Author Archives: Marc Bilgrey
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MARIE SEVERIN, CARTOONIST AND ILLUSTRATOR
Posted at 2:33 pm , on September 8, 2018
I was saddened to hear about the recent death of Marie Severin. She was 89. Marie was a great cartoonist and illustrator who worked for Marvel comics in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. She illustrated many well-known characters including The Sub-Mariner, The Hulk and Doctor Strange. Marie was also the co-creator of Spider Woman. But, it’s for her humorous work that she is perhaps best remembered.Marie drew for the now classic comic book, Not Brand Echh, which was a parody of Marvel superheroes as well as those by other companies. Brand Echh was published from 1967 to 1969 and was ground-breaking in many ways. In those days (as now) humor in comic books was a rare occurrence. (Ironic, since the word comic means humor.) Here was a whole comic book dedicated to making fun of superhero comics. It’s hard to imagine, in a world before the internet and thousands of cable TV channels, how much of an impact this had. Marie’s drawings were beautiful and funny. She had the ability to capture the expressions of characters including those of her co-workers, fellow artists and writers who made appearances in Not Brand Echh, breaking the fourth wall at a time when you could almost hear the pieces shattering.
When Marie was at the height of her career there were almost no women in comics. (Ramona Fradon is another artist who comes to mind, working for Marvel’s rival, DC.) Marie’s drawings were whimsical, good-humored, poking fun at a genre she clearly enjoyed, and a business she obviously loved. Without doubt, her gender contributed to her lack of recognition. But, to anyone who saw her work, her style was beautiful and unmistakable.
She entered the comic book business through her brother John Severin, another immensely talented artist, known for his swash-buckling adventure and war comics. He hired Marie to do coloring on a romance comic published by EC comics in 1949. From there she went on to color the whole EC line including their very gruesome horror comics. She then moved to Marvel comics where she continued as a colorist, also doing production work, and then eventually, inking, and penciling. In addition to Not Brand Echh, she drew for some of Marvel’s other short-lived humor comics, Spoof, What The—, and Arrgh! (I’d hate to ask for that title by name over the phone.) Marie was reportedly loved by those who knew her and warm to all her fans. A kind-hearted and whimsical woman who will be remembered not only because she was a pioneer in a male-dominated industry, but because her work was extraordinary. The world has lost a great artist.
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A Few Mini-Comics and One Graphic Novel
Posted at 11:34 pm , on April 17, 2018
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Most mini-comics don’t get a lot of attention. They’re usually self-published, and, with some exceptions, not sold in comic shops or bookstores. Mini-comics are often smaller than standard sized comics (hence the name ‘mini’) and are as a rule (but not always) printed in black and white. Many graphic novels were originally published as mini-comics and later collected into book form. Here are some mini-comics (and a graphic novel) worth seeking out.
URBAN NOMAD, by Alisa Harris, is an autobiographical mini-comic that’s written and drawn in a simple, yet eloquent style. It features episodes from the cartoonist’s life, such as looking for an apartment, going to a wedding or adjusting to living in New York (after growing up in a small town.) Don’t let the mundane sounding subjects fool you. Alisa is able to transform the minutia of daily life into satisfying and engaging vignettes.
BURN THE BRIDGES OF ARTA, by Amelia Onorato, is a mini-comic set in the early 1900s. It’s not only a mini-comic but a mini-series, with each issue telling an ongoing story. Her attention to period detail in clothing, furniture and architecture is excellent, as are the characters. Amelia has also done a number of other mini-comics, each one taking place in a different historical era. I particularly liked ULTIMA THULE, an ancient Roman story, but they are all well worth reading.
CONNECTION LOST, by Carey Pietsch, is an autobiographical mini-comic featuring engaging slice of life stories from the artist’s life. She also writes and draws fantasy comics, such as WITCHES, DRAGONS, MAGIC & CATS, which takes place in an imaginary, medieval world.
THE AMAZING “TRUE” STORY OF A TEENAGE SINGLE MOM, by Katherine Arnoldi (originally published in 1998, and in a new edition in 2015), is a graphic novel memoir about the author’s difficult life. She was abandoned by her mother as a small child, worked in a factory as a teenager, and was raped and bore her assailant’s child, whom she raised. The book recounts her harrowing struggle, survival and ultimate triumph over terrible adversity. Her story is raw, honest, hard hitting, powerful, and extremely moving. It appeals on many levels, including as a cautionary tale for teenagers.Check out the new webcomic, Tom’s Tiki Bar, written by me and drawn by Jason Chatfield. You can read it at: www.tomstikibar.squarespace.com
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Ten Things a New Writer Needs to Know
Posted at 3:38 pm , on March 18, 2018
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I’ve noticed that beginning writers make a lot of the same mistakes. Here are a few things I’ve learned that may be helpful to you. Some of these might look obvious and easy. So does juggling, ice skating and hang gliding. They are not easy. Neither are the things on this list.- Keep sentences short and simple.
- Don’t include anything that does not advance the story or help define the characters.
- Be careful about characters addressing each other by name. People who know each other seldom do.
- If you’re writing a story set in our time, keep the dialogue and description informal. If not, you will sound like a Victorian novel.
- Don’t explain things when you don’t have to.
- Don’t have characters tell each other things they know, or should know.
- Explain statements when needed.
Don’t repeat dialogue and descriptions. Many beginning writers feel the need to tell the reader the same thing two or three times using different words. Give the reader credit for understanding you the first time.- Refer to Elements of Style by Strunk and White whenever you can.
- Read the great French mystery writer, Georges Simenon, to see how simple sentences and a deliberately limited vocabulary can be used to tell very complicated stories.
Check out the new webcomic Tom’s Tiki Bar, written by me and drawn by Jason Chatfield.» www.tomstikibar.squarespace.com
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WEBCOMICS WORTH READING
Posted at 9:20 pm , on February 13, 2018
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Are the only comic strips you read in newspapers or on syndicated comics websites? The internet is overflowing with cool comic strips that are too hip, surreal, or intelligent for mainstream media. Here are a few webcomics well worth checking out.
Awkward Yeti – The World Needs Heart
The Awkward Yeti (@AwkwardYeti). These comic strips, by Nick Seluk, encompass a number of continuing features including, a heart and brain that talk to each other, a Yeti monster (who isn’t very monstrous) and a medical doctor. Many are cerebral, some silly, others comment on relationships or society.
The Little World of Liz Climo
Liz Climo (@LizClimo). Her comic strips are about anthropomorphic animals. But unlike many webcomics, hers are gentle with a quiet, understated humor. Liz works as a character artist on The Simpsons TV show, which, by contrast, is the opposite in tone from her strips. Her cute animals are engaged in very human situations and their reactions often reveal basic truths. There is a warm, childlike innocence to her viewpoint, yet it is also very wise.
Incidental Comics – Grant Snider “Thanks” 11/22/17
Incidental Comics by Grant Snider (@incidentalcomics). Grant’s multi-panel strips (often taking up a whole page) are either slice of life stories or non-linear narratives that often have a philosophical aspect to them. They are much like illustrated poems. His comics about daily life have a beautiful quality to them not often found in this medium.
Marc Bilgrey is the writer of a new webcomic called Tom’s Tiki Bar (facebook @Toms-Tiki-Bar). The artist is Jason Chatfield. The strip is about a married couple that own a neighborhood bar, their waitress daughter, pet parrot, and the bar’s customers. It can be read by going to www.tomstikibar.squarespace.com or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Toms-Tiki-Bar-1776628262356792/.
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MURDOCH MYSTERIES
Posted at 8:51 pm , on January 5, 2018
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Tired of gritty, violent cop shows? Had enough of today’s most heinous crimes retold in thinly disguised fiction? Need a show with wit and style? Want to escape back to a more genteel time? If you haven’t discovered this polished gem, it’s not too late to get in on the action.
At first glance, Murdoch Mysteries might appear British, but, no, it’s Canadian. This excellent show is currently a huge hit in 120 countries; it’s only America that’s been slow to catch on. Set at the turn of the 20th century, in a Toronto police station, it chronicles the cases of Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) with great attention to period detail and history (especially, but not limited to, Canadian history.) Murdoch solves homicides with the aid of Constable Crabtree (Jonny Harris) and one time medical examiner, Dr. Julia Ogden (Helene Joy.) Murdoch’s boss, Inspector Brackenreid (Thomas Craig) provides comic relief.
Based on the novels of Maureen Jennings, the stories are all fair play mysteries. We are given the suspects and clues, as is Murdoch. By paying close attention we should be able to solve the cases along with him.
Yannick Bisson as Murdoch
Then there are the characters and subplots. Murdoch and Dr. Ogden are in love with each other, yet circumstances keep them apart for the longest time. Constable Crabtree has an eye for Dr. Ogden’s replacement as medical examiner, Doctor Emily Grace (Georgina Reilly), and Inspector Brackenreid has a difficult relationship with his wife , Margaret (Arwen Humphreys.)
Helene Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden
The turn of the century setting gives the show a wonderful atmosphere. The use of clothing, language, and props of the time make it all appear very believable. In addition, the Murdoch character seems to be something of a genius, often building devices that appear to anticipate later inventions not yet known, such as sonar, the fax machine, phone wiretaps, the polygraph, and many others. There are also guest appearances by numerous well-known people of the period including HG Wells, Arthur Conan Doyle, Queen Victoria, Alexander Graham Bell, Emma Goldman, Jack London, and Thomas Edison. In addition, the program sometimes blends fantastical elements into the stories, such as science fiction and fantasy, while still maintaining a completely believable, logical integrity.
Murdoch Mysteries also tackles politics, philosophy, social issues and psychology along with its crimes. Any way you look it, Murdoch Mysteries is a lot of fun. Check your local TV listings for times and channels near you.
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Sam Gross – Cartoonist
Posted at 6:34 pm , on December 1, 2017
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Sam Gross (who signs his work S. Gross) is a legendary cartoonist. Sam’s single panel cartoons have been appearing in magazines for over fifty years. And he’s still at it! His odd, weird and wonderfully strange cartoons have been featured in many publications including Good Housekeeping, Harvard Business Review and The New Yorker. His most famous cartoon was published in the National Lampoon and involves a legless frog at a French restaurant. The subjects of Sam’s cartoons range from daily life to characters from fairly tales, talking animals and sex. Often his cartoons are in questionable taste, which, of course, makes them even funnier. Imagine Charles Addams on LSD.
Sam is a native of the Bronx, New York and started his professional life as an accountant. After a few years of being bored doing other people’s taxes, he was able to pursue his real calling, cartooning. Sam has also taught cartooning and continues to be an inspiration to younger cartoonists.
Sam’s numerous published collections of cartoons are much sought after by collectors of great comic art. His books include, An Elephant Is Soft and Mushy, Catss by Gross, Your Mother Is a Remarkable Woman, and, I Am Blind and My Dog Is Dead.
If you’re not familiar with Sam’s work, go to Amazon and seek out his books. But be warned, these are not for children. They have adult subjects and themes. If you’re easily offended, Sam’s cartoons may not be for you. For everyone else, Sam Gross is one of the funniest single panel cartoonist ever to put pen to paper.
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Cartoon Blogs
Posted at 5:05 pm , on November 14, 2017
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If you like panel cartoons, comic strips and comic books, here are a few great blogs and websites you might want to check out.
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Inkspill – Is a blog about cartoonists whose work has appeared in The New Yorker Magazine. There are posts about and interviews with cartoonists past and present. There are also lots of cartoons. Inkspill is run by Michael Maslin, whose wonderful cartoons also run in The New Yorker. Michael is married to another excellent New Yorker cartoonist, Liza Donnelly.- Stu’s Comic Strip Connection – is a website that lists and links to just about every syndicated comic strip there is. He has most current ones and many past ones too. If you like comic strips, this is a site well worth going to.
- Attempted Bloggery – This is another blog devoted to New Yorker cartoonists, however it’s not maintained by a cartoonist, it’s run by a doctor. Stephen Nadler, MD is a huge fan of cartoons. He lovingly posts rough drafts of cartoons, notes and letters from many well known cartoonists, plus articles about cartoonists. Did I mention that there are also many cartoons? A very thoughtful and intelligent blog with a different perspective on this popular art form.
