My Faith In Humanity: As Told In Blog Form

Where I live has come a long way. Don't get me wrong.

But, as I type out this post, I can't help but burn a little hotter these days. Why? Because of where I live. Yes, that's right. This post is about the fantastic city where I have spent my entire life and, if you know me personally, you know that it will forever be a love/hate relationship. 

I mean, just look at this. It's as picturesque as it gets. As an outsider, I can completely see how this view could be pristine. It's not quite Podunk, but definitely not urban. It's sort of suburban, but not altogether that, either. You might look at this picture with a bit of jealousy. Summer in New England might be one of the best times of the year, yet there is an underbelly to these stretches of little cities that no one sees, that is unless you are close enough to dig into it with your fingernails. But be careful, though. You might not like what you scrape up.

Like lobster guts and crab shells spewed across your front yard. 

Picture these except a lot more and broken into three million pieces. 

I live on a street that is pretty well traversed. I am constantly scanning the road's edge and picking up random snags of litter here and there. It's a daily thing and I've accepted it, knowing that I'm ultimately responsible for my yard. I do take pride in my house's image, even if I let the lawn grow out a little before I cut it.

But this...this sucked. I spent a solid thirty minutes (at 7:15am, no less) hunched over with gloves, swiping at pungent, decomposing meat that someone had casually chucked out their window because they felt it was better for me to deal with their problems rather than take care of it themselves. 

I felt disrespected. I was angry. I was ready to punch someone in the face.

So what does this have to do with my faith in the human race? You can probably tell, but:

Hold your horses, will ya? I'm getting there.

Hehehe, funny, isn't it?

To be honest, this isn't just about my beloved city and its great people and not-so-great people. This is ultimately about how people treat others. This is about respect.

Rewind.

I've grown up with the help of some diligent parents that kept me in line growing up, even when I wanted to rebel against them with every fiber in my body. One of the methods they used to help me understand was dialogue. They treated me like a human being who can make the right decisions for myself. One thing my dad always taught me was this:

"You are not measured by what you do while people are watching, but what you do when they aren't."

That nugget of knowledge really stuck with me. In fact, it's carried me through my years of high school punkery, college shenanigans, and now, as a husband, author, and homeowner. So why has the world fallen so far away from this mindset? How has our collective conscience strayed so far from the path that 'empathy' is no longer a word in our universal vocabulary? 

Well, it starts with this:

Parenting. 

Now before you all go nuts with the 'you're not a parent!' counter arguments, let me tell you what I do know. 

I know full well that I am young and that, no, I do not have children, but I do know that parents are the first teachers a child will have. I know that the concept of 'nurture' is far greater in our world than 'nature'. I know that kids are greatly influenced by how their parents act, what their parents say, and the people they interact with. Kids, especially the littlest ones, are walking environmental sponges, absorbing everything and anything they can take in with their senses. The concept of parenting will never change because it's engrained into our DNA. It has a stronghold on who we are as a people and who we are as a species in this universe. Whether we choose, as parents or future parents, to adhere to these rules, is where the wagon might fall off the wheels too early.

It's hard to imagine a world where these things no longer matter. Sure, it would make a great science fiction novel (noted), but I'm 110% positive that anything other than what is described above would be counterintuitive to what good parenting should be. 

And then, after years of shaping a human being, a guy like me gets a crack at it here:

A good teacher has the ability to change lives. That's what I love best about my job. I love that it's not 9am-5pm. I love that it's an ongoing struggle. I love that I'm constantly working to make kids better, more responsible human beings. I don't like how I'm losing my hair so quickly, though. I'll admit to that. Bald spots are NOT okay. 

All jokes aside, even if I took my job as literally as I possibly could, at its core I would still be teaching my classroom kiddos how to empathize. In case you don't know what this word means, check it out:

Living vicariously through someone else, you say? I know you've heard that phrase before!

If we all just try to see where other people are coming from, we may have a better understanding of why people do what they do in the first place. It may not stop all burglaries, thefts, littering, or vandalism, but I truly believe that the lessening of such things in our cities and towns can only happen if we shift our attitudes to one of empathy rather than jealousy, anger, or bitterness.

Put yourself in the shoes of the person who hurt you. Yes, you might still feel some (or a lot of) resentment, especially if whatever happened directly affected your state of being or your sense of security, but there must have been a reason...and if that reason is big enough, then you have your answer.

It starts with a mindset change in one person that spreads to others until it catches like wildfire and changes the perception of the world. Right now, especially where I call home, this perception is simply not present.

It will only change when the people change and, as our world slowly descends into a very weird and very real cyberpunk novel, I hope that people can find it within themselves to do the right thing. To be moral enough to, not only do the right thing while people are watching, but still uphold a sense of morality when they aren't.

Until next time, 

R.T.

