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The Drunken Odyssey

~ A Podcast About the Writing Life

The Drunken Odyssey

Tag Archives: Creative Writing

Heroes Never Rust #89: Dream Sequences

15 Wednesday Apr 2015

Posted by thedrunkenodyssey in Comic Books, Heroes Never Rust

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Alan Moore, comic books, Creative Writing, Watchmen

Heroes Never Rust #89 by Sean Ironman

Watchmen: Dream Sequences

When I took Introduction to Creative Writing as an undergraduate student, I was given a list of things that I could not use in my writing. I was told that my stories would be stronger if I did not include certain things, at least as a beginning writer. I have forgotten most of the list, but a few of the items were: flashbacks, drug-addicted protagonists, and dream sequences. After reading the list, I was pissed off, as many undergraduate students seem to be when given constraints for their writing. But, as I get older and more experienced as both a writer and a teacher, I believe my instructor was right in restricting the content of our work. Yes, those items I listed are used in many stories, but as a student it was important to limit the playing field so that I could learn certain craft elements before moving on to more complicated elements. I still have a habit of trying to avoid elements such as dream sequences in my own work, but when used well, they can strengthen a story in unique ways.

Watchmen VII

Issue seven of Watchmen is focused on Dan Drieberg (Night Owl II) and Laurie Juspeczyk (Silk Spectre II). Up until this issue, the two have mainly reacted to the story’s events, staying on the sidelines. But, now, they are reinvigorated and put on their costumes that have gathered dust over the years since their retirement and they go out into the night and rescue tenants from a burning building. And, in the end, Dan decides that they need to break Rorschach out of prison. Watchmen has entered its second half and it is time for the characters’ stories to come together.

The difficulty in this issue lies in getting Dan and Laurie to put their costumes back on. They have been retired for years. In a comic, at least in this one, there is no interiority, no thought bubbles. And while that may be different in prose, point of view could prove limiting at times, and it may be more interesting to show something than to tell. Here, Dan falls asleep and the reader is given a one-page dream sequence (although there are two panels of the dream sequence on the next page). In the dream, he runs to a woman dressed in a black vigilante costume. She removes his skin from head to toe to reveal that he is Night Owl, and he in turn removes her skin, revealing Laurie. They go to kiss, but a nuclear explosion behind them obliterates the two lovers. The dream itself is very obvious in its metaphor. Deep down, Dan is a superhero. So is Laurie. He was not Dan Drieberg pretending to be Night Owl. He was Night Owl pretending to be Dan Drieberg. And now that he has found happiness with Laurie, it is too late. The world will be destroyed. Finding happiness does not really mean anything. He has to protect the world or else his happiness will be destroyed. Because of this dream, he decides to suit up, and along with Laurie in her Silk Spectre costume, they head out into the night to protect the city.

WatchmenDream

The dream sequence works on a technical level because the sequence changes style from the rest of the comic. Most of the comic is told in a nine-panel grid (3×3). But, the dream sequence is told is many more panels, which are thinner. There are two rows of six panels, and the final row has four dream panels and one panel (the size of two dream panels) of Dan waking up from the dream. The reader should not be tricked. The reader should not turn the page and think what they are seeing is really happening in the story. By changing the structure and the style of the panels, the comic signals the reader that there is a change. The pacing picks up. It takes a shorter amount of time for the reader to absorb smaller panels than larger ones. Then, in that final panel of the page of Dan waking, the reader stops, hit with the same intensity that Dan is. There is no other page in the issue that is set up like this dream sequence. And it works because of just that. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons makes the dream crucial to the story, stylistically different so that readers know it’s a dream, and a combination of easy to understand and weird to take advantage of a dream state without losing the reader.

_______

Photo by John King

Photo by John King

Sean Ironman (Episode 102) earned his MFA at the University of Central Florida. Currently, he teaches creative nonfiction and digital media at the University of Central Arkansas as a visiting professor. His work can be read in The Writer’s Chronicle, Redivider, and Breakers: A Comics Anthology, among others.