- Andertoons – This is the website of cartoonist Mark Anderson. Mark is a very prolific cartoonist who licenses his cartoons for newsletters, textbooks and anything else that you can put a cartoon on. Or in. He also has a very good blog which is usually about cartoons and cartooning. His cartoons are very funny too.
- Hairy Green Eyeball – This blog is devoted to vintage and obscure comic books, and other kinds of cartoon art. Often this includes strange comic books from the 1940s, 50’s and 60’s. This blog is always interesting, diverting and entertaining.
- Mike Lynch Cartoons – Yes, I’ve plugged this blog before and, darn it, I may do it again. Mike Lynch, aside from being a great cartoonist is also a great blogger. This site is about all kinds of cartooning, including, panel cartoons, comic strips, comic books, animation, illustration and graphic novels. If you’re interested in any form of cartooning check out this site.
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MORE IMPROV PRINCIPLES THAT MAY HELP YOUR FICTION WRITING
Posted at 7:57 pm , on October 6, 2017
A while ago, I wrote a blog post on how improv might help your writing. Since the essence of improv is telling a story, and making it up as you go along, the rules of this theatrical form can easily be applied to writing fiction.
DON’T START WITH A PLOT, START WITH A CHARACTER. A plot is a story that involves a lot action. A man steals a car and the police chase after him. That’s a plot. A man who is unhappy in his marriage is starting from character. A good question would be, is what makes a character? A character is a person with:HISTORY, FEELINGS AND NEEDS.
HISTORY is what has happened in your character’s past. Let’s say your main characters is a man. He was dating a woman. She broke up with him. Then they got together again. That’s their history. You don’t necessarily have to tell your reader all of it, at least not immediately. But it helps for you to know it.
FEELINGS are how your characters feel about each other. Do they like, love, hate, fear, the other character(s)?NEEDS are what your characters want. Such as, to stay together, to break up, to get revenge, to be noticed, to be appreciated. It could be anything they need.
MAKE IT PERSONAL. Whatever your character needs or wants should be important to him or her. Some examples: to get back together, to find love, to get divorced, to get married.
KEEP IT SIMPLE. In a given scene don’t keep adding elements. The less that’s happening, the more powerful it can often be. Let’s say the scene is about a job interview. A man walks into an HR department, only to discover his ex-girlfriend is the interviewer. Let’s say that things did not end well between them, but both still have feelings for each other. At this point, beginning writers (and improvisors) might introduce more to this scene. The police burst in. Jewels have been stolen. Someone is having a bachelor party down the hall and a stripper gets lost and wanders into the room. None of this is needed! The interview is quite enough. Trust your material. Play what you have. Don’t needlessly complicate things.
JUSTIFICATION. If you are going to introduce something in your story, you better be able to justify it. Let’s say that you introduce a monster. You better have a really good reason for it being there. One that readers will accept. Even in comic books, there is an elaborate backstory as to how a character gained his super powers. Or why he (or she) is wearing what might otherwise seem like a very silly costume. The stranger the person or thing in a story, the more of a justification you need for including it.There are other improv principles that might help your writing, but we’ll save those for another day. Till then, keep making it up as you go along.
Thanks to authors of A Doctor, And a Lawyer In A Rowboat. If you’re looking for a great book on Improv, this is it. And yes, it’s available on Amazon.
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STORIES THAT HEAL
Posted at 8:28 pm , on September 7, 2017
As a writer, my aim is to entertain. My stories are fiction, filled with adventure, magic, mystery, fantasy, or humor. But there is another class of story that has nothing to do with escapism, in fact, it’s the polar opposite. These are true stories of real people’s experiences coping with some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Reading these can be cathartic and may make one feel less alone. This is the principle behind peer support groups. Listening (or reading) about how people have gotten through emotional or physical pain can help you navigate these extremely turbulent waters. The sharing of experience, strength and hope is very important on the road to recovery. In addition, recounting your own story can help others.
Along these lines, is a new book called Writing Hard Stories, Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma, by Melanie Brooks. Brooks interviewed a number of writers who have written books about the darkest times in their lives. These include the deaths of partners, parents, siblings, children, as well as growing up with racism, sexual abuse and illness.Some of the authors interviewed include Andre Dubus III, Sue William Silverman, Michael Patrick MacDonald, Joan Wickersham, and Kim Stafford.
Writing Hard Stories is about how these courageous men and women were able to survive their trauma and write about it. All of them struggled to tell their intensely personal stories. It took years before some were able to finally pen their books. A few had such difficulty confronting their ordeals directly, that they initially wrote their travails as novels before eventually turning to non-fiction. Whether you’re considering writing your own memoir or want to know how these acclaimed writers kept going through the crises in their lives, this book is well worth reading.Here are a few quotes from some of the authors in Writing Hard Stories.
“We all need a way to express or make something out of experiences that otherwise have no meaning.” Abigail Thomas
“Tibetan Buddhists believe that eloquence is the telling of truth in such a way that it eases suffering…” Kate Bornstein
Though the experiences that these writers went through were harrowing, this book is not depressing. It’s about triumph over adversity. Each one of their stories is a real-life hero’s journey. These writers are shamans who have gone to the brink of death and returned to bestow the boons of their wisdom to their tribe. (That’s us.) Wounded healers, all.
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What kind of writer are you?
Posted at 8:42 pm , on August 7, 2017
What kind of writer are you? It’s a question all writers get. People have a need to pin a label on a writer. That way they’ll know which file drawer to put him or her in. Let’s take a look at a few well-known writers and ask them the same question. First, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the man who created Sherlock Holmes. A mystery writer, right? Well, not exactly. Aside from creating the most famous detective in the world, Conan Doyle also created Professor Challenger. Never heard of him? He was a seminal science fiction character. He was also the literary ancestor of Indiana Jones and thousands of other fictional scientist/explorers. Professor Challenger appeared in short stories and novels, the most well-known being, The Lost World. It was made into a movie a number of times. It’s about Challenger’s discovery of a secret valley where dinosaurs still live. So, Conan Doyle was a mystery and science fiction writer. That’s pretty simple. Except it’s not accurate. Conan Doyle also wrote supernatural horror stories, historical novels, mainstream, non-fiction, true crime, romance, poetry, and what would now be called new age.
Let’s look at a more contemporary example, Ray Bradbury, author of The Martian Chronicles, and Fahrenheit 451. At one point, while he was still alive, his books had this slogan on them: “World’s Greatest Living Science Fiction Writer.” The only problem is that it wasn’t true. In fact, much of what Bradbury wrote was fantasy. He also wrote horror stories, suspense, mystery, mainstream, non- fiction, poetry and even children’s books.
Here’s another writer you may have heard of, Stephen King. Horror writer, right? Well, he does write horror, but does that make him a horror writer? Aside from Carrie, The Shining and others, he has also written mainstream, suspense, fantasy, non- fiction, mystery and crime stories.One more writer, Isaac Asimov. Now, here we definitely have a science fiction writer. He’s the author of The Foundation series, The Galactic Empire series, the creator of the three laws of robotics. If ever there was a science fiction writer, it was Asimov. Uh, not so fast. Asimov also wrote mysteries, fantasy, non-fiction books about science, scholarly, annotated books, memoirs, even limericks.
This list of unclassifiable authors is by no means limited to the few writers I cited. So many writers who have become known for one type of subject, write about a variety of things. People like to categorize writers as if they were produce in a supermarket. The problem is that writers aren’t heads of lettuce. What kind of writer are you? The kind who writes. -
Cancelled Too Soon, a few sit-coms you might like
Posted at 1:16 pm , on July 18, 2017
by Marc Bilgrey
The list that follows features some situation comedies from the 1960s that were only on the air briefly, yet left lasting impressions. These shows were well written and acted, but failed to find audiences during their original runs. Why were they cancelled? In the 1960s, there were only three TV networks, CBS, NBC and ABC. That may seem hard to believe in a world where there are now hundreds of channels and thousands of internet shows, but before cable, satellite, and the web, the entertainment choices on TV were very slim. If a program did not appeal to a wide segment of the population, as decided by a couple of rating services, it was cancelled.
What factors made a show “unpopular”? Being intelligent was one of them. That’s not to say there were no smart shows on TV, they’ve always been a few. But not too many at any given time. TV, after all is a popular medium, and in the 60s, there were a limited number of channels and time slots.
My World and Welcome to It – William Windom
My World and Welcome to It. This excellent show, which was based on the writings and cartoons of James Thurber, only lasted a brief time. Created by Mel Shavelson, (who wrote for Bob Hope and many feature films) with scripts by excellent writers including, Danny Arnold (who later went on to create the wonderful police sit-com, Barney Miller). William Windom starred as a Thurbereque writer and cartoonist, who worked for a New Yorker-like magazine. He often broke the fourth wall and talked directly to the viewer, a radical idea in 1960’s TV. His wife was played by Joan Hotchkiss, his daughter, by Lisa Gerritsen. Comedian Henry Morgan was in it too. There was even animation based on Thurber’s cartoons. Despite winning Emmys and critical acclaim, this great show was pulled.
Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss
He and She, was another very sophisticated show. Oddly enough, this one was also about a cartoonist. Created by Leonard Stern, co-creator of Get Smart, the writers were (among others) Chris Hayward and Allan Burns, who created The Munsters. He and She starred Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss, as a married couple, (who were also married in real life). In the supporting cast were Jack Cassidy and Kenneth Mars., both wonderful performers. Benjamin plays a cartoonist who draws a superhero comic strip called Jetman. This was a funny, witty, character-based show.
Joby Baker and Ronnie Schell
Good Morning, World. Created by Bill Persky and Sam Denoff, writers who contributed great scripts to The Dick Van Dyke Show, and created, That Girl. Good Morning, World, was about two morning disc jockeys, at work and on their off time. It starred Ronnie Schell, Jobie Baker and Julie Parrish. In the supporting cast, were the very funny Billy De Wolf and Goldie Hawn. Carl Reiner was the producer. This show had a gentle quality to it, especially the scenes with Baker and Parrish, dealing with the day to day problems of married life.
William Daniels
Captain Nice. Okay, this show was not intelligent, in fact, it was extremely silly. But it was also very funny. It was created by Buck Henry, who co-created Get Smart. Captain Nice is a superhero parody. The premise is, a mild-mannered (is there any other secret identity personality?) police chemist who gets super powers, then bumbles his way into catching crooks. This may sound a bit tame now, when there are so many superhero TV shows and movies, but at the time, it was quite ground breaking. Captain Nice starred William Daniels (later the voice of the car on Knight Rider and Dr. Craig on St. Elsewhere.) Other cast members included, the very funny Alice Ghostley (supposedly, Paul Lynde was very influenced by her style), and Ann Prentiss. The memorable theme song is written by Vic Mizzy, who also wrote The Addams Family music.
It’s About Time. This show will never be mistaken for a Noel Coward play. To say it was broad would be an understatement. Created by Sherwood Schwartz, the man responsible for Gilligan’s Island and The Brady Bunch, It’s About Time starred the legendary Imogene Coca (Your Show of Shows) and the equally hysterical, Joe E. Ross, (Sergeant Bilko and Car 54) as primitive cave people. The premise: astronauts mistakenly go back in time and are stranded in the prehistoric era. Later in the series, the cave dwellers are brought to the modern world. This slapstick farce is not for every taste, but worth a look. It also has a great theme song.All of these shows can be seen on YouTube, except for Good Morning, World, which is being run on Antenna TV, a cable station. Just because a show wasn’t successful commercially, doesn’t mean that it wasn’t successful creatively. Happy viewing and try not to spill food on the remote.
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WHY FANTASY?
