Chessiecon, Day 3

Chessiecon, the science fiction conference held on Thanksgiving weekend just north of Baltimore, concluded today.

Chessiecon Panel — When DId Sci Fi Become So Political?

I joined other panelists in a session titled “When Did Sci Fi Become So Political?” In the photo, from left to right (locational left and right, not political) are the moderator, Mary Fan, and panelists Linda Adams, Lanthir Calendae, and moi.

What a great panel topic and a fine group (including the audience) to discuss it! We covered the politics of early science fiction, of Star Wars, of Star Trek, of more modern authors, and our own fiction. We agreed that politics, which one may define as the activities associated with governance and power, is inherently part of all science fiction, and perhaps all fiction, to some degree.

Overall, it was a fine conference. Always inspired and energized after weekends like this, I’m—

Poseidon’s Scribe

November 25, 2018Permalink

Chessiecon, Day 2

Yesterday was a busy day for yours truly at Chessiecon, the science fiction conference being held just north of Baltimore.

Chessiecon panel — Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, 200th Anniversary

First, I spoke as a panelist on the topic of “Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, 200th Anniversary.” From left to right in the photo, that’s me, Jo Miles, C.S. Friedman, Steve Kozeniewski, and moderator Carl Cipra. What a great way to honor Mary Shelley’s titanic achievement. How many science fiction or horror works written today will have bicentennial celebrations in 2218?

Me, reading at Chessiecon

Later, I read my story “The Unparalleled Attempt to Rescue One Hans Pfaall” from the newly released anthology Quoth the Raven.

Chessiecon panel — Good Art, Problematic Artist

After that, I served on a panel speaking on the topic “Good Art, Problematic Artist” exploring how and whether one can separate good art or literature from its flawed creator. Don Sakers (left) moderated, and the panelists were Scott Edelman (who brought donuts!), Margaret Carter, and me. The topic verged into touchy areas, but Don, Scott, and Margaret handled it capably and the audience got something out of it.

The next panel was titled “It’s OK to Not Like Things” dealing with how and whether to express dislike for a story or movie everyone else loves. Sadly, the picture came out blurry, but Sarah Sexton, I, Valerie Mikles, and Timothy Liebe delved into every aspect of that subject with a very interactive audience.

Chessiecon – me at the group signing

That evening, I set up my table as part of a group signing. Probably twenty authors sat at tables around a large square, making it convenient for potential readers to roam from table to table. It’s fun to engage with readers and they love it when you sign the first page of your story in an anthology they’re buying.

One more day of Chessiecon to go. Make sure you attend, or you’ll miss the 12:30 panel, another great discussion that will include—

            Poseidon’s Scribe

November 25, 2018Permalink

Chessiecon, Day 1

The Chessiecon science fiction conference got off to a great start today. I served as a panelist at a session titled “How Not to Get Published.”

Chessiecon 2018 panel: How Not to Get Published

From the left in the photo, that’s our moderator, Steve Kozeniewski, then panelists Scott Edelman, Karen Osborne, yours truly, and Linda Adams.

We had a nice-sized audience for the panel. It surprised me that so many people suffered from the problem of getting published all the time and wanted to know how to make it stop.

I had no idea the condition was that widespread, but our audience had at least taken an important first step toward a solution by attending our session.

Fortunately for them, I’m a bit of an expert in not getting published, so I was able to offer many tips and tricks.

It was an honor to serve together with such a distinguished panel. They kept things interesting and informative for the attendees, and Steve Kozeniewski kept us on track and posed intriguing questions.

Tomorrow, it’s back to the con for three more panels, a reading, and a group signing. Attend if you can, or read about it here in a post by—

Poseidon’s Scribe

November 24, 2018Permalink

My Chessiecon 2018 Schedule

Chessiecon is a science fiction convention taking place near Baltimore, Maryland over the upcoming Thanksgiving weekend. It’s also a great opportunity for you to meet Poseidon’s Scribe (me) in person.

