Stories (341/0)
Word of the Day - Exogenous
As a long-time logophile (lover of words) I've been itching to do this for a while. You agree with me, right? Words are fascinating. Where would you or I be without them? They are the most versatile tools; they can be paintbrushes or knives. They can be sharp; they can soothe. They might be what separates us from animals. They can have an intriguing history.
By L.C. Schäfer9 months ago in Writers
- Top Story - August 2023
E-readers vs "Real" Books
Real books First let's look at what real books have got going for them. Turns out, it's a lot. Can gift to people. Wrap it. Put a bow on it. Add a heartfelt note. Or give it as is - maybe it's your own copy that you've handled and read many times. Either way, this kind of gift is wildly superior to "oh, I emailed you a voucher code..." Probably a better choice to read in the bath. Either choice is a splash risk, but a book is somewhat more salvageable than an electronic device. Can be signed should you be lucky enough to meet your favourite author. Some titles DESERVE a spot on your bookshelf and to be held in your hands. Speaking of which, all homes should have a bookshelf. It's the rules. During zoom meetings, you'll look a bit stupid if your bookshelf in the background is empty, or just has a dildo on it. A paper and ink book shows evidence of use over time... ie love. It has heart. There are few things sadder than a pristine book with a spine uncracked. Your favourite book should be one you need to re-purchase eventually because it's fallen apart from being read and re-read so many times, or because you gifted your much-loved copy to a friend. When you are reading a good book on the train, you can be a twat about it. People can see that you are, in fact, reading a good book, and not just mindlessly scrolling social media like some kind of uncultured peasant. You can even display the title, if you want to be really smug. Old books smell fucking delicious. Without these sort of books, we wouldn't have libraries, and that would be a terrific loss to our society.
By L.C. Schäfer9 months ago in BookClub
Words that Changed My World - II
My first literary glow-up was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I wrote about that here. My second happened when my sister found a copy of this book in a newsagents, and was intrigued by the cover. Josh Kirby does have a distinctive and eye-catching style of artwork. She bought that book, enjoyed it thoroughly, loaned it to me, my brother, my sister, and my mum.
By L.C. Schäfer9 months ago in BookClub
- Top Story - August 2023
Shaun of the Dead (Critique)Top Story - August 2023
My all-time favourite movie, certainly my favourite Z-word movie. Funny, jam-packed with references to iconic movies, quotable to the nth degree. A tale of survival, love and friendship. Pegg/Frost's masterpiece. Perfection!
By L.C. Schäfer9 months ago in Critique
Harry Potter (Critique)
This series inspired and defined an entire generation, and galvanised them to read. It's spawned movies, video-games and theme parks. The titular character is similar to Gaiman's Timothy Hunter, but the story is well-plotted and resonates deeply.
By L.C. Schäfer9 months ago in Critique
A Christmas Carol (Critique)
Iconic, picturesque and spooky. A nauseatingly sentimental promotion of crass consumerism. Scrooge has no arc; he's just moved by terror from one extreme view to the opposite. His motivation is corrupt. Still a terrible person, but now buys love with generosity.
By L.C. Schäfer9 months ago in Critique
My Musings on the Tales Retold Challenge
This is possibly my favourite kind of story - a well known fairytale, not just retold, but twisted. Turned upside down and inside out. Modernised. Flipped on its head. Made into a parody of itself. Reimagined from another perspective. Let's make the hero the villain. Let's make the villain a sympathetic character.
By L.C. Schäfer9 months ago in Writers