Tag: writing

Nominated for a VBA!

Woohoo! It looks like I’ve been nominated for a Versatile Blogger Award… for the second time! The first time came in January of 2012, back when my good friend and colleague Jamie A Hughes gave me the nod. Now, a new colleague and follower has honored me with a VBA nomination. As the great and venerable Duckman once said, “I accept [this prize] with humility and smuggness!”

And now, to fulfill the obligations of the VBA:

First off, a big thanks to the mystery writer, AB Ciccone, for nominating me for this prestigious meme. Keep hammering those keys, and best wishes with all your writing endeavors.

Second, here are seven things about myself:

  1. I always smile too big for photos: My wife, who’s a photography buff, loves to take pictures of me. Somehow, I’m always hamming it up and raising my eyebrows. Not sure why…
  2. I love to cook: my specialties include curry, pastas, stir fry, soups, stews, and bbq. I also make some mean spinach and tomato salads!
  3. I love beer!: Not necessarily for its deleterious effects, but for its history, culture, and diversity.
  4. I dig martial arts: Since the tender age of nine, I’ve studied martial arts in one form or another. First it was a year of Judo, then I transferred to Taekwon-Do and have stayed with it ever since, earning my fourth degree black belt in 2006. I also dabbled in Wing Chun, Aikido, and Aikijujutsu. I’ve broken lots of wood and about half a dozen bricks in my time.
  5. I’ve wanted to write since I was 18: It was during my senior year in high school that I began reading the classics of dystopian sci-fi. Orwell’s 1984 was my favorite, and I hoped that one day, I too would write something like it. It’s been a long road, but I believe I’m getting closer.
  6. I’ve got way too many ideas on the fly!: I can’t count how many ideas I’ve opened and then never finished. Seriously, I’ve tried! My “My Documents” folder is crammed with them. The other day I did a tally so I could seriously buckle down and focus on the ones I needed to finish first. Hopefully, I finish those off before I come up with any more!
  7. I love it when people like my stuff: I am drawn to praise like a moth to a flame. It’s one of the most pleasing things when my wife likes my writing, and she’s a tough critic! When friends, colleagues and even strangers do it, it makes me happy. I got into writing to share my ideas with people, and it warms my heart to know they get something out of it too.

Third, here is my list of nominees for the VBA in alphabetical order (no favorites!):

  1. Amateur Professional – Run by David DeMar, who’s insights on pop culture, sci-fi, fantasy and zombie guns are always punchy and often hilarious!
  2. Dangerously Daydreaming – The home site of Audrey Johnson, fellow traveler, gourmand, and photography enthusiast. She’s also a fan of Firefly… yeah, we get along fine!
  3. MythRider – The writing blog of Phyllis Moore, writer extraordinaire who delights in exploring the process of creating literature and spawning the mythos that drive us.
  4. Nonoy Manga – Dedicated to manga and anime, this self-styled Filipino artist loves to create scenes that tell a story, often as part of flash-fiction. Illustrated beauty meets the written word!
  5. Rendezvous with Renee – The site of Renee Homan Heath, blogger of life, love, marriage, devotion, and all things in between. Her observations, anecdotes and personal reflections are a constant heart warmer!
  6. Urbannight – Home to the urban night, female blogger extraordinaire who’s reflections on life, at the tender age of 4o, are smart, insightful, and often quite funny!
  7. Writerlious – The site of business woman and part-time writer and YA addict Brady Pike. Like me, she aspires to be a full-time writer someday; probably why we get along so well!

Okay, that’s everybody! My thanks to all those who have taken the time and effort to follow me and read my many, many ramblings. My apologies to those I didn’t nominate, but the rules are strict. Only seven people per nominee! Damn things a popularity content, I tell ya. Ah what can you do…

Of Sci-fi and speculative fiction

I love science fiction, always have, always will.  But it’s the kind of science fiction that I love which I think is an important distinction. I’ve always subscribed to the idea that sci-fi comes in two varieties: classic and commercial.  The classical kind is the traditional variety that people take seriously, like H.G Wells, Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, Carl Sagan, William Gibson, Neil Stephenson, and Alastair Reynolds (These are just some of my favorites, they are by no means the only authors who were great at establishing sci-fi as a serious literary form.)

Commercial sci-fi, by contrast, is your basic stuff that owes much to the original masters but really didn’t follow in their footsteps.  Star Wars, Star Trek, Star Gate, et al (awful lot of stars in there!) are all examples of this.  This isn’t to say I didn’t like these shows, I grew up on Star Wars after all!  But to be honest, I never really found them particularly inspiring.  In all honesty, when it came to my own writing, they were more an example of what NOT to do.

Also, credit must be given to a friend of mine who once said that science fiction really isn’t a genre at all, it is a vehicle.  A vehicle who’s purpose is to deliver a message.  What that message is and how it is conveyed is what I think differentiates classic sci-fi from the commercial type.  Without a doubt, Frank Herbert’s Dune was the most inspirational work for me in that it delivered so much, and did so in a way that was both profound yet subtle.  He didn’t have muppet-style aliens who’s sole purpose was to reflect on humanity, he wasn’t preachy, his characters weren’t one-dimensional and his plots were never quick and tidy.  Characters were complex, his commentary was challenging, and his universe was rich and developed.

He was one of the greats that got me into writing sci-fi. Originally, back when I was still in school, I thought it might be cool to write a science fiction series.  I always loved drawing futuristic worlds and sci-fi stuff, but mainly I wanted to create my own universe. After reading his series, it occurred to me that I could turn my own ideas into short stories or even a full length novel.  I’ve crafted one full-length, called Legacies, and several shorts that are either set in the same universe or are completely independent. Since that time, I’ve also delved into some work that is a bit more contemporary, set in today’s world but with a sci-fi feel and spin.

The topics I like to cover are human evolution, extinction, exploration, colonization, society, technology, the cutting edge of things, and yes, even extra-terrestrials.  The longer I am here, the more I hope to post and share.  Hope y’all like what I have to offer! Enjoy!

Hello world!

Hello all, my name is Matt and I’m an aspiring writer and pop culture enthusiast.  When I’m not teaching, doing freelance labor, or Taekwon-Do here in beautiful BC, I’m writing!  Writing and surfing cyberspace looking for more ideas to write about!  So come on by, chat, and if you’re so inclined, check out some of the things I’ve written over the years.  My genres include sci-fi, satire, action/adventure, and thriller!  Leave your web address if you’ve got stuff you want read too, I offer feedback as well!