And Yes! I Believe It!

I sat down against the backdrop of a dimly lit room and made a list of things I wanted to write about in this installment of the blog. It was a slightly creepier environment than where I usually find myself while writing my blog posts, so do me a solid, and bear with my low-voice, conflict-character, badass personality I've got goin' on right now.

1) True Detective, 2) Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, 3) Ant-Man, 4) Camp NaNoWriMo, and the list goes on...

But I settled on one and I'm pleased with my decision. Allow me to elaborate -

Nightcrawler

This movie shattered any preconceived expectations I had going into it and that's something that rarely ever happens in my movie-junkie of a world, which is why I knew I needed to share it with you. So let's do it. Any questions? Didn't think so. Let's get started.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays a character named Louis Bloom - a thief making just enough money to keep his head afloat. He is a genuinely smart guy, but one who doesn't necessarily see trouble as trouble. He views the world almost as a means to an end.

But it's not Gyllenhaal's character that makes the story great. It's the world he lives in. Bill Paxton, yet another underrated actor who deserves way more credit than he is usually given, plays a freelance videographer, filming crashes and crimes across the city. They listen to the police radio, wait for an incoming alert, then jump on it for footage. Usually the first one to the crime scene is the one who gets the money from news channels in the end. Here's a picture of Paxton if you don't know who this handsome gentlemen is:

And just like that, Bloom becomes an overnight freelance hit with one particular news organization and begins to make a name for himself in the industry. Without going into the detail of the story, his business sense allows him to overcome the fact that he is constantly being underestimated and shows the true personality of his character. 

So why is this such a mind-blowing extravaganza, you ask?

Because of the idea behind the story. And that, my friends, is called sensationalism.

If you're like me, you can recognize that this face (above) is not the face of a gentle, kind-hearted human being. The dude has an eye for the criminal, the ugly, and the outright unfortunate. The freelance filming business is just like everything else - a business. And in order to be good at it, you must keep up with the times. 

Watch 10 minutes of your local news and count how many stories have a negative or intense spin to them. What emotions do these stories invoke in you? Fear? Anger? Sympathy? Frustration? Guaranteed that if you're feeling it, it was discussed in a conference room somewhere behind the set of those two anchors, trying to find the best way of garnering some sort of catharsis in its viewers. 

These emotions are what boost ratings. They make the news company money. And, whether you like it or not, money makes the world go round and round and round. 

So back to Bloom:

What a face, am I right?

It's one thing to start at the bottom and show talent. It's another thing to one-up yourself over and over again, which is what Bloom does over the course of the story. Filming a bloody man at a car crash is different than entering a triple homicide to get footage before the cops even show up. He has the ambition it takes to rise in the freelance film field and none of the guilt/conscience to feel bad about the people involved. Sociopathic, I would say, and one of the scariest kinds. 

This is not a feel good movie, ladies and gents, not in the least bit, but it's a freakin' real one. It plays on an idea that we know is part of our media-rich world, but most of the time, we choose to ignore it. We absorb information about what is happening in the towns and cities around us, but think "thank God that's not me". We see an overstimulated production and fear-building story because the news knows that that will generate a response we can believe. 

Sensationalism is most definitely real and, in my opinion, this fictional account of the freelance film world is as real a Hollywood representation can get to the real thing. You might be saying, "Come on, Donlon. You really think things are that bad in the journalism world that sensationalism dictates people's actions for money and an upward ascension in their career?" The answer is (it is Hollywood, but) "Yes! Yes! Yes! I believe it!" 

Jake Gyllenhaal gets my vote for the best actor I've seen in a long time and I can't wait to see what Southpaw has in store July 24. You bet that I'll be doing some sort of review of that film once I've seen it.

If you haven't seen it, go get yourself a copy of Nightcrawler and watch your brains out. It's on Netflix, too, which is super convenient. I promise you won't be disappointed. 

Rating: 9.5/10 - very close to perfection, but a few slow scenes dropped it down a sheer .5 points.

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As of right now, I've written 38,459 words in Book 1 of the City of Shadow & Dust Series: The Edge of a New Beginning and I'm loving where the story is going! Keep a look out as we get closer to autumn for more R.T. Donlon endeavors!

Click here to sign up for the R.T. Donlon newsletter out August 1! You'll get R.T. Donlon blog posts sent right to your inbox like a boss!

Both Walls and The Reaper Trials are available on Amazon, so go check them out if you haven't already!

The next blog post will be in two weeks - Friday, July 31! Until then, R.T. fans, peace out!

Food For Thought 101: Burgers

An American staple. Hell, it's probably the American staple. It's the burger with a side of fries. Yes ladies and gentlemen, today we dive deep into the culinary concoction that is the American meat patty lathered in sauce, condiments, and all other sorts of delicious components that make it what it is. 