Posted at 10:16 pm , on June 12, 2017
At the heart of most fantasy novels is the quest. The quest to destroy evil and restore order to the universe. Whether it’s to a pseudo medieval world, or a modern city, the theme is the same. What makes this story so powerful and enduring? From the ancient Greek myths to the latest mass market paperback featuring a vampire detective, the answer is simple. It’s a fairy tale in its purest form. Good triumphs over evil. Unlike real life, where evil frequently goes unpunished, and good often loses.That’s the six o’clock news; corrupt politicians, flawed religious leaders, corporations with seemingly no morality. In hundreds of different ways, every day, we’re told that life isn’t fair. But in Fantasy novels it is. It may be a long road, filled with dragons, evil sorcerers, witches, barbarians, demons, and magic spells, but eventually good wins and evil loses. Like the fairy tales that were read to us as children, it all ends happily ever after. And there’s something very wonderful about that.
Speaking of fantasy, my two humorous fantasy novels, And Don’t Forget To Rescue The Princess, and the next one in the series, And Don’t Forget To Rescue The OTHER Princess, have just gotten brand new, beautiful covers! Each book is a separate adventure and can be read in any order.
Both of these novels are available as ebooks from the Amazon Kindle store. >> Click here.
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DEAD WRONG
Posted at 7:57 pm , on May 12, 2017
Many years ago, the great George Carlin did a wonderful piece about euphemisms for death. Words and phrases that people use because they can’t deal with actually saying the real words. So instead of saying, “He died,” people will say, “He passed away.”I was reminded of this recently, when I noticed a few new euphemisms that appeared after Carlin himself bought the farm. You know, bit the big one. The first is the word “passed.” For years, people referred to dying as passing away; now it’s been shortened from two words to one. So, your uncle hasn’t passed away, he’s just “passed.” Previous to this new usage the word passed was something you did to a football or a kidney stone. But we live in an age where passing away is way too much to say. As are the words, air conditioner. That’s been reduced to an A.C. As in, turn on the AC while I get a PB and J. (That’s a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, for those without access to a ten year old.)
Here’s another euphemism I just saw in a commercial for insurance. We see a man, woman and two small children. The camera zooms onto the man as a very serious voice says, “What would your family do if SOMETHING happened to you?” They don’t say what that something might be. It could be that you gained 400 hundred pounds. That would be something. Or that you put on a moose costume and went to live in the woods. That would really be something. The commercial never mentions the word death or dying. That’s too much for people to deal with. But SOMETHING happening? That everyone can handle.
Another commercial (maybe I’m watching too much TV) shows a bunch of people sitting around looking unhappy. The voice over announcer (he never seems to show up in person, in fact he probably passed) says: “Need money for final expenses?” Since he never says what “final expenses” are, it’s left up to the viewer to figure out. It could be a restaurant check, credit card bill, or divorce settlement. (But enough about my problems.) The word “funeral” is, after all, so crass, so crude, so descriptively specific.My favorite new death euphemism is one I heard on yet another commercial, this one on the radio. After you’ve paid your final expenses, you can buy some property at the memorial park. Keep in mind, it’s not a graveyard or cemetery; those places are dark and creepy. They’re not happy and pleasant, like a memorial park. At a cemetery all you have are dead people, however, at a memorial park there are picnics, concerts, and baseball games. Cemeteries are depressing, memorial parks are fun.
Well, that’s it for me. I hope this little essay will be remembered when I keel over, push up daisies (I’d rather push up petunias) and go off to that big writer’s room in the sky.
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BERNIE WRIGHTSON – ILLUSTRATOR
Posted at 10:54 pm , on April 9, 2017
One of the worst things about getting older is learning of the death of people you admire. Bernie Wrightson, who recently died at the (I think, young) age of 68, was one of those people. Bernie was a great illustrator and comic book artist. He, along with Len Wein, created the character, Swamp Thing, a very human monster. The character later went on to appear in films and a TV series.Bernie was known for his horror illustration, which were featured in comic books, (where I first saw them), graphic novels, and books. He illustrated work by Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft and Mary Shelley, among others. He also designed characters for films, including work for the original Ghostbusters. Bernie’s drawing style was beautifully dark and gothic, yet also, at times, wonderfully humorous. His use of light was masterful. His lyrical brushstrokes were poetic.
Bernie was a kind and gentle guy who frequently encouraged young artists, giving of his time and expertise.
Bernie’s drawings will be loved as long as there are people who appreciate extraordinary art.
Illustrations copyright Bernie Wrightson and DC Comics
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TEN POPULAR WRITING MYTHS
Posted at 3:11 pm , on March 7, 2017
Writing and publishing is a field fraught with false beliefs, half truths and outright lies that are accepted as reality. Usually those that know the least are the most vocal. One of the worst myths is that writing is easy and anyone can do it. It’s not. Writing is hard work and takes years to master. Here are a few other myths about writing debunked.- To succeed as a writer you must be really, really good.
Not true. You just have to be professional and competent. There are plenty of mediocre writers making a great living.
- Writers are born not made.
Not true. I know of no baby writers. Writing requires much reading and plenty of life experience. - Almost no one can make a living at just writing.
Not true. There are plenty of writers (often writing in a genre) who do very well financially. If you insist on only writing literary fiction, consider also teaching. - The best selling genre is mystery.
It’s actually romance.
- To be successful as a writer you need a lot of luck.
Maybe. But I notice writers that are the most successful are usually also the most prolific. - In order to write a novel, you need a great idea.
Not true. There is nothing new under the sun, it’s just the approach, handling, viewpoint and style that varies. What may seem like a very old idea in the right hands can be gold.
- Ideas are hard to get.
Not true. This is one of the most oft repeated myths. In fact, ideas are everywhere. An overheard conversation, a place, an object, an event, these are just a few of the many ways to find ideas. - It’s good to show your writing to friends and family.
Not true. It’s a lousy idea. Only show your work to a professional writer or editor. No one else is qualified to know anything about writing. - In order to write you must have lots of free time.
Not true. Many people write on their way to work, at night, on weekends, or during vacations.
- Imitating another writer’s style is a bad way to learn to write.
Not true. Many excellent writers began by imitating a writer they admired and then eventually found their own voice and style.
The above list contains only a fraction of the many myths about writing. Here’s one more: If you can write an email you can write a short story or novel. This is ridiculous. An email, whether personal or business, has nothing to do with dramatic structure, character, conflict, action or resolution. An email is a letter, not a story. If you can add, subtract and multiply, that does not make you an astrophysicist. I hope none of this is in any way discouraging. If you want to write… write! Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t. As Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” And that’s not a myth.
- To succeed as a writer you must be really, really good.
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IMPROV PRINCIPLES THAT MIGHT HELP YOUR FICTION WRITING
Posted at 1:35 pm , on February 6, 2017
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Just about everyone has heard of or seen an improv show. But what does a performing style that’s known for comedy have to do with writing serious fiction? Especially, since the definition of the word improv is making things up as you go along and not writing a script ahead of time. First of all, improv need not be about comedy. I’ve seen improv shows that were serious and meant to be. (As opposed to certain comedy ones I’ve seen that just turned out that way). And second, there’s an expression among improvisers that improv is writing on your feet. Just because something is not written down, doesn’t mean it’s not a story. For thousands of years people told each other stories orally. Writing only came later.
People who aren’t familiar with improv think all it takes is going up on a stage and talking. Great improvisers make it look easy, however, it’s very much like playing a musical instrument. There’s a lot to know. Here are a few of the basic principles of improv and how they might help your fiction writing. These can be applied to both short stories and novels.
YES, AND – This is the one that even people who know nothing about improv have heard of. Yes, and, is all about agreement. Have your characters agree with each other and then add to what they’re saying or doing. For instance, let’s say your story starts with a man and a woman sitting on a couch in an apartment. The man says, “Let’s go out tonight.” The woman says, “That sounds good.” (That’s the yes part.) She then says, “And let’s go to a movie.” That’s a simple example of yes, and. Statement, agreement, addition. So what does this do? It moves a story along. If the woman said, “No, I don’t want to go anywhere,” everything is at a standstill. A skeptic might think, well, then the story is about the man and the woman in the apartment. Maybe. But unless they agree eventually, all you have is an argument. And not only that, the story would take a lot longer to get off the ground. Yes, and, makes it immediately move forward.
DON’T BLOCK – The example I gave of the woman saying she doesn’t want to go anywhere is a block. It stops the story. The natural human reaction to anything new is to block, to disagree, to tell the other party why it won’t work. Whether it’s new idea, another way of doing something, or an invention. In real life such a response is annoying, frustrating and can stand in the way of progress. In a story, blocking stops the action cold. If you agree, the story moves forward. If you don’t it stagnates.DON’T PLAN – The essence of improv is spontaneity therefore planning is the antithesis of improv. In writing a story some people write outlines and others don’t. (The planners and the pantsters – named for seat of the pants writing.) I think not having a plan makes it more exciting both for the writer and the reader. How can the reader guess where you’re going if even you don’t know?
THE DAY EVERYTHING CHANGED – Your short story is about the most important day in your character’s life. (Your novel is about the most important time in your character’s life.) The day (or time) when things changed. A day like no other. Good fiction is about change. Whether it’s comedy or drama. Your character changes.These are just a few improv principles that might help your writing. More about improv in a future post!
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OTTO BINDER – WRITER
Posted at 10:36 pm , on January 3, 2017
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OTTO BINDER, THE LIFE AND WORK OF A COMIC BOOK AND SCIENCE FICTION VISIONARY, by Bill Schelly. Schelly’s biography of writer, Otto Binder, is well worth reading. Binder wrote, (with his brother, Earl, and without him) ground breaking science fiction stories in the 1930s and 1940s. These appeared in many pulp magazines including, Astounding, Startling Stories, and Thrilling Wonder Stories. (I love the names of the magazines.) His 1939 Adam Link story (and others featuring Link), was a first in the genre, a compassionate robot with human emotions. The original Outer Limits TV show did an adaptation of the Link stories in the 1960s, featuring Leonard Nimoy. The new Outer Limits show, in the 1990s did a remake of the earlier episode, also featuring Nimoy and directed by his son.Despite writing these and many other SF short stories, Binder’s larger acclaim lies in his comic book work. This is incredible since his vast body of comic book writing (over three thousand stories) was published for decades without a byline! (In the early days of the industry, artists and writers seldom received credit.) It was only in the 1960s, through the persistent investigation of curious fans, that then led to press coverage, notably, articles in Roy Thomas’ magazine, Alter Ego (which is still being published, and better than ever), that Binder’s sizable contributions eventually came to light.
Captain Marvel, copyright DC comics
Otto Binder wrote hundreds of stories for the original Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel was the superhero whose secret identity was young radio newscaster, Billy Batson. All Batson had to do to become Captain Marvel was to say the word, “Shazam.” This instantly transformed him into the muscular, red costumed, white caped, magic powered Marvel. In the 1940s, when Binder was writing the character, Captain Marvel was the most popular comic book in the world, selling a million copies a month, far surpassing Superman.
Binder’s work on one of the most iconic characters of comic’s Golden Age would alone have earned him a special place in pop culture history, but Binder went on to also write for comic’s Silver Age, in the 1950s and 1960s, creating such beloved characters as Supergirl, Bizarro and the Legion Of Super-Heroes. In addition to his comic book writing he also authored numerous science fiction novels and non-fiction books about science, astronomy, and U.F.O.s. While Schelly’s biography chronicles Binder’s considerable accomplishments, it also delves into his private life, including his long marriage, problems with alcohol and his personal tragedies. Often, Binder was experiencing very difficult daily challenges while writing his escapist fantasy stories for children. The contrast is quite poignant. This biography is a fascinating look at a prolific pioneer and the early years of the comic book business.
By the way, the forward to Schelly’s book is by Richard A. Lupoff, author of many fine SF and mystery novels, and co-editor, with Don Thompson, of an excellent collection of essays about comic books called, All In Color For A Dime. This book, originally published in 1970, contains eleven essays, by wonderful writers, about comics of the 1940s, and is a must read for anyone interested in the medium’s history.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
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SECOND ANNIVERSARY
Posted at 9:13 pm , on December 1, 2016
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This month marks the second year of my blog. I’d like to thank my many readers (and there are well over a dozen!) The second anniversary is traditionally cotton. To celebrate, I just went out and bought myself a box of Q-tips.
