Romeo + Juliet: Baz Luhrmann’s Thematic Genius

Of all the retellings of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Baz Luhrmann’s film ranks toward the top for “most jarring” and also “most layered.” His use of motifs throughout the movie add depth and freshness to a familiar story.

On Writing, Part 5: Revision

So how do you feel about your first drafts? Hopeful? Optimistic? Proud? If so, I have nothing to say to you. I cannot relate.
Personally, I hate my first drafts. I think of how lousy my work is and how I hope that no one ever has to suffer the torture of reading it. But Stephen King has some encouraging advice for those of us who get trapped in the Draft One Doldrums.

Awesome Children’s Books, Part 4: “Where the Wild Things Are”

If you’ve never read “Where the Wild Things Are,” by Maurice Sendak, then I’m not sure where you’ve been all your life, but I know where you need to go: to the library. A.S.A.P. The book will take you less than two minutes to…