“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, the most inexhaustible form of magic we have, capable both of inflicting injury and remedying it.” ~ Albus Dumbledore Fans are no doubt aware that online fanfics and the communities in which they circulate house rich critiques about gender, sexuality, race and identity. In fact, many fan writers deliberately insert […]
via Writing Magic: Politicizing Fan Culture — FAN/FIC Magazine
Take a look at the first test cover for my new book, coming to Amazon Kindle soon! I hope to have a release date in the next few weeks.
Have you ever watched Home Alone and wondered what in the world Kevin’s dad must do for a living to be able to afford that gorgeous home and a Christmas vacation to Paris for the entire family? It’s the type of thought which likely only occurs to you as you get older and face the […]
via Infographic: Here’s How Much Some Iconic Movie Houses Are Worth — We Minored in Film
As we begin the first week of April the Midwest is finally seeing the promise made by the groundhog’s shadow and the advent of the vernal equinox fulfilled. The trees are budding and flowers begin to bloom in sunny beds, but this “spring” can mean more to our lives than a call for lighter clothing. The warmer weather beckons us to get outside, and live-walk, play, plant a garden, or simply to enjoy the fresh scents and sights of the season as the cold retreats and the snow and ice disappear.
Photo credit: Foter.com
The season we call “spring” heralds mild weather and new plant and animal life, but the concept of spring is also symbolic of renewal, rebirth, and a fresh take on our lives and surroundings. We can be filled with a sense of restored energy, the motivation and inspiration to make changes, to learn a new skill or try a new direction.
Spring can be just the excuse we need to finish, or start, the project we’ve been putting off. What better time, than when everything around us is green and new, to create, to complete, to reinvent our own selves?
Photo credit: Foter.com
So let’s take up the challenge most of us abandoned along with our new year’s resolutions. Let’s finish those home improvement projects, let’s dig into the fertile soil and write a new chapter in our lives. Let’s strive, once again, to be the individuals whom we’ve always dreamed we’d be, if only we had another chance. Today, and this season, is the time to reassess our goals, and look forward optimistically for a better future. After all, the earth itself renews with the new season, so why can’t we?
Happy Spring,
Amy
Photo credit: granth via Foter.com / CC BY-SA
Those words are ones we all associate with building, change, dust and dirt and hard work. But the term “under construction” can mean more than just the erection of a new high rise or the remodel of a favorite venue; it can also be used to describe anything in flux in our lives. When we decide to take a new direction, to learn something new, to expand our outlook, our lives are “under construction,” that may include physical, mental or emotional change.
It could be argued that we are all under construction, because we all grow and change with age and from our experiences. We would rather not dwell on the negative, or things that change us in ways beyond our control, such as illness or injury. We hope the changes we make are positive, brought about by the desire to improve rather than necessity due to disaster. We hope we are growing into better, happier, more fulfilled people.
Right now I personally have a very big project under construction. I plan to be ready in the very near future to release my first novel. This has been a work in progress for a long time, but I’m finally getting down to the finishing touches on this thing I’ve been building. I’ve had several setbacks, but now am actively working on getting the cover together, which I will be showing here and on Twitter as soon as I can. After I finish with the editing and formatting, I plan to release my book on Kindle for those interested.
Please bear with me as I seek to complete this construction project.
Thanks,
Amy
Game of Thrones will be entering its latest season with fans holding their breath about the fate of Jon Snow and others, and rumors has already begun to swirl about if next season will be the one in which HBO and George R.R. Martin finally decide to put a wrap on the conflicts within Westeros. While […]
via Ten really bad sci-fi/fantasy finales for Game of Thrones to avoid imitating — John’s Head
This past weekend my husband and I took in our first big “summer blockbuster” of the year, Kong: Skull Island. I hadn’t read any reviews of the movie prior to the show, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was not merely a sequel or remake of Peter Jackson’s 2005 epic. Instead, Kong featured an original story that offered plenty of action coupled with a well-developed plot (though the latter was somewhat obscured by the overwhelming special effects).
Set roughly forty years later than the last cinematic delivery of the giant ape, Kong touches on the 1970s world of chaos embodying war protesters and political upheaval, scientific leaps and social change. In this environment, a group of researchers pitch the need to uncover the secrets of a lost island “before the Russians do.”
Brie Larson as Mason Weaver, firing a flare gun. Photo courtesy of rottentomatoes.com
I was gratified that the female cast was not relegated to the role of damsels in distress, as in the classic versions of the giant monster genre. Leading actress Brie Larson, who, at first glance appears to fit the stereotype of the beautiful blonde traditionally captured by the giant ape; ably held her own with the boys in pitched fights against the monster baddies. Actually it was her character, Mason Weaver, a war photographer, who finished off the first of the creepy, two legged giant skull crawlers the group of scientists and soldiers encountered, with plenty of help from James Conrad, played by costar Tom Hiddleston.
