Recent content by Stuart Dren

The first half made me snicker, but it's the end clause gave me a lethal laugh. It critically undermined its own mere unit-based misinterpretation of the question before it even finished the sentence.

Well I draw the line at calling people shonks. That's just too far. Renewable energy source?

Oh, interesting. That potentially hurts her case, especially if the 'editor' had been adding entire passages.

What about an everlasting big grin beneath wide eyes? Smiling means friendly.

It's nice to hear a good insurance story every now and then for a change. I'm glad they pulled through.

I rolled up my sleeves to jump in and defend a children's book I've never read, but after checking it out online, I see what you mean. These messages are nonsensical: Bearing one's natural beauty, and not giving it to others, is greed and will make you unhappy. Giving people things because...

Big meh on The Stars Are Legion. It's been a while since I've been so thoroughly dissatisfied with a novel. It has all the ingredients to be interesting yet the blandest execution: like someone who's jacket has twenty zippers on it, but you talk to him and quickly realise a bowl of chickpeas...

No sign of the Southern Reach fans yet. The guy getting cut in half lost a lot of weight quickly. Actually that touched on something for me. I've read a series where one character loses a few fingers as early as book 2. Impairment is significant and no less thematically heavy. If it's sci fi or...

I think a character's physical transformation is almost always figuratively significant. Could be anything. Becoming a statue, merging with a body horror hive mind, transforming into a fly, or simply gaining some muscle, or something extreme like shaving one's head. It could be a temporary...

bell pepper

Man I wish a tight 88 was more common in the world today It's all 2.5 hours this, three hours that.

Another option, if sheltering the Big WiP, is writing a short story just for the workshop. Honestly, I'm against posting the nubile first chapter of a WiP novel for critique. I think it can mess up the artist thing if the first draft isn't completed. Mileage varies of course. Cover art and...

And successful people are still people too. There are lots of touching stories about surprisingly reciprocated interactions. I know Terry Pratchett, in his late ailing years, contacted a mere video game mod creator with compliments and some suggestions. She did not contact him first, but this...

Well, the cover and blurb play some role in the promises. Hey hold up. What's unlikeable about Bruce Willis' character? :( He loves his girlfriend, treats her well, and wants to run away with her after screwing over some gangsters. He jeopardizes this move to go back and get his father's watch...

I've had that thought for a while. It's moved more towards being critical of the marketing or lack-of than quality, though. Shadow of the Conqueror "Book 1 of 1" by a Youtuber is ...well decide for yourself on the quality. But look at that review score! And with than many reviews, imagine how...