Category Archives: Blog

Blog

Burning Your Bridges

It’s been a crazy month for me, so since I’ve been negligent on blogs, you get two of them this week!

Image courtesy of www.androxa.wordpress.com.

When I was in college, my writing professor once told my class not to “burn your bridges” in the publishing world. The reason was simple: it was a small industry, so it would be easy for word to get around. If you had a falling out with an editor or fellow writer, even if you were in the right, it could create a bad reputation. This in turn could damage your chances of getting work. No one will want to publish someone if they’re difficult to work with (unless you’re the late great Harlan Ellison, who got by on sheer talent).

In the internet age, I think this advice has become universal. At my new day job, for instance, a disgruntled customer threatened to “go on social media” and trash the business. I guess that’s how you threaten someone in 2018: internet rumors. It used to be that one only had to worry about whether to put former bosses as references on job applications. If you knew a particular one wouldn’t speak favorably of you, you either left it off or said not to contact them. But as my professor pointed out, in a small industry where everyone knows everyone, it can be a problem. Reputation carries a lot of weight. People may not take to the time to see if what they hear is true or not.

I’ve been thinking about this lately because of a recent falling out I had with a colleague. It made me think back on times when I’ve either burned my bridges or chosen not to. When I lost my first post-college writing job, I vacillated between blaming myself and blaming my bosses. They were kind enough to say I could use them as references, and a few years later at an author fair, I met one of them and said there were no hard feelings from me. On the other hand, an online Christian ministry I volunteered for faithfully for five years more or less “fired” me for nebulous reasons. Since then I’ve completely disassociated myself from them. I don’t talk to anyone who works there nor do I put anyone from there down as a reference.

It gets harder when you realize you’re working with a toxic person, though. When you know they’re abusing and using you. On one hand, you have to draw boundary lines. On the other, you feel the need to warn others about this person. But is this desire motivated by altruism or revenge? Aye, there’s the rub. It’s easy to disguise the latter with the former, especially when you know you could do some serious damage to the abuser.

Because of all this, I started listening to the appropriately titled album “Songs to Burn Your Bridges by” by the hardcore rock band Project 86. Their song “Oblivion” has been resonating with me more than ever. The second verse in particular has become something of a mantra for me:

From somewhere far, far away…
(It’s mine to avenge, I will repay)
A distant voice from some familiar place
(Drive it home in me, pull it out from me)
“Let go the anchor
Let got the deadweight.
(I will repay, I will avenge),
And I’ll change what’s in remiss”

These lines were inspired by a phrase found twice in the Bible. Specifically, in Deuteronomy 32:35 and Romans 12:19. I will confess for someone with as strong a sense of justice as I’m blessed/cursed with, keeping to this tenant of my faith is…difficult. I want to be God’s hammer—His Mjolnir, you could say. But rarely does God allow such things. So, I must patiently wait for Him to vindicate me and set things right. He is, contrary to popular belief, a God of both love and justice. That’s why I have to remove those people from my life: it separates me from the situation and leaves room for God to work.

I hope, True Believers, you can do the same things. Don’t be afraid to get yourself out a bad relationship and/or situation. And when you do, let God bring about His superior justice.

What about you? Have you had to “burn bridges”? What did you do? Did things work out? If so, how?

News, Announcements, Blog

Blog Day has Moved!

Image courtesy of ThemeFuse.

You may have noticed I didn’t have a blog last week. That’s because I just started grad school, a new university job, and I’m about to move into a new apartment. In light of this, I’m moving my weekly “blog day” from Thursday (or Friday, if I’m late) to Saturday. 

So don’t fret, True Believers! I have a new blog in store for you this weekend!

Blog

My Life: The Reboot

My life is not unlike this film right now.

It’s been a crazy few weeks. I’ve had two book signings. My website was shut down to transfer it to a new host (thanks, Nick! [My apologies if his site is still being transferred]). Sadly, I did lose the short blog I wrote at Gen-Con, but all it said was that I was at the convention, wouldn’t be writing a blog, and that you all should come see me at my table.

