Story Sunday: A History of Violence

Hey, everyone! It’s Story Sunday again and today I’m talking about A History of Violence. This movie came out in 2005 while I was still in high school. Over the years, this movie has really stuck with me. It’s a story that I enjoy.

The plot is a pretty classic idea and one that occurs fairly often in movies in books. The main character, Tom Stall (played by Viggo Mortensen), is a man with a secret past. He lives in a small town, has a family, owns a little diner, and is known as a man of the community. One day, a couple of people try to rob his store at gunpoint. He’s willing to let the money go but can’t stand by as they begin to threaten other people in the diner. Stall kills them, the media puts his face in the news, and his past begins to catch up with him.

One thing that sticks out in my mind is how he kills the men in the diner. It’s a great scene. He kills the men, obviously reveals some experience with a gun, but does so without looking like Jason Bourne. Too often, in a story where the main character has a violent past, the audience is shown someone who looks like they should’ve been hired by the government for their extreme abilities. Tom Stalls violent past involved being a thug of sorts, and as a thug, he’s familiar with weapons and violence but he’s not James Bond.

Does the story work?

Honestly, I think the story works on some very simple levels. The plot itself is straightforward because the focus is truly on the character of Tom Stall. If you don’t expect a plot with lots of twists and turns, I think you’ll really see what the story has to offer through the main character.

Why does it work?

It’s not complex but I don’t think that’s really the point. The issue on display is who we are clashing with who we may have been. The idea of who we really are, who we want to be, and the conflict of opposing identities. Where does Tom really fall in regard to being a person? Is this new identity truly fake or is it who he really is, who he has become?

David Cronenberg’s style of directing and storytelling resonates with me. I’m sure I’ll talk about a few of his other movies on this blog eventually. I’m also a big fan of Viggo Mortensen. I think he’s an amazing actor and brings a lot to this character in this role. Without giving away the ending, I will mention something about it. There’s very little time spent on wrap up. When the conflict ends, the movie ends. Some people didn’t care for this ending but I really liked it. While some things were resolved, issues of identity and forgiveness were left open. An open ending can be annoying, believe me. However, in this case I think it allowed the reader to come to their own conclusions about the characters and the path set before them. Eastern Promises, another Cronenberg movie, has a very similar ending.

Here’s a link to the trailer… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74FdnDxptH4 If you’ve never seen it, I think it’s worth checking out. The movie isn’t for everyone but I enjoyed it and you might too.

Now it’s your turn. What do you think? Have you seen the movie? Have you seen Cronenberg’s other films? Have you seen Mortensen’s other films? When you see a movie or read a book, do you prefer complete closure from an ending?

FAN FRIDAY: FRISKY DINGO

Hi, everyone! It’s Fan Friday again and today I’m talking about a show called Frisky Dingo. If you’ve ever seen Archer and enjoyed it, you would probably like Frisky Dingo because the same people created both shows.

Frisky Dingo is a fifteen minute show that found a home on Adult Swim late at night. The show only lasted two seasons and it’s a shame, because the show could have gone on much longer. Archer has a similar kind of humor, so it’s really not so bad.

Frisky Dingo’s premise is that Awesome X (a hero somewhat comparable to Iron Man with all the money but none of the intelligence) and the Xtacles need to find a new villain. The antagonist, Killface, has created a doomsday device meant to drive the earth into the sun. Killface, however, doesn’t have enough money to complete the project. Awesome X then hatches a plan to get Killface’s signature on a contract allowing Awesome X to make and distribute toys of the two characters.

Honestly, this is just the beginning of their shenanigans, which even leads to Killface attending morning talk shows in order to spread the word about his doomsday device. It plays on a lot of funny things that would come about from having superheroes and villains in the world today. Things that you wouldn’t see in comics. Venture Bros plays with this concept as well with super scientists and their villains. If I’m being honest, the Xtacles are some of the funniest characters in the show, as minions tend to be.

While most of Adult Swim’s fifteen minute shows tend to be episodic, this show has a very tight storyline that continues from one episode to the next. If I had to guess, that’s probably why the show didn’t do so well. If you missed an episode, or didn’t catch the show from the beginning, the storyline would be even weirder and running jokes wouldn’t be as humorous. I caught an episode here and there once in a while and never thought it was funny until I caught it from the beginning.

I believe Adult Swim is airing the show again in its entirety. I know there are also dvds available at many major retailers and it may (though I’m not certain) be available online or through Netflix. If you like Archer, if you’re a fan of Adult Swim, check out this show because you’ll probably enjoy it. At the very least, it’s an amusing show.

Now it’s your turn, what shows do you find to be funny with a unique premise? Have you seen Frisky Dingo and wish it would make a return?

WRITING WEDNESDAY: USING PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Hi, everyone! It’s Writing Wednesday again and this week I’m writing about using personal experience in your stories. I decided to talk about this because it’s something I struggle with. I’ve tried many times and I haven’t really had much success with it. This is one of the reasons that I tend to stay away from writing non-fiction about my own personal experiences. Actually, it’s part of why I was hesitant to start a blog.

