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In February 2014, novelist Lucy Christopher, who is the author behind The Killing Woods, sat down with Ben Kenower for an interview. They begin with discussing how Christopher knew that “stories were important to her” ever since she was a child. She points out that although writers form the building blocks of the characters, it’s up to the readers to use their imagination to “complete the circle” as it were. While Christopher always tells her writing students to “show not tell,” she does emphasis that you need the readers to bring the characters to life. This is especially important for YA novels, as it allows teens and tweens to fill in the meaning themselves. Finally, Christopher says that she enjoys writing YA fiction due to the fact that she remembers being a 14-year-old and really connecting with a book. Therefore, Christopher hopes to re-create that feeling for her younger readers. Also, she adds, “teen readers are fantastic” because they’re honest and passionate as well. Ben Kenower’s interview with Lucy Christopher is an interesting glimpse into the motives and inspiration of a successful YA novelist! |
| Recommended by Amanda Ferris | Thursday, April 17th, 2014 | No Comments » |
The Lake is more like a painting brought into animation than an animation that looks like a painting. Populated with strange characters in a backdrop of lush, lakeside greenery, the people go about in repetitive yet hypnotic movements while birds chirp as if nothing’s amiss. This kind of work seems to be creator Masha Krasnova-Shabaeva’s specialty, if a similar piece, The Classroom, is any indication. Check out her pop-up books and other art here.
| Recommended by Anwar Batte | Wednesday, April 16th, 2014 | No Comments » |
Do you ever feel like you’re letting life pass you by? Like you never go out or take chances or experience the world? Well Greg Nissan knows how you feel, and with the debut song from Ex-Pet, he captures the sentiment beautifully. “Can of Worms” presents Nissan’s slacker narrative with pop-punk melodies over jangly guitars. He sings about feeling trapped and unmotivated and how his “door is a wall if I don’t turn the knob.” He thinks about “All of the dreams I’ve ditched just to sleep another hour/All of the trains I’ve missed just to watch ‘em go by.” On my first listen, it felt like the music was too exciting and dynamic for the depressed and trapped feeling of the song, but Nissan finishes the song by declaring “I want out.” The music actually reflects this new found optimism. In the second verse, Nissan sings “I doubt I’ll even make it to the end of this sentence.” He might have his doubts, but he does make it to the end of that sentence, and that’s a start.
| Recommended by Scott Interrante | Wednesday, April 16th, 2014 | No Comments » |
Harlem might be the go-to neighborhood people think of when it comes to thriving early 20th century music and arts scenes, but Chicago in the ’70s was equally innovative–or at least equally stylish. These photos, taken by photographer Michael Abramson, show the vibrant club scene of music, drugs and decadence in the south side of Chicago, a period when dapper gents and stylish debutantes could get wasted and still look classy. Now if only we knew what pimp oil was.
[Via Retronaut]
| Recommended by The Absolute Staff | Wednesday, April 16th, 2014 | No Comments » |
Frozen came out several months ago and the buzz around it still hasn’t died down, with fans and critics still praising its focus on sisterhood–so, in that vein, I decided to pick up Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams. Black Forest Games has successfully managed to distance themselves from the original Giana Sisters, which was released during the late 80s by Time Warp Productions and came under criticism for some baffling similarities to Super Mario Bros. Twisted Dreams stays true to its platforming roots, boasting old school difficulty combined with high production values, but Black Forest Games has taken the story in an entirely new direction.
Teenage Giana sets out to rescue her sister Maria from the clutches of a giant dragon in Dream World. Twisted Dreams further sets itself apart from the Mario franchise by giving Giana the strange ability to manipulate her dreams as she journeys further into Dream World, letting her switch between two personas: Cute Giana and Punk Giana. Cute Giana inhabits the Nightmare World and has the ability to twirl and fly through the air, while Punk Giana in the regular Dream World can dash forward to attack her enemies. To progress, you have to switch between the two constantly, making use of the shifting realities and transitions.
| Recommended by Melody Lee | Wednesday, April 16th, 2014 | No Comments » |
Many of us have probably watched the way shadows, pedestrians, and other objects move relative to us while riding on public transportation or in a car. I imagine the group of people who’ve gone on to make rubber band symphonies based off of it, however, is much smaller. It turned out well enough for Johan Rijpma, whose short film Watchtmelodie fits the above description. Modulating the length of rubber bands according to moving objects and photographs, he makes a kind of music from the varying tones that correspond with differently stretched bands. File under “There’s music everywhere, if you know how to listen…or meticulously edit sound and audio.”
| Recommended by Anwar Batte | Wednesday, April 16th, 2014 | No Comments » |
If you’re anxiously awaiting the new Sailor Moon reboot, then Magica Quartet’s Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story should hold you over. The story is a spin-off of the hit manga Puella Magi Madoka Magica, but newcomers can still pick up the manga without having to read its parent graphic novel since it takes place in an alternate universe.
The manga follows a young girl named Mami whose warm personality is at odds with the solitary existence that follows the magical girl lifestyle. Magic users are often unkind towards others since their own survival takes precedence. However, that all changes when Mami meets fellow lone wolf and magic user Kyoko Sakura, and it’s Mami’s dearest wish to form a friendship. That being said, there are many sacrifices all the magical girls have to make, and the consequences of Kyoko’s choices are slowly revealed. During a time of unbearable pain, Kyouko must find the inner strength to stand by her friend Mami as a force for good.
| Recommended by Amanda Ferris | Wednesday, April 16th, 2014 | No Comments » |
