Robison Wells's "Blackout"...A Book Review

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Imagine, if you will, if seemingly unlimited powers were suddenly bestowed on millennials. Well, you don't have to--Robison Wells wrote a whole series using that theme.

I've only read one other of Robison's books, Variant. The booked focused on a troubled teenager who is transferred to a new school, a school that is not what it seemed and more than he could possibly imagine. I'm waiting to read Book 2 of that series.

In Blackout, I can definitely see a maturity in his writing. I imagine it's still considered a YA novel, but anyone who enjoys dystopian stories with a factor of mutant killers thrown in will love this book.

Right from page one Robison grabbed me. I just saw on Goodreads that there's a Blackout 0.5 story in the series. Not that the book necessarily needed it, but I can see where a prologue would be useful. Even without an extensive setup, I enjoyed having to focus a little bit on what was happening to Aubry and how she was able to do the things she did.

We're introduced to teenagers with special powers, powers they use for both good and evil. Because we're thrown into the story so quickly (it's a very fast read, or if you've go the audiobook version, a fast listen...) that it wasn't as clear to me why some of the kids were so evil. Some of those details could be contained in Going Dark, Book 0.5, and some of it is explained as the story develops. Still, it's not enough to detract from an engaging tale and kept me entertained from cover to cover.

If Robison has a trait that I dislike, it's how effective his cliffhangers are. He really knows how to make you want to read his next book. Actually, it's a love/hate thing with me. I'm just glad I was able to download Book 2, Dead Zone and was able to begin reading/listening immediately after I finished Book 1.

So, get a copy of Blackout, sit back and enter a world where millennials have all the power. Heaven help us all!

* Photo used without permission from: https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/17332588-blackout

Riding In The Car With The Daughter...

We found out on Friday that my daughter and I were going to be doing another show together. You'd think that when we do shows together we'd be spending several hours with each other at each and every rehearsal, but it really hasn't turned out that way. Once we get to the theater we usually sit with different people, hang out with different people when we're not rehearsing and generally, we end up not being together that much.

But, there's always the car rides to and from. 

I did my first community theater show back in 2000. I thought it would be a cool thing to do with my oldest son. He was six at the time. We did that Christmas show and then we did the next Christmas show together. Thus began a tradition. He and I ended up doing several shows. Then my daughter wanted to do shows so eight years ago she and I (and my oldest son...) were in another Christmas show. She was six-years old. Since then it's been she and I.

Some people wonder why I do so many shows. It really takes up a LOT of time, time I could spend writing, or doing other stuff. But as I drove home tonight after meeting the cast and crew for the first time, I realized, when I do shows with my kids, I'm with them. We spend time together. We talk about stuff during the commutes. I have no idea how long I'll get to do shows, or how long my kids will want to even spend time with their old man. It could be all over very soon.

And if it is, I'll always be grateful for the time that we got to do something fun for ourselves and for others.

And I hope my kids will think the same thing, too.

Deleting Stuff...Not So Easy To Do Sometimes

Modern technology is simply amazing, but few talk about the ugly side, the side that's especially bad for a hoarder. I admit that I have a problem, and it has to do with taking digital pictures.

It's not something I'm proud of, but I've learned to live with it.

Then again, maybe I'm just living a lie.

I take a lot of pictures. Of course, not as many as a professional photographer might take. But I'm not making money with my pictures--it's just for fun and to chronicle my life. The ugly side comes when my half a terabyte of laptop memory is all used up and I've got to start deleting.

In the above picture, I took a computer screen shot of what I saw when I selected a large amount of pictures to delete. I picked a date almost two years ago and decided to delete all photos and videos before that date. We were just about to embark on a fantastic vacation to California to see family. I highlighted all the photos I had taken before October 20, 2013 and it turned out to be 10,962 pictures and videos.

I couldn't believe it!

I did not permanently delete them. I've backed them up on several hard drives so I'm not worried about losing them forever. I liked having all those pictures on my computer so I could just pull them up any time and check them out, or use them in blog posts. The problem was, I hardly ever did that and my laptop computer was full. Time to clean house.

I thought it would be easy to drag all 10,962 photos and videos to the trash icon then delete them. It didn't turn out that way. After a couple of hours of trying, I shut down my computer then deleted a more manageable number, like 3,000. That eventually worked out.

So, have I learned my lesson? I doubt it. The future will only bring advancements in both digital photoraphy and data storage options. All this will only enable me to hoard more photos. Everything will be fine, until I'll need to do this all again.

Harper Lee's "Go Set A Watchman"...A Book Review

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I only finished Harper Lee's masterpiece, To Kill A Mockingbird just last year. Like many people, I was both excited and apprehensive to read Go Set A Watchman. Will it live up to its predecessor? Honestly, how could it? There was also the circumstances surrounding the way the book came to be. I haven't done a lot of research into it, but the way the book came to be published is very interesting.

I also tried to steer clear of other reviews; I didn't want my opinion to be tainted by theirs. For the most part, I succeeded. I heard a little bit about the book, mostly how Atticus is portrayed. For me, I saw something in not only his portrayal, but the book in general. 

The book centers around Jean Louise (Scout) returning to her hometown in her twenties. She travels from New York as a woman who moved and left behind the simpleness of her past life. She's now a sophisticated woman, a knowledgeable woman, a changed woman. She finds that the life she knew has not only changed, but may have not existed in the first place. What she sees in her hometown and the people living there--especially her father, Atticus, disgusts her. She is horrified by what her town has become.