And speaking of blogs, here are a few cool ones that are definitely worth checking out:
BILL CRIDER’S POP CULTURE MAGAZINE. Bill Crider is a very prolific writer of both mystery and western novels. His blog is a compendium of book covers, movie posters, old magazine ads, celebrities and anything else that Bill thinks is interesting, funny, odd or entertaining. And all of it is. This guy takes trivia to a whole new level. Reading his blog is like walking into a combination museum, library, and nostalgia store. It’s fun to see all the stuff that he tosses into this vast buffet.
GREAT BUT FORGOTTEN, is a blog with a self explanatory title. It highlights movies, books, music, actors, singers, comedians, writers and others who are, well, great but forgotten. The blogger is Chuck Rothman, a writer of science fiction, who is on a mission to get recognition for people and work that has been either overlooked or lost to history. He profiles each of his subjects and also tells you why they deserve more attention. Some of his picks were known to me, but quite a few weren’t. It’s exciting to discover a really good writer, movie, or musician you weren’t familiar with.
JA KONRATH’S BLOG. Joe Konrath is a self-publishing legend. He is one of the most successful writers and publishers of ebooks on the web. He is also among the most prolific. The guy is a one man writing empire. His blog is a must read for anyone who writes, whether or not you self publish or are with a traditional publisher. (Or both! Or neither!) He writes about all aspects of writing with particular emphasis on self publishing. He has a unique view of both writing and publishing worth looking at.
NEWS FROM ME, is a daily blog written by another excellent writer, Mark Evanier. On the off chance that you haven’t already seen this very popular blog, by all means take a look. How Mark writes this much every single day is a wonder in itself. The fact that it’s so well done is even more amazing. Mark’s zillions of credits include, writing for TV sitcoms, the Garfield TV show (and comic book), and the Groo The Wanderer comic book, which is drawn by the great Sergio Aragones. News From Me, has show business news of all kinds, including, stuff about TV, movies, plays, comedians, nightclubs, cartoons and comics, both strips and books. Plus there’s also plenty of posts on some of Mark’s favorite topics such as, TV animation of the 60s, Laurel and Hardy and all things comedy. Especially worth reading are his serious and often poignant posts about his family, friends, people he’s known and his many experiences as a working writer.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
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ABNER DEAN, CARTOONIST
Posted at 2:55 pm , on November 4, 2016
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How forgotten is Abner Dean? If you Google, forgotten cartoonists, his name comes up. (Really!) I hope the reprinting of his 1947 book, What Am I Doing Here? will change that.Abner Dean drew cartoons for the New Yorker in the 1940s, and also did illustrations for advertising. But it’s his eight published books that merit attention. What Am I Doing Here? re- published in 2016, by New York Review, is a collection of cartoons. Though, to call it that is something of a misnomer. His style has elements of Peter Arno (who himself is the subject of a recent biography), but Arno’s cartoons were humorous and light, whereas Dean’s are dark and serious. What Am I Doing Here? is a strange, existential and philosophical look at death, war, class, and the meaning of life. And it’s not supposed to be funny!
I’m looking for someone with a mole on her elbow
Dean uses the panel cartoon format to examine these and other very somber themes. His odd characters wander around surreal landscapes naked, yet have the anatomy of Barbie and Ken dolls. This book is definitely not for kids. But who is it for? Anyone who likes their social commentary served up with a hearty helping of Kafkaesque, Orwellian flavor, with a side order of Salvator Dali and Hieronymous Bosch, in a post-apocalyptic world. To say that Dean’s work was ahead of his time would be an understatement. But is the world ready for him now? I hope so, as his art and writing is quite amazing. He belongs right up there with Charles Addams (he actually makes Addams look tame), James Thurber, Saul Steinberg, George Price, Mary Petty and all the other greats of the panel cartoon. What Am I Doing Here? is available on Amazon and sells for $19.00.
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You See, and You Don’t Forget by Marc Bilgrey
Posted at 6:43 pm , on October 11, 2016
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This essay originally appeared in Mystery Readers Journal, summer 2016 issue. Contributors were asked to write about how New York City has inspired their fiction.
If someone is looking for inspiration to write mystery or crime fiction, New York City is a very good place to find it. It’s almost impossible to live in the city and not at some point be the victim of a crime, witness a crime, or hear about a crime that happened to someone you know. Then of course, there is also the daily barrage of news reports about street crime, white collar crime, and let’s not leave out all the juicy political corruption both financial and sexual. To watch the local TV news, listen to the radio, or read a newspaper is to see dozens of potential short stories and novel ideas thrown at your feet every day, like gold dust just waiting to be sifted through. This is the environment I grew up and lived in for much of my life. (Not including time spent in other parts of the country that had so little crime I was astounded by the peace and tranquility that local residents were forced to endure).
I’d like to tell you about the New York inspirations for two of my published mystery stories. The first is called, “You See But You Forget”, which originally appeared in Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine. The story came about as the result of local news reports about the horrible conditions in buildings in some very poor neighborhoods in New York. Unfortunately, these reports are all too common. There are numerous tenement buildings owned by slumlords that subject their tenants to the most horrible conditions imaginable; chipping paint (sometimes containing lead), leaking pipes, no hot water, insects, rodents and often, in the middle of winter, no heat.The last one got me thinking. (I do that sometimes). What if someone froze to death in one of those buildings? What if the victim was a much-loved older woman? What if her neighbor is a young man who finds her dead and is heartbroken about it? And what if he’s also angry and decides to, uh, let’s say, do something about it?
Curiously, the title of this story was also taken from a TV news report about another impoverished drug- and crime-infested neighborhood, but here the focus was on the high murder rate. A TV reporter asked a resident if he was a witness to any of these street crimes. The resident smiled then very calmly explained the credo of the neighborhood. In one sentence he recounted the mantra of how the scared and defenseless innocent citizens endured daily assaults, robberies, and murders, yet managed to stay alive, and protect themselves and their families. In a single line, he revealed how one avoided the deadly retaliation that comes to those who talk about what they have witnessed. He stated the chilling code of silence that they all lived with every day. “Yes,” he said to the reporter, “you see, but you forget.”In sharp contrast, my other story could not be more different in setting and socio-economics. “The Bet,” (which also ran in Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine), is about two very wealthy Wall Street businessmen. One is in his early thirties and the other is in his mid-eighties. The story opens in a private club. The room our two main characters are in is a wood paneled one, where men in three-piece suits sit on leather winged back chairs that rest on antique rugs and read newspapers, not on their phones, but the old-fashioned way, on paper. The lighting is subdued, the air is heavy, and if people speak at all, it is in hushed tones. It’s in this world that the two men make a bet involving vast amounts of money and a violent crime.
I have been to a number of these real-life clubs (as a guest of course, so don’t ask me for a loan). I have also met men of this caliber. One such club I’ve visited is the National Arts Club on Grammercy Park. This club overlooks a tiny park surrounded by a tall wrought iron gate. The park is so private that, until recently only a few nearby homeowners and privileged residents were permitted to enter it. To do so required being in possession of a key, of which only 383 copies existed.What was I doing at the National Arts Club? At one time it was where the local chapter of The Mystery Writers Of America met. I remember the first time I entered that beautiful and historic building many years ago. It was like being transported back in time to the Gilded Age. A place right out of Henry James, with elegant mirrors, marble fireplaces, antique porcelain vases, crystal chandeliers, high ceilings and opulently framed paintings of distinguished club members (a number of whom were former US presidents) dating back over a hundred years. My first thought was, I wonder if anyone has ever been murdered here? Writers, you can’t take them anywhere.
Marc Bilgrey has written numerous mystery and fantasy stories short stories that have been published in anthologies by Ace, DAW, Avon, Simon and Schuster and others. His mystery short stories appear regularly in Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine. He is the author of two fantasy novels that were originally published by Five Star Books, now available as ebooks from Amazon Kindle. He is currently writing a mystery novel that is set in New York. His website is www.marcbilgrey.com.
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STAR TREK BOOK REVIEW
Posted at 10:00 am , on September 1, 2016
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Star Trek may be the most written about TV show in the history of the medium. Now celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, (1966-2016), there are thousands of magazine and newspaper articles, blogposts, and hundreds of books about every aspect of the original show. The idea that someone could write a book about this phenomenon with brand new information in it seemed remote, and yet, that is exactly what Marc Cushman and Susan Osborn have done. In fact, they have not just written one book, they have written three, one about each season of the show. The books are These Are The Voyages, Season One, Two and Three.Unlike many books about this much-chronicled subject, which repeat previously published accounts, these volumes draw heavily upon series creator Gene Roddenberry’s private files (which the authors were give exclusive access to) that have never been seen by the general public. These files contain interoffice memos, letters, unproduced script proposals, notes, correspondence with network executives and much more. The results add up to an unprecedented cornucopia of inside information, new to anyone outside Roddenberry’s immediate circle. All this is augmented by interviews with writers, actors, and production people that worked on the series, as well as newspaper and magazine articles on Star Trek published over the last fifty years. The scholarship is nothing short of astounding. The mix of the new with the old, often from obscure sources, is staggering.
One of the myths about Star Trek that is laid to rest by Cushman and Osborn is that the show was a ratings failure during its original run. To counter this oft repeated falsehood, the authors cite actual Nielson ratings for that time which prove beyond a doubt that Star Trek was consistently in the top ten. Why do people to this day believe that Star Trek was a flop? Cushman and Osborn explain that this idea was a piece of disinformation concocted by NBC executives at the time, as a justification to cancel the show. In fact, the real reason was that the network could not get along with Roddenberry, and wanted a cover story to use in order to cancel the show. This scenario sounds more like a plot for an episode of Mission Impossible (shot on the same studio lot) than Star Trek.
These Are The Voyages have their share of humorous moments too, especially the memos between Roddenberry and series associate producer (then co-producer), Robert Justman. These highly amusing missives alone are worth the price of the books. Justman, who wrote his own excellent book (with Herbert F. Solow) about Star Trek (Inside Star Trek:The Real Story) was in charge, among other tasks, of keeping the show on budget. His intelligent, (dare I say logical) criticism of the scripts along with his often vetoing of various sets, special effects, and outside locations in favor of cheaper in studio shoots, are often laugh out loud funny. Justman seemed like the ego to Rodenberry’s id, always trying to keep things sensible.Also of particular interest in these books are the accounts of the writers who worked on scripts for Star Trek. The books track the genesis of many now classic episodes, from their original inceptions, to the early drafts and the inevitable rewrites at the hands of one or more of the show’s staffers. The process was difficult and frustrating, especially for some of the excellent prose writers who were not used to working in the collaborative medium of TV. Also of note are the rejected and unproduced ideas for episodes.
These Are The Voyages, like Star Trek itself, work on many levels. They are at once a history and a sociological study of a cultural phenomenon, but they also provide an inside look at Hollywood, complete with all the politics and infighting that goes on during any production. In addition, these books are also a time capsule of an era when there were only three networks and mass media, compared to today, was in its infancy. These Are The Voyages are a fascinating reading experience and a must for any serious fan of the show.
A few other excellent books about Star Trek, well worth reading:
The Making Of Star Trek, by Stephen E. Whitfield, is the granddaddy of not only Star Trek books, but all books about TV production. This book was first published when Star Trek was still on the air, and offers a unique portrait of the show, in its preproduction and first and second seasons.
The World Of Star Trek and The Trouble With Tribbles, both by David Gerrold, a wonderful writer of his own (non-Star Trek) novels, and short stories. The World Of Star Trek has excellent insights, ideas, and observations about the show. The Trouble With Tribbles, is a great memoir of his experience writing that excellent episode and seeing it through to the actual production. A unique and one of a kind book.
