April 5th update

I have read the following

       The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven: A Remarkable Account of Miracles, Angels, and Life beyond This World by Kevin Malarkey, Alex Malarkey

            DISCLAIMER: This is a religious(Christian) book which is being reviewed by a non-Christian.

The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven was what the authors’ last names suggest: malarkey. This is so much the case the book was pulled from countless religious bookstores’ and churches’ shelves.  Alex admitted later after publication and a DVD was made he had made the whole thing up because he thought it would get him attention.  I think the removal of the book in its entirety was the wrong choice instead the book should have a second forward or an afterward explaining that Alex admitted he never went to heaven.  Alex’s portion of the book is less than 1/5 of the total. The rest of the book recounts how Kevin dealt with the accident through his eyes and the journey he went through based on what his son told him.  If his son said he visited heaven and that brought Kevin closer to God then as Kevin’s spiritual journey this book hits the mark.  What Alex did or didn’t lie about doesn’t discredit how Kevin felt or the sense of community that was felt from the churches of Prayforalex.com.  This book won’t convert any non-believers but it will affirm works of God for current believers and help non-Christians gain a deeper understanding as to the sense of comfort gained by people who turn their troubles over to God.  Despite being a bestseller the author told me everything and showed me nothing.  All I got was I did I felt I saw. I was aware the entire time I was being told someone’s story which made some parts harder to believe because as a reader I didn’t get sucked into the action.

The Oxford Book of American Short Stories 
by Joyce Carol Oates (Editor) 

As a short story collection this anthology contains a wide variety of authors with a quick comprehensive overview of each author included.  Throughout this entire anthology I was annoyed however because Dates in her forward explicitly said she hand-picked works which weren’t the authors best known pieces and then not only began with the most known Poe but in her snippets about the author on more than a fourth of them said this piece is this authors best know or most reprinted.  That wouldn’t have bothered me if she hadn’t also said she was not going to print those and instead look for more less known representations of the author’s works. If you’re looking for a comprehensive short story collection containing American authors this is your book, if you want to find more obscure printings of the well known American authors you will need to look elsewhere.  

I have worked on the following

             I’ve been working on my first screenplay. I will have the first ten pages, hopefully more done by may first.

            Following reading this anthology for my short story a day, which I got behind on, I must now choose whether to pick one of the incredible authors to study for short stories and longer prose, move to a different anthology of American/or another country’s literate, or pick a different collection either arranged by a theme or of a different selected author all together. 

I’m working on the following

            I’m working on catching up.  As a result of life circumstances I got way behind.  At this point looking at my goals I’ve read two non-fiction books only 46 short stories, and three works of fiction.

            I’m participating in Camp NaNoWriMo with my screenplay as my focus.

Thoughts

            What do you do when you find yourself behind on any project? How do you catch up?

Mar 22st 2017 update

Since my last post I have used the following resources

Courses from Sally Walker. INSERT WEB ADDRESS HERE.

Bits of Script perpetrations also complied by Sally Walker.

I have read the following

             Rescuers defying the Nazis: Non-Jewish teens who rescued Jews.  By Toby Axelrod.

            The information in this book is solid.  The facts are clearly presented and italics make it clear which pieces of the book are direct accounts from different teens.  This book has a bad habit of focusing on the teen aspect so much that it becomes patronizing.  It also has a bad habit of in almost every chapter repeating at least once sometimes more than they did this in the face of danger.  This is a known fact by the third chapter and it’s still been beaten in so hard that It becomes numbing. 

      Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin

            Despite a few places where the book was repetitive it is a worthwhile read for children and parents alike.  The author did a good job of letting readers feel like they are in the head of an autistic narrator.  The repetitiveness related to the autism is wonderful however when the author tells and shows in the same chapter, even the same page doesn’t enhance the experience.  This book may have more value for readers who aren’t autistic because while the book is about the autistic boys experience the lessons are actually learned by the mother and how to be present for her son. This book would also act as a great tool to expose peers to how an autistic peer may think or feel in anxious situations. 