Here’s my con schedule:

Date Time Topic Location
Friday, Nov 23 4:15 – 5:30 PM How Not to Get Published Greenspring 1
Saturday, Nov 24 10:00 – 11:15 AM Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, 200th Anniversary Greenspring 3-5
Saturday, Nov 24 1:00 – 1:45 PM Book Reading Chesapeake 1-2
Saturday, Nov 24 1:45 – 3:00 PM Good Art, Problematic Artist Greenspring 3-5
Saturday, Nov 24 5:30 – 6:45 PM It’s OK to Not Like Things Greenspring 1
Saturday, Nov 24 6:45 – 8:00 PM Group Signing Atrium
Sunday, Nov 25 12:30 – 1:45 PM When Did Sci Fi Become So Political? Greenspring 1

Those panels promise to be both fun and informative. This schedule is subject to change, and I’ll post updates here as I find out about them.

The con will take place at the Red Lion Hotel Baltimore North (formerly Radisson North Baltimore), in Timonium, Maryland.

There will be a lot of interesting panels, books and art for sale, games, music, costumes, etc. And you can meet—

Poseidon’s Scribe

November 18, 2018Permalink

Veterans Day and WW I Centennial

Happy Veterans Day! This day also marks 100 years since the end of World War I. On this centennial, it’s appropriate to reflect on that pivotal war, its improbable beginning, its gigantic scope, its horrible casualty numbers, and its historical impact.

As it happens, I’ve written two stories that fictionalize aspects of that war.

In “Rallying Cry” (packaged with the story “Last Vessel of Atlantis”), two surviving veterans of World War I, residing in a nursing home, relate their experiences of that war to a young man and their stories change his life. The veterans, both Frenchmen who later moved to America, had served in a secret outfit called the Jules Verne Regiment, which employed futuristic weapons from Jules Verne’s novels.

My story “After the Martians” describes an alternate World War I that takes place following the attempted Martian invasion of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds. The combatants fight this war with the technology the Martians left behind: tripod fighting machines, heat rays, and propeller-less flying vehicles.

After you honor Veterans Day and reflect on the WW I Centennial, consider purchasing and reading these stories by—

Poseidon’s Scribe

November 11, 2018Permalink

Interview with a Moon Voyager

Today I’m interviewing the first man to land on the moon. I’m speaking, of course, about Hans Pfaall, who appears in my story “The Unparalleled Attempt to Rescue One Hans Pfaall,” in the anthology Quoth the Raven. It’s my sequel to the Edgar Allan Poe story, “The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall.”

Poseidon’s Scribe: Greetings, Mr. Pfaall. And welcome to my blog. Thank you for consenting to this interview.

Hans Pfaall: Thank you, Mr. Southard. However, I confess I do not know what a ‘blog’ is, nor do I understand how you are able to conduct an interview under these circumstances.

P.S.: Never mind all that. Let’s focus on you. First, am I pronouncing your name correctly? Does Pfaall rhyme with ‘pail’ or ‘ball?’

H.P.: You’re pronouncing it correctly.

P.S.: Um….okay. Let’s move on. Up until five years ago, in 1830, where did you live and work?

H.P.: I was a citizen of Rotterdam. I repaired fireplace bellows.

P.S.: But then you went on a remarkable voyage. Please tell us about that.

Illustration by Yan Dargent

H.P.: I constructed a balloon of my own design and used it to travel to the Moon.

P.S.: I can’t believe that. All on your own, with meager resources, you built a balloon?

H.P.: Not on my own. That would be ridiculous. My wife and three men assisted me.

P.S.: How were you able to travel, let alone breathe, in the vacuum of space?

H.P.: You suffer from a widely held misconception. The space between the Earth and its satellite is not a vacuum. Although the air is thin, one can use a compressor apparatus to render it breathable, which I did.

P.S.: I see. Once you reached the Moon, what did you find there?

H.P.: The most significant things were the numerous hamlets and the single sizable city, in which I landed. Also of interest were the natives, who are similar to us in many ways, except for their diminutive stature and their lack of ears. I wrote about all of this in a letter; I gave it to one of the Lunarians and sent him back to Earth in a balloon for delivery to the officials of Rotterdam. Did they not receive it?

