Here are some shiny things that caught my eye recently:
♦ You know how much I love the miniature, and German artist Frank Kunert’s miniature art makes me think twice about what I’m seeing (they’re also really funny, as the image below demonstrates—click to embiggen). You can check out more of his work in a gallery at Behance Network (which also has some behind-the-scenes shots); also, check out his official Facebook page for more images.
Public Toilets by Frank Kunert
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♦ I discovered the artist exit deer through Super Punch, and I’m entranced by the work. What gets me in is the contrast of the whimsical and the macabre, and how each piece is clearly part of its own larger, strange narrative. Love love love this stuff. Here’s my favorite piece I’ve seen so far (the competition was fierce), “It’s there! Beneath the water, under the bridge” (how can you not love it for the title alone?).
I’d better watch out, or I’ll be neck deep in prints.
♦ Tor.com posted about Emil Johansson’s The Lord of the Rings Project, an ambitious exercise in fictional genealogy. The mammoth family tree isn’t finished yet, as Johansson is still working on the lesser known characters, but it’s nonetheless impressive (well, if you’re a genealogical geek like me).
♦ I found the Bookfession tumblr via a link Hannah posted on Cameron’s Facebook wall, and I’m glad I did. A lot of these “confessions and/or thoughts of a book lover, bibliophile, book addict, reader, lover of literature, nerd” really speak to me, especially these two recent bookfessions:
♦ In case you missed it, Will, science confirmed that gossip is basically the only thing holding society together.
♦ Shortlist Magazine put together some spectacular Alternative Hitchcock Movie Posters last week. My favorite is below (you know how I feel about things turning into birds). Take note, Gosling fans: Shortlist also presented some cool Alternative Drive Posters recently (my favorite of those is also below, though the poster with the scorpion is a close second). By the by, the Drive poster below, by James White, is available for sale. Definitely click the images to see the larger versions.
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♦ When I was younger, I used to read books about writing like they were going out of style. Now that I don’t have as much time for reading those kinds of books, I really appreciate the blog posts that cut to the chase with advice for writers. My surfing this week produced three good advice lists:
Chuck Wendig followed up on his list of “25 Things Writers Should Stop Doing (Right F**king Now)” with “25 Things Writers Should Start Doing (ASAFP).”
In “Things I Know?” Jeff VanderMeer gives writers some tips about professionalism.
My favorite advice list this week comes from Nick Mamatas with “Ten Bits of Advice Writers Should Stop Giving Aspiring Writers.” Those bits are eminently practical, as one has come to expect from Mamatas. Have you read his book on writing, Starve Better, yet? No? Go read it right now; I’ll wait.
Back? OK, then. The thing to keep in mind about writing advice (or, I suppose, any kind of art advice) is that any writer’s experience usually tends to be so singular and particular that general advice is only helpful if you take it for what it is—someone else’s experience. When I give writing advice, I tend to give multiple perspectives on the same bit of advice with no absolutes, ever (except, of course, that you must write sometime to be a writer…). It’s probably because of my misspent youth reading tons of different books on writing.
♦ Edward Gorey had it right, I think (click to see larger):
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♦ All right, Cameron—how many of the 64 films in this 5-minute Horror Portfolio can you name?
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Also, I think this documentary sounds fascinating:
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