Howdy folks. Writer here, stepping away from behind the curtain.
I’ve had a lot of fun with you guys over the last couple weeks, and I appreciate all the support. Thanks for reading; thanks for criticizing; thanks for liking, commenting, and following. You’re making my little boy dreams come true. (You didn’t even have to clap your hands.)
On the tech front, my site’s still as ugly as a ball bag. I apologize; I’m getting around to fixing it.
Anywho–here’s a little look at me. The real me. Not the neurotic me I play on TV.
Books I’ve Been Reading
Here’s a list of current titles, in case you want to follow along:
- The Lord of the Rings; J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Hunting Accident; David Carlson and Landis Blair
- Hey Whipple, Squeeze This; Luke Sullivan and Edward Boches
- The Idea Writers; Teressa Iezzi
- Othello; William Shakespeare
- Billy Budd, Bartleby, and Other Stories; Herman Melville
LotR. Yep. The monolithic English major cliche. A handful of you probably fucked right off when you saw it.
But I actually haven’t read it. And since I now have an overabundance of free time in the evenings, I’ve bumped Tolkien to the top of my to-do list. To be frank, I’ve been having as much fun reading about language and world building as I have the story itself. I’ve actually been reading a lot about John’s (and later Christopher’s) revision process throughout the latter half of the 20th century. It’s incredible how many contemporary editors misunderstood The Lord of the Rings and corrected it with good intentions. The 50th-anniversary edition contains a short synopsis of the revision process. It’s worth a read.
I came across The Hunting Accident by chance. A friend of mine recommended it during lunch and let me borrow his copy. The conversation went something like this:
“You’re a lit guy, right?” he said.
“Yep,” I said.
“Here’s a book,” he said.
“Yep,” I said.
And now I’m reading it. Prison, blindness, and the Divine Comedy; I’ll say no more. Fans of comics and beat literature might get a kick out of it. The writing’s a little on-the-nose, but I’m digging it.
Hey Whipple and The Idea Writers are copy books. The first is a copy bible of sorts. It’s received a spattering of editions and printings; the latest covers social media, among other things. Sullivan mentions Iezzi’s The Idea Writers numerous times throughout Hey Whipple. Though a little dated, it gives a pretty solid overview of modern copy writing. I’ve been reading them so I can properly fake knowing what I’m doing at work.
I’m cutting Othello for an upcoming production. More on that in a few months.
And I’m adapting “Bartleby” for the stage. More on that in a few months, too.
Bloggers I’ve Been Reading
I don’t normally do “shout outs,” but I’ve been reading some kick-ass blogs lately, and if you like my stuff, you’re bound to like theirs more. So here are some links. Check them out.
Each is doing their own thing, and I really dig what they’re doing. I hope you do, too.
Cheers,
Jake
Im also following Frank Solanki. I liked his blog too. 🙂 Man, I wish I had more time to read. I did just get Kindle unlimited so maybe I will check some stuff out there. Almost forgot about it thanks for reminding me!
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I’m finding more and more that “I wish I had more time” is slang for “I watch TV at night.” I shut off the tube about a year or so ago, and I’ve been much more productive since.
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Nah, I just have four kids and I am going to school! I just really dont have the time. Lol. I dont even have cable.
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Gotcha. Kids come first, always. Either way, I’m glad you find enough time to write.
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Yes, they do. Me too! I have to plan very carefully. Lol.
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Hahahaha. “You probably fucked right off when you saw it” — I love self-deprecating humor. You have that perfect conversational style in your writing. You’re my new fav.
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Ha, thanks! It’s nice to break out of creator mode and just be myself sometimes. I’m trying to get better about it.
Regardless, thanks for reading. Sounds like a cliche, but it really means a lot.
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Yeah I get it–I’m a fellow writer and it *does* mean something so yes you’re very welcome 🙂
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I love it when a ‘Bloggers Ive been reading list’ has a few of my own Faves on there too, just been over to The Deconstruct and Oh Yes Please!! Many Thanks
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I still really enjoy those guys. I love spreading the love.
Speaking of, I haven’t written one of these posts in a while. Time to fix that…
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Here’s your Love spreading sister oh and some gold glitter ✨✨
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Digital glitter beats real glitter any day.
Thanks.
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Here have some more ✨✨✨✨
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