Monthly Archives: June 2014

Neil Gaiman is a Jerk, and a review of The Graveyard Book

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Brenton Dickieson

Neil Gaiman is a jerk. Well, I don’t really mean that. But honestly, how many beautiful ideas is a guy allowed to have in a lifetime? There’s Coroline and American Gods, not to mention and incredible array of short stories, … Continue reading →

Posted in On Writing, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 31 Comments

Inspirational Letters: The Letter that Changed Stephen Fry’s Life

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Brenton Dickieson

As regular readers will know, I am reading through C.S. Lewis’ letters and will often post intriguing, inspirational, and occasionally hilarious bits from the his letters. I also read letters from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Dorothy L. Sayers, Dylan Thomas, E.B. White, … Continue reading →

Posted in Letters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

O Foolish Writer: The Living Reality of an Author’s Work #WritingWednesdays

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Brenton Dickieson

This post is part of an ongoing series Called Writing Wednesdays. This is repost of an earlier blog for those of us foolish enough to walk down this path. Previous blogs include: The Writer’s Spidey Sense False Starts and Missteps: … Continue reading →

Posted in Creative Writing, Fictional Worlds, Memorable Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Life Lessons from King Arthur’s Court

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Brenton Dickieson

I said a few weeks ago that I was in Arthurian Overload. I don’t want anyone to think that it hasn’t been a valuable time roaming through Logres. Indeed, I have learned a lot about life from the chivalrous knights … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 38 Comments

I Need Help With “I,” Or Thoughts on Literary Segregation and the 1st Person Narrative

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Brenton Dickieson

This post is part of an ongoing series Called Writing Wednesdays. I would love your comments below! It’s hard to know where some prejudices develop. My bias against bad drivers—something we Prince Edward Islanders specialize in—came to me slowly. I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in On Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 45 Comments

C.S. Lewis Really Should Have Seen it Coming: More On the Dangers of Reading

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Brenton Dickieson

Last year I wrote a post called, “Be Careful What You Read… C.S. Lewis’ Literary Encounter with George MacDonald.” It got a big readership, partly (I think) because it turns our expectations upside down. According to research by sociologist David … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, Thoughtful Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

The Absence of Presence: C.S. Lewis’ Strained Relationship with his Father

Posted on June 15, 2014 by Brenton Dickieson

I have written another blog on the death of C.S. Lewis’ mother and the haunting role it played in his life. Quite apart from the absence of his mother, her dead led to an unexpected consequence: a strain in his … Continue reading →

Posted in Memorable Quotes | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

On 2048, Or The Keep It In The Corner Approach to Writing (#WritingWednesdays)

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Brenton Dickieson

I hate to admit it, but I am one of the recent victims of 2048. For those that don’t know, 2048 is a relatively new meme in smart phone apps. The idea is simple: combine two-point value boxes to double … Continue reading →

Posted in On Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Russian Medievalist Tolkien

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Brenton Dickieson

Originally posted on Grimmella:
Another art post! I love finding stuff like this. One of the Russian versions of Lord of the Rings was illustrated by Sergey Yuhimov (or Sergei Iukhimov). Looking more like something I studied in my Art…

Posted in Fictional Worlds, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

What If He Is Actually Evil? Thoughts on the Moncton Murderer

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Brenton Dickieson

In Eastern Canada we have been holding our breath as the RCMP (our national police force) scoured the city of Moncton, New Brunswick for an armed killer on the loose. Witnesses say Justin Bourque ambushed police officers, killing three and … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments