Tag: politics

Trope Tuesday: Sinister Surveillance

Someone is watching you.  Their eyes are everywhere.  Everything you do, everything you say … it’s all being recorded in a giant database.  But don’t worry–you can trust the ones watching you.  They have your best interests at heart.  They’re only after the bad guys.  You won’t even know that they’re there. Sinister Surveillance is… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Sinister Surveillance

E is for Empire

Almost every far future science fiction story has a galactic empire of some kind.  From Dune to Foundation, from Star Wars to Firefly, there’s always someone trying to rule the galaxy, often in a way that makes life difficult for the protagonists. Why?  Rule of drama, of course, but also because it gives the story… Continue reading E is for Empire

Trope Tuesday: Mexican Standoff

In a typical standoff, such as a hostage situation, two characters face off without immediately shooting at each other.  One or both of them may be using a human shield, or be reluctant to shoot first for fear that the other will take them with him.  A Mexican standoff, however, takes that up to a… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Mexican Standoff

Dila Mshvidobisa Sakartvelos

That’s Georgian for “good morning, Georgia.” It’s 7:20 am in Tbilisi right now, and I figure it’s time for an update before starting another day of TLG orientation. So Georgia is a pretty interesting place so far.  We haven’t seen too much of it, because we’ve been in the hotel most of the time doing… Continue reading Dila Mshvidobisa Sakartvelos

Trope Tuesday: Lawful Evil

If the term “villain” applies to anyone, it applies to the Lawful Evil.  Whether the evil overlord, his trusted right-hand man, or one of his devoted minions, these characters are dedicated wholeheartedly to their cause, whether they believe it will lead to a better world or not.  Taking over the world is often a major obsession,… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Lawful Evil

The gulf between the generations

I just watched a fascinating interview with a 1960s White House intern who claimed to have an eighteen month affair with President John F. Kennedy.  But the most interesting thing wasn’t the affair itself, but the way the President’s staff, the “fourth branch” of government (AKA the media), and the entire general public of 1960s… Continue reading The gulf between the generations

Story Notebook #6

Alright, it’s time to go through another story notebook.  This one covers the spring and summer of 2010, right after I graduated.  It was a weird transitional period in my life, when I didn’t really know what I was doing or where I was going, but I was determined to keep on writing anyway. I… Continue reading Story Notebook #6

What French Women Know About Love, Sex, and Other Matters of the Heart and Mind by Debra Olliver

I have a confession to make: when I was at my sister Kate’s for Christmas, I saw this book on her shelf and stole borrowed it without permission.  I finished it just yesterday, and at the risk of embarrassing myself, I’m going to review it as my second book of this year. This book presents… Continue reading What French Women Know About Love, Sex, and Other Matters of the Heart and Mind by Debra Olliver

Story Notebook #5 (part 2)

For those of you who don’t know (or can’t remember, since it’s been so long), I’ve been doing this ongoing thing where I go through my old story notebooks.  Last time, we covered my last semester of classes at BYU; this time, we’ll cover my time in Washington DC, when I was trapped in an internship from… Continue reading Story Notebook #5 (part 2)