May 2008 Archives
Geek Poetry
I’ve always considered myself a fine blend of the geeky math/science/tech mind and the nerdy lit/language/art mind. Today I felt the need to demonstrate that blend with this exceptionally geeky poem:
The Arithmetic of Fear: A Word Problem
Geek Poetry- continue reading
What a First Novel Should Be
I finished a book yesterday that defined for me what a first novel should be. “Heart Shaped Box,” written by Joe Hill is a fast tempo, rock-and-roll ghost story with a grizzled front man and an undercurrent of sexy taboos. The plot is dense, the characters are complex, the layers of musical reference are entertaining, and the development of the supernatural is just enough to suspend disbelief without becoming clinical.
Hill’s writing isn’t flawless, but whose is? I was reading with an eye for the flaws, and only a few stood out to me on my first turn through: repetitive figurative language, and an ending with a few to many tidy tie-ups were the biggest flaws I noticed, and as flaws go they are fairly minor. “Heart Shaped Box” is certainly worth the Bram Stoker Award it won, and definitely worth your attention.
