I am almost ashamed to say it, but for the first time in my life, I feel compelled to give props to a person I have personally loathed for years. Not sure if you have ever heard of him, but the guy's name is Tom Brady. He is the last person in the world I thought I would ever want…
Often in my writing circles the subject of fairy tale retellings comes up in conversation, and always to the same odd mixture of reactions—weary resignation, mildly hopeful interest, and a good bit of eye-rolling. To say the entertainment market is saturated with these fairy tale retellings is an understatement, whether it’s books, movies, or those darn Disney remakes. And yet…
As I am sure you have noticed, there has been a strong obsession with perfectionism in the arts: the publishing industry, the music industry, the art industry, etc. This post will be mostly directed toward the publishing industry, as that is the only one I have 6+ years of experience in. This obsession with perfection is encouraged in the industry.…
I am reading a book that has me spellbound: “Anything You Can Imagine: Peter Jackson and the Making of Middle-earth” by Ian Nathan. I have always been an avid Lord of the Rings fan, both the books and movies. So naturally, I am interested in this biography retelling details of Peter Jackson’s journey from acquiring the rights to the books…
It's an outrage! "Isn't everything these days?" you ask. Well, we are living in outrageous times, but I think it's fair to say some things actually need to get people's ire up. And in this case, it's the latest assault against classic literature, namely Puffin's hubris in rewriting Roald Dahl's catalog to accommodate modern sensitive readers by removing "language deemed…
Quiet desperation is how the poet Henry David Thoreau described the way most people live their lives. Instead of facing new challenges with an optimistic hope of success, many people would rather give up and hide from the world. I often feel this emptiness of soul right when I wake up in the morning, especially during the dark and cold…
Listen to Jakki Jelene's interview on The Write Stuff Radio Show with Parker J. Cole as they discuss her book, Sail on Serenade, released through Doorway Publishing (sequel to At Ocean's Door), available on Paperback and Kindle.
Q: Welcome Jess Hanna! Please tell us a little about yourself; where you live, creative endeavors, and anything else you want to share. A: Thank you for the opportunity to share a bit about myself. I live in the greater Grand Rapids, MI area with my wife, dog, cat, rabbit, and bird. My primary creative endeavor is writing novels and…
It's Independence Day and while most of us are taking the day to celebrate the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, for many it is not always so. In this thought-provoking short story, Christopher J. Weeks explores a dark, dystopian future where some lives are deemed more valuable than others. *Parental Guidance recommended due to intense themes…
Best is yet to come and babe, won’t that be fine?You think you’ve seen the sun, but you ain’t seen it shine— Frank Sinatra, The Best Is Yet to Come I recently stumbled upon this video clip featuring Jordan Peterson where he talked about the importance of pursuing your interests without fear of failure, even if it means having to “start by…