Theorycrafting

In this blogging space I’ve talked about writing and gaming in tandem. I’ve tried to give each a fair amount of time, but I’ve never really examined the connection between the two. Other than the overactive imagination, I think a big part of my inclination towards these activities is my tendency towards theorycrafting. I haven’t… Continue reading Theorycrafting

A Writer's Distance

Courtesy Floating Robes There are a couple of truisms that I feel apply to every writer, regardless of genre or style: 1) You write what you know. 2) There’s no drama without conflict. Following this line of thought, the best writing comes from conflict with which we’re familiar. I’ve yet to meet a person who… Continue reading A Writer's Distance

Book Review: Shotgun Gravy

Courtesy Terribleminds Kids these days. That’s pretty much what Chuck Wendig’s Shotgun Gravy is all about. Kids these days can be crude, mean, unforgiving and downright sadistic. Bullying is every bit as bad as it’s ever been, and there comes a time when a kid needs to do more than watch videos of people saying… Continue reading Book Review: Shotgun Gravy

IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! Antichrist

[audio:http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/uploads/antichrist.mp3] We as a culture tend to abuse certain turns of phrase. For example, too many people interpret negative opinions as “hate” when “hate” is a visceral and descriptive word for the way a lot of middle American teenagers raised by conservative parents look at their gay classmates. “Awesome” is used to describe gaming and… Continue reading IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! Antichrist

Know Your Fear

I find it amusing when people say they aren’t afraid of anything. I have to wonder if they’d maintain that notion if they were alone in a diving suit down in the Marianas Trench. Most people I know would be unnerved by the very notion of being entirely alone with nothing but angler fish for… Continue reading Know Your Fear

Beyond Skin Deep

The characters we create are, ideally, more than their looks. Sure, we spend time putting together a certain look for a character. I know when Guild Wars 2 is booted up on my machine, I’ll be spending quite a bit of time in its character creator, customizing eye colors and cheekbone height and whatnot. But… Continue reading Beyond Skin Deep