As for other changes, I gave one day job a letter of resignation. I start grad school at a local university next week, as well as working as a graduate teaching assistant and writing center consultant for said university. I’m moving to be closer to the school. And these are just the changes I can talk about right now.

It’s…overwhelming at times.

My pastor told me Sunday that this isn’t so much starting a new chapter as it is opening a new volume. I said it might be more apt to call it a “reboot.” And why not? Reboots are all the rage in Hollywood right now. Most of them suck (I’m looking at you, Ghostbusters 2016), but then you have that handful that are amazing (like Batman Begins). Perhaps it’s more of a “soft reboot” like the 2009 Star Trek: it’s starting fresh, but it wouldn’t have happened if not for the events of the previous movies/series. I’m embarking on a new adventure where most everything is different, but there were many things in my life that led to this point.

But with change comes grief.

A coworker (at a business named Reboot, ironically), who also works as a pro-bono pastor, told me that grief is more about change than it is loss. Even positive change requires losing something, whether that be singleness for marriage or freedom for parenthood, among other things. I’m going to miss where I was because it was comfortable and predictable. I was used to it. It was safe. But where’s the adventure in safety?

A lot of things, both good and bad, related to my past have fallen away. I had to get a new car six months ago after an accident. My writing mentor retired in disgrace. That’s a few I can name. I still have plenty of constants (my friends, my family), but everything is changing.

Perhaps it’s appropriate then that Eric Anderson and I are working on a sequel to 42: Discovering Faith Through Fandom, and its central theme is how God changes things. I’ll be writing from experience.

What are some big changes you’ve navigated? How did you go about it? What did you have to “grieve” in the process?

Blog

My Thoughts on the Dr. Dennis Hensley Scandal

Ironically, this image is courtesy of the meme website www.1funny.com.

(This will be the only time I discuss this subject in a public forum).

“It’s my estimation that every man ever got a statue made of ’em was one kinda sombitch or another.”
-Capt. Malcolm Reynolds

This line from the Firefly episode “Jaynestown” has been repeating in my head for over a week. It speaks to the hard truth that one should never meet his heroes because they’re not perfect or above reproach.

That’s harder to do when you already know your hero.

Last month, Dr. Dennis E. Hensley, founder of my alma mater, Taylor University’s, professional writing program and one of the most influential people in my life, retired suddenly. His current students were shocked. The theory was that he did so because of several deaths in his family and his wife’s stage four cancer. The students planned to send him some well wishes.

Then the truth came out.

He left because a former student came forward saying she had been sexually assaulted by Dr. Hensley in 2004 (which was during my time at the university’s Fort Wayne campus). This opened a floodgate of accusations spanning decades.

I avoided most of the uproar for a while because this was reported just before G-Fest XXV, and I didn’t want my weekend tainted. Once that was over, I inundated myself with articles.

There’s a lot I could say about this; a lot I’ve wanted to say. For the sake of this blog, I will focus only on how this revelation has affected me.

If Nick Hayden was the Obi-Wan Kenobi to my Luke Skywalker, Dr. Hensley was our Master Yoda.

One of my schoolmates and fellow Dr. Hensley students wrote on Facebook that this whole thing felt like someone had died. Indeed, those early stages of grief hit me hard. I didn’t want to believe it. I even tried to tell people not to jump to any conclusions and remember that these were only accusations. (Ironically, this was a journalism rule I learned from Dr. Hensley). This brought me under fire, albeit briefly, which was why I wrote what I did last week.

From denial I quickly moved to the anger stage, but it was anger without a target. I didn’t know if I should be angry at Dr. Hensley, his accuser(s), or the MeToo movement. That’s why I’ve waited as long as I have to say anything. Anger rarely, if ever, leads to sound reasoning, and in this outrage-addicted internet culture, it can be dangerous. Regardless, I was angry because something had been taken from me—the Dr. Hensley I thought I knew.

The man who reassured 18-year-old intimidated prospective student me that I had the talent to be in his writing program.

The man who teased me for having an e-mail at a now defunct website called www.Godzillafans.com. 

The man who found every typo I wrote in my papers and everything I did right.

