It is a Blue Moon! I couldn’t think of a better time for a “grand reopening” of my website and a new start on regular blog posts.

Do you remember when you were first captivated by science fiction or fantasy? For me it was when I found Captain Nemo in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Though I read it in English, it was originally written in French. I didn’t realize until recently how much of the speculative fiction I have cherished came from other countries. Foreign films, television, and books translated to English offer perspectives from other cultures and new dimensions to explore. The sharing of stories is vital to the human experience. The love of stories knows no borders. As a writer and a student of writing, I don’t want my influences to be limited a single culture or historical era.

It’s a bit early to talk about New Year’s resolutions. I only mention it because in lieu of that tradition, I like to create a reading list. My 2021 list was mostly made up of Nobel prize winning authors. This year’s list has brought titles from all around the globe. I would like to continue exploring international works (translated in English), but with a focus on speculative fiction in 2022.  

My most recent read overlaps both criteria. It is from Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro, a British author originally born in Nagasaki. He wrote a speculative fiction novel called Never Let Me Go. This is a dystopian novel set in an English boarding school. Right away you get the sense of some dark secret in the school. One of the things that draws me science fiction is the tendency for the stories to slap us in the face with philosophical questions. Ishiguro dives right into the depth of some hard questions. It would be interesting to experience this through the movies as well. A star-studded cast brought it to life in 2010, but I haven’t found the time to enjoy that yet.

I look forward to sharing book and movie reviews as well as updates on my own writing projects. Please contact me with constructive suggestions and feedback. It would be great to hear from you.