Stories

I can't tell a story verbally for the life of me. Occasionally, when moved by the muses of creativity, I can write a mediocre one. But boy, do I love to hear them! Because I love good stories so much I have always found it a bit strange that I can't sit down and read them. That has always been a great struggle for me. Though I enjoy reading, it doesn't come easily for me. I tend to pickup theology or history before picking up a novel. So this summer I'm trying to train myself to broaden my horizons by reading a few good stories. So far I have read The Digging Leviathan by James Blaylock, Falling by Colin Thubron, and I am currently in the middle of Dinner at Deviant's Palace by Tim Powers.

The first was simply a science fiction to get me jump started on this discipline of nailing my bottom to a chair for a few hours in order to read a story. I occasionally had to read out loud—as I've been told you should do with a good story—just to get the feel of the story telling process.

The second is by far my favorite. I caught myself more than once saying out loud, "I want to write like this!". But I will save all review of Falling for another entry because I simply could not do it justice right now.

My current novel is more for the sake of getting over my snobbish embitterment of Time Powers. I simply have never read him for the simple reason that everyone else in my simple circle has and I simply wanted to be the only one who had not. There. I've come out with it. I am a snob! But quickly repentant one I hope. Powers turn of phrase and fresh spins on old clichés are what have struck me most as I read Deviant's Palace. They are quite enjoyable:

"Some people simply have no will to survive—they're walking hors d'oeuvres waiting for someone who can spare the time to devour them."

"Money is just the checkers in a game played by unhappy children."

"...the vacuous inattention of a couple of long time communicants, on whose faces the obligatory smile sat like a welcome mat in front of an abandoned house."

That is that. I'm tearing down all reading prohibitions and finding that there is a wellspring of creativity out there that I have never bothered to jump into. How refreshing!