The man who plastered “EYE OF THE TIGER!” on every “A” I got.

The man who told me how to conduct myself as a professional writer and what to expect in the industry.

The man who got me my first byline.

The man who put me on student newspaper staff as soon as I walked onto campus.

The man whose teaching style I so admired I wanted to emulate it as a teacher myself.

The man we described as a “teddy bear with sharp teeth” because he wasn’t afraid to tell you what you did wrong but he’d do everything he could to help you succeed.

The man who had an entire bulletin board—the “Brag Board”—dedicated to showing off his students’ publications and achievements.

All of these and many more—and now I have to reconcile them with these accusations.

Ironically, like the woman who first came forward, I, too, once confided something personal to Dr. Hensley. I won’t go into details, but something happened where I distrusted most everyone at the school, including my friends. It was my senior year, and I knew it might affect me academically, so I told him what happened. He was understanding and encouraging. He gave me a week to breathe and then sent a letter to my mailbox saying it was time to buck up and finish strong. I took it to heart.

In the time between his sudden retirement and the reporting of these accusations, I sent Dr. Hensley an e-mail saying I’d heard he left Taylor and that I was praying for him and his wife. I also mentioned that I would soon be starting grad school and working as a graduate teaching assistant and a writing tutor. He replied saying he knew I could do it.

If that is the last communication I ever have with “Doc,” that’s how I want to remember him.

But that’s the statue—and those always come crumbling down.

(I recommend reading James Watkins’ blog on this matter. He’s given the best assessment of it that I’ve read).

Blog, News, Appearances, Announcements

My Upcoming Appearances for Summer 2018

I may not have a new book out this year (yet), but I am making appearances at several events in the tristate area this summer. This will give you several opportunities to meet me, buy a book, and get it autographed. I’ll be participating in other events at these shows, as well, so you can see me outside the vendor hall and hang out.

So, in chronological order:

G-Fest XXV
When: July 13-15, 2018
Where: The Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare in Rosemont, Illinois
Website: http://www.g-fan.com/html/gfest_xxv/gfest_xxv.php

This is the annual gathering of the kaiju nerds. I attended last year with my Kaijuvision Radio co-host, Brian Scherschel, to promote our upcoming podcast. (Although, I did get myself on a kaiju writing panel). Now that KVR is up and running, we’re returning. This time we’re on several panels throughout the weekend—including a live KVR episode recording entitled “Godzilla and the Japanese National Spirit.” I’ll also be on two kaiju writing panels and one for the recent film Pacific Rim: Uprising. I won’t be in the vendor hall, but I’ll have copies of Destroyer and The Worlds of Nathan Marchand available for purchase and signing.

Gen-Con 2018
When: August 2-5, 2018
Where: The Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana
Website: http://www.gencon.com/

“The best four days in gaming” returns for another huge year. It’s become a staple of my summer and the biggest event I attend all year. I’ll be in Authors Avenue in the vendor hall with all my Gen-Con writer friends. I’ll be selling and signing my own books as well as the newest volume of Missing Pieces, which features a new short story by yours truly. I might slip away to a few events throughout the day, and I’ll be attending events in the evening for sure, so we can hang out, if you want.

FYI: It seems the time was changed since this poster was created. The event’s pages now say 10am-4pm.

True Believers Fest 2018
When: August 11, 2018, 10am-4pm
Where: Marquis Comics in Kentwood, Michigan
Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/2144061572493810/

This is a small one-day event I was invited to vend at thanks to my partner in crime and Nerd Chapel founder, Eric Anderson. It’s a free family event. I’ve never been to this comic shop before, but I’m always in the market for finding cool new nerdy hangouts. It’s appropriate that I’m vending at this event since I, like Stan “The Man” Lee, like referring to my fans as “True Believers.”

I’ll see you…out there! Be there or be square!

Blog

Loving the Work You Do

(I missed a week. Gotta break that habit).

Eric Liddell in the film Chariots of Fire (which I still haven’t seen…).

“If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. That’s a lie! If you love what you do, you’ll work hard everyday.”