The Longest Trek: My Tour Of The Galaxy, by Grace Lee Whitney. Written by the woman who played Yeoman Rand during the first season of Star Trek, this honest and often heart-breaking book stands out from others because of its brutal portrayal of a life with incredible triumphs and equally horrible losses. Whitney tells of her journey from successful singer, film and TV actress, to her decline into alcoholism, drug addiction and homelessness. Her rise back to sobriety, and success over adversity is truly inspiring. As much as The Longest Trek is a behind the scenes show business story, it is also an important book on recovery, healing, faith and one woman’s struggle to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.
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HUMOROUS FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION AUTHORS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW (BUT MAY GROW TO LOVE)
Posted at 10:00 am , on August 1, 2016
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You’ve read all of Douglas Adams, Terry Prachett, Piers Anthony and Robert Asprin, so what do you do now? I’m glad you asked! Here are a few other authors who wrote very funny fantasy and science fiction books you might also like.Robert Sheckley wrote hilarious science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories years before Douglas Adams. In fact, Douglas Adams said, “Sheckley is one of the great funny writers.” Read MindSwap, a funny SF novel or any of Sheckley’s many other novels or collections of short stories such as, Untouched By Human Hands, or, Do You Feel Anything When I Do This? Sheckley’s work is witty, surreal, satirical and always funny.
John Collier wrote what might be called magical realism before the term existed. Or maybe he wrote contemporary fantasy, slipstream or fabulist fiction. Don’t worry about the labels just read one of his collections of short stories like Fancies and GoodNights. If you like stories set in our world with magic, all told in a dry but always funny way try him. Neil Gaiman loves his work and you will too.
William F. Nolan, the co-author (with George Clayton Johnson) of the science fiction classic, Logan’s Run, also wrote (and writes) very funny short stories and novels. Check out the Sam Space series. These laugh out loud stories and novels are about a wise cracking private eye that works out of a seedy office on Mars. Imagine Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe in outer space and you get the idea. Try the collection, Seven For Space, or the novel, Look Out For Space. (For more about William F. Nolan read my January 16, 2015 blog post on him at www.marcbilgrey.com)
Roald Dahl, the children’s book author writes funny novels? Oh, I’m not talking about his books for kids; I’m referring to his short stories for adults. These are humorous in an ironic and sardonic way. Dahl’s stories range from dark fantasy to horror to crime to just plain weird. All his tales are creepy and filled with macabre humor that makes the Addams family look tame. Try his collections, Kiss Kiss, and Switch Bitch. These books are definitely not for children.Now don’t tell me that you have nothing to read!
Marc Bilgrey is the author of two humorous fantasy novels, And Don’t Forget To Rescue The Princess, and, And Don’t Forget To Rescue The OTHER Princess. He is also the author/ cartoonist of, Cubist In A Cubicle, a book of business cartoons. All three books are available on Amazon for Kindle. To learn more about Marc’s work go to: www. marcbilgrey.com
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WAYNE STINNETT – WRITER
Posted at 8:00 am , on July 1, 2016
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Wayne Stinnett‘s success story is not sexy. He’s not a young writer who became an overnight sensation with one novel. His books are not on the best seller list. He did not get a seven-figure advance from one of the big six New York publishers. His manuscript was not pulled from the slush pile of an influential agent to become the object of a bidding war between rival publishers. But Wayne Stinnett is a success none the less. Wayne is a full-time writer and the author of ten novels.This is pretty amazing considering that, only a few years ago, Wayne was a full-time truck driver. How did this incredible transformation take place? Just plain hard work. (I told you this story wasn’t sexy). While still a truck driver, Wayne wrote a novel and self-published it as an ebook on Amazon Kindle. This book, Fallen Palm, the first in his Jesse McDermitt series, initially sold 23 copies. Then what happened? Wayne wrote another book, the second in the series. That one sold a little over 100 copies. Undeterred, and far from discouraged, Wayne continued writing. More books, including a prequel, followed and, with every book, his sales went up exponentially. Eventually, he was able to quit his job as a truck driver and focus all his time writing. This was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
Now Wayne can spend more time with his wife, his daughter, grandkids, and going out on the boat that his writing paid for. Wayne is not on the top of the publishing pyramid or the bottom; he’s living in the middle. Besides writing more novels in his adventure series, he is also hard at work on a non-fiction book about his experiences as a writer. Is Wayne a big success? I think he is. What is success? To many people success means doing what you love every day. It means turning your passion into your work. And getting paid for it is nice too. Wayne is happy and very grateful for what he’s achieved, and that’s more than a lot of people can say.
The Jesse McDermitt series, by Wayne Stinnett, is about an adventurer on a boat who goes after criminals and rights wrongs, fighting for the people who need his help. If this sounds a little like the Travis McGee series, by the late great John D. MacDonald, you wouldn’t be far off. Wayne cites MacDonald as his biggest influence and inspiration. Wayne has also started another series of thrillers, also set on the water, featuring a tough female government agent and martial arts master, named Charity Styles. Check out Wayne’s books at Amazon kindle and his website, Wayne Stinnett.com.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
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HOW TO START WRITING
Posted at 10:00 am , on June 1, 2016
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I meet people all the time who say they want to write. Many of them don’t know where to start or even how to start. A lot of people are worried about “doing it wrong” or feel they can’t begin unless they get “permission.” They don’t know who they want permission from but they know that there must be someone out there who can give it to them.
All this comes from fear. Fear of failing, fear of being judged, criticized or rejected. These are very real and universal fears. Every writer has them to one extent or another. The problem is that these fears can stop many people from even writing a single word. The fears come from your inner critic. This critic is far worse than any friends, family, or even professional critic can be. This inner critic tells you that you’re no good, that you’re not a “real” writer, that there are more talented writers than you; that your chances of getting anywhere are a zillion to one, so why bother? And other similar negative messages.What can you do about this critic? The first thing you need to know is that you’re not alone. Every writer has an inner critic. Some writers are better than others at shutting this critic up. How do you do that? It takes practice and a different way to approach the problem.
Here are a few things that might help you:
- Don’t talk about your work with anyone before you write it. I mean anyone. No exceptions. I’ve had people ask me what I’m working on and I say, “I can’t tell you.” They sometimes say, “Why, are you afraid I’m going to steal your idea?” “No,” I say, “I’m afraid you’ll tell me how much you like it and then I won’t write it.” Talking about something you’re going to write is a great way to never actually write it.
- After it’s written only show it to a friendly and kind professional editor or writer. No one else’s opinion matters. Do doctors show their work to plumbers for help and approval?
As far as actually getting started: find a safe place to write where you won’t be disturbed. That can be a private room, your favorite coffee shop, a library, a park bench anyplace where you feel comfortable. Once you find this place give yourself time to write. Do it at your own pace. And remember you don’t have to show your work to anyone. You are allowed to write for yourself alone if that’s what you want. Don’t be the judge and jury of your work. Your early efforts will be just that, early efforts. Be okay with that. Writing is like learning to play an instrument. You will not be ready to give concerts in only a few weeks. Be patient with yourself.If you forget about money for a few minutes, think about the reasons you might motivate you to write. Here are a few:
- It’s fun.
- You have a story you really want to tell.
- It gives you a sense of fulfillment.
- You like researching a story.
- It’s therapeutic and healing.
- It makes you forget your problems.
- It’s a way to escape.
- It’s entertaining to you.
- It teaches you about things.
- It relaxes you.
- It’s meditative.
- You don’t know why.
You may have other reasons to add to the list, but you’ll notice that all these reasons to write are for you. Not one of the things on this list has to do with anyone but you. What’s not on the list:
To win love from someone else
To be liked and admired
To get compliments and praise
To get fans
Writing is like cooking. Imagine you’re alone and you want to eat dinner. You select your favorite foods and the ingredients that you like. You put in all your favorite spices. You cook everything and then it’s done and you are about to eat it. Unexpected guests arrive. You have some extra food so you offer it to them. They accept. Some like what you cooked and others don’t. But it doesn’t matter. You cooked it for yourself. You like it. If others do or don’t that’s their choice but it doesn’t change the fact that you cooked what you like. And you still like it.
Write for yourself first. If others like it that’s nice, but please yourself first. Not everyone will like what you write, but make sure that the most important person does. You.
How do you write? You start writing. Do it a lot so it becomes a habit. When that happens, each word will cease to have the monumental importance that it does now. This will take some of the pressure and stress out of the process. You will begin to understand that nothing you write is carved in stone. You can change anything at any time. Your writing is like your own personal friend and support group. It’s a safe place without judgement. Be gentle with yourself. Any place you start is the right place. There is no right or wrong way to do it.If you don’t like what you write you can always tear it up or delete it. Or you can rewrite it. Most writing requires lots of rewriting and revision. This is how everyone writes. We don’t necessarily get it right the first time. Keep at it. You’re in charge. Go ahead, start. Give yourself permission.
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MARIA SCRIVAN – CARTOONIST
Posted at 6:46 pm , on May 5, 2016
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Maria Scrivan’s cartoon panel, Half Full, was recently syndicated by Tribune Content Agency. Maria’s cartoons are a rare combination of cute and funny. Maria’s single panel cartoons are about daily life, including such subjects as dating, marriage, doctors, pets, all written and drawn in her unique style and voice. Maria also has lots of cartoons about technology and how people deal with it, adapt to it or have problems with it. Then there are her animals. These include flamingos, penguins, cats, caterpillars, butterflies, and a variety of insects. Usually they are juxtaposed into ordinary human life.
Maria’s cartoons are filled with bright, primal colors. This mirrors her outlook on life which is clearly upbeat, positive and dare I say it, happy. Her cartoons are witty, clever, and optimistic but never cutting or cruel. This is in sharp contrast to much of the cynical and dark humor often found in today’s world. Maria’s work is life affirming. She laughs with us, not at us. Her view is that we’re all in this life together so we may as well have some fun along the way. Maria’s cartoons have a universal quality about them. They’re easy to relate to. Anyone of almost any age or background can see themselves or someone they know in them. Maria’s depiction of suburban life will be instantly recognizable yet curiously funny. But she also does cartoons about urban and rural life too.
Maria’s panel cartoons have appeared in many magazines including, Mad, Parade, Prospect Magazine, Highlights, and Funny Times. She’s also been on Salon.com and Mashable. And let’s not forget about her greeting cards, such as Recycled Paper Greeting and Nobleworks.If you read newspapers on paper, look for her panel, Half Full, in The Los Angeles Times and many other papers across the country. But the easiest way to see Maria’s cartoons every day is to head to Gocomics.com and also check out her website, mariascrivan.com. for some cool merch.
Daily Panel:WebsiteFacebook:Twitter:@mariascrivanInstagram:@mariascrivan
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JOHN D. MACDONALD – AN APPRECIATION
Posted at 8:04 pm , on April 4, 2016
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What writer does Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Lee Child and Carl Hiassen name as a major influence? If you answered Louisa May Alcott you would be wrong. In fact, John D. MacDonald has influenced generations of writers. Even his contemporaries such as Kurt Vonnegut admired his work.MacDonald wrote at least 80 books, many of which were best sellers, but his greatest creation was the Travis McGee series. Each novel has a color in its title; The Girl In the Plain Brown Wrapper, A Tan and Sandy Silence, A Purple Place For Dying, The Quick Red Fox. MacDonald said that it was done as a mnemonic device to make sure readers did not accidentally buy the same book twice. There are 21 books in the Travis McGee series. the first one is The Deep Blue Goodbye.
If you have not read these novels I urge you to seek them out. It may be that MacDonald is not as well known to current readers because he refused to let these books (with a couple of exceptions) be made into movies or TV shows. Supposedly, there are plans afoot to change this.
MacDonald’s unforgettable character is Travis McGee, who lives on a houseboat, The Busted Flush, which he won in a poker game. Together with his friend, an economist named Myer (no last name, or is it no first name?) he retrieves stolen property, helps damsels in distress, and rights wrongs. Though he lives in Florida, the novels often take place in other locals. To be clear, these are not mysteries. There are no clues or suspects. These are suspense stories, filled with danger, beautiful women and villains who often turn out to be greedy businessmen. (Is that redundant?)What sets these novels apart from other suspense series and have kept them in print for decades after John D.’s death, is the exceptional writing. MacDonald was a master at observing and commenting on modern life. He was writing about pollution and developers destroying Florida’s natural resources in the early 60’s, long before anyone had ever even heard the word ecology. MacDonald was also brilliant at writing characters. His people seem so real you feel as if you know them. His hero and the women in his life have real emotional depth, as do many of the other characters he encounters. And if that weren’t enough, MacDonald also knew how to tell a really exciting story, too.
