Lois Lowry's dystopian novel was awarded the John Newberry Medal for outstanding children's literature, though I found it too uneventful and dark for my 11 year old daughter, even after we agreed to add it to our summer family reading list. The Giver reminded me of other dystopian books, like A Brave New World, 1984, and The Hunger Games, but mostly of Kazuo Ishiguro's superb... Continue Reading →
To get my daughter to take a break from Pokemon Go this summer, my wife insisted she read a total of three books, and not just the comics she loves (Dork Diaries, anything by Raina Telgemeier) but something appropriate to her grade level (she is entering middle school this year). So I suggested on a pact. My daughter, my wife, and I would each pick a novel,... Continue Reading →
The old adage, "You can't judge a book by its cover" is somewhat inaccurate, IMO. A better saying would be, "You shouldn't judge a book by its cover." Either way, people will judge things by appearances, at least at first. We do it all the time, though most people are ashamed to admit it, so as not to... Continue Reading →
I have a love/hate relationship with Disney. Whenever I visit the Magic Kingdom, or see their castle logo pop up before a movie, I am torn about how to feel. On the one hand, I simply adore the man, Walt himself, whom I consider a visionary genius. Never mind whether or not he could draw Mickey... Continue Reading →
Nobody has time for yours. This post was going to be something else entirely, a celebration. My wife and I received a positive response from a publisher, and the other night, we made a special toast at P.F. Chang's, "To passing the second gate!" See, there are three main obstacles to getting your book in... Continue Reading →
OK, so it's probably no secret that I am camera shy. Being a writer and all, I definitely feel most comfortable behind the page. But we live in an age of video. My 5 year old kid is addicted to YouTube. She can watch hours of kids unboxing toys. And it bums me out, knowing... Continue Reading →
Is it??? So, the other day, a fan of mine (I do have them) suggested I act more enthusiastically about my book. I need to sell it like it's the greatest thing since movable type. This was in response to my disappointing Kickstarter campaign. As of today, I have only managed to raise about $900... Continue Reading →
Radia Noora, the Princess of AenyaWell, folks, this is it, another year gone at the Writer's Disease. I would like to say this was the year that my dreams came true, that I found a publisher for my work and sold millions, but alas, Fate has yet to smile on me. Like Frodo Baggins, I... Continue Reading →
Despite growing evidence to the contrary, the myth persists that certain artistic mediums are inferior to others, or to put it in layman's terms, that comic books don't count as literature. But I am not here to argue definitions; I am here to argue that comics deserve the same respect as books without pictures. At some... Continue Reading →
In the 2004 film, Troy, Achilles kills Hector after a climactic battle, and Andromache, beset by grief for the death of her husband, basically does . . . nothing. The actress gives a performance of subdued shock, blinking heavily before slacking against the parapet wall. This is in stark contrast to the way Homer describes the... Continue Reading →
The Art of Storytelling 
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