This was spoken by Chris Spalding, the co-owner of the ballroom dance studio I attend on a regular basis. It was part of the toast he gave during the fifth anniversary party for the studio. I loved it because it was challenging and encouraging. It’s not something one typically hears.

We all want to work a job we love. Spending hours of our day doing something we hate is soul-crushing. It’s a consequence of the Fall in Eden (Gen. 3:17-19), so we want to stave it off as much as possible. Unfortunately, millennials in particular have a reputation for chasing unattainable “dream jobs” or thinking they’re entitled to an easy life (and then crumbling under the slightest pressure when they don’t get it). Whether this reputation is deserved or not, there are many people who refuse to accept the reality of toil.

That’s why I love what Mr. Spalding said. It’s a mindset that lives within the tension: Love what you do but work hard at it. The curse hasn’t been lifted. We still have to make a living by the sweat of our brows. That is an inescapable reality until Christ returns to “make all things new.” But when we are doing what God created us to, we can find joy in the midst of that toil. Joy that will compel us to work even harder. We’ll dream bigger, take more risks, and strive to become better. Work becomes more than a means to make money.

This, I believe, is an example of God’s grace to humanity. He didn’t abandon us in our sin. He instilled desires and talents within us, and those can lead us to the purpose He gave us. I’m reminded of what Eric Liddell said in the film Chariots of Fire (which I still haven’t seen), “I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.” That’s the feeling every human being, whether they’ll admit it or not, longs to find. It’s God’s foothold in this fallen world, His way of keeping claim on His creation. And, I daresay, a means of reaching out to humanity.

People aren’t good at living within tension, but the wise will tell you that there are many paradoxes in life. They can’t all be solved. The quicker that’s accepted, the easier life becomes.

Do you love what you do? Work hard at it!

Do you hate what you do? Make a change! You’ll do yourself and the world a favor.

How do you live this out? What do you do to live in this tension between toil and joy?

Blog

‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ Spoiler-Free Review

So, as I said I’d do in my previous blog, I saw Solo: A Star Wars Story. Much like with Avengers: Infinity War, it’s difficult to talk about it without giving spoilers. I’ll do my best to give you quick general impressions and address the so-called issues the angry, entitled contingents of the fanbase have brought up.

Some have said this was a story nobody wanted nor needed to see. Maybe. Does it suffer from some “prequel-itis”? A little, but not so much that it bothered me. Some liked that Han was a mysterious rogue whose past we didn’t know fully. If that’s you, you probably won’t like this film. For me, much like with Indiana Jones (another iconic Harrison Ford character), while I wasn’t clamoring to know Han’s backstory, I was happy to see it. In this, we learn how he met Chewbacca (which was hilarious), met Lando, and acquired the Millennium Falcon, among other things. It was cool.

In fact, it was a bit better than I expected. The film actually surprised me a few times. I thought one character would die since this character is never referenced again in other films, but that didn’t happen. Another character I never expected to see again (despite appearing on the TV shows) made a cameo. I have to give kudos there.

As has been pointed out by other reviewers, Ron Howard films Solo like a western. Heck, the first 30 minutes or so gave me flashbacks to the pilot episode of the short-lived but awesome TV series Firefly, which was essentially a space western. There’s a train robbery, bandits, gambling in a “saloon,” and grand vistas.

Much adieu was made about Alden Ehrenreich’s performance when the trailers dropped. Angry fans insisted he couldn’t act and/or didn’t look like Harrison Ford, so someone else should’ve been cast. Honestly, I don’t think they would’ve been completely happy with anyone else playing the character. No one else has ever done it (this isn’t James Bond we’re talking about), so it’s huge shoes to fill for anyone. Regardless, a quick glimpse at Ehrenreich’s filmography will reveal that he’s an accomplished actor. He delivers here. He channels Harrison Ford while also putting his own take on the character.