P.S.: They did. But your letter ended with some tantalizing mysteries. Please describe those.

H.P.: I presume you’re speaking of the strange connection between every human on Earth and a particular Lunarian. Not only does such twinning exist, unbeknown to us, but the lives and destinies of the linked individuals are interwoven with each other. Moreover, I believe I mentioned in the letter something about the dark and hideous mysteries that lie on the far side of the Moon, the side forever turned away from Earth.

P.S.: Right. Don’t you think those things deserved more than one paragraph?

H.P.: That letter had rambled on too long already. I will write more letters soon.

P.S.: Did you think about the effect such a letter might have on the residents of Rotterdam? I’ve heard they may send a rescue mission.

H.P.: What? I didn’t ask to be rescued. I don’t want to be rescued.

P.S.: You’re happy, staying on the Moon?

H.P.: Quite happy, sir.

P.S.: Well, this is a bit awkward. The rescuers are…um…

H.P.: What do you mean? Are you saying they’re on their way already? Tell them to turn back!

Poseidon’s Scribe: I’m just an author. I don’t have complete control over these things. But, thank you for this fascinating interview.

Hans Pfaall: No, this isn’t over. Promise me you’ll get the rescuers to return home. I don’t want to be rescued! Tell them!

 

Sheesh. That interview didn’t go exactly as I’d planned. In the anthology Quoth the Raven, you can read the story, “The Unparalleled Attempt to Rescue One Hans Pfaall” written by—

Poseidon’s Scribe

November 4, 2018Permalink

Distraction-Free Writing

As a fiction writer, you know distractions happen. You’re living a life, after all. But so what? Distractions are frustrating, but they don’t actually hurt the quality of your writing, do they?

Yes. According to a George Mason University research team led by Cyrus K. Foroughi, even short interruptions to creative work can worsen the output. As reported in the newsletter Fast Company, the GMU team conducted experiments involving subjects writing essays. Researchers didn’t interrupt Group 1, the control group, but did interrupt Group 2’s planning and outlining time, and interrupted Group 3’s writing time.

Independent graders judged the resulting essays. Graders rated Group 1’s essays best, Group 2’s essays second best, and Group 3’s essays worst.

This study considered only nonfiction essays. I’m unaware of any similar studies of the effects of distraction on fiction writers, but I suspect the effects would be similar.

For our purposes here, let’s assume the more you’re distracted during the writing of your first and subsequent drafts, the worse your story will be. If that’s the case, what can you do about it?

First, let’s divide distractions into two types: external and internal. External distractions are initiated by outside entities—other people, pets, or things. Internal distractions are initiated by you.

External Distractions

By definition, these are largely out of your control. But you can do some things to lessen the chances, frequency, and duration of them:

  • Write in a quiet place.
  • Tell others this is your writing time and ask them to leave you alone.
  • Either abandon your phone, or put it in “airplane mode” thus stopping it from ringing or vibrating.

Internal Distractions

These are completely within your span of control, but paradoxically may be more difficult to reduce. Here are some ideas to consider:

  • Buy a smart typewriter, such as FreeWrite or HemingWrite. These devices only let you write and save your work, not access the internet.
  • Buy and use uninterrupted writing software (such as Writer, Draft, or Calmly Writer). These include features to help you focus on writing.
  • Write longhand.
  • Write in a clutter-free place, with no windows, clocks, phones, TV, etc. Perhaps you have access to a bare room, or large closet, (or even the bathroom).
  • If working on a computer, resist the impulse to open new tabs, do research, check email or social media, etc.

Your Attitude Toward Distractions

Perhaps just the knowledge that distractions are killing your stories will make you more aware of them and less tolerant of them. Distractions are the enemy of good writing. Recognize what harm they’re doing; detect the onset of a distraction and refocus on your writing, if that’s possible.

And when he’s writing, never, never distract—

Poseidon’ Scribe

 

October 28, 2018Permalink

Author Interview — Tonia Kalouria

It’s not every week that I interview a poet, especially one with Hollywood connections. Let me introduce Tonia Kalouria, who has a poem in the anthology Quoth the Raven.