I've had my fair share of cheeseburgers in my day and, no lie, each and every one is unique. Sure, they all seem the same, but let's be honest, they are absolutely, without a doubt, not the same. Just like a fine wine, there are hints and undertones that make the delicacy what it is. It's a matter of what the consumer wants. And even then, it's a matter of desire. Here are a few things to look for next time you undertake a culinary experience in the art of burger consumption:

Please note this is 100% not a post about healthy eating. Please enjoy responsibly. This is a self-indulgent look into the shadows of R.T. Donlon lore.

1. The Flavor of the Meat

A good cheeseburger has a very distinct taste. It lets you know it's ready for action, but plays it cool, like a guy at a nightclub looking for a girl's phone number. It shouldn't come on right away, but leaves a hint after you take that first, luscious bite. You see, the key here is to come on soft. Don't scare away any of the new house guests just yet with your "world famous burger" and especially do not play the "I only use the best beef in the world" slogan. Just make sure it's cooked to the satisfaction of the consumer and that it tastes like the cow you know and love.

Not entirely into beef? That's okay! There should be flavor to every type of meat you put in your mouth. If there's no flavor, you bought a crappy product that most likely came from a crappy place. In that case, I'm sorry for your trouble. There are several healthier options such as ground turkey or, my personal favorite, bison, which tends to be a bit leaner than beef in a lot of ways. Regardless, if it doesn't have that right-off-the-grill char to it, you haven't done yourself justice.

2. The Bun In All Of Its Glory

You know a restaurant is serious about its burger hardware when the bun is toasted. The crusted texture offers a sort of succulence that a fried dish can, but pleases like a grilled hors d'oeuvre. It only makes sense to up the ante on the bun because it's the one aspect of a burger that does not already bring some sort of flavor punch to the table. If a restaurant changes the type of bread used (although be cautious with this. Many chow houses have tried crazy pair-ups with nontraditional breads and have failed miserably, in my opinion), it may serve as a foundation for the meat - a house for its greasy-enough pleasure. Seasoned buns also could play a role in a burger's world domination. Just slap a few dashes of soy sauce or curry after buttering that mother up and you have an unexpected fury of flavor taking hold in your mouth.

3. Load Up Those Condiments!

"What would you like on your burger, sir?" the waitress asks.

Ah! The age old question! It gets me every time. Personally, I'll do without tomatoes or red onions. They are just two flavors of the burger hunt I have no intention of finding. Red onions have a sting to them. The ideal R.T. Donlon burger has a 70% smoky sweetness and 30% extravagance. The burger offers a lot of that smokiness I crave, but the sweetness can come from any other condiment such as ketchup, BBQ sauce, relish, a splash of mustard, aioli, etc. The trick is to make sure that the condiments do not outweigh the flavor of the meat. If that starts to happen, you have a common psychological condition that may or may not be treated with more consumption of red meat. 

Here's a picture of a cow to get you back in the game:

Sorry it's not a steak, but you know what I'm getting at.

#4. Let's Get Serious: The Art of Pairing

 This is something you've probably never even considered, but do all the time. The #1 pairing of a burger? You guessed it: french fries. And not just any fries, I might add. We're talking about the just-out-of-the-fryer, crispy, salty, napkin-inducing, beautifully-cut kind of fry. Put those on a plate next to a genuinely delectable burger and you've got yourself a meal of the gods. 

There are many pairings that go well with beef and condiments. Depending on your kind of cheese, you may change the particular condiments you use. An ale from the draught may bring out the hidden undertones of bitterness. Hops and red meat balance each other out really well on the dinner plate. I've seen potato salad with light mayo, baked beans with bacon in a smoky bourbon syrup, or even just a simple summer salad with a creamy dressing (like a parmesan peppercorn, for instance).

The beauty is that every palette is different and craves what it wants. Try some different recipes out. Experiment. The burger world is yours for the taking!

#5. How You Feel After Your Meal

Most burger consumers completely disregard this idea, mainly because, once you have finished a food item and have satisfied your hunger in a multitude of ways, the last thing you want is to reflect on it. We usually just want to move on.

But listen, one of the most honest ways of understanding a meal is understanding how it makes you feel. If you feel like a bag of lard wallowing down a hill for 7 hours post-meal, the ingredients were probably not the best...or you simply gorged yourself silly. But if you walk away feeling satisfied, refreshed, and impressed enough to return, the burger has served its purpose. A meal consisting of a burger shouldn't just be an overlooked, quick-eating experience. It should be a calling. You should hear the beef, the ketchup, relish, toasted bun, melty cheese, and fries whispering to you in your sleep. You should feel it like a Dave Matthews' Band song playing on repeat somewhere in the near distance. 

If you haven't experienced this, try it. I guarantee it'll be worthwhile. The burger is an American staple for a reason, right?