Episode 133: John Waters!

03 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by thedrunkenodyssey in Episode, Film

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Carsick, Crackpot, Creative Writing, John Waters, Miami Book Fair International, Mickey Mouse, Role Models, Shock Value, This Filthy World

Episode 133 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

In this week’s episode, I share another Miami BookFair International interview, this one with writer and filmmaker John Waters.

John WatersTEXTS DISCUSSED

CarsickRole ModelsCrackpotShock ValueJohn-Waters-This-Filthy-WorldCheck out the voice of one of the dog show officials in this Mickey Mouse cartoon–two of my favorite things colliding here:

 NOTES

In Orlando, come hear me, Kimberly Lojewski, Robert Metcalf, and Tiffany Razzano read prose at There Will Be Words on January 13th.

On Tuesday, January 20th, 7 P.M., Leslie Salas will lead a workshop on imagery at the Orlando Public Library, Herndon Branch

On Saturday, January 24th, 11 A.M., J. Bradley will host a love poem workshop at the Orlando Public Library.

On Saturday, January 24th, 7 P.M., come hear Boris Fishman read from his novel, A Replacement Life, and me read poetry at the Gallery at Avalon Island.

 _______

Episode 133 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

Episode 111: Iris Jamahl Dunkle!

02 Saturday Aug 2014

Posted by thedrunkenodyssey in Episode, Poetry

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Creative Writing, Functionally Literate Radio, Gold Passage, Iris Jamahl Dunkle, Jack London, Jeffrey Ethan Lee

Episode 111 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature, is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

On this week’s show, I talk to the Trio Award-winner Iris Jamahl Dunkle,

Iris Jamahl Dunkle

plus Jeffrey Ethan Lee reads his essay, “The Poet’s Mother’s Deathbed Conversion” at Fergie’s Pub in Philadelphia.

Jeffrey Lee

Books Discussed

Gold Passage

Jack London LoA NOTES

If in Philly, check out the Moonstone Poetry Series, at Fergie’s Pub.

My friends Jared Silvia and Ryan Rivas are new hosting a new show, Functionally Literate Radio, on WPRK.

Listen to

intoxicators logo


Episode 111 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature, is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

Episode 87: Vanessa Blakeslee!

01 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by thedrunkenodyssey in Drinking, Episode, Florida Literature, Vanessa Blakeslee

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Tags

Anthony Seidman, Burrow Press, Creative Writing, Florida Literature, Philip Deaver, Rollins College, Ryan Rivas, The City of Dreadful Night, Train Shots, Vanessa Blakeslee

Episode 87 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

On this week’s show, I talk to fiction writer Vanessa Blakeslee,

Vanessa Blakeslee

And Anthony Seidman writes about James Thompson’s The City of Dreadful Night.

Anthony Seidman

TEXTS DISCUSSED

Train Shots

The City of Dreadful Night

NOTES

If you live in NYC, check out this wonderful event with my friends Gilbert King (episode 60) and my fellow NYU alum, Maaza Mengiste. RSVP is required.

Poster

Find Burrow Press’s releases here, & check out the discounted subscription rate.

If you live in Orlando, do come to Vanessa’s book release party.

Train Shots Release Party

Episode 87 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

Episode 85: Erotic Poetry Night 2

13 Thursday Feb 2014

Posted by thedrunkenodyssey in Episode, Erotic Literature, Poetry

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Creative Writing, Episode, Erotic Poetry, Erotic Prose, Jesse Bradley, John King, Michael Pierre, Naomi Butterfield, Rachel Kolman, Susan Lilley, Valentine's Day, Writing Podcast

Episode 85 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

This week, I present our first live show of the year, from our night of Erotic Poetry, as either a prelude or an antidote to Valentine’s Day, according to taste.

Erotic Poetry Night 2014

NOTES

The Heaven of Animals, the forthcoming collection from friend-of-the-show David James Poissant, is available for pre-order. Please support the launch of his book, which is wonderful reading.

