Over the past year I have been invaded by vampires. They live in my sixteen year old daughter’s bedroom; on her walls, in her stereo, on her bookshelf, and in her computer. People magazine listed Stephenie Myer as one of the most 100 influential people of the year. She brought the vampires into our house.

The Twilight craze has spread like an unstoppable virus. Spread either by airborne sound waves or by computer, where countless blogs and chat rooms buzz with an addicting blend of romance and fantasy. The power of these stories astounds me. Nearly every woman in my life (wife, daughters, sisters, sister-in-laws, mother, friends, niece’s…) has been pricked by its allure (the teenagers especially). I was curious as a writer and a parent. So far I’ve read two of them.

I rolled my eyes a lot…too many references to “dreamy eyes” and “perfect skin” for my level of testosterone. But, I kept reading. Stephenie weaves a good tale and I found myself intrigued, although I would have been happy with a less oogling. But, I know that’s part of what the females love about it. I’m not quite the demographic.

I’ve read many books on writing, studied the rules, and tried to learn the craft of writing. In fact, I rewrote my book to fix a particular “problem” that I was surprised to find plastered on every page of the two of hers I have read. Based on what I have learned about writing, the books (word by word) are not written well. But before you all flame me for saying that, let me qualify that statement with this: I’m an unpublished author that can’t get signed and she’s a multi-millionaire superstar author. I thought they could have been better written, but I’m going against millions and millions of readers. Obviously I’m the one off base. So it makes me wonder, why have I spent all this time trying to learn the rules? Who made them and why? In the end, they obviously don’t matter and maybe by focusing on the mechanics I have lost a connection with my muse. I did think the storyline was well done. The events, characters, the tension…no complaints there.

Stephenie was named one of the most 100 influential people of the year by Time Magazine. The important question is, how is she changing people? What are people, primarily teenage girls, learning from her stories? A passion for reading? Yes, and that is excellent. A fuel for imagination? Yes, another good thing. Books are a staple for growth, especially books like this that have controversy and generate passion. But at the same time I have seen the extreme obsession that teenage girls show for Bella and Edward and I have a few concerns. Not necessarily huge concerns, but for girls who read the book and don’t analyze and discuss certain issues, I think the influence could be harmful. Those who examine themselves and the reasons the books are so captivating, I believe come out wiser and stronger.

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My original interest in this book was based on the story behind story, rather than the novel itself. John Kennedy Toole wrote this and then became depressed when he couldn’t get it published. After his suicide, his mother repeatedly approached Walker Percy (then a professor at Loyola) and finally convinced him to read it. Thanks to Walker it was eventually published, although 11 years after author’s tragic death. It went on to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1981 for fiction.

The title comes from Jonathan Swift: “When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.” I really didn’t know what I was getting when I started the audio version (I listen to books during my daily commute), but after that first morning drive I was hooked. Barrett Whitener does a fantastic job of reading, so much so that I’m going to seek him out for future audio books. I’d like to point out, Stephen King (in “On Writing”) says that listening to a book is the best way to experience it and he used to pay his kids a nickel per page to record audio books for him.

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I would like to know how many people, like me, identify with Chris McCandless. I suppose most of us have a love/hate relationship with wealth and possessions. Sometimes I feel right on the edge of turning and walking away…like Chris. The closest I’ve come is walking away from good jobs because it just didn’t feel right. With nothing else lined up, I step into the unknown…somehow things have always work out. I think I’ve managed to stay a responsible parent through all my issues. Several years ago I ripped apart a dollar bill in front of my kids and threw it away. It was only a buck but they still talk about it. I’ve got a $50 bill in my wallet right now. I’d love to burn it…but I can’t bring myself to do it.

Chris gave away his $24,000 trust fund to charity, turned down a new car from his parents, burned his money, and wandered around the western United States meeting people and experiencing the land. His final adventure was living in the wilds of Alaska for several months. It’s not spoiling the ending to tell what happened, it was all over the news. When I say it was his final adventure, I mean it literally. He left behind journals, pictures, and friends to help tell his story.

“Rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness…give me truth.”

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I stumbled across this book a couple years ago before my wife and I were married. A friend had left it at her apartment and I started thumbing through it and couldn’t put it down. I left it on the coffee table and went home with the intent of finding it at the library. When her friend left to go home to New Zealand, she left it with Sandi to give it to me. I finished the book within a few days.

I’ve never understood how my dad could plug away at the same job, year after year after decade. He never complained, in fact, he seemed to enjoy it. It’s never been like that for me. I could digress into an entire disposition about my struggles with work. Maybe it’s my depressive nature, my existentialistic core, or maybe I’m just spoiled rotten and don’t know how to buckle down and work. I get bored with jobs. I like new challenges and I like to be doing things that actually feel meaningful. When those things fall into place I dig in with a passion that might be better described as an addiction. But I’m picky as to what “meaningful” means.

I’ve often felt out of place in the modern world, like I just don’t fit. Don’t get me wrong, I have good jobs and I get good reviews from my employers. I just don’t feel happy about it. I feel like I’m wasting time and spending most of my time doing stuff that doesn’t matter at all. I often wonder if I missed my calling in life…my passions are writing and photography but I got a Masters in Accounting and computers. I can make good money doing those things so I don’t bail and pursue what I love. I keep telling myself some day I’ll do it. When take the time to write or take pictures I enjoy myself so much I feel depressed that I can’t do them all day long. That’s me, too often seeing the storm instead of the rainbow.

