Shop Talk: Crime, Class, and Money

Thomas Mullen, author of The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers, interviews Jess Walter, author of Citizen Vince and The Zero,. Walter says, “Real, organic-seeming characters can illuminate any event—whether it’s timely, the way I’ve worked recently, or steeped in history, like your novels. I like what Emerson said: ‘Fiction reveals the truth that reality obscures.'”

Then Mullen asks about the blend of literary and crime fiction, and then he brings up class descriptions . . . read more.

Mumford & Sons – The Cave

And now for something completely different. This song from Mumford & Sons is obviously an allusion to Plato’s cave metaphor, otherwise why would it called “The Cave.” I mean, how could they be singing about anything else? (Sorry, I’m being silly, or I’m losing my mind.)

“But I will hold on hope

And I won’t let you choke

On the noose around your neck

And I’ll find strength in pain

And I will change my ways

I’ll know my name as it’s called again.”

When in Doubt, Talk About Writing

Bob Thompson says there are three common reports written from interviews with writers, but if you talk to them about writing, you can usually avoid producing what everyone else does. [via Books, Inq.]

Interview with Director Randall Wallace

Randall Wallace, director of Secretariat and writer of Braveheart among other good movies, answers a few questions for World. “If anything feels like it’s a Sunday school lesson, that would drive me away from a theater, let alone someone who isn’t disposed to the same viewpoint. When I go to the movies, I’m not looking to be exposed to somebody else’s dogma. And when I make a movie I’m not looking to explain my intellectual arguments of faith to somebody else.”

How the other half blogs

I apologize for the brevity of my posts lately. I’m going through what is, for me, an unusually busy time–I’m still writing posts for the Virtual Book Tour, I gave a lecture last night, have a meeting tonight, and have to drive to a meeting 3 1/2 hours away tomorrow. I guess I’ll get to rest on Sunday. Next weekend I’m driving to Chicago, for the International Vinland Seminar.

Am I nuts, I ask rhetorically.

And yet, I remind myself, other people (notably parents of children) endure much busier schedules for years on end. Of course, I’m older than most of them, but still.

A sharp reminder of my age came last night, when I suddenly developed a pain in one knee, which remains, lo, even unto this day. I greatly fear this is something I’ve brought on myself, by letting myself be overweight at an advanced age. Stress fatigue. If it had happened last week, I’d be able to say it was an injury from our combat shows. But all I was doing last night was giving a talk on Leif Eriksson to a Sons of Norway lodge, which is not, in most cases, a contact sport.

My Virtual Book Tour stop today is supposed to be Eccentric Eclectic Woman, but I don’t see anything showing up there.

5Q: Jonathan Rogers

Mr. Smith has Five Questions For Jonathan Rogers, Author of The Charlatan’s Boy.

SD–Fact: The Wilderking Books are gold for children (and adults) on many fronts. Truth? Check. Goodness, Beauty? Check, check. Were you inspired to write the trilogy by any concern over a lack of worthwhile fiction for kids, or was your motivation simply to make billions of dollars?

JR–I wouldn’t say any ‘concern’ about existing children’s fiction motivated me. I was quite ignorant of what was out there when I started writing the Wilderking books. I’m only a little less ignorant now. I will say I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how much worthwhile fiction is out there–though there is plenty that isn’t worthwhile. Here’s the thing, S.D.: I want people to like what I like. I think that’s a good enough reason to write stories. . . .

Waving as I sweep past

I gave a lecture tonight, and came home late. But I have a couple links.
Hal Colebatch, author of the Man-Kzin Wars books I’ve reviewed here and here, has an article on religion (or the lack of it) in Science Fiction over at The American Spectator.
And today’s virtual book tour stop is at Lori’s Reading Corner.

Designed for God's Glory

Bryan Chapell writes about taking grace for granted: “As a racehorse is made for running and a saxophone is made for jazz, we find our greatest glory when we do what we are designed to do and live as God in his grace has designed us. In godliness we find our truest and best humanity. Any other path leads only to ruin.”

We cannot prove our understanding or love of God’s gracious handling of us by indulging our sin. We must pursue holiness–imperfectly we understand, but still zealously. We were made for this.

Linkage

If there must be evil in the world, let there at least be more stories like this. All hail to Victor Perez for taking action to save a child. He should get a medal, and probably will.

As did Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller today, though sadly posthumously. The story from Threedonia blog is here.

On a far more trivial note, here’s the history of that traditional nuisance, the chain letter. Tip: Mirabilis. I note that, while a Methodist missionary school provides “one of the earliest known” instances, they apparently didn’t actually invent it.

Lastly, today’s Virtual Book Tour stop is Pump Up Your Book.

And with that, I leave you.

Book Reviews, Creative Culture