In Travis McGee, you have a hero with a strong social conscience, who’s highly empathic, has an understanding of philosophy, morality, and if the situation called for it could protect himself in a fight. He’s a staunch defender of the downtrodden, the weak, the poor and the disenfranchised. He is unafraid to take on the powerful and corrupt forces that seek to destroy him or his friends. There’s a reason that people don’t just like McGee (and MacDonald); they love him.
If you’re new to the Travis McGee novels, give them a try. But don’t expect a noir, brooding hero ala, Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe. Travis McGee is as bright as a sun-drenched Florida afternoon. But having said that, you will not be reading about a happy go lucky adventurer either. These stories are infused with an underlying sadness and existentialism about the human condition. Though it’s usually under the surface, Travis has seen and understands the fleetingness of life and the inevitability of death. He knows the evil that people are capable of, but also the healing power of love as well as the importance of friendship and loyalty. If you haven’t read these books in a while, consider picking one up again. It’s like spending a few hours with an old friend.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
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INDIE WRITER TELLS ALL
(OR AT LEAST A FEW THINGS)Posted at 3:24 pm , on March 1, 2016
Have you ever considered self-publishing an ebook? A lot of writers are choosing this path. Some reasons that people decide to do this are….well, why not let indie writer Kylie Betzner tell you about her experience, in her own words…
Q: What made you decide to self-publish?
A: Most writers have a file cabinet full of rejection letters from agents and publishers, but I never actually pursued the traditional route. After much research, I opted to go non-traditional because that route just suited my personal idiom.Q: What has pleased you most about self-publishing?
I’m a bossy person so having all of the say in the cover art, the publication date, and even the font in the paperback is a huge plus for me. Most of all, I like being able to tell the story I want to tell exactly how I want to tell it. You don’t always get that with traditional publishing because you have an agent and publisher to please. The only person I have to please is myself … and hopefully my readers.
Q:What kind of publicity have you done on your novels?
Most of my publicity is done online through blog tours, interviews, online events, etc., but I make a point to attend at least one public event each month, weather permitting. Honestly, I prefer in-person interactions more than online ones. Not that I haven’t met a lot of cool people through WordPress and Twitter, but nothing compares to real face-to-face interaction.
Q: What has gotten your books the most attention?
Honestly, I’m not sure. I’d like to think it’s all those social media sites I’ve wasted—er—spent so much time on, but it’s probably word of mouth. I have several supportive friends online and in-person who have been great spokes persons for my writing. I can’t thank them enough.
Q: What strategies have worked for you as an indie writer and what have not?
As an indie author, I’ve found that traditional marketing doesn’t always work the same as it does for famous authors. Unlike GRR Martin, I can’t just tweet about my writing once a month and expect 1,000 likes and comments. As a nobody author, I have to be active on social media and interactive as well. I have to build a brand all by myself and gain followers one at a time.
For me, being real and interactive has helped me gain respect and popularity in the indie author world. Keeping a blogging schedule has also helped.
I’m still pretty new at this whole publishing thing so I’m still not 100% sure what I’m doing wrong. Haha!
Q: Are there any indie writers who have inspired you either creatively or from a business perspective?One of the first indie authors I took notice of was Charles Yallowitz. His series demonstrates the creative potential of non-traditionally published works. Nicholas Rossis and Adam Dreece are two indie authors I admire for their professionalism and success. I hope to be as successful as they are in my own endeavor.
Q: What are some of the most important things you’ve learned as an indie writer that you would tell someone who might be considering self-publishing an ebook?
If you’re considering self-publishing, be prepared for the work, the expenses, and the disappointments. It’s not always a wonderful life. Self-publishing is one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done. The rewards can be few and far between, but they make it all worthwhile. Congratulations in your decision and good luck. And may the force be with you.
Marc: Well, there you have it from Kylie herself. And while you’re at it, check out her books at Amazon.com. One more thing, about the last line in her interview, I’m sure she meant to say, “Live long and prosper.”
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SOME GOOD BOOKS ON WRITING FICTION
Posted at 3:44 pm , on February 4, 2016
I’m sometimes asked to recommend a book on writing fiction. I’m not sure that doctors get approached at parties to suggest a book on how to perform surgery, but, unlike writing, not everyone thinks they can do heart transplants in their spare time.
I’ve read a lot of books on how to write fiction. Many take their theories from other books. Others are written by teachers who have not actually written fiction (using this logic I may write a book on how to be an astronaut). Still other books are written by writers who may write excellent fiction but are not as proficient at describing exactly how they do it. As you may have concluded, finding a good book on writing fiction is not easy, and, like so much of writing, it’s very subjective. The book you love might be one that someone else hates.
Now that all the disclaimers are out of the way, here are a few books that I would suggest to anyone who is serious, or getting serious about writing fiction.
The Art and Craft Of Story Telling, by Nancy Lamb. This book is an excellent introduction to writing for a beginning writer and also useful for a seasoned pro. Nancy touches on many of the basics including, plot, character, conflict, dialogue and theme. She has great examples of every subject and writes in a clear, concise, easy to understand style.
The Writer’s Journey, by Chistopher Vogler. This book is a beautiful analysis of the work of the legendary comparative mythologist, Joseph Campbell, and his elements of story structure, which he called, the hero’s journey. This theory eventually became the template for all Hollywood films. Agree with it or not, it’s important to be familiar with it. If you think it sounds too formulaic, consider the fact that while George Lucas was writing the script for the first Star Wars film, he frequently consulted with Joseph Campbell himself. When it came to writing, Campbell was Lucas’ real life Yoda.
Screenplay, by Syd Field. Though the book is about how to write film scripts, the three-act structure he diagrams is applicable to novels as well. The essence of a story is the three-act structure, a beginning, middle and end. Unless you are writing an “experimental” novel (which tosses structure out the window in favor of tedium) this is what you will be working with. Adapt it to fit your work. Like all blueprints, it is malleable and not written in stone. Take what you like and leave the rest. It’s one thing to break the rules it’s another not to know what they are.
Save the Cat, by Blake Snyder. It’s not often that someone comes along with a new way of looking at story structure. Blake was such a writer. Though his book is, like Screenplay, about how to write film scripts, his structure breakdowns are certainly transferrable to prose. His list of film genres is unique and brilliant. His theories are his own but are definitely useful to know.I hope these books are helpful to you. But, like the warning that was written on a costume I had when I was a child, “This suit will not make you fly. Only Superman can do that.” Keep in mind that a book alone will not make you a writer. Becoming a good writer requires years of hard work. However, I think these books are a good place to start and are excellent reference works to return to whenever you need a refresher course. As Joseph Campbell might have said, “I hope you find the magic elixir you’re looking for.”
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WRITING IS SO EASY ALMOST NOBODY CAN DO IT
(SOME COMMON WRITING MISTAKES AND HOW TO FIX THEM)Posted at 10:29 pm , on January 6, 2016
The problem with writing is that it looks so easy everyone thinks they can do it. If you can write an email or school assignment you can write a short story or novel, right? Wrong. No one would presume that they could become a doctor, lawyer or scientist without studying for years, but people do think they can become a writer immediately. People seem to believe that just because they have a computer this somehow gives them the ability to write. Do not mistake the technology for the skill. Owning an airplane does not make you a pilot.
I once heard the great novelist Tony Hillerman say that there are child prodigies in art and music but not in writing. That’s because learning to write takes life experience and years to master. As a long-time professional writer, I’ve seen the mistakes beginning writers make. I’ve also seen not so beginning writers make some of the same mistakes. Learning to write takes time. Whether you do it with a teacher or by yourself, it’s a long haul.
Here are a few of the mistakes that beginning writers make. If you’re making them, don’t despair and be patient with yourself. Before learning to walk one must crawl. No one comes out of the womb with running shoes on. (That sounds painful).
Point of View
1. Viewpoint changes. Is your story being told in first person, third, or omniscient? Pick one and stick to it. Don’t start in omniscient and then change to third person in the next sentence or even the next paragraph. (Yes, there are writers who do these things in stories and novels but they have been writing a long time and are very experienced. And even they sometimes have difficulty with point of view).
2. Tense changes. Is your story or novel being written in the past tense? Present tense? Decide on one and stay with it.
3. Dialogue that doesn’t advance the story, reveal character, relationships, or setting. This is extraneous, or small talk. A story is not like real life where people repeat themselves or take their time getting to the point (or sometimes never get to it).
Conflict
4. Lack of conflict. It is so! It is not! Without conflict your story just sits there. A parked car may be nice to look at, but it won’t take you anywhere.
5. Weak characters. Your main character(s) must have a need or goal and he or she must go after it. They cannot be passive. And their goals cannot be easily obtained. Also, your main character ought to be likable and sympathetic. There are writers who insist that it’s okay to write about an unlikable character. Maybe they can make it work but there has to be something that keeps the reader reading. You don’t want a reader to stop in the middle of your story or book because they don’t care what happens to your mean, rotten hero or heroine. (Yes, there are occasional exceptions such as anti-heroes and of course, Ebenezer Scrooge).
6. Too much background or description. Knowing what to put in and what to leave out is a skill in itself. Don’t fall in love with describing the furniture, clothes and curtains, unless this is really important to the story. Or for that matter, don’t give the entire history of a character at all once. (Literary novels are sometimes guilty of this). We are not writing in the nineteenth century before the invention of film, TV, and the internet. Readers want a good story and likable characters, not a home furnishing catalogue or biography.
7. Too much telling not enough showing. What this often-repeated writing axiom means is that prose writing is not a radio show where everything has to be told. (“Hey, what’re you doing with that gun? I bet you don’t have the guts to use it.”) Prose writing relies on the reader bringing their own intelligence to a scene. Everything does not have to be told to them. For instance, instead of having the character say: “I bet you don’t have the guts to use it.” The character could make the observation, (“His hand was shaking. He was sweating. He licked his lips.”) Now, we as the reader get the idea that the gunman is nervous and maybe doesn’t have the guts to do it, but we are seeing it, not being told.
8. Confusing, contradictory or repetitive. Who’s talking? What’s going on now? Didn’t the writer say that happened earlier, but now the reader is learning that it didn’t. Haven’t we already been told this before? Or not?
9. All action, no characters. Car chases, monsters, spaceships and lots of things happening. But because there are no real characters in the story we couldn’t care less. Many special effects laden movies have this problem, but it can just as easily happen in a story or novel.
10. All character, no action. The flip side of the previous one. Endless talk but no one ever does anything. A yawn fest. Even in a play which is mostly dialogue the characters do things and events happen. (And yes, I have read Waiting for Godot).
Tricks and gimmicks
11. Stories that rely entirely on tricks and gimmicks such as, strange viewpoints (animals, objects), odd settings (inside video games, parallel dimensions) and surprise endings. These are often stories with no characters in it. It’s okay to have a surprise at the end, or to have talking animals or objects, be in a video game or another dimension, but make sure you have a real story and actual characters to go with it.
12. The story is too imitative of another story. Bring your own experience, emotions, loves and even hates into a story. It’s all right to be influenced by another writer when starting out, but look for those things that you know and care about. The very things you think will not be interesting to a reader might make a great story. I’ve heard beginning writers say that nothing ever happened in the small town where they grew up so they’ll write about a city they’ve never been to. Write about that town! Don’t dismiss your own background and personal experience. Mine them for the gold they contain. The more of yourself that you put into your work, the more unique it will be. That’s what all the writers you admire did. Now go find your own voice. It’s within you.
