Like most hyperbole, “All modern stories are awful” uses the exaggeration to make a point. Of course, not all modern stories are awful. Many, in fact, are quite good, whether these stories be in written or audiovisual form, and you can throw music and the visual arts into our “stories” category for completeness’s sake. However, …
The 1990s were not paradise. Going back to the way things were in the decade of Clinton would not make anything better. In fact, the seeds of what people rightly hate now were not planted in the 90s, but the 90s are when they began to take fruit. Comparatively, I accept that the 1990s were …
Hey. Are you a struggling writer? Do you want to break into the biz? Whether it be novels, screenplays, comic books or video games, I’ve got the know-how to help you become a professional word-slinger. And it’s simple. You don’t even need to understand the actual craft of writing as long as you stick to …
For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that …
There are three branches of government: Violence Entertainment Distraction Significant overlap exists between them all, branches two and three in particular, but for my purposes I define “entertainment” as “cultural products which provide an escape from the so-called real world, oftentimes transmitting cultural values of great importance,” and “distraction” as “the government’s ability to set …
It’s here! I am proud to announce that Pulp Rock is available for purchase on Amazon! ADVENTURE ROCKSSpace pirates and superspies, ghostly singers and half-orc bards, lost cities and deals with the devil . . . all this awaits and more in Pulp Rock: Twelve musically inspired tales of adventure, excitement, and horror by some of …
A recent post of mine may have sent some budding writers into a black despair about the fact that, relatively speaking, nobody in America reads all that much. “It’s a futile endeavor!” is the impression I may have left in people’s minds. This was not my intention. While it is true that “If it’s not …
A silence so awkward it felt like being forcibly contorted into impossible shapes. He didn’t know what to do. The words came from him, just like the songs said, but she didn’t respond in kind. The way she was supposed to. It was in the song! This stuff worked for his friends who tried it. …
In a 1968 interview with Rolling Stone, Frank Zappa was asked the following question about his group’s image: The image was related to the music? Zappa’s answer combines his typical prescience and business savvy: Sure, and of course it still is. The appearance of a group is linked to the music the same way an …
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. This is true in both the physical sciences and the interpersonal realm. However, when it comes to your emotions, how you react and what you do with that energy speaks volumes. There is a lucrative bitch-and-moan economic ecosystem in the Internet among types involved in the arts …
Alexander Hellene is either a dilettante or a Renaissance man, depending on whom you ask. A musician, athlete, artist, and law school graduate, Alexander has always been attracted to fantastical tales, since they tend to do a better job of explaining how the world works than just about anything else. He lives in New England with his wife and children.