Okay, I wanted to do this...

Remember the CatsCurious Fairy Tale Contest? I've been thinking about doing an entry for that, especially since one of the panels at LTUE gave me fodder for doing so.

And then I read The Tinder Box, by Hans Christian Anderson. And, boy, I almost typed "Angerson" there, and how Freudian is that? Because, dude had issues, man. I remember liking this one as a kid, but now? Not so much.

Seriously, the first thing the protagonist in this story does is whack off a witch's head with a sword, which just seems harsh, since all she asked him to do was what he agreed to in the first place. And then the last thing he does is kill the judges, councillors, and the king and queen by "toss[ing] them many feet high in the air, so that they fell down and were dashed to pieces." And the princess is apparently not disturbed at all by this and goes off and marries this guy, and they live happily ever after. Even though he's got obvious anger issues and scary scary dogs. Pit bulls ain't got nothin' on these critters.

Yeah, I got nothin' funny for this one, folks. Creepy, maybe. Not funny. And this is a story for kids? Daaaaammmmn.

Okay, I wanted to do this...

Remember the CatsCurious Fairy Tale Contest? I've been thinking about doing an entry for that, especially since one of the panels at LTUE gave me fodder for doing so.

And then I read The Tinder Box, by Hans Christian Anderson. And, boy, I almost typed "Angerson" there, and how Freudian is that? Because, dude had issues, man. I remember liking this one as a kid, but now? Not so much.

Seriously, the first thing the protagonist in this story does is whack off a witch's head with a sword, which just seems harsh, since all she asked him to do was what he agreed to in the first place. And then the last thing he does is kill the judges, councillors, and the king and queen by "toss[ing] them many feet high in the air, so that they fell down and were dashed to pieces." And the princess is apparently not disturbed at all by this and goes off and marries this guy, and they live happily ever after. Even though he's got obvious anger issues and scary scary dogs. Pit bulls ain't got nothin' on these critters.

Yeah, I got nothin' funny for this one, folks. Creepy, maybe. Not funny. And this is a story for kids? Daaaaammmmn.

On reading while being a writer...

So, I picked up a book called "Dog Days," by John Levitt, at the library yesterday. Because if you have a dog in there (even if it's not quite a dog), I'll read it.

And it's all right, I guess. It's different enough from Dresden that it doesn't feel too much like a rip-off, although the coattails are fairly obvious to anyone who's paying attention. And there's nothing wrong with that.

My problem is that Levitt has built a world here that requires a good bit of explanation. And it's not that his explanations are bad, or boring, or clunky. His narrator is entertaining enough, after all.

It's just that I'm noticing the exposition.

And I'm at the point where I don't know if I'm noticing it because I'm a writer who hates writing exposition, or a reader who's seen all this before. And it's interfering with my enjoyment of the book.

I used to be able to read for reading's sake. I'm...not sure I can do that anymore. And that makes me kind of sad.

On reading while being a writer...

So, I picked up a book called "Dog Days," by John Levitt, at the library yesterday. Because if you have a dog in there (even if it's not quite a dog), I'll read it.

And it's all right, I guess. It's different enough from Dresden that it doesn't feel too much like a rip-off, although the coattails are fairly obvious to anyone who's paying attention. And there's nothing wrong with that.

My problem is that Levitt has built a world here that requires a good bit of explanation. And it's not that his explanations are bad, or boring, or clunky. His narrator is entertaining enough, after all.

It's just that I'm noticing the exposition.

And I'm at the point where I don't know if I'm noticing it because I'm a writer who hates writing exposition, or a reader who's seen all this before. And it's interfering with my enjoyment of the book.

I used to be able to read for reading's sake. I'm...not sure I can do that anymore. And that makes me kind of sad.

I can has comicses!

OMG, y'all! ( Cut for massive Angel: After the Fall spoilers. )

You know, Brian has a comic of his own coming out next month. I may just have to pick that puppy up. Because, damn.

I can has comicses!

OMG, y'all! ( Cut for massive Angel: After the Fall spoilers. )

You know, Brian has a comic of his own coming out next month. I may just have to pick that puppy up. Because, damn.