The Heaven of Animals

Episode 85 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

Episode 66: Kalliope Lee!

14 Saturday Sep 2013

Posted by thedrunkenodyssey in Episode, Erotic Literature, History

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Creative Writing, Erotic literature, Fiction, History, John Demos, Korea, Novels, Scott Hoffman, Sunday Girl

Episode 66 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

On this week’s show, I talk to the novelist Kalliope Lee,

Kalliope Lee

plus Scott Hoffman talks about John Demos’s The Unredeemed Captive: A Family Story from Early America.

Scott Hoffman

TEXTS DISCUSSED

Sunday Girl

The Unredeemed Captive

NOTES

Until Tuesday, September 17th, 8 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, you can get a free ebook of Sunday Girl by going to smashwords, searching for Sunday Girl, and entering the code  CV74V.

play-tops-taming

The Taming of the Shrew runs September 11th through October 6th at Orlando Shakespeare Theater. Get tickets here.

An author’s first duty is to let down his country.

–Brandon Behan.

See my Pinupalooza photos here.

Episode 66 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

Episode 62: Mailbag Episode 2 (Electric Boogaloo)

17 Saturday Aug 2013

Posted by thedrunkenodyssey in Blog Post, David James Poissant, Drinking, Episode

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Christopher Bolton, Craft of Writing, Creative Writing, David James Poissant, Jared Silvia, Pussy Riot, The Gallery at Avalon Island, Writing Podcast

Episode 62 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

On this week’s show, I answer some mail with my friend, David James Poissant,

David James Poissant

Plus Jared Silvia reads his amazing new essay, “City of Ghosts.”
 
Jared Sylvia
 
TEXTS DISCUSSED
 

Archy and Mehitabel

Fun Home

 

The Mysteries of Pittsburgh

NOTES

• Think about helping Beating Windward Press fund new art for its Doc Voodoo pulp fiction series. The swag is considerable, like this t-shirt.

DocVoodooT

• Members of Pussy Riot! are serving time in a Russian jail for the charge of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred.” What they did was perform “Mother of God, Drive Putin Away” in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. While these women are rightly venerated as warriors of free speech, and the phrase “Free Pussy Riot!” is now famous as a movement. What I learned this week, though, is that besides all of that, their music also happens to be fucking wild and should be respected by anyone who has an ear for punk.

Listen to their EP, Kill the Sexist.


Episode 62 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

Episode 61: Chad Benson, or Quinn W. Shagbark!

10 Saturday Aug 2013

Posted by thedrunkenodyssey in David Foster Wallace, Episode, Music, Postmodernism

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Chad Benson, Creative Writing, Fiction, Literature, Music, Writing Podcast

Episode 61 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature, is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

This week, I interview my friend, the fiction writer Chad Benson, who also happens to be a rock musician called Quinn W. Shagbark,

chad

plus Jesse Duthrie talks about John Barth’s The Floating Opera.

Jessie Duthrie

TEXTS DISCUSSED

Live at the Mint

Ill Shoot You Ac

The Floating Opera

NOTES

If you are writing in Denver, check out the Lighthouse Writer’s Workshop.

lighthouse writers workshop

Read about Quinn W. Shagbark in Slate.

On Tuesday, August 13th, at Urban ReThink in downtown Orlando, I will read with

JOSEFINE KLOUGART,

DAN LAUER, &

DREW JOHNSON

in Jesse Bradley’s series, There Will Be Words, which was just named the best reading series in Orlando by Orlando Weekly.

