Tagged with harry potter

How to Embed a Theme Into Text


There are so many great texts out there, but as I always argue with my students, there are definite differences between entertainment writing and literary writing.  One thing that is most lacking in popular fiction today is some type of overarching theme that speaks to the human condition.  Has this indeed been lost on this … Continue reading »

5 Best Selling Novels We’ve Forgotten


I have been accused, on occasion, of lamenting the success of Twilight.  Why shouldn’t I?  It reads like a poorly scripted soap opera, it’s characters are shallow at best and it has no lasting value in regards to the human condition…and aren’t we already tired of seeing vampire books?  Most publishing houses are currently using a … Continue reading »

Protagonists, Antagonists and Depth


My children watch mindless episodes of things like The Wizards of Waverly Place (a clone mashup of Harry Potter and Twilight) and other Disney/Nickelodeon offerings.  Of course, I turn them on to some great stuff like those classic ’80′s movies I love like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, E.T. the Extraterrestrial and The Goonies.   I swear if I hear that Waverly Place theme song … Continue reading »

Samantha Shannon: The Next J.K. Rowling?


I read an article today about Samantha Shannon who will release a novel entitled The Bone Season this year.  She is a literature student at Oxford University and many people say she could be the next billion dollar author, as her book will be one of seven books in a series. She has everything going for … Continue reading »