That's how it came across to me, as well. However, I will say, I really feel Pixar has a very poor history in regards to falling back on gender stereotypes, but I think they tend to be given a pass because their ideas "feel" modern and original. But if you look at movies like The Incredibles and Brave, they really…

Trying to cut 5k words from a 125k sci-fi / space opera project. I've cut 11k words so far, so I'm making progress, but boy I'm getting down to the nitty-gritty. Then I'll have to take at least one more pass for basic writing decency, and who knows. I am proud of myself for finally completing this sucker, since it's…

Overall, I really like my office, but there are quiet things that add up and do get tiring. For example, I’d go to the kitchen and see the two guys who run the company and the new guy in my department throwing a football around in the executive office, tossing it back and forth and shooting the shit. It allowed him to…

I don't know. I don't know why Hollywood supports her, either. There are so many amazing YA authors in the field who a) Don't plagiarize. b) Are good people. I don't know Clare personally, so I can't say anything about her personality, but her history of lifting quotes and ripping other authors off is very clearly…

By all means, let's continue supporting the plagiarist. And the sad part is, for all of her plagiarism, the books aren't even that great or interesting.

My first book was The 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith, the original, not the novelization based on the movie based on her book. I get a lot of raised eyebrows over this, but the prose is so sweetly subjective, so perfect in every way. I read it when I was about seven, it was one of the first chapter books I ever read…

In Pierce or King County, I'm pretty sure they'd just shrug and hang up the second sign, "No big deal, ok."

Clark County...hmm. It's a little less clear. However, if I were a Satanist I wouldn't get my hopes up for a big, publicity earning battle. More like five to ten 4-H moms and kids launching a half-hearted…

Thank you, I felt the same exact way. Everyone at my work was going crazy for it, and while I thought the research and science was really interesting, I kept thinking, "When does the story start?"

Hmm. I like Melissa and Leslie. However, I would prefer EITHER Wiig OR McKinnon, because I feel like they play the same schtick in regards to their humor. They are each funny individually, but together seem like too much of that "I am obnoxious and quirky and can do funny voices! I'm the lovable fast-talker who can't…

Right, I don't think it's his character to want to think too deeply or know all the details. He knows he's a good guy and while he's smart enough that oddities stand out, he's not going to pull any threads.

Yes, my mom remembers taking the bus to the library all of the time when she was four and five. And that was the fifties. Look up photos of the opening of the first supermarket, and you'll see legions of baby buggies parked out front with the babies still in them. Times were very different.

I wasn't trying to say strictly two pages - I meant more along the lines of the climax. And yes, there are numerous books where the last two pages are more a set up for the next book then a real finale or closure. In those cases, I'll admit, I like to know as well If something's going to leave me hanging, I'd rather…

I learned this lesson from Dean Koontz. That man is in love with describing fractals and darkness.

Actually, I am a writer, I have numerous friends who are authors and bibliophiles, and none of them think I'm a monster or hate me. So I think you're probably projecting. It's a truth acknowledged by many that if you can't hook someone by the first chapter, you're likely not doing your job as an author. And if you…

Actually, it does. Almost everything paid off in the last chapter should have been set up, more or less, in the first chapter. All books follow standard genre conventions to a degree. It's not hard to fill in the blank, and it directly tells you how satisfying the finale will be. Usually, if a book is a wall-banger…

I read the first chapter. If I'm still having doubts, then I read the last two pages. I don't really care about having new books spoiled since I'm along for the journey, and how a book is ended tells you a lot about the quality of writing.

I thought they did catch someone, and it turned out it was a woman who wanted to kill her husband, and distributed multiple bottles to disguise the crime?

Oh, wait, just googled this - it turns out I'm remembering a local copy-cat killer who tampered with Excedrin to hide the murder of her husband. People are lovely.

Ho…

My problem with Moral Dilemma is that it asserts the belief that somehow the majority is the decider of what is and is not morally correct. History and experience have shown this not to be true, and in fact I think we should be training people to have the strength to go against the majority, not tell them they should…

The crew who runs Jeff is really nice, though I liked him better as Nerdbot, destroyer of inferior robots.

Someone asked me once if I preferred "bearmode" or "ottermode" guys, and for some reason it stuck out in my mind. Otter just works for that type. Also, otters are adorable and Kyle Reese is adorable.