Right now, I’m working on a novel that requires me to dig deep into my own life. It’s fiction but I’m drawing a lot from my life. Certain people, places, and situations are inspired by things I was involved in or witnessed a few years ago. However, the story as a whole is fiction and I’ll label it as such. The title of fiction allows me to take creative license with dialogue and situations.

My difficulty with pulling from personal experience usually comes from being too close to the subject matter. Being too close to the subject matter can go in a lot of directions, so today I think I’ll focus on writing about a relationship or friendship. This is what I’m pulling from right now so I can discuss some of the challenges I’ve faced.

The difficulty with writing about something like a relationship is creating tension that brings in the reader. A common mistake when beginning to write a non-fiction piece (or pulling from personal experience for fiction) is something I’ll call “assumed importance.” The subject is important. Why? Because it happened to you. Well, that’s great but it needs to be important to the reader as well. The significance of this moment, day, month, or year needs to be shared with the reader in a way they can make their own.

I’ve worked through this issue a few different ways. The most useful technique has been to write out a whole scene or argument that I can remember. Then I let it sit for a day. When I come back, I put on my fiction glasses (they have googley eye lenses, a miner’s light, and horned, glittered, brimstone rims) and I alter things. I add things to make a point clearer but mostly I cut things. I cut the uninteresting things people tend to say but keep the stuff that sounds natural, as well as interesting. If this is near the beginning of a story, or introducing a new character, I then write down why it’s important. Not why it was important to me, but why it’s important to the narrative as a whole. Then I try to work that in near the beginning as well as I can.

To be honest, working in personal experience, especially relationship troubles with family, friends, or a significant other, takes a lot of work. It can be harder than just making it up because there’s personal attachment. Everything feels important but, in truth, not everything is important. Why do it? Well, I’ve seen people produce some really potent writing when bringing in personal experience. If you can distance yourself from the subject and treat it like a story, you’ll find that you can do the same thing.

By the way, if you’re in a fiction workshop but secretly write a non-fiction story, brace yourself for a difficult workshop. In non-fiction workshops, I’ve encountered a strong sense of respect among writers and certain subject matter. It’s non-fiction, we’re all aware that the things mentioned usually happened near the people writing about it. If you disguise your non-fiction as fiction, people won’t react the same way in a fiction workshop because they assume you’re making it all up. So, for example, if you’re writing about a relative that passed away, your classmates won’t hesitate to tell you that the character may not be relatable or likable. They’re not doing this to be mean (I hope), they’re doing it because they assume the story fiction. I’ve seen this, and things like this, happen many times over the years. It’s always heartbreaking to see someone break down over a situation like that. So that’s my warning, since I’m already talking about personal experience, fiction, and non-fiction.

Also, I should mention something else near the end here. We all drop in personal experience from our lives. Whether it’s internal struggle over doing the right thing, or a fight with a significant other, these things have a way of coming out. What I’ve written today is just about trying to consciously work in large chunks of personal experience into your writing.

Now it’s your turn, do you work personal experience into your own writing? What challenges have you encountered and what techniques do you use to overcome difficulties?

STORY SUNDAY: SHORT STORIES, NOVELS, AND THE LAST WISH

Hey, everyone! It’s Story Sunday again and today I’m writing about a novel called The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. I recently took part in a discussion about the differences between short stories and novels. During the discussion, someone asked about short story collections presented as a novel. Sapkowski’s novel follows this format, which led me to look at it again for this week’s Story Sunday.

The Last Wish follows a protagonist known as Geralt, a witcher. The witchers are an order of monster hunters. A witcher is trained from birth to be stronger than normal humans, they’re sterile, and they possess immunity to many different poisons. The idea the witcher order is interesting. Since they take children into the order from birth, the children never have a choice, which can lead to an interesting debate about ethics and necessity.

The book is woven together by chapters called “The Voice of Reason.” These chapters are placed between the short stories. This format establishes “The Voice of Reason” arc as the present, while the other chapters are flashbacks of Geralt’s past encounters with humans and monsters. Ultimately, you spend a lot of time looking back on Geralt’s life, which would normally be discouraged when writing a novel. However, the short story format allows the reader to feel very engaged during these flashbacks, making them an asset.

Does it work as a novel?

Yes, this book absolutely works as a novel. While it’s comprised of short stories, the stories work together to form a narrative. Each story gives the reader a glimpse into Geralt’s past. With each one the reader understands more about the protagonist, the world, the order of witchers.

Why does it work?

I think the main reason this story works has to do with Geralt as a protagonist. If a reader is interested in a protagonist, they don’t mind flashbacks into the character’s past. Furthermore, each short story plays off of an old fairy tale. This links the stories in yet another way. It gives the stories a theme that the reader can hold onto and enjoy while reading. The protagonist and the running theme are enough to tie this novel up.

