Follow-up to my review of Suzanne Collins’ first book in the Hunger Games trilogy. They say the second chapter of a trilogy is its darkest. The stakes are heightened, the danger deepened, families torn apart and friends forced to make deadly and dire choices. For examples of this, look to The Empire Strikes Back, The… Continue reading Book Review: Catching Fire
Okay. Now what?
No Flash Fiction this week, as Chuck Wendig is busy putting us through our paces in a monthly worldbuilding exercise. I love building new worlds – I even plan on teaching a class about it – but I find myself wondering about the foundations we build those worlds upon, because I’m at a point where… Continue reading Okay. Now what?
IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! Centurion
[audio:http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/uploads/centurion.mp3] The movie version of 300 has definitely made an impression. It’s given us a ton of Internet memes, helped shape all sorts of workout regimens and pushed Gerard Butler towards being the stereotypical big scowly action star. But it also had the subtle benefit of introducing the world to Michael Fassbender. In between his… Continue reading IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! Centurion
That Blessed Bean
Coffee. Coffee. Coffeecoffeecoffee. I may be all but out of supply here in the apartment, but soon there will be more coffee at my disposal. It’s my morning vice of choice. Considering I’m about to head back into full-time dayjob employment and want to present myself at least somewhat professionally, an early-morning cocktail is out… Continue reading That Blessed Bean
Looking Ahead at Guild Wars 2: Races
My wife and I haven’t been doing much in the way of MMOs over the last year. We’ve tried a couple since parting ways with World of Warcraft but none have really hit that “sweet spot” for either of us, the sort of feeling we were expecting that would keep us playing for a long… Continue reading Looking Ahead at Guild Wars 2: Races
Passing the Test
No writer is an island. Oh, writing’s a solitary profession, no doubt about it. Locked in a corner with only a bottle of booze for company, etc and so on. We grow our beards, we yell obscenities at our pets, we quietly cry as we contemplate our heroes having sex. We do this all on… Continue reading Passing the Test
Flash Fiction: Another Three Sentences
Brevity is the soul of this latest challenge from Chuck Wendig. The protagonist has reached this point through trial and error (mostly error) but the goal is now within reach, allies close by and enemies poised to strike. The audience is expecting a resolution to the conflict, be it a happy ending, one involving varying… Continue reading Flash Fiction: Another Three Sentences
IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
[audio:http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/uploads/buckaroo_banzai.mp3] We call them Renaissance men, polymaths or omnidisciplinarians. The last two are more friendly for people of all genders who dabble with success in multiple fields of interest, but one of the first was Leonard da Vinci. Benjamin Franklin is another, but neither he nor da Vinci ever developed supersonic cars, practiced neurosurgery or… Continue reading IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Book Review: The Hunger Games
On our final trip to the local Borders book store, my wife and I picked up a few things, such as Earth: The Book, which is every bit as hilarious as you can imagine, and the first collection of the Path of the Planeswalker mini-comics based on Magic: the Gathering. On something of a whim,… Continue reading Book Review: The Hunger Games
There was a POST here. It's gone now.
Well, this is embarrassing. In the midst of finishing The Hunger Games and getting ready for today’s interview, I forgot to write up a post for my usual noon release slot. Oops. So! Review of Hunger Games tomorrow, and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension for IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! on Friday.… Continue reading There was a POST here. It's gone now.