Tonia Kalouria is a former actress, recently returned from L.A. to “The North Coast” (i.e., Toledo), and considers herself a Midwest Gal at heart. Writing poetry helps her maintain her sanity in this topsy-turvy world, and she is a strong advocate for rhyming poetry. Her poetry has appeared in numerous publications, including The 5/2 Crime Poetry Weekly, Common Threads, The Senior Years, The Litchfield Review, Planet Green, and her own book, Aerobic Poetry.

Onward, to the interview:

Poseidon’s Scribe: When and why did you begin writing poetry?

Tonia Kalouria: I began writing about 2005 …  It all started with an  idea to do an “update” to favorite childhood nursery rhymes like “Jack and Jill”; “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” etc. as a children’s book. It culminated in my book, Aerobic Poetry, which actually has a “purpose” beyond the rhyming and emotional reactions to the words per se.

 

P.S.: Who are some of your poetic influences?

T.K.: I love the humor of Twain, light verse of Dorothy Parker, and Ogden Nash. I admire endings with a twist, a la O’Henry. Great titles are a must, replete with double meanings when possible. I relish the challenge of writing very poignant pieces in addition to my fondness for humor. Three such examples were published on “The 5/2 Crime Poetry Weekly Blog” (now in yearly ebooks.)

 

P.S.: You’re a former actress, with credits including the drama film Out of the Shadows and the TV series Passions. Please tell us about the Passions experience.

T.K.: I was in awe of James Reilly, Creator and Head Writer of NBC’s soap opera Passions, among his many other credits. He was able to produce material to fill five one-hour episodes per week in which he consistently shocked and amused, while concomitantly hooking us in with standard soap fare like great romances and dramatic strife. The show was replete with witches and a “live” doll/boy, aka Little Timmy, as well as great beautiful/handsome couples and evil villains. “Harmony” was anything but and clearly needed a psychiatrist.

Enter Dr. Wilson, played by me. And thus, you see how I get to defend my position in certain “discussions” by paraphrasing the old commercial: “Well, I’m not a doctor, but I play(ed) one on TV.”

 

P.S.: Is there a common attribute that ties your poetry together?

T.K.: Every poem I have written is unabashedly rhythmic and rhyming.

Except for one. And I am truly loathe to admit: It has been my biggest success, having not only been accepted by a “literary” magazine, but it was the winner of a Valentine’s Day Contest for radio listeners of the classic music station WCLV in Cleveland, OH: A “Romantic Weekend for Two” at the Ritz Carleton, as it were. Now, of course, I am equally excited to be included in our Poe anthology.

 

P.S.: What is it about rhyming poetry that attracts you, and causes you to oppose the more modern free verse style?

T.K.: Notwithstanding the contest poem, my goal is to write rhyming works that are understandable! Unlike, for example, the meandering Free Verse offerings in the New Yorker! But let me be clear: Most T. Kalouria poems can be enjoyed on many levels, with some folks “getting” all of my word plays, ironies, satirical aspects or other allusions, and other people, not so much. But everyone can at least follow along and enjoy the flow of the language and the story line, along with an appreciation of the “moral” or theme presented.

 

P.S.: Your poem in Quoth the Raven, “Advice is for the Birds,” is a funny twist on Poe’s Raven poem while commenting on the modern trend toward long, free verse poems. What prompted you to write it?

T.K.: My poem is a metaphor for– actually against–the Master of Fine Arts educational edict of “No Rhymers Need Apply!”

The Black Bird’s declaring that nothing mattered save Word Count is tantamount to said Ed’s Submission Admonishment that “If It Rhymes, Don’t Waste Your Time!”

Since Poe also wrote Satire and humor, I thought this might be a way to get my point across, and concomitantly, to be an homage to Poe’s “Raven” masterpiece.

(Two birds, one stone, so to speak.)

 

P.S.: What are the easiest for you, and the most difficult, aspects of writing poetry?

