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Friday, January 30, 2015

Winter Reading List

Lately, for a whole host of reasons, I just can't. Even.


Seriously.


I'm all over my "real" writing (read: the three books in various stages of completion, and the essays, and the new freelancing gig, and the side projects with my humor writing partner, and, and, and), but this day job racket isn't cutting it in the middle of cold, dark January. Just getting through the days sucks any "even" I had right out of me, and every evening I wind up in a fetal curl on my couch, staring mindlessly at the TV,

Which is why I need a good book list.

I used to think that winter was the time for reading serious books, since you don't want to leave the house anyway, but I'm starting to question that; I have so little energy that I CAN'T leave the house. I certainly can't use what's left on Proust.

Of course I can't waste perfect summer days on something so mentally taxing, either. Or fall, coz that's my favorite season. It's possible I'll never read a serious book again. But that's another matter.

Point is, I need suggestions of can't-put-'em-down books to get me through these darkest of days.

So tell me the most recent book that fits that bill for you.

Help keep my brain from freezing up the same way my social life has!

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

How Many Stories Do We Have?

There's a theory that most writers have probably heard, and some readers would probably agree with in an ego-cripplingly short amount of time:

Every writer, great, good, or otherwise, really only has one story to write, and s/he keeps on writing it over and over.

Or, in the case of Harper Lee, just the once, then mic drop.

And that's how you kill a mockingbird. Bitches. 

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Confessional: I Don't Like Short Fiction

If you're an intelligent, humanities-type person, I would wager that there are a certain number of cultural categories that you feel almost obligated to like, or at least grudgingly commit yourself to keeping up-to-date with.

You know what I'm talking about. The "this proves I'm smart" list. It includes things like:
  • "Important" movies
  • Semi-obscure scientific discoveries
  • The vaguely defined world of art
  • Philosophies
  • Capitalized Literature
  • lower-case bands
  • World events
  • Obscure cheeses
  • Classic cocktails
  • A genteel smattering of classical music, dance, and the theater
And, in certain circles,
  • A mostly-smirking appreciation of current "pop" culture