You call that love French, but it’s just Frenchette
I’ve been to France, so let’s just dance
—David Johansen
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Hi, I’m Christopher Ryan, a hybrid author with forty years of experience in journalism, education, sketch comedy, indie film, unions, community service, parenting, public speaking, acting, podcasting, and, most often, writing fiction, poetry, and pop culture essays. Now I’m working to discover what more I can achieve and share with the world, and whether an older author can find a place in the storytelling business. Together, let’s see what’s possible.
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NEWSish Stuff
Hoboken Panel and Audience Create a Great Discussion
Last Saturday I was honored to be on a panel at the Hoboken Public Library called Writing Horror: Bringing Scares to Life and What Draws Us to the Genre. On Aug. 1, from 1-3 pm, Sean Wiley, who works at the HPL, presented local patrons a talk featuring Carol Gyzander as moderator, and panelists James Chambers, Teel James Glenn, and, well, me.
Carol Gyzander, James Chambers, me, and Teel James Glenn.
Carol and James are co-chairs of the Horror Writers Association’s New York Chapter where Teel and I are members. All are award-winning horror writers, among other accomplishments.
Carol offered great, insightful, questions. The rest of us responded thoughtfully and passionately. However, the MVPs of the day were the patrons. They asked great follow-up questions, brought up fascinating topics, and engaged with us throughout the two-hour discussion.
The quality of their participation says all sorts of positive things about the Hoboken Public Library, Sean Wiley’s efforts, and the local library patrons. They helped create a great experience.
Me, Teel, Sean Wiley, Carol, and James.
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This Week’s Tell The Damn Story is Happier But No Less Wild
This week’s Tell The Damn Story is a fun, rambling summer discussion about how seasons impact the stories they are set in, with a gentle reminder for writers to consider when a story takes place and the metaphors the different seasons offer our stories.
Here’s the link:
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ON WRITING: Proofread Your Proofreading of What You’ve Already Proofread
Yes, you know. I don’t even have to tell you, right? But, um, I do. These days I find typos and proofreading errors in almost everything I read, from the venerable New York Times to best sellers to independently published works. Happens everywhere, sadly.
It almost deserves its own t-shirt:
TYPOS HAPEN
But if we’re honest, the less staff we can afford, the more likely typos will get through to the published level, and that is challenging news for small presses and indies. Many confront the problem by buckling down, scrutinizing every project, eliminating all typos and catching all proofreading errors by going over the writing repeatedly.
It is honorable work. But even the most earnest efforts and passionate editing can miss things. And typos in a published piece can be embarrassing. I’m your prof—er, proof.
My most recent proofread nightmare concerns the cover of Soul Scream Antholozine, #8 Madness Takes Its Toll. Here it is as I premiered it in a recent edition of this newsletter and on social media:
Six authors listed, three of their names misspelled.
That’s a 50 % error rate. And two of them contacted me. The experience was not “Amaze! Amaze! Amaze!” Instead, it was “Cringe! Cringe! Cringe!”
Here are the errors:
Jim DonOhue, not Donahue.
DEBRA K. Every, not Deborah.
Teel James Glenn, not Glen
But my job as self-appointed editor and publisher is to get it right, so I reached out to the fantastic artist and cover designer Christy Aldridge and asked for her help, and she did this:
The lesson for me continues to be: do what it takes, as often as it takes, until the work reaches the quality readers deserve.
I hope this heps-er, helps in your righting-er, writing.
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When the Hell is Soul Scream Antholozine #8 Going to be Finished?
I made a statement about that. Check it out:
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It is Rare but Sometimes Social Media Inspires
Non-News Item: social media can be a pit of lies and hate and misinformation and hucksters selling more sizzle than steak.
I’ve been on a campaign to reduce the times I get roped in by B.S. It doesn’t always work. I recently reposted a fake battle of words the didn’t occur between our current president and the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark, proving to myself once again that I should never repost anything without triple-checking veracity. And three Republicans “friends” were quick to point out that I had gotten duped, which always underscores the lesson.
However, every once in a while, inspiration does happen on social media.
There are a few (too few, in my opinion) good news only pages. They can make our day and we’re grateful to see them.
But as writers, sometimes a post can inspire. And that includes horror writers.
The videos of hellish screams in the Appalachian woods will undoubtedly show up in some form of fiction if they haven’t already.
And then there’s this post. I saw it recently, and it haunts me as one of the most chilling story ideas I’ve ever come across. Check it out:
Lauren Salas, this post is now living rent free in my brain. Think of the stories that might creep out of our subconscious after considering the kind of character who would stand there and spray paint this message.
The possibilities…
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Sometimes We Find Writing Lessons When We Aren’t Even Looking
Last week I mentioned that I am currently reading Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born To Run by Peter Ames Carlin. I’m reading it because for three reasons: how creators create fascinates me, I’m a huge fan of this incredible album, and because I have enjoyed and admired Carlin’s other work.
What I didn’t expect was to get such a strong lesson in the power of rewriting. In almost every chapter, Ames shares another set of Bruce Springsteen’s rewritten lyrics showing the evolution of “Born to Run”, “Jungleland”, “Thunder Road”, etc.
He also shows the evolution of the band, including two new members, demonstrating how that impacted their sound and style, which altered Springsteen’s vision for the music, the lyrics, and the album.
The lesson here is to remain open to possibilities, to input, influence, and inspiration, all as fuel for creativity.
Amen to that.
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And Now It’s Time a Picture of a Handsome Fella
Most dogs like to go for walks. Sonny Mehlman does too, with my son Tyler mostly. But what he really prefers to do is…ride.
Sonny loves cars, especially being in them while they are moving. He enjoys looking out the window and “going places.” This week, during the final marathon sessions of editing and proofreading (and proofreading again, see above), sometimes I just needed to step away, see something other than a laptop screen. I thought a walk was the answer.
Sonny thought differently.
Guess who won?
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POP CULTURE FUEL
BOOKS: see above
Highly recommended.
MUSIC: Glorious and I got to see Buddy Guy, aged 90, perform this week. The legend delivered. While his between song banter rambled a bit, and “a frog in his throat” as he described it, made singing a challenge. His crew supplied endless cups of something—let’s say tea with lemon and honey—that helped open the tones in his voice impressively as the show progressed, though he continued to struggle with his falsetto. Like the pro he has been for several decades, he adjusted, and gave an admirable performance. He can still play that guitar. And he’s funnier than I expected.
It was an honor to see him perform.
Highly recommended.
FILM: Spider-Man: Brand New Day offers further proof that Marvel is delivering thoughtful, emotional, and psychologically stimulating movies that are also great action flicks. Like James Gunn over at DC, Kevin Feige is overseeing the evolution of what a super-hero film can be.
Highly recommended.
YOUTUBE: WRFMoira is a new, low-key, fun interview show that the one and only Bobby Nash told me about. I saw a great interview with the second greatest man ever produced by Toledo, Ohio (the first being Klinger from M*A*S*H*, of course), pulp writer Jim Beard.
Here’s the link:
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I can’t get the love that I want or that I need
So let’s just dance
-David Johansen
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Awright, thanks for stopping by. Talk atcha next week.
