Last day of school

So today was the last day of school in Georgia, with all of the craziness that that entails.  It was kind of sad to say goodbye, even though I’ll probably be coming back to the same school in September.  In the meantime, I’m going to miss being a rockstar to all the 7-12 year olds… Continue reading Last day of school

Trope Tuesday: Deus Ex Machina

This one is by request.  A Deus Ex Machina, or “God from the Machine” ending, is basically when the author writes himself into a corner and pulls something out of his butt to resolve the story. The term comes from ancient Greek theater, which often employed this technique–probably because the audience was known to get violent… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Deus Ex Machina

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

June, 1863.  In a bid to destroy the Army of the Potomac, Robert E. Lee invades Pennsylvania with an army of 70,000 men.  Using the mountains to screen his movements, he advances toward Harrisburg, fully expecting to secure a victory that will end the American Civil War. But two weeks into the campaign, Stuart’s cavalry… Continue reading The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

Trope Tuesday: Dreaming of Things to Come

When a character in a story has a dream, there’s almost certainly a reason for it.  If it’s not thrown in just to show how scarred or tortured he is (or alternately, how repressed he is), chances are good he’s dreaming of things to come. I’m a huge fan of this trope, as you may be… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Dreaming of Things to Come

Trope Tuesday: Slap Slap Kiss

Unless you have an unhealthy aversion to kissing books, you’re probably familiar with Slap Slap Kiss.  It’s common in genre romance, but you’ll often find it in science fiction & fantasy too.  When done well, it’s a great way to make sparks fly, but when done poorly…I think you can fill in the rest. The… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Slap Slap Kiss

Ali and Nino by Kurban Said

At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Christianity and Islam, the progressive West and the reactionary East, the peoples of the Caucasus lie poised between three empires and their own dreams of independence.  And at the city of Baku, where the ancient and unchangeable desert meets the oil rigs of the Caspian Sea, young Ali… Continue reading Ali and Nino by Kurban Said

Trope Tuesday: Freudian Trio

Last week, I blogged about the Three Faces of Eve trope.  But if we’re going to discuss power trios in any depth, we first need to examine the classic Freudian Trio, one of the most prevalent combos and, in some ways, a precursor to all others. As you might expect, the Freudian Trio borrows heavily from Sigmund… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Freudian Trio