Another reason I think this works so well has to do with Sapkowski’s world building. I think it’s difficult to write a great fantasy short story because so much of fantasy depends on world building. The audience actually expects world building. Bringing these short stories together unfolds the world little by little. With just one of them, I might not have a firm grasp of the world Sapkowski has created. Together, I understand the world, the character, and how these experiences have influenced one another. They take what was once episodic and bring it together as a whole.

Have you read The Last Wish? Have you read any other short story collections that are presented as a novel?

Fan Friday: Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer!

Hey, everyone! It’s Fan Friday and this week I’m talking about a fantasy themed card game called Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer. For those of you unfamiliar, Ascension is a deck building card game. If you don’t quite know what I’m talking about, don’t worry. Two months ago, I was also unfamiliar with the term but now I can explain the premise.

It’s 2-4 players, so a few of your friends can enjoy it as well.

With Ascension, each player begins with ten cards shuffle into a deck. You then draw five cards from your deck and that’s your hand.

In the middle of the board (yes, there’s a pretty cool looking board and it keeps everything super organized) is the main deck. This deck has things like monsters and heroes. Six cards are drawn from the top of that deck and put into the center.

Next, you use your hand to defeat monsters or acquire heroes. Heroes and other similar card go into your deck and can be used as the game progresses. For monsters killed, heroes acquired, and so on, you gain honor in the form of gems. At the end of the game (when the gems run out), whoever has acquired the most honor wins. If you think Zuko would love this game and scream “honor!” all the time, you’re right. If you didn’t catch that reference, don’t worry about it.

That’s the best and simplest explanation I can give without actually showing you the cards and playing the game. Believe me, this game is worth playing.

Why do I love it?

Art: I mentioned that it’s a fantasy themes game, right? Well the art is really great on these cards. I love card art. Honestly, I just love art. In card games or board games, I think art can make or break you. Monster, heroes, and other cards have themes attached to them. You can tell because the art is different. Color choices are different. The whole game is great and the art makes it even better.

Competition: I’ve played various tabletop and card games but this one is probably the most enjoyable one because you’re not in direct “combat” with one another. I enjoy going head to head with someone, I enjoy attacking their characters, cards, and other stuff, it can be a fun experience. However, such games usually lose their casual and fun tone. Ascension is different. You’re vanquishing monsters, acquiring cards, and gaining honor. You’re seeing who can acquire the most honor, so the game is less about the other player and more about how well you can do. At the end, you find out if you’ve done a better job than the other player. To me, it’s a casual and fun way to play.

Fair: Here’s the deal. Players start with the same cards, see all the same cards in the center area, and have equal opportunities. It’s extremely fair and even a new player can beat an experienced player if they get the hang of the game.

Price: This is debatable with anyone but I think the game is reasonably priced and the expansions are a great value for what they cost. Here’s what I really love, they’re closed sets. You can play wit just an expansion. You can add the expansion to your game. Or, you can play an expansion (2p) when you have less people and the main game when you have more (2-4p). HEre’s the other thing I love. Unlike trading card game (where card rarity is a factor), you’ll never find yourself spending big money to have the rare card that gives you an edge. It’s fair, you pay once (or more if you’re interested in expansions), but you never need to buy more. You don’t need to keep up with new sets if you enjoy the original.

Close games: I’ve had a ton of close games. Rarely have I seen someone lose by a substantial amount, maybe just once. Otherwise, I’ve seen and taken part in many close games. While you may still lose, it’s always nice to know that the game was close. On that same note, when playing multiple games, I’ve never seen someone dominate the field. The title of winner gets passed back and forth pretty regularly because the game is incredibly balanced.

Mystery: The cards you acquire are worth a certain amount of honor as well. You combine the honor you’ve acquired in gems with the honor you’ve acquired from your deck. This means that someone can have a ton of gems, but their cards aren’t worth much. If the opposing player has acquired cards with higher honor and focused less on gems, they can still win the game. You may think your winning or losing, but it’s truly a mystery until the end of the game.

Apps: That’s right, they have apps for this. Want to try it out but don’t want to make the big investment? Buy the app and see what you think. The app even teaches you how to play and then lets you play with people from around the world. It’s great, it’s reasonable, and you don’t have to shuffle a thing. Timed matches are perfect for when you only have fifteen minutes to spare.

Expansions: I love the expansions for this game! Each expansion has added something new. Buy the original, play it for a while, it’s great. Then, if you want to mix it up, check out the expansions. Each one brings something unique. Here’s something awesome, you can play expansions on their own or shuffle them into a main set. I love it, the whole game is great and the designers are truly brilliant.

Where can you find Ascension? Let me give you some links…

Main site- www.ascensiongame.com

Retailer- www.miniaturemarket.com/ascension-chronicle-of-the-godslayer.html

(and it looks like they might have a special running this week)

Actually, I’m going to stop there. Ascension’s home page has a link to Facebook, Twitter and the app store.


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