T.K.: The best – and worst – aspect of writing for me is the tweaking. I never, ever stop. Many times when I think, “Now, I got it; finally, I’m done!” I will then revisit it, perhaps days, weeks months or years later, and see it in a whole new way. I see things I had written subconsciously and decide to expand on those ideas, for example.

 

P.S.: Your book, Aerobic Poetry, is getting excellent reviews on Amazon. Please tell us about this book.

T.K.: The book is meant to be read aloud to help build-up breathing, especially after surgeries, or for those with chronic compromised lung or heart conditions. Even the fit person walking the treadmill can read it aloud as an extra challenge. And the guffaws provided by Kim Kalouria’s irreverent illustrations are a workout in themselves!

 

P.S.: What is your current work in progress?

T.K.: I just finished (?) my first Short Story called “Blind Justice.” Almost daily, I add to a running mixed prose and rhyme list of Epigram-type pronouncements which I call: “Dry Quips from Chapped Lips.” One example in keeping with my “Advice” theme is: “Advice, like Neuroses, is best in small doses.” (AKA: “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”)

 

Poseidon’s Scribe: What advice can you offer aspiring poets?

Tonia Kalouria: “To thine own self be true.” Write to please yourself above all so that you can get lost in that effort and feel clever and productive and creative when it seems “just right.” Confidence begets Confidence; Writing maintains Sanity.

 

Thank you, Tonia.

Interested readers can find out more about Tonia Kalouria on Facebook.

Poseidon’s Scribe

October 22, 2018Permalink

Author Interview — Ken Goldman

Just when you thought I’d interviewed all the fascinating authors out there, I found more! Meet Ken Goldman, another writer with a short story in Quoth the Raven.

Ken Goldman, former Philadelphia teacher of English and Film Studies, is an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association. He has homes on the Main Line in Pennsylvania and at the Jersey shore. His stories have appeared in over 885 independent press publications in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia with over thirty due for publication in 2018. Since 1993, Ken’s tales have received seven honorable mentions in The Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror. He has written five books: three anthologies of short stories, You Had Me at Arrgh!! (Sam’s Dot Publishers), Donny Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (A/A Productions) and Star-Crossed (Vampires 2); and a novella, Desiree, (Damnation Books). His first novel Of a Feather (Horrific Tales Publishing) was released in January 2014. Sinkhole, his second novel, was published by Bloodshot Books August 2017.

And here’s the interview:

Poseidon’s Scribe: When and why did you begin writing fiction?

Ken Goldman: I began writing before I learned to write. Prior to entering kindergarten, I was already drawing pictures to tell stories. I had a cartoon strip from elementary school through Freshman year of college – Sharky the Blimp. The strip turned risque as I got older because someone told me Sharky resembled a flying phallus. But my serious writing began in 1992 when I came in second place in the Second Annual Rod Serling Memorial Foundation’s Writing Contest with a story I’d written as a homework assignment. I figured, hey, someone may pay me money for this stuff. And the rest, as they say, is history. Fiction, but history.

 

P.S.: Who are some of your influences? What are a few of your favorite books?

K.G.: I always loved Ray Bradbury’s stories, and as a teacher, I always included him in my curriculum. As mentioned above, I was a huge Rod Serling/Twilight Zone fan; I was awed by the sheer imagination of the guy. As a film buff (and also a Film Studies teacher) I used to study every frame of Alfred Hitchcock’s films, and Psycho sealed the deal for me as a horror writer. I wanted to have that same effect on readers, and I try to add some sort of Hitchcock-type twist to every story I write. I also loved the old EC Horror comics (Tales from the Crypt stuff) for the macabre humor. For humor, I loved to read Woody Allen’s books, and I still read Dave Barry. Bios too, of anyone I find interesting. I incorporate occasional absurd humor even in my horror tales. (A rabbi and a werewolf walk into a bar…)

 

P.S.: How did you come to love the horror genre and why do you write horror?

K.G.: Why do people pay good money to ride the roller coaster only to get the hell scared out of them? It’s fun! As a kid at the amusement piers, I used to stand outside the haunted house ride just to hear the screams and laughter of the people inside. And as a teacher I taught film courses on Horror, never failing to get asses filling those seats every day — and sometimes jumping out of those seats too! Writing horror just comes easy to me. I’m sure a therapist would score several Bermuda vacations with me as a patient.