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THINGS NOT TO SAY TO A WRITER WHOM YOU’VE JUST MET
Posted at 10:06 pm , on November 30, 2015
1. Where do you get your ideas? This is often asked by would be writers looking for a secret formula that doesn’t require years of hard work and dedication. It’s as if the questioner believes that there is some magic place that one can go to find ideas. Perhaps a cave in the mountains or a secluded spot deep in the woods. Where do ideas come from? Each story and novel has its own origin depending on the writer. Sometimes the biggest inspiration is simply an assignment and a deadline.
2. I want to write but I don’t have the time. Maybe if you’d get off that cell phone, quit checking your email 100 times a day, chatting with your friends, texting, playing video games or any number of other distractions, you might have the time. Many successful writers write in between caring for young children and having regular jobs. They write an hour here and there. They write early in the morning before work, or late at night. They write during winter and spring breaks, on weekends, in the summer. They come up with ways to arrange their time. You can too. If you really want to.
3. I’ll tell you my idea, then you write it and we’ll split the money. Really? So, let me get this straight, you’ll give me one idea, which will take you maybe thirty seconds or a minute to convey, then I will spend the next eight to ten months, putting in hundreds of hours of writing and rewriting a novel and then I’m supposed to give you half of any money I receive for all my hard work? Non-writers think a book is based upon an idea that is so hard to come by that finding one is like discovering a rare diamond. The truth is that ideas are more like blueberries. They’re everywhere and easy to pick. Every writer I’ve ever known has more than enough ideas of their own. They don’t want or need anyone else’s. The idea is only the starting point, the real work, is the actual writing.4. What name do you write under? This is a round-about way of saying, “I’ve never heard of you.” The reality is that there are only a handful of extremely well known, living, brand name writers at any given time that most people have heard of. However, having said that, there are many, many, lesser known writers who write excellent books which are very much worth reading.
5. Can you give me the name of your agent? No. To ask this of someone you don’t know is a bit like asking if you can sleep with their spouse or lover. An agent is a very private, very sacred person to most writers. It’s not at all like recommending a good foot doctor or dermatologist. (And don’t tell me your podiatrist is sacred to you).
6. Can you read my novel or stories? This is a faux pas. First, there are legal concerns. No writer wants to be accused of unconsciously using something he or she has read. Second, it’s time consuming and writers use their time to write. Third, it’s presumptuous. A writer is not a teacher or a charity worker. There are professional editors you can hire that will read your work for a fee and help you fix, rewrite, or revise.7. I don’t like the genre you write in. As in, ”I never read, mysteries, science fiction, fantasy, romance, literary, thrillers, horror, suspense, westerns, chick lit, mainstream, etc.” This is not only extremely rude, its snobbery and literary elitism at its very worst. To condemn an entire genre is ludicrous. Plus, each genre has dozens of sub categories and hundreds of writers in each one. To dismiss them all, sight unseen, reveals a special kind of prejudice and ignorance. I’ve met a number of people over the years who claim that they only read dead white European writers of the last century or earlier. Since these writers are not currently very prolific, it usually turns out that the claimant does not read at all. Or reads the same few ‘classics’ over and over again.
8. What is the new book you’re writing about? No writer wants to discuss a work in progress. It dissipates the idea and it disturbs the creative process.
9. Let me tell you about the book I’m writing. Please don’t. For legal and aesthetic reasons.
10. How is your book or books selling? This is sometimes followed with or prefaced by, how much are your advances, or royalties? This is no one’s business. Would the same person walk up to doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants or executives and ask them how much they’re being paid? Unlikely, but some people they feel that writers are fair game. They aren’t.
THINGS TO SAY TO A WRITER YOU’VE JUST MET1. I love your work.
2. I really, really love your work.
3. I can’t wait to buy your next book.
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WRITER’S BLOCK AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Posted at 9:38 pm , on November 4, 2015
This is not a definitive list nor a guaranteed cure. These are 12 suggestions that have worked for many writers and may work for you. Try them and see what happens. You have nothing to lose but a blank page and lot of frustration.- Write what you love. It’s been said many times before but is worth repeating. Pick subjects, characters, places, that you love and write about them. Also pick genres you like. Don’t force yourself to write something because you think it might have a better chance of selling. The more you love your book the more readers will too.
- Forget about the market. Easy to say and hard to do. If you keep thinking about everything else that’s out there it will only make you freeze up. It doesn’t matter what’s selling now. That changes all the time.
- Stop caring what other people think of your work. That is very difficult to do but nobody said any of this was easy. Are you writing to please other people? Or are you writing to please yourself figuring that by pleasing yourself eventually other people will also be pleased? This is the challenge.
- Write for fun. Write for the sheer enjoyment of it. But wait, you say, I’m trying to turn this into a business. And your point is? Isn’t the whole idea that a reader of your books is supposed to enjoy him or herself? Well, then, why should your reader be entitled to have fun but not you, the writer of the book? If you don’t have fun writing it, no one will have fun reading it.
- Write a lot and often. If writing is a constant habit then it will no longer seem so monumentally important, something that you have to do perfectly. Also, if you can, write your first draft quickly. That will help you get your ideas, thoughts and feelings down, and take some of the stress out of the writing process.
- Stop worrying about succeeding. What kind of crazy advice is that? It’s actually Zen advice. The less you care about hitting your target, the more likely it’ll be that you’ll hit it. If you don’t care if you’re going to be published you’ll be surprised how freeing that is. Also, leave open the idea of self-publishing your work. That’s total freedom. Think about the writing itself not what you will or won’t do with it after it’s finished.
- Stop judging yourself. You can be the worst critic in the world. Shut off that part of your mind. Look at small children drawing with crayons. They don’t rate their own drawings, they just draw. Aspire to be like the child you used to be.
- Stop comparing your writing to other people’s writing. There will always be people who write better or worse than you. (Though ultimately, it’s all subjective). You are you, not anyone else. Forget about them, and concentrate on you. The more you write, the more you will find your own unique voice and style.
- Write what you like to read. What type of novel excites you and keeps you turning the pages? A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, science fiction, historical, mainstream, literary? Or something else. That’s the one to write.
- Don’t talk about your story with anyone before or during the writing process. If you talk about your story it will dissipate and vanish. Just write it. Then you can talk about it, but be careful who you speak to. Stay away from anyone who’s negative about you or your writing. Surround yourself with positive, supportive and encouraging people.
- Don’t show your work to anyone except a professional editor or another writer who has more knowledge and expertise than you and is willing to give you constructive help. Don’t let your non-writer friends, family, or anyone else see your work. They are not qualified to judge your writing and will not be able to help you edit or fix any problems you may be having and they may end up discouraging you.
- Be kind and gentle with yourself. Writing is like raising a child. You must be patient, loving, and nurturing toward it.
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FAMOUS WRITERS WHO SELF-PUBLISHED THEIR OWN BOOKS
Posted at 8:40 pm , on October 6, 2015
Can’t get an agent to represent your novel? Or maybe you have an agent but your book has been rejected by a lot of publishers. What now? Put your manuscript in a drawer and forget about it? Cry profusely? Curse the gate keepers? (Darn you all!) How about publishing it yourself? This is an act of desperation, you say, no self- respecting writer would actually publish their own book. I beg to differ. Maybe all that’s missing are a few role models. Here are some writers who were rejected and decided to self- publish their books.
- Edgar Allan Poe
- Carl Sandburg
- James Joyce
- Erza Pound
- Upton Sinclair
- Henry David Thoreau
- William E. B. DuBois
- Virginia Wolf
- Rudyard Kipling
- Charles Dickens
- Walt Whitman
- L. Frank Baum
- Marcel Proust
- Steven King (pre-Carrie!)
- Richard Nelson Boles
(What Color Is Your Parachute)
The above is only a partial list of famous self-published writers. These writers didn’t have the option of putting out their own ebooks, but you do. Check out Dan Poynter’s Self-Publishing Manual for help. Also take a look at Lindsay Buroker’s great blog on indie ebook publishing. Joanna Penn (The Creative Penn) has an excellent blog on ebook publishing too. Don’t let rejection stand in the way of your writing dreams!
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MORT GERBERG CARTOONIST
Posted at 6:23 pm , on September 2, 2015
Mort Gerberg’s wonderful cartoons have been appearing in magazines for a very long time. You may have seen them in The New Yorker, Playboy, Harvard Business Review, The Huffington Post and many other publications. Mort’s cartoons are always intelligent and sophisticated. His drawing style is beautifully clean and eloquent. His subjects are usually taken from middle class urban life, the kinds of people you might know or meet in ordinary everyday situations. But there’s nothing ordinary about his work. Mort’s cartoons are very funny, revealing universal truths we all share. He shows us little moments and observations on our social mores and behavior. His cartoons are satirical but not mean spirited.
Mort has had many published collections of his cartoons and he has also edited quite a few anthologies of cartoons and illustrated children’s books. He’s the author of what I think is the best book on cartooning ever written, Cartooning: The Art and The Business. This book is the definitive how to guide to panel cartoons and comic strips. If you or someone you know is interested in cartooning this is THE book to get.
One of the many cartoon anthologies Mort has edited is, LAST LAUGHS: Cartoons About Aging, Retirement…and The Great Beyond. He also illustrated the best- selling children’s book, More Spaghetti, I Say. Pick up one of Mort’s excellent books. Also be sure to take a look at his website: (www.Mortgerberg.com) to see a master at work.
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INDIE COMIC BOOKS
Posted at 8:14 pm , on August 5, 2015
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In a field still dominated by super heroes, independent comic books and strips don’t often get the attention they deserve. Except for a few political or controversial titles many excellent indie comics and graphic novels frequently fly under the radar. Here are a few that I think are worth reading.
RACONTEUR is a beautifully drawn black and white regularly published comic book anthology that features autobiographical stories by a variety of cartoonists. These include such great artists as Mike Lynch, Isabella Bannerman, and Mark Parisi, who are better known for their single panel cartoons. These stories are little gems. Some are funny, others are sad or bittersweet. They’re all based on true incidents from the artists’ childhood or adult life.
EYEBEAM by Sam Hurt, ran as both a comic strip and a comic book and is now available as a series of collections in graphic novel form. Eyebeam is a wonderfully surreal comic that has a dream-like quality to it. Imagine living life in a series of Salvador Dali or M.C. Escher paintings and you have a general idea of what reading this is like.
SO BUTTONS, written by Jonathan Baylis is an excellent autobiographical comic book series in the tradition of Harvey Pekar. That is to say that Jonathan writes the stories and a number of different cartoonists draw them. Those include the wonderful illustrator, Dean Haspiel, and the very funny Fred Hembeck. Jonathan’s stories range from the sad to embarrassing to humorous, taken directly from his life.
BOX OFFICE POISON, by Alex Robinson. This comic has won awards and received great acclaim. On the off chance you haven’t seen it I wanted to bring it to your attention. Box Office Poison ran as a comic book some years ago and is now collected as a graphic novel. It’s about a group of friends, their lives, loves, disappointments and triumphs told with great humanity, character, and humor. Wonderful stuff!
GERTRUDE’S FOLLIES, by Tom Hatchman. These comic strips and now graphic novels are about the fictionalized and sometimes true adventures of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas in Paris in the 1920’s and beyond. They are written and drawn in Tom’s cool and surreal style. Imagine a sit-com about intellectuals and their eccentric friends who just happen to be Hemingway, Picasso, and the impressionists. Check out this smart and funny strip.
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HELENE PARSONS WRITER AND BLOGGER
Posted at 7:56 pm , on June 29, 2015
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Have you ever wondered how cartoonists come up with new ideas all the time? Some of them may have had a little help. Helene Parsons is one of those unseen and uncredited helpers. Helene has ghost written for many single panel syndicated and magazine cartoonists. She’s written for such panels as Dennis the Menace, The Lockhorns, and Bliss. She’s also written cartoons that have appeared in such publications as The New Yorker, Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, and The Reader’s Digest.Helene has been writing cartoons for 18 years and has just started a blog. This is great news for anyone who’s interested in how to write and sell cartoons. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned veteran, Helene says she’ll have helpful insights into the world of cartoons from her unique perspective. But you don’t have to be a cartoonist or writer to appreciate her blog. In addition to her practical advice, Helene will also be writing about her creative process as well as telling behind the scenes stories of working in this very odd and wonderful business. So check out her brand new weekly blog now, before it goes viral! http://cartoongags.blogspot.com/
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STEPHEN WINER WRITER
Posted at 8:36 pm , on May 26, 2015
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Stephen with his former boss, May 2015
You may not know Stephen Winer’s name but you definitely know some of the people (and shows) he’s written for. Winer was a writer for David Letterman, Dick Van Dyke, The New Mickey Mouse Club, and stand-up comedian, Robert Klein, among others.
