Pods, TV & Chasing the Dream

So, the craziness has begun, but how much fun that whirlwind can be! The military sci-fi anthology that Bill Webb choreographed is coming out in the Spring, so a little earlier than we’d thought. The story I wrote, and Kevin Steverson edited, is one of the origin stories in that book. I’m about two-thirds through writing book one of an exciting new series about the Marine Corps in the 23^rd century. As one of my Beta readers would say, “Oorah!” This book will also be released in late Spring of this year. Wow.

If any of you are sci-fi readers, you’ll enjoy a podcast by a couple of good guys called the Blasters and Blades Podcast. It’s on Spotify, among other sites, and I’m going to their guest on the January 27^th episode. More to come on when it will be available soon. Here’s a link to that podcast:

One of the fun things that’s happened as I’ve committed more and more of my time to writing is that I watch movies and various television shows differently than ever before. I find myself paying attention to the writing of the show, and on more than one occasion I’ve found myself really appreciating the way a writer puts together a certain scene or dialog.

I don’t know about you, but I have some real favorites among television shows I’ve enjoyed because of the writing quality. At the top of the list is Firefly, one of the most original science fiction shows ever made. The dialog in this ‘gone way before its time was up’ short season is incredible and delivers several lines in different episodes that are still being quoted…and I’m pretty sure not just by me. Nathan Fillion as Mal Reynolds…“I aim to misbehave.” Outstanding character.

Another show is the now gone Justified, a show based on an Elmore Leonard short story. If you like Westerns, even modern-day versions, this is one you’d like. Raylan Givens played by Timothy Olyphant is a classically heroic Deputy U.S. Marshal along the lines of Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, et al. Wonderfully written, with a great nemesis in Boyd Crowder played by the very talented Walton Goggins. Six seasons of quality and well worth your time, I promise.

One last writer I’ll mention, because the guy’s writing across several shows, is Taylor Sheridan. Whether it’s Yellowstone, Lioness, Landman, Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown and more, he consistently delivers excellent stories well framed, and the dialog is some of the best on television anywhere. If any of you are thinking about writing, you’d be well served by watching any of these and paying attention to the details.

What are some of your favorites? If you’d care to, shoot me a message on our website here or on social media. I’d love to hear more from you all. So, like I always say, if you have that itch to write—scratch it!

Hope your January is what you want it to be, everyone. God bless.

Craig