The Pain and Reward of Personal Memoir by Brett Bloemendaal
Mary Karr once told me: “Memoir is knocking yourself out with your own fist.” Okay, I romanticize; more accurately, I read it in her book, The Art of Memoir. After
Cruz Finds His Way by Anne van Gessel Book Review and Author Interview
We all have our handicaps, those skills that plagued us in childhood that we still run and hide from because they’re ingrained in our histories as negative events. A lot
Using Child Narrators in Fiction
One of the main benefits of writing is that it gives a voice to the otherwise voiceless. Literature is filled with stories about outcasts, the oppressed, and the silenced. Writers
Rock of Resilience by Lynda Faye Schmidt
Scars fortify After reading my soon to be released novel, The Holding, advanced reader Alison DeLory commented, “While Cate’s journey holds surprises, what we ultimately see is how her scars
Rules of Falling by Leslie Tall Manning Book Review and Author Interview
Coming from a family that suffers from low blood pressure, I’m no stranger to feeling dizzy, blacking out, or fainting. Every member of my family has fainted, and I’ve even
10 Philosophical Story Elements in the Batman Mythos
There are so many fictional characters that fans love to study, dissect, and discuss. Comic book characters are particularly susceptible to this due to their longevity and the fandom that
How To Write Literary Philosophy by Anthony David Vernon
Do you wish to drink up the sea or shadow the steps of Plato? Do you think philosophy is best portrayed literarily rather than syllogistically? To be able to write
A Mermaid’s Tale of Pearls by Jennifer Elizabeth Book Review and Author Interview
A really fun aspect about writing is that anything can be a character. From mythological creatures to inanimate objects, we can give personalities, backstories, and life to anything that we
FAT: The Other F Word by Dan Radlauer Book Review and Author Interview
Whether we want to or not, we all fit a “type.” We have a look or a shape or a demeanor that throws us into a particular category. No one
Why I Avoid Reading Long Books
On Christmas Eve, I started reading Little Women. It felt like an appropriate choice because the story opens with a Christmas scene. I’ve read Little Women before, or so I
Jig Gets Lost by Julia Kneeland Book Review and Author Interview
I was always a cautious kid who stayed put and always kept a grownup in my sight. But one time, I wandered off in a department store under my grandfather’s
Power On by H.L. Burke Book Review and Author Interview
One of my favorite story tropes is the villain turned hero. It’s so satisfying to watch a character slowly change their mind into someone who wants to do the right
Breaking News by Frank Morelli Book Review and Author Interview
When I was a little kid, I wanted to work for The Daily Planet. What a letdown it was to find out that The Daily Planet was not a real
The Teacher is Taught: The Experiences Behind the Writing of Home Boys By: Dr. Seth C. Kadish
In my new memoir, Home Boys, I look back on my early career days, counseling Probation youth. Luckily, I kept copious notes at that time and was able to recreate
Sparrow by Brian Kindall Book Review and Author Interview
When we make decisions in our lives, our main concern is how those decisions will affect our futures. What we don’t realize is the effect those decisions will have even