            Roadfood, 10th Edition: An Eater's Guide to More Than 1,000 of the Best Local Hot Spots and Hidden Gems Across America 
by Jane Stern

            Roadfood is a wonderful compilation of restaurants throughout the country.  I took this book along with us when we took a trip and we were glad we had it.  The descriptions were just enough to entice us to try some places while leaving some of the magic of the stops to unveil themselves upon arrival.  The information including pricing was up to date.  The maps were confusing in a couple of places however the maps aren’t designed to get you to the door rather to help travelers plan trips in specific cities.  I would highly suggest mapping out places before hand or turning to a preferred GPS device.  If you like tor try new places and or want to plan your eating adventures before hand instead of settling for McDonalds on a vacation this is a book for any traveler.

I have worked on the following

             I have set aside Frank Frost in to focus on working on my bits of script piece. 

I’m working on the following

            The son by Phillipp Meyer.  I had to turn it in to the library because there was a hold on it. I will request it and hopefully be able to continue soon. Thus far i am more interested in one story line than the other two.  I’m hoping the reason for having three different protagonists and three different time periods presents itself.

Thoughts

What is your favorite encyclopedia style book that you always go back to? Examples would be Roadfood, 1001 books to read before you die, the Booklust series.

February 27 best sellers.

This Week's Bestsellers: February 27, 2017 - http://klou.tt/1x642j35m16h

 Here is something I need to start following a little more closely. 

 After clicking on the link I'm excited to see the publishers weekly archives the best sellers

 So tell me, what will you be reading next? 

February 25th

I have read the following

Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson, Ralph Steadman (Illustrator)

A wonderful display of Gonzo journalism.  Action packed and full of endless crazy antics, this is a book you won't be able to put down.  The ending did feel as if there wasn't closure but considering the characters, events, and style that's to be expected.  This work of journalism has some hidden gems as far as good writing examples are concerned.  The descriptions in this work are vivid and complete but they don't slow down the action.

            The screenplay to Bad Moms

            Prior to reading the screenplay I watched the movie.  I was interested in how the movie didn’t follow the screenplay in some places and yet followed it to a tee in others.  Action scenes were mapped out but comedic dialogue scenes were done with more comedy added during filming.  Unlike prose where present tense is frowned upon by some groups of writers and in some genres it is how the screenplays are written.  Since that’s been what I’ve been comfortable writing up to this point I won’t struggle as much with that transition. 

Devon Delaney Should Totally Know Better(Devon Delaney #2) by Lauren Barnholdt 

            Another exciting book by Lauren Barnholdt. Readers get to continue the gripping story of Devon as she grapples with insecurities, boys, and growing up.  The author does a great job of making sure each chapter ends with a mild cliff so readers want to keep going. Characters are distinct and never act out of turn.  With humor and situational comedy this book is a fun read for anyone. 

            The screenplay for Malcom in the Middle: New Neighbors

            There was a lot less description here. I assume that is due to it being a screenplay of a television show which already has sets and characters set up.   They pay extra attention to transition and exactly what to cut to since a television show which airs on non-streaming venues originally really only has between 21-24 minutes t tell the story,  unlike the movie screenplay there were more side stories despite the limited time. Of course this is because a movie is only two hours on average while a television show is hours and hours long, just spanning over many chapters.

 

I have worked on the following

             I finished the final scene of my NaNoWriMo 2016 story Grinder.  It didn’t hit the 50,000 words but the story was complete at 32771 words.

            I finished January’s Gwen and Brooke.

            Recipes for the Heartland News

I’m working on the following

            Preparing a piece to submit for participation in the 2017 Bits of Script

            I am working on a piece currently entitled Frank Frost’s second chance.

            I am trying to catch up on my annual goals since I got behind.