Another standout, surprisingly, is Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian. Glover copies Billy Dee Williams exactly. His mannerisms, speech patterns, everything. It’s like watching Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy in the new Star Trek films. As for the pansexual thing, there was nothing that indicated he was like that. Lando has always oozed charm, and unless it was with ladies, it never seemed sexual. Now, there is a “female” droid named L3 who believes Lando is in love with him, and it’s certainly true that Lando cares for “her,” but it’s never plainly said that they’re in a relationship. In other words, Lando is just being Lando. I’m thinking the filmmakers made that claim just to look progressive. (If you want an example of a clearly-stated pansexual character in a sci-fi franchise, look at Capt. Jack from Doctor Who).

Also, Woody Harrelson and Paul Bettany are great. Just thought I’d throw that in.

I will ding the film for bordering on excessive nostalgic references. These come with the territory, given the sort of story it is, but they could’ve been dialed back slightly. It was cool to hear John Williams compose a new theme for Han in this film, though.

Overall, I still prefer Rogue One to this, as far as spin-off Star Wars films go (I thought that one was bolder), but this is still solid. Do yourself and the franchise a favor and see this film, if only to spite the naysayer factions in the fanbase who can never be pleased.

Final Grade: B+

Blog

The Religiosity of Fandom

Image courtesy of IMDB.

I plan to see Solo: A Star Wars Story, if not this weekend, then next week.

It’s a safe bet to say that about fifty-percent of those reading this have now stopped and branded me a traitor. Because that’s how large contingents of the Star Wars fandom works now.

In case you didn’t know, there’s been a movement to boycott the new Star Wars spin-off film about a young Han Solo. It stems from various remarks on political and social issues from Kathleen Kennedy, the new president of Lucasfilm, and what was perceived as SJW elements in Star Wars: The Last Jedi (which I’ve written about before). Adding fuel to the fire was the revelation that Han’s friend Lando Calrissian is pansexual in this film (though as far I know the only indication of this is he flirts with a droid with female features. That could honestly just be Lando being Lando).

In a tremendous display of groupthink, a huge portion of the Star Wars fandom moved as a unit to avoid Solo, which they think will eventually derail the Disney era of the franchise. One fan even went so far as to say, “Money is the only language Disney understands.”

This blog isn’t about whether their objections are accurate or not. I’m reserving that for after I see the movie. However, I am going to take the Star Wars fandom to task, despite counting myself among them. You’ve been warned.

Ever since the release of the “Special Editions” in 1997, the Star Wars fandom has become more and more fractured and difficult to please. Remember the whole “Han Shot First” meme? (I admit I was annoyed too, but I digress). They were irate that the three films they thought were already perfect were “meddled” with by George Lucas. Things were only aggravated when the Prequel Trilogy was released. The Phantom Menace was especially hated. George Lucas went from being a creative genius who could do no wrong to the most despised man in the geek community. (Personally, I think the truth is somewhere in the middle, as seen in this excellent video series). When Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012 and announced new movies, it was greeted with enthusiasm because fans had lost trust in Lucas. But over the last three years, especially with The Last Jedi, the sentiment has shifted to lamenting the loss of Lucas.

No other fandom, I would argue, is this fickle, demanding, and indecisive. When non-nerds/non-geeks think of the negative stereotypes associated with the nerd/geek community, I guarantee it’s based largely on the conduct of so-called “hardcore” Star Wars fans. It’s sad because it not only mars the reputation of other fans like myself, and it gives the whole nerd/geek subculture a bad name.

This is one way this fandom borders on being a religion. Think about it. Star Wars fans have sacred texts (i.e. the Original Trilogy), but they only accept certain versions of these texts (the uncut versions of the trilogy) as “canonical.” The Special Editions are rejected despite being made by the author of the sacred texts. The prequels are heresy to many (although younger fans accept them), and now the Disney era films are being labeled blasphemy. When Disney officially declared the Expanded Universe non-canonical, many fans reacted like Christian fundamentalists backlashing against atheists attacking the Bible. Never mind the fact that the canonicity, as far as I know, of these materials was never set in stone by Lucas. No, fans complained that the stories they had invested themselves in for decades had somehow been robbed of meaning. Just like now, there was a movement within the fandom to spoil The Force Awakens on the Internet to prevent people from seeing it so as to make the franchise fail and have the Expanded Universe reinstated. Guess what? It failed. To nobody’s surprise, I’m sure.