 

P.S.: Your story “Get the Door for Me, Will You, Edgar?” appears in Quoth the Raven. Please describe the real-life incident that prompted this scary story.

K.G.: I thought you’d never ask. I always taught a unit of Poe’s tales practically every year of my career, so Poe and I have a pretty good history. During one class (and during a heavy thunder storm, as in my story) I mentioned to my class how cool it would be if, by our discussing Poe’s works so thoroughly, we could somehow channel him — that is, make him appear in my classroom. I directed everyone to look at the door and picture Poe opening it and coming through. Of course, nothing happened. Not right at that moment, that is. Because when I returned to the lesson, maybe five minutes later, the door swung open — on its own! The windows were closed, so it wasn’t the wind. What was it? Or who was it? You got me.

 

P.S.: Aside from the “Edgar” story about an inner-city school English teacher, how has your background as an English and Film Studies teacher in Philadelphia influenced your writing?

K.G.: How much time have you got? Literature from the ‘greats’ has taught me some incredible writing tricks, and it’s amazing how much you learn about writing from teaching literature. I loved authors’ use of thematic symbolism (think Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter, Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, and Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 — and so many others.) Short stories? Poe, of course, Shirley Jackson, O. Henry. Characterization? Don’t hate me for this, but Shakespeare is up there. Also Steinbeck (Of Mice and Men), J.D. Salinger (Catcher in the Rye), and William Golding (Lord of the Flies). And, yes, I’ve even brought Stephen King’s work into the classroom just for the sheer fun of his brand of horror. I’ll shut up before this comes off as an English lesson.

 

P.S.: What are the easiest, and the most difficult, aspects of writing for you?

K.G.: Getting the idea for a new story is tricky because it seems practically any idea a writer may have has already been taken. So I observe just about everything for material that may inspire me to take an idea in a slightly different direction. The easiest aspect of writing? The first draft! I just let the words spill out, and I do damage control later. Once I’m on a roll most stories almost write themselves.

 

P.S.: Reading the comments on your second novel Sinkhole, I was struck by the words “gripping” and “intense.” Why do you think readers use those adjectives with this novel?

K.G.: I like to think that Sinkhole really is gripping and intense. I take a lot of time to merit those descriptions. Writing to me is rewriting, and I do a lot of that, sometimes tossing out great chunks of the first draft to tighten the plot—or sometimes even to change the direction of the story itself if I get better ideas. I’m my own worst critic. (Three stars *** for this answer)

 

P.S.: After noting your book makes several pop culture references, one reviewer said your book “feels like a genre that hasn’t been invented yet. Until now.” Do you think that’s true? Why or why not?

K.G.: I think that’s because I tend to genre-blend, if there is such a word. Sinkhole has horror, but there’s also some sci-fi elements, as well as: a Western sub-plot, slug-like monsters as well as murder-driven soul deprived humans, time travel, back stories, sex and love and cheating spouses, some porn (gasp!), good characters who do bad things/bad characters who do good things, macabre humor and dark horror with several twists at the end that I hope you won’t see coming. So, yeah, I guess that’s maybe like a genre that hasn’t been invented yet.  But I’ve got the copyright now!

 

P.S.: You’ve made no secret about admiring Stephen King’s works. In what ways are your stories similar to his, and in what ways different?

K.G.: I don’t purposely set out to copy Stephen King because there already is a Stephen King. But I read most of his novels so the influences are there, especially his characterizations. I like the way he creates tight camaraderies among his characters in life or death situations, even when they’re complete strangers. On the other hand, I try to select plots that in no way resemble his, although sometimes a King-like plot will sneak in. (Note to King: Feel free to admire my work.)

 

P.S.: Your first novel, Of a Feather, has garnered some excellent reviews on Amazon. Please help us understand the book’s protagonist, Socrates Singer.