Though female leads in action films have become somewhat more common in the last decade, thanks to series such as Resident Evil and Underworld, they are still not the norm whenever mammoth monsters take center stage. It is indeed refreshing to see a female character that is portrayed as competent, resourceful, and just as brave as her male companions.
Larson’s character did later get up close and personal with the big guy, an encounter which showed that Kong truly was not the antagonist, but rather a tragic hero in his own right. It was her empathy and insight, coupled with the intuition and heroism of Hiddleston’s character, which led to the confrontation with Col. Packard, played by Samuel L. Jackson. Prejudiced due to his experience in the Vietnam War and the opening encounter with the giant ape, the Colonel had failed to understand that Kong was not the enemy, and almost caused a disaster as he tried to destroy their would-be protector. Larson struck a decisive blow in the penultimate battle that saw the remaining humans ally with Kong against the granddaddy of the skull crawlers for ultimate survival.
Overall, Kong was a rare movie worth the outrageous price of the 3D ticket. I would recommend it to any fans of monster movie or action genres.
Happy viewing,
Amy
Not every heroine wears a cape or tights. Not every woman who deserves our respect or our accolades dresses in a colorful costume. The women in our every day, real lives have more of an impact on our world than any who has ever graced the screen or decorated a book cover. In honor of International Women’s Day, which is Wednesday, March 8th, I wanted to point out some of the attributes of these ordinary female heroes.
Photo credit: Sarah Ross photography via Foter.com / CC BY-NC
You probably know at least one of these superstars. You may have one in your own home, or school, or workplace. You most certainly see them at the grocery store, in the carpool lane, or at your favorite restaurant. These women may not stand out as the heroines they are. They may be hiding behind a façade as impervious as a secret identity, unlikely to be detected except by the few who truly understand and acknowledge their value.
A woman that gives her all for the betterment of others is a hero to those who depend on her. Whatever her title or position, it is in her nature to help, to nurture, to guide those in her care to the best of her ability. She is all the more remarkable for the fact that she may be unappreciated, taken for granted, or underestimated for exactly how much she accomplishes on a daily basis.
In a society that places unrealistic expectations on what a young girl should look like, dress like, and achieve, it’s more important than ever that we teach our future superheroines to be strong, to be competent, and to be compassionate. Media images and bias make it difficult for these future leaders to develop healthy self-esteem and self-confidence, so crucial to them taking their place in the world.
So take a moment tomorrow and check out the women standing in line around you, sitting at the next desk, or waiting at the pump. She may be cooking your breakfast, or prepping your flu shot. She may have information you need, or questions to ask. She may be a superheroine in disguise. Whoever she is, take time to smile, and acknowledge her importance to your world today.
Happy International Women’s Day!
Amy
The focus on male writers in the science fiction genre has been going on far too long. Find out challenges and successes for female sci-fi authors.
via Science Fiction Writing: It’s Not Just a Man’s World — When Women Inspire
Some of you will remember my last post was on the importance of expressing your feelings for those who give meaning to our lives. Today, I decided to write about the other side of the coin-those relationships that do not work out the way we hope. Most of us are not lucky enough to find “the one” on the first try, or have lived happily ever after without effort on our parts.
For every great successful love story, there is “the one that got away” or the “star-crossed lovers” that we all hope to avoid in our own lives, but are more than ready to cry over when it happens to our favorite fictional characters.
Photo credit: Free Grunge Textures – www.freestock.ca via Foter.com / CC BY
The concept of the “star-crossed” lovers is hardly a new notion. Early myths detail stories of relationships that never had a chance thanks to outside forces like jealous gods (such as the Greek story of Artemis and Orion) or terrible monsters (the Norse Beowulf). Classic literature details heroes and heroines who could not make love last (think Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and their feuding families; or Hamlet and Ophelia, separated by revenge and madness).
Photo credit: Vancouver Island University via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND
Our ancestors hardly have a monopoly on stories where the hero did not get the girl, either. Modern media portrays a constant stream of relationships that face impossible odds of success. From the agonizing love triangle of Casablanca, to Jack and Rose whose relationship failed thanks to the Titanic colliding with an iceberg, to Buffy and Angel who could not be together because Angel would lose his soul, to Thor who was separated from Jane by his godhood and a broken trans-world portal.
Photo credit: NMCIL via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
So why are we attracted to tragedy? All of these characters have qualities we hope to see in ourselves. We share in their optimism, their passion, and their aspirations. They seemingly have a chance at love, but face insurmountable obstacles that ultimately result in tragedy. We root for them when they are happy, we cry with them when they are sad, and feel their losses when they are torn apart. We feel a connection to them in a way we could not if they did not experience grief and strife, because that is what makes them more human.
It is these very human qualities that we can identify with; because the characters of a tragedy do not end with happily ever after, they are all the more realistic and important to us.
So pull out a box of tissues and watch your favorite sob story. Reminisce with someone about the hardships you’ve faced in your own life, which hopefully have made you stronger and better prepared for the next challenge. Take heart in the impossible odds others have faced, and know you are not alone.
Until next time,
Amy
amycaudill.net 