Anyone who has disagreed with these movements has been declared a “filthy casual” amongst many other horrible names. They’ve even been shunned from the fandom. In other words, excommunicated.

Is it any wonder, then, that there’s been a measurable number of people across the world who’ve listed “Jedi” as their religion in censuses? There’s even an actual religion called “Jediism,” complete with a creed, 16 teachings, and 21 maxims. Some might say they’ve taken their fandom too far.

I’m not opposed to being passionate about what you enjoy. I’m not against debating the merits of media within the franchises you love (my gosh, I co-host a podcast that does that!) Have I zealously argued against certain creative decisions and chosen to no longer follow certain series because of them? Yes, on at least two occasions. But when it gets to this point, where you’re filling the internet with click bait articles and videos full of often unsubstantiated and shallow hatred, you’ve crossed into the Dark Side of the Force.

Let’s go back to when being a Star Wars fan was fun. Before the dark times. Before the insanity.

Here’s a quick video that perfectly summarizes all of this:

What do you think? Are these fans right? Why or why not? Have fandoms gone too far? Why or why not?

Blog

My (Spoiler-Free) Review of ‘Avengers: Infinity War’

The poster for the film. (Image by Marvel Studios).

It’s been a while since I blogged, so I figured a review of the biggest nerd movie of 2018 would be a great way to get back into the swing of things.

To quote Buzz Lightyear, “To Infinity…and beyond!”

This is the best Marvel Cinematic Universe film. Ever. Of all time. (Well, for now, anyway). For the first time, I went into an MCU movie not sure what to expect, and after seeing it, I’m unsure what Marvel will do next because there’s a lot of things they could do. Even with my knowledge of the comics that inspired this film (The Infinity Gauntlet and, to much lesser extent, Infinity War), I’m not sure what will happen next. With Disney trying to finalize a deal to buy out 20th Century Fox, that means Marvel will reacquire the film rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four. The possibilities are endless!

I was concerned that Thanos wouldn’t be a villain worthy of a decade of build-up.

Boy, was I wrong.

He has eclipsed Loki as the best villain in the MCU. He’s altered from the comics, which is understandable given that what comic fans love about Thanos was developed for many comics over many years, and that’d be hard to condense into a film that’s already huge. Heck, he’d need his own movie to get there. He’s gone from a lovesick Eternal trying to win the affections of Mistress Death to a madman with a noble cause. There’s even some tenderness from him. Josh Brolin’s performance with the mo-cap is incredible. I never thought I was watching a special effect.

My sister described the film as “a bit ADD.” I can see why. At 2 ½ hours, it’s a long movie with 64 characters from 18 other films. Yet while it bounces back and forth between several groups of characters, I never felt like it shortchanged anyone or was moving too fast. Everyone gets a moment of awesomeness. The film masterfully juggles several tones, including traditional superhero, mythic, and space opera comedy. They all blend perfectly. I attribute this to the Russo Brothers and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who might be the best creative team in the MCU.

Without giving any spoilers, this is a film that will shock audiences. Even I was taken aback by the ending. I knew it had to happen, since I knew this was part one of a two-part story and I’ve read the comics, but it still surprised me with how boldly un-Hollywood-like it was. It didn’t affect me as much as Logan did, but that was a superhero film about finality. There isn’t nearly as much of that here.

I want to see this in IMAX. I bet it would look great. I don’t normally see movies more than once in a theatre, but this is one I’d gladly see again. That’s how much I love it.

My only problem with the film is it does and doesn’t stand alone. While it explains the many characters just enough to give context, you have to have seen a lot of the previous MCU films to understand it fully. The more you’ve seen, the more you’ll get out of it.

My opinion of this film may change with more viewings. Right now I’m just basking in the excitement.

To summarize: It’s one of the best superhero films ever made.

What’d you think of Avengers: Infinity War? Feel free to leave comments—including spoilers—below. I could talk about this film for hours and would love to include you all in the conversation.