It's December!! Anyone else enjoying the chilly weather? Anyone not enjoying it? Personally, I love that time of year when I can finally, finally, dig my sweaters out from underneath my shorts. (Just kidding, I don't actually put my pants in the same drawer as my shirts. I'm not a monster.) I feel like I … Continue reading Slaying Dragons, Paid Book Reviews, Writing Lessons, and More!
Reviews
These Sites Will Pay You to Write Your Own Fiction—But There’s a Catch
Fiction writers are always in need of money, right? If you're more into writing short stories and flash fiction, not quite ready to write a book to self-publish yet, or just looking for an easy way to get some extra cash doing what you're best at, you've probably wondered if there's any way to get … Continue reading These Sites Will Pay You to Write Your Own Fiction—But There’s a Catch
Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey: A Lesson on Writing Satire and Humour
Sometimes, the best writing tips of all come from simply reading books, which is one of the main reasons why I'm launching this under-appreciated classics series. Some of my all-time favourite books are ones that have mostly been lost to obscurity - but I think they have so much for us to learn. (Not to … Continue reading Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey: A Lesson on Writing Satire and Humour
The Thrawn Trilogy: The Importance of Story “Cleanup”
There are good endings, the ones that leave us crying or make us smile, blessing us with a feeling of wonderful satisfaction. There are bad endings, the ones that make us yell and throw our books against the wall. Why do we never talk about the "meh" endings? Because they, perhaps, are the worst kind … Continue reading The Thrawn Trilogy: The Importance of Story “Cleanup”
Mistborn Era 1: Trope Subversion at Its Finest
As some of you know, I've become a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson in the past year. His Stormlight Archive series blew me away and I eagerly devoured more, this time the first Mistborn series. I plan on buying the rest of his Cosmere books with Christmas money and reading them this year. Why? Because … Continue reading Mistborn Era 1: Trope Subversion at Its Finest
Fixing the Story: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
In this new series, I'm doing something a little different than my usual reviews. Rather than just talking about the good and bad in a story, I'll be going a step further to present possible ways to fix a story that's lacking. My goal? To help us practise how to pinpoint issues in a story … Continue reading Fixing the Story: The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Why The Muppet Christmas Carol Is the Best Christmas Movie Ever
I usually try not to say that something is "the best" since we all have different tastes, but when it comes to Muppet Christmas...it's the best. Still, I know we all have our favourite Christmas movies. I used to watch The Santa Clause and Home Alone all the time when I was younger, and The … Continue reading Why The Muppet Christmas Carol Is the Best Christmas Movie Ever
Review: The Flying Dutchman / Displaced
I'm a simple woman. I saw Ace with swords on the cover and was instantly sold. Really, though, it wasn’t only the cover that swayed my decision to pick up this discounted boxset from Big Finish in November. I’m a sucker for Doctor Who pirate stories because there are, in my opinion, far too few … Continue reading Review: The Flying Dutchman / Displaced
Disenchanted: As Lifeless as It Sounds, or Just “Different?”
Who else has been awaiting this Enchanted sequel for years? Disney is usually hit or miss with its sequels (mostly miss, let's be honest), but it was impossible not to be excited about this one. Enchanted is such a unique Disney movie, yet grossly underrated. The average person doesn't talk or think about it too … Continue reading Disenchanted: As Lifeless as It Sounds, or Just “Different?”
My Neighbor Totoro: What Makes a Classic Timeless?
Want to help me get a standing desk? Check out the details in the donation box below the post and read my stories on Vocal! I loved Studio Ghibli before it was cool. Some of my earliest memories are of My Neighbor Totoro, watching the dust bunnies (as they were called in the old dub) scatter, … Continue reading My Neighbor Totoro: What Makes a Classic Timeless?
The Story Canvas 