during the next week, enjoy, comment, and maybe win a book!!

Now, remember there are several contests running through out the week, so you might want to visit the rest of the participating blogs. I assure you, you will not leave with empty hands.

Let the fun begin!!