Book news, movie reviews, hot takes, etc.
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Thor: Love and Thunder is typical Taika Waititi fun
This was probably the only Marvel thing I was excited about this year. Most of you who follow this blog know that my relationship with Marvel kind of fizzled out after the Infinity Saga. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with Marvel, we just… drifted apart. We didn’t grow together. They seemed fixed on doing…
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Lightyear is a smorgasbord of missed opportunities
I love Toy Story. Like, top three movie of all time. Hands down. Not only is it a massive technical achievement, but it’s also top-shelf storytelling. Pixar set the world on fire when they dropped it in 1995, and the studio would produce hit after hit for decades to come. So how did we end…
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No one asked for Top Gun: Maverick, but I’m glad we got it
Sometimes I can be a story snob. Okay, I can be a story snob a lot. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t appreciate a good summer action flick every once in a while. You know, the kind of film that isn’t trying to say anything particularly deep in stirring, but just gives me a…
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My next book will be free for everyone. Here’s why.
Guys, marketing a book is hard. Like, really hard. I studied public relations in college and most of my professional career has been in marketing. I’ve been around the marketing block a time or two, helping make millions of dollars for some companies, so I kind of know how things are done. But marketing books?…
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The importance of beta readers
Sometimes you’ve got an awesome idea. More than likely, you’ll have a good idea that needs a bit of work. I didn’t start using beta readers for my books until my second novel, and boy am I glad I did. The truth is no author is an island. No matter how much I’d love to…
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Well, my first fantasy trilogy is done.
Today is April 2nd, 2022. That means Awakened, the third installment in The Wevlian Chronicles, is now on Amazon. And that means every book in my fantasy trilogy is live. Published. Done. I have mixed feelings. Don’t get me wrong, I feel great about this accomplishment. It’s been fifteen years in the making. I originally…
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What I Knew He Could Be is a brief but thoughtful tale of forgiveness
I didn’t know what to expect when producer Sky Crystal reached out to me with an advance screening copy of What I Knew He Could Be. All I knew was that it was a short film produced somewhere near Atlanta. I knew nothing about the plot, the writing, or the people involved. That meant I…
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The Batman is more noir, less superhero
It’s brooding. It’s moody. It’s heavily-stylized. No, it’s not Twilight. It’s actually a good movie—it’s The Batman. It’s been two years since Bruce Wayne donned the mask and cape, and Gotham has only gotten worse. What’s more, there’s another justice-hungry vigilante named the Riddler that’s on a conquest to uncover Gotham’s elite for what they…
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The ingredients to Wordle’s success
Crossword? No. Word search? Try again. The hottest word game of 2022 is Wordle. And rightly so. In late January, Wordle was purchased by the New York Times from its creator, Josh Wardle, for a low 7-figure deal. Rumor has it that homeboy just wanted to make a fun word game for his partner to…
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A hate letter to traditional publishing
Okay, okay, the title is a little harsh. And clickbaity. I apologize for that. And this isn’t even written as a letter, either. So I apologize for that, too. The truth is, I don’t hate traditional publishing. I think it’s just fine, albeit fraught with its own set of problems. It’s kind of like Marvel…