Winer (along with Karl Tiedemann) co-wrote and directed the cult classic short film, King of The Zs, which is a hilarious look at a fictional movie studio of the 1930s and 1940s that made the worst B pictures in history. This film has been a favorite at film festivals for years (particularly the Telluride festival). If you haven’t seen this comedy gem I urge you to seek it out. It can be seen on YouTube. King of The Zs, is the film that led to Winer getting the job writing for Letterman.
Lately, Winer has been involved with a variety of projects, but the one that caught my attention was his serious writing for the Criterion Collection website. (Criterion releases classic films on DVD.) It turns out that Winer’s serious writing is as good as his comedy work. Not only does Winer have an encyclopedic (or Wikipedic) knowledge of film, but he also has plenty of behind the scenes stories and great insights. I was particularly taken with his article on Charlie Chaplin’s metamorphosis from a slapstick clown to a fully realized comedic and dramatic actor. In another piece, Winer makes some excellent observations on another silent comedian, the legendary Harold Lloyd. At one time Lloyd was as popular and successful as Chaplin, yet today is largely forgotten. Never the less, Lloyd’s great silent films, such as Speedy and The Freshman, still have the power to thrill, entertain and yes, make audiences laugh almost a hundred years after their completion. I’ve watched these wonderful films with contemporary audiences, many of whom had never seen any silent films, and heard the very real laughter that they engendered. Winer’s analysis of Llyod’s work is nothing short of scholarly, yet written in a very a breezy, accessible style. Also check out the article he wrote on the classic Frank Capra film that created and defined the screwball comedy, It Happened One Night; and his love letter to another comedy classic of a later era, It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad World. (Did I leave out a “Mad?” Or put in one too many?)If you go to the Criterion Collection website be sure to read the piece Winer wrote about his late father, playwright and television writer, Elihu Winer. This is a wonderful and touching essay about Elihu’s friendship, (mostly through letters) with fellow writer, John D.Voelker. Voelker was an author whose most well-known novel became the basis for the film, Anatomy of a Murder. Subsequent to the film, Elihu collaborated with Voekler to write the script for the play. Winer’s essay is about the friendship of these two excellent writers. In one of the letters, Elihu mentions a TV play he wrote that featured an amiable actor named Ronald Reagan. Elihu liked this actor and found him easy to work with, though Elihu had some difficulty adjusting, some years later, when the man got into a different line of work. A smart publisher ought to collect all these articles by Winer (and others he has no doubt yet to post) and publish them in a book. As the kids today put it, “I’m just saying.”
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JOHN LUSTIG WRITER
Posted at 3:10 pm , on April 27, 2015
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John Lustig writes a unique single panel cartoon called, Last Kiss. The drawings for Last Kiss are not done by him, but instead, are taken from old romance comic books that were originally published by Charlton comics (a long defunct company) from 1957-1965. John takes panels from these comics, removes the lettering, then adds his own dialogue. The results are funny, ironic, often campy lines spoken by these serious looking characters. Sometimes he uses double entendres, puns, or just plain silly declarations. Many of them are about sex, but they’re not explicit, just funny. The art he uses in Last Kiss is often by well-known comic book artists of the time, including, Dick Giordano (who later went on to pencil and ink Batman) and Vince Colletta, who later gained fame as an inker for the legendary Jack Kirby, co-creator of Captain America, The Fantastic Four, and Thor, among others.Some years ago, John bought the rights to these old comic books and started re-lettering the panels. The results first appeared in the comic book fan and news publication, The Buyer’s Guide. From there his success grew and these very funny panels are now featured on such products as greeting cards, magnets, and metal signs. If you want to read this comic panel every day, without charge, check out Last Kiss on GoComics.com.
John began his career as a newspaper journalist, then started writing for Donald Duck comic books. I’ve read some of them and thought they were very well done, and firmly in the grand tradition set by writer and cartoonist, Carl Barks; the wonderful former Disney animator, whose work on Donald earned him a worldwide cult following.
Check out Last Kiss cartoons. You may never look at romance the same way again!
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C.E. LAWRENCE: THRILLER WRITER
Posted at 8:49 pm , on March 17, 2015
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C.E. Lawrence, (the pen name of Carole Buggé) writes suspense novels that examine the dark side of human behavior. She’s fascinated by the criminal mind, how it got that way and why it does such terrible things. Her series character, Lee Campbell, is a criminal profiler who helps the New York City police catch serial killers. As one would suspect by the description, these are gritty stories set in a shadowy world populated by sociopaths and the people intent on stopping them. To break the tension of his job, Campbell occasionally plays the piano. Readers looking for recipes, cute kittens, and little old ladies that solve crimes should look elsewhere. This is dark stuff. Lawrence (Carole) has done extensive research into not only aberrant psychology, but the working methods of actual F.B.I. profilers, to insure the accuracy of her books.
The Campbell character has appeared in a number of novels with the word ‘silent’ in the title: Silent Screams, Silent Victim, Silent Kills, and an e-book, Silent Stalker. (If there’s noise in the title he probably isn’t in it.) New York Times bestselling thriller author, John Lutz, called Carole’s books, “Pulse racing, compelling, first rate. Lawrence knows how to build suspense.”
Carole Buggé has also, under her own name, written some Sherlock Holmes novels, one of which, The Star of India, was recently reissued by Titan Books. Interestingly, Buggé is a Holmes enthusiast and has a real affinity for the Victorian era.
I find this particularly interesting since such interests are in sharp contrast to her Lee Campbell series. Holmes, after all, is the ultimate gentleman detective, who lives to restore order to what is essentially a very genteel world. The Campbell character is really the polar opposite of Holmes. He dwells in a violent world where there is no order. The most he can hope to do is to catch one predator at a time and try to make a small difference. Often writers have many sides to them. One needs to look no further than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the logical Sherlock Holmes. Though Holmes dismissed anything spiritual or psychic, Conan Doyle himself was a believer and wrote many supernatural and science fiction stories.But, as they used to say in late night TV commercials, “Wait, there’s more!” Carole is also an award winning playwright, composer and, improv performer. She did improv professionally for years and is an excellent comedy actress and singer. How many other thriller writers can make that claim?
To learn more about CE Lawrence go to www.CE Lawrence.com.
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TOM SOTER IMPROV MASTER
Posted at 4:05 pm , on February 16, 2015
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Tom Soter is one of the best improv teachers in the business. He’s been at it for over twenty-five years. Before he began teaching he was a street performer, then he studied with the legendary improv group, Chicago City Limits. After that he turned to teaching as well as founding the longest running improv jam in New York City history, The Sunday Night Improv Jam. The Jam brings together improvisers from different groups for a wonderful evening of comedy and music.
Tom, (along with another excellent improviser and co-founder of the Chicago City Limits group, Carol Schindler), has written a new book on how to do improv, titled A Doctor and a Plumber In a Rowboat, a Book on Improvisation. If you have any interest in performing, whether it’s serious acting or comedy, this is an excellent place to start. Or, if you’re a seasoned performer and want to get some tips from a couple of pros, check this volume out. I actually think that knowing about improv can be very helpful for writers as well. As a writer you are creating stories, scenes and characters from nothing, which is exactly what improvising is all about.Many people confuse improv with stand-up comedy. In fact, the two are nothing alike. Stand-up comedy is about telling jokes to an audience in a monologue and improv is about creating characters in a scene with another person. The humor, if there is any (some improv scenes can be very serious and dramatic) comes from the characters, the relationships and from the situation. If a funny improv were filmed, then transcribed on paper, it wouldn’t be funny. To an audience it looks deceptively simple but like any art form takes years to master.
By the way, A Doctor and a Plumber In a Rowboat, a Book on Improvisation is not Tom’s first book. He’s recently published two books of essays, Overheard on a Bus, and Disappearing Act. These are excellent collections of essays about a variety of subjects including his childhood, his eccentric but loving parents (he may be one of the few writers around who actually had a happy childhood) and his meetings with such well-known people as Patrick McGoohan, (Secret Agent, and The Prisoner), Charlie Chaplin and Fess Parker, who played Daniel Boone in the long running TV series. Tom’s essays are funny, poignant, honest and enjoyable. His previous books include one on James Bond, (Bond and Beyond) and one about film and TV couples that solve crimes called, Investigating Couples. In that one he looks at such duos as Nick and Nora Charles, The British Avengers, and The X-files. This is a fascinating study of the dynamics of these couples and at the same time, an examination of the mystery, suspense, and spy genres. Great stuff![/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]
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WILLIAM F. NOLAN IS STILL RUNNING WITH LOGAN
Posted at 9:42 pm , on January 16, 2015
WILLIAM F. NOLAN IS STILL RUNNING WITH LOGAN
At the age of 86, William F. Nolan is still writing. Nolan is the author (with George Clayton Johnson) of the novel, Logan’s Run, which was the basis for the MGM film. (The book is much better than the movie), a TV series and several sequels. But what you might not know is that Nolan has also written mystery novels (check out the Black Mask series, my favorite is The Marble Orchard), horror novels (Helltracks), and a ton of non- fiction. He wrote the first ever biography of Dashiell Hammett and the first biography of Steve McQueen, whom he knew personally. I haven’t mentioned Nolan’s many short stories, over 200 of them, and the numerous collections they appear in, or his TV and film scripts.
All of which bring me to what might be the most surprising of all his works, but one of my favorites, The Sam Space series. I think that Sam is one of the funniest characters ever written about in or out of any genre. He’s a trench coat wearing, wise cracking private investigator who lives on Mars in the future and solves wacky crimes. The novels and stories are written in first person (like Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe) and are a surreal mix of mystery and science fiction, told in a laugh out loud way.
Sam’s clients might be beautiful three-headed alien women, and the villains could be monsters, clones or robots from other dimensions. In a Sam Space story anything can happen. The action is non-stop as are the laughs. Oh, did I mention that Sam’s hat, a fedora, talks to him? Or that his flying car also has negative opinions about his drinking?If you want to read something totally escapist that’s just plain fun, get ahold of Nolan’s collection, Seven For Space, or look for one of the other collections. Sam’s novels are, Space For Hire, and, Look Out For Space.
Who knew that someone who could write such exciting, thrill packed novels and stories could also make you laugh? Nolan does it!
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Mike Lynch Cartoonist and Blogger
Posted at 11:21 pm , on December 20, 2014
Welcome to my brand-new blog. I’ll be writing about people whom I admire, especially, writers and cartoonists. Today’s entry is about a wonderful cartoonist, Mike Lynch. Mike’s cartoons have appeared in so many publications it’s impossible to list them all here and still have room to say anything else. Some of his credits include, The Readers Digest, The Wall Street Journal, Playboy, and Harvard Business Review. Mike has a beautiful loose style that is immediately recognizable. He’s also done some great autobiographical comics and has recently started doing book illustration. Here are a few of Mike’s cartoons.
In addition to Mike’s cartoons he has a great daily blog called Mikelynchcartoons, which does amazing pieces on cartoonists. He also has great advice for cartoonists who are just starting out and for seasoned pros. Mike often runs cartoons from the 1950s and 1960s. It’s fun to look at all that retro work and see how different the clothing, cars, social mores, and language are from today. Aside from cartoons, comic strips, old books, news and interviews, Mike also likes to occasionally run pictures of his New England garden and his cats. (Hey, it’s his blog he can do whatever he likes!) Plus, he sometimes posts cool stuff about Star Trek. Now that’s what I call a great blog!
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