The book, whether deliberate or not, erases the innocence of of our shared experience. Most read Lee's first book while in grade school. The story was simple, good vrs evil, right vrs wrong. We admired Atticus Finch because of his integrity. We saw him through the eyes of Scout and understood that fathers should possess at least some of his qualities.

But just as happens in Go Set A Watchman, we now realize that even if things existed like they did they way we remember them, all things change. It's hard to imagine that life in the segregated south could possibly be considered a simpler time, and perhaps To Kill A Mockingbird was a look at the innocence of it all. Of course, when we look back on the events of then and now, it's never been simple, never did it have a sense of innocence. Lee uncovers truth for us all to see and reminds us that these issues have always been more than what we think we see on the surface. I'm going to read this again, but first, I think I'll read her other book. I know I'll learn more from each the second time around.

* Photo used without permission from: https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5964635297586456513#editor

Looking Back...Two Years Ago Today

Facebook has a new feature. It searches for posts you've entered in the past and on the anniversary of that event reminds you what happened one, two, or more years ago. I've posted something on Facebook everyday since early 2011. I know this because I've got a "Pic Of The Day" that I post as well as a link to my daily blog. I guess Facebook could hit me with several of these pictures every day. We'll see what happens. This morning I opened up the program and was greeted with the above picture.

I remember the event well. I had no idea how much my life would change in two years.

Two years...in my culture two years is significant. Male Mormon members are called on two-year missions. Female member are called for eighteen months. Growing up it was something I always figured I would do. I went years ago (even though my calling was for eighteen months...) and my oldest son is on his mission right now. The two years goes by differently depending on if you're the one on the mission or the missionary's family waiting for them at home. I'm experiencing that now.

So, when I saw the picture of an almost empty Salt Palace Convention Hall, taken on September 5, 2013, it made me realize just how my life has changed in the past twenty-four months.

Oh, I remember that morning. I arrived early--I had taken that whole day off from work. I thought the place would be packed, but no, not yet. I remember also that I was nervous. A few months before my friend had asked if I wanted to be a panelist at Salt Lake's first ever Comic Con. Of course I said "YES!" I did, however, not feel qualified to be a panelist. First of all, I had no idea what that really meant. I had only attended a few other conferences before and most were literary symposiums. I was also on panels with what I would consider "successful" authors, some NYT bestsellers. And there I was, a couple of short stories published and a short screenplay made into a movie I remember feeling so out of place. 

I made it down to the convention floor and ran into an author friend. He recommended I go a few aisles over and meet one of his author friends. I did. And during the next three days I participated in several panels, met many people and had a fantastic time.

Two years ago today I began a new chapter of my life, a chapter that included participating at several conventions, Comic Con and others, having another short story published and publishing my own book of short stories. And it was at that first comic con conventions that I realized not only did I belong at the Comic Con, but could offer useful information to people wanting to break into writing as more than a casual activity. 

Yes, the picture brings back a lot of memories, memories of Blake's generosity, of Michaelbrent's friendship and of Dave's inclusion into a circle of awesomeness. I think humans look back at the time that was and we reflect. We think about how life was for us back then. We're amazed at all the things that have happened in the interim. We look at life as past, present and future, but really, there's no past, nor is there future, only the present. And if Facebook is still around two years from now and they still post events from our past, I might open the computer and see a link to this entry. And I'll think, 'It's really been two years since I wrote that? Wow--so much has changed since then.'

Gangrene Comedy Film Festival Presents "Full Steam"...Pure Awesomeness!

Last year I couldn't attend. Before that I missed the previous fourteen Gangrene Film Festivals because I knew nothing about it, except it had a great name. 

Then I met one of the coolest guys I think I know, Craig Nybo, and I promised myself this year I'd be going. What a party!

Each year, a new theme. This year--steampunk! There's so much potential when steampunk's your topic. Nybo and Company not only realized this, but took full advantage. With a live band and dancers up to the task, they put on a great show, the kind of show that relies on punched music and raw emotion oozing from horns, guitars, accordions, drums (conventional and adapted metal drums...) and a played saw. Add a vocal battle between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, and you have a great show.

And that's just the opening act! Following the music are the films. I had a previous appointment so I couldn't stay for the films. Looks like I've got something to look forward to for next year. Here's some of what I saw tonight. It was a lot of fun.

Terry Pratchett's "The Amazing Maurice And His Educated Rodents"...A Book Review

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"You need to read more Pratchett," my friend has told me on more than one occasion. He's said that so much it's become a theme.

"I have read Pratchett," I've told him so much it's become a counter-theme. I admit, I've read Pratchett, but I'm by no means an expert. Many of my author friends love Pratchett. To be honest, he's a little intimidating. I mean, he's brilliant! And when I read his books, I wonder if I'm getting everything.

Today I finished The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. I actually listened to it and there's something about hearing good dialogue that's pure joy. The narrator, Stephen Briggs was excellent portraying the various characters. If you're wondering what this book is about, it's on the cover. "The Pied Piper of . . . Discworld." That really says it all. From what I've read, it's Pratchett's first children's book set in that world.

Yes, it's a children's book, but it can be a tad gruesome. The story includes cats and rats. There's one instance where a cat must defend his past actions to the other rats when he ate a rat. Of course, it was before both species had the greater knowledge of reading and communicating.

I know there's a lot I missed with this one, and that's unfortunate. But, I did read it and that's important. Yes, my co-worker friend--I did read a Pratchett. And the next time one comes available, I won't be so intimidated.

* Photo used without permission from: https://www.goodreads.com/book/photo/34534.The_Amazing_Maurice_and_His_Educated_Rodents