Two days later, I will be reading an art-inspired piece in this event:

AvalonGalleryPoster

Episode 60 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature, is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

Buzzed Books #1: Mastering the Dinner Party, Dialogue, and First Person Narrators

06 Tuesday Aug 2013

Posted by thedrunkenodyssey in Buzzed Books, Craft of Fiction Writing, Drinking, Recommendation

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Alise Hamilton, Craft of Writing, Creative Writing, Literature

Buzzed Books #1 by Alise Hamilton

Mastering the Dinner Party, Dialogue, and First Person Narrators

Recommendation: Bobcat And Other Stories by Rebecca Lee

Bobcat

Bobcat is a collection of seven short stories so rich and expansive they leave the reader walks away feeling she has read seven novels. Rebecca Lee manages to fit an amazing scope in each story, both through breadth of time and depth of character. Such an ability has earned her (rightful) comparisons to Alice Munro, but I would argue there are stronger similarities to short-story writer Amy Hempel. It is not just Lee’s inclination to use first person (each story in Bobcat is presented in first person, and the vast majority of stories throughout Hempel’s career are written in first person point-of-view as well), but her ability to reveal a kind of truth. Truth with a capital “T.” The undeniable yet often ignored observations of the little things that make us human.

Lee is not afraid to allow her characters to be intelligent—the stories are full of lawyers, professors, writers, architects and students. And since each story is presented through a first-person narrator, one would be correct in assuming the stories are, in fact, smart. This is not to say the work is littered with little-known literary allusions, is unnecessarily convoluted, or is held down by a kind of high-brow, academic snobbery. No, the stories here are both intelligent and accessible. Lee respects her characters (and therefore, her readers) enough to give them actual, working brains.

The collection opens and closes with two very different stories, each revolving around dinner parties. Lee deftly handles multiple characters in the same room, so that the reader is never confused about keeping everyone at the table straight—a feat in itself. Her dialogue is superb. Take these lines, from the title story:

“We’re not prepared at all. We just found out yesterday at our Lamaze class that we’re supposed to have a theme for our nursery.”

“Theme?” Lizbet said. “What do you mean, theme? Like man vs. nature?”

“How about alienation in the technological age?” Ray said.
“Hollywood under McCarthy?”

“It’s going to be Winnie the Pooh,” John said, which was true. Everyone seemed a bit dejected that John was closing down the joke so early, but he made a recovery. “Winnie the Pooh and the Reconstructed South,” he said.

These are not simply stories about people sitting around and talking, although sitting and talking do occur, it is what is brewing and bubbling under the surface—what people don’t say, lies they tell each other and themselves, incorrect assumptions, deep desires, fears and regrets—which are the meat of the stories in Bobcat.

In “Fialta,” a famous and celebrated architect describes what building “ought” to be composed of: “Even the simplest buildings, he said, ought to be productions of the imagination that attempt to describe and define life on earth, which of course is an overwhelming mix of stability and desire, fulfillment and longing, time and eternity.”

It is these characteristics precisely that make Bobcat the beautiful book it is.

To be paired with: Sugar Gin

 Find BOBCAT now at your local independent bookseller or purchase at Powells.com.

___________

Alise Hamilton

Alise Hamilton earned her MFA from Lesley University and holds a BFA in creative writing, literature, and publishing from Emerson College. Her short fiction appeared in the Francesca Lia Block-edited anthology Love Magick.

Episode 60: Gilbert King!

03 Saturday Aug 2013

Posted by thedrunkenodyssey in Episode

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Craft of Writing, Creative Writing, Crime Fiction, Fiction, Gilbert King, History, Literature, Nonfiction, Pulitzer Prize, Spirituality, Writing Podcast

Episode 60 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature, is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

This week, I interview the Pulitzer Prize-winning non-fiction writer Gilbert King,

Gilbert King

Plus Monty Joynes discusses coming across Talks and Dialogues by J. Krishnamurti

Monty Joynes

TEXTS DISCUSSED

Devil in the Grove

Talks and Dialogues with J Krishnamurti

NOTES

On Tuesday, August 13th, at Urban ReThink in downtown Orlando, I will read with

JOSEFINE KLOUGART,

DAN LAUER, &

DREW JOHNSON

in Jesse Bradley’s series, There Will Be Words, which was just named the best reading series in Orlando by Orlando Weekly.

Two days later, I will be reading an art-inspired piece in this event:

AvalonGalleryPoster

Episode 60 of The Drunken Odyssey, your favorite podcast about creative writing and literature, is available on iTunes, or right click here to download.

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