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I read this one for the first time years ago. It’s one that I have to go back and reread from time to time to help calm me down when I’m feeling flustered because I want more stuff. Although I read the entire book, the first few chapters were my favorite and the ones I revisit from time to time. It helps stop my wallet from hemorrhaging money and puts me in a mindset where I can really look at what I want.

It’s so easy for me to try and soothe my frustrations and unhappiness buy buying stuff. I mean, I work hard and I deserve to buy stuff, right? A new Xbox game, a new video card, or a new gadget puts a short term thrill back into my life. If my mind has been purged of the frantic need to purchase (which this book helps to do), it becomes a decision rather than a compulsion. I may or may not still buy the stuff, but at least I’m making a conscious choice.

I’ve still got a lot to overcome but this book helped a lot. It’s about conscious living and making decisions based on the things we really want out of life. Reading it gave me a sense of peace and relaxation when it comes to finances. And that says a lot because normally everyone knows to stay away from me when I’m on the computer doing my finances (I transform into a rabid dog and will bite your head off).

This is one of my all time favorite books. “The Giver” is a book geared for older children. When I first read it, I just loved knowing that kids in the world reading stuff like this. I couldn’t convince Aubree to read it, so we read it together and it instantly became one of her favorites. We have both now read it 6 or more times.

I spent a good deal of my life running from various emotions and fears. I think to some degree we teach each other to avoid certain thoughts and feelings. Whether its death, religion, fears, dreams, or whatever….there are places we just don’t let our mind go…and that’s too bad. This is a great book that encourages us to think openly, question, and stand up for what we believe in.

I have to bite my tongue and not say a few things that I’d love to say…but it might throw off the ending for you if you haven’t read the book yet. The ending really brings up a good question though…and I think I agree with Pi and I was touched by how the investigator wrote his report of the story. You know…well, dang. I guess I can’t say that….I really enjoyed a lot of the thoughts Pi shared with throughout the story. I was especially found of his amusing theory on zoo’s….how the ideal zoo makes the fence the exact point where the animals territory ends and the human’s territory beings.

I love animals, religion, philosophy, fiction, and adventure….so I loved this book. My only regret is finishing it. My daughter Aubree goes through the same sort of remorse when she finishes a book, sad we can’t keep reading. I loved spending time with Pi floating out on the ocean.

In the summer of 2004, I read a review of the Broadway play “Wicked” and thought it sounded like a cool story. I was excited to see the old story of Oz from the eyes of the Wicked Witch of the West. I’ve always felt that if I could really see life from even a “bad” persons perspective, I would understand why they made their choices. I may not agree with what they have done, but I would at least understand. I was in Toronto during the last three days of the musical “Wicked” and although I tried, couldn’t get tickets. I went four times to the drawing an hour before curtian call for the final 20 tickets available. They were given away lottery style. My name wasn’t drawn, darnit. I’m generally a lucky person and I was sure I’d get in…hehe. Wishful thing. So I bought the book and the soundtrack and fell in love with both. My kids and I can now sing along with every song on the CD.

The book and musical are very different. The book a dark tale meant for adults and the musical fairy tale that is fun for the whole family. The story lines are different so you won’t ruin one by seeing/reading the other.

PosteNote: We went to the musical in Seattle and it was incredible!  Oh my gosh, if you have a chance make sure you see it! It was fabulous!

Mark Hadden does a fantastic job of writing from the perspective of a fifteen year old autistic boy. I spent several years of my life working with the mentally challenged and regularly felt inspired by some of the very perceptive remarks they made. I noticed Mark (the author) also worked with autistic children and he does a good job of capturing some of the sweet insights and unique perspectives they have on life.The story is both touching and humorous. There are moments when I felt heartbroken for the characters in the story. I found Christopher to be a very believable character and, in fact, at times forgot I was reading fiction.

I have to confess, I had never read a Stephen King book before this one. But now he has become an inspiration and an “unauthorized” mentor for me. This book was a joy to read. I couldn’t put it down.One of my dreams has always been to be a writer. I’m still not published, other than technical stuff. But what is worse, is as until a few years ago, I hadn’t even written a complete story since High School! Damn! And I want to be a writer? What is that all about?

That’s where Stephen King’s book came into play. Originally I got the book because I thought it was more about technique and style. That’s me, I’d rather analyze, think about, and study something rather than actually do it. Well, in the book he gives an assignment to write a story. I did the exercise, in fact, you can read it here. My first completed story since High School and I felt awesome after! I never could finish my stories (novels mostly). I would start them or just think about them, but never finish them. So this was a cool exercise for me.

From his book, I got a message that said stop trying. Forget about the syntax, forget about learning how to write, forget about all the rules and procedures…just do a lot of reading and a lot of writing. Simple as that. Well, I tried it. I sat down and just started a story.

There are two sections to the book. The first section is basically a mini auto-biography. Originally, this part didn’t interest me. I had purchased the book for the second section, his tips on style and technique. However, two pages into the book I was hooked. I loved reading the first section. His frank, open, vulnerable, and revealing stories were entertaining, touching, and encouraging. Stephen King sounds like a cool person. I appreciate his book. As a writer who only dreamed about writing, it pushed me in the right direction.