K.G.: Socrates Singer is your basic teenage outcast. His few close relationships mean everything to him, so when one goes bad and death claims another, he has difficulty coping. As a result, his ability to control hundreds of birds gets out of his control. He doesn’t set out to create mayhem, but his emotions do get the best of him.

 

P.S.: What is your current work in progress? Would you mind telling us about it?

K.G.: This is a little sad, but okay. I recently lost my pet parrot that I’d had for over 35 years. ‘Baby’ was like a muse, always at my side when I wrote, and I do miss that. I just completed a short story called (get your handkerchiefs handy)  “Baby, Come Back”:  A young woman loses her pet parrot and discovers a place that will clone the bird for her. That’s all I’m going to tell you!

 

Poseidon’s Scribe: Sorry to hear about your parrot, but even in death, it serves as your muse. What advice can you offer aspiring writers?

Ken Goldman: Read. Write. Then read some more. Then write some more. Reread, and rewrite. Lather, rinse, repeat. The end.

 

Thanks, Ken. My readers can find out more about Ken Goldman on Facebook, on Linkedin, on his Amazon Author Page, on Goodreads, and on Google+.

Poseidon’s Scribe

October 20, 2018Permalink

Do You Semicolon?

Among punctuation marks, the semicolon is the nerdy kid who gets picked on and is chosen last for sports teams. The semicolon goes on to college, of course, and finds steady employment, but never moves up or achieves greatness, and yet falls asleep each night dreaming of a life that might have been.

As a refresher, the semicolon links major sentence elements together. It can keep two related independent clauses loosely joined; it also separates items in a list, especially when some listed items contain commas.

Search on your keyboard and you’ll find the semicolon, perhaps sharing a rarely used button with the colon. Yes, it’s that half-comma and half-period thingy—(;). Take a good look, because it may not appear on future keyboards.

That’s right. The semicolon is falling into disuse. With limited keyboard territory available, that’s a kiss of death. Future generations might well ponder about the meaning of that strange mark, unless nearer term translators simply delete it from all texts, substituting commas or periods (or emojis) as they see fit.

Semicolons have hit on hard times, or Times. Ben Macintyre, a columnist in The Times of London wrote, “Hemingway and Chandler and Stephen King wouldn’t be seen dead in a ditch with a semi-colon…Real men, goes the unwritten rule of American punctuation, don’t use semi-colons.”

The semicolon’s chief detractor, however, had to be Kurt Vonnegut, who said semicolons are “transvestite hermaphrodites representing absolutely nothing. All they do is show you’ve been to college.”

Sheesh. It’s a semicolon, guys. Do you have to drag sex into everything?

Most people don’t hate the semicolon; they either don’t understand it or don’t see the point of it. Scorn from Vonnegut is one thing; at least he paid the semicolon some attention. But to be ignored and forgotten is far worse.

Despite being the shunned wallflower at parties where the comma and period are the hits, the semicolon boasts of a noble history. In The Tempest, Shakespeare has Prospero use one: “We are such stuff as dreams are made on; and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” The Bible is smitten with semicolons, starting in the second phrase of Genesis: “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”

Eight semicolons lend their gravitas to the U.S. Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution teems with forty-eight of them.

That’s all fine and good, you’re thinking, but tell me what semicolons have done for us lately. And none of that poetry stuff, either. Cite some recent examples of great prose featuring a semicolon.

Sorry, I can’t. It seems that profound prose demands either the finality of a period or the casual linking of a comma. I’ve had anthology editors (bless their persnickety blue pencils) strike some of my semicolons out of existence with their sweeping editorial delete marks. Even so, I use the mark sparingly, varying between two and thirteen times in my last five published stories, for an average of one semicolon in every 54 sentences.

The semicolon enjoys the support of a few writers out there, including Ben Dolnick and Mary Norris, but such praise is rare and scattered. There is no organized ‘Save the Semicolon’ movement, or even a Kickstarter or GoFundMe page.

So, Caring Readers, it’s up to you. Preserving this punctuation mark will depend on how often we all use it. Do your part; my part will be done by—

Poseidon’s Scribe

October 14, 2018Permalink