Until next time,

R.T.

A Method To The Madness: Re-Reaper

I often wonder how I've even made it this far. Seriously. We're nearing the 1 year mark of my first publication and, as I look back nostalgically and such, I simply can't figure out how I've been so damn lucky. I've done this with 0% help from marketers, editors, consultants, publishers (Ok, well if you consider Lulu a publisher, then yes, they've been such a GIANT help), etc. And 100% support from my closest supporters (friends & family) and the many R.T. fans out there. But not every decision I make as a start-up author is pretty. Sometimes they are met with the gritting of teeth and exposing of claws. One of these decisions is the editing process:

I did my research (long, boisterous hours of research) and came to this conclusion. As a self-published author, I had a choice of these 2 options:

1) Hire an editor. Spend long hours and incredible amounts of money to make sure my manuscript is complete and polished. Be in debt right from the beginning.

2) Do it yourself. Spend ten times the amount of time working through your manuscript, but sacrifice when you realize you can't fix everything with one set of eyes. THERE WILL BE MISTAKES...and sometimes FREQUENTLY.

This is pretty much what I looked like when I tried to make this decision.

Do I suffer now or later? What kind of decision is that?

So I made an executive decision: this is my story and I will edit myself.

I wanted to involve my readers in a way that is different than simply sitting down and reading a novel on a Sunday afternoon. Let's be honest, you can get that anywhere. And sure, a 100% polished story is what people look for these days when searching for a "great" book.

But why shouldn't I take advantage of the fact that most of my readers are local and know me well or, at least, by acquaintance. Sure, my readership will expand. In fact, I expect it to soon, but it must build first from the very bottom--the foundation at the local level.

So that sweaty man from above turned into this dude:

Sample questions running through my mind at this point in my decision making: Will I lose credibility with my audience if there are mistakes in the book? Will word get out that I'm a horrible writer? Will my writing career be over? 

Answers? 1) Maybe a little bit, 2) Probably not, and 3) NO.

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If you bought a 1st edition of Walls or The Reaper Trials or plan on doing so, this will explain why you have found grammar mistakes as you read.

A first edition of early R.T. Donlon novels are essentially 90,000-99,000 word finished manuscripts that I have read over sixteen times. Yes, that is no joke. I read my stories sixteen times in order to prevent as many grammatical mistakes as possible. And yet, even after I have read the story for so long, there are mistakes that are hidden that my eyes skip over because I'm so used to the story.

This is where my readers come in.

Yes, you.

People have asked to read the novel and act as a makeshift editor for free, and although this sounds great, different people have differing opinions about content and grammar, which can play a weird perspective game with the story. I'm looking for something more community-based here. Something that won't change perspective, ideas, or even the way a particular sentence reads. I want as many people involved in this crazy editing process as possible. The more people who are involved, the more I know are truly invested in the story itself.

You all are so good at finding these mistakes, letting me know where they are so I can revise and send out as a 2nd edition. This worked so well with Walls and, so far, it's worked really well with The Reaper Trials. Because these are my first novels AND I have complete confidence in the fact that my writing career will take off (especially when I DO hire an editor and marketer in the future), my 1st edition purchases will serve as a piece of R.T. Donlon history in the future. You can say that you were a part of the very beginning, even after the market grows.

This might sound cheesy or over confident from my perspective, but ladies and gentlemen, I do not intend to stop writing. Words are my life. I see stories as the bridge from me to you and I intend to keep that bridge open until the day I take my last breath. I just can't stop. If there is construction along the way, we fix it and move forward. Kind of like this:

Now, with that said, Walls and The Reaper Trials will be the last novels I use this process for. Although it does serve its purpose, I do believe that a story without flaws is the best formatted story, but for now, I think this quirky editing process helps bring my readership together in a weird, etherial way. Does it hurt my credibility? I don't think so, but I'm sure there are some critics out there that aren't too impressed.

I think we'll look back at these two start-up R.T. Donlon novels in years to come and smile, knowing that we were part of something fun and exciting, especially when bigger things start flowing down the pipeline.

And yes, R.T. Donlon fans, those things are coming. Very. Very. Soon.

1st Edition Copies of The Reaper Trials are still available for a LIMITED TIME only. Once they're gone, they're gone! If you would like one, contact R.T. directly or purchase a copy through Lulu Marketplace, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble. 

2nd Editions will be available in the upcoming months.

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2nd Editions of Walls are available through online retailers for your purchasing pleasure.

Until next time,

R.T.

Future > Present > Past

Future > Present > Past I'll let the title speak for itself.

A simple mathematical formula, right? Well, not really. It's probably one of the most difficult formulas humans attempt to follow. Yet, it has the potential to be the single most important philosophy for living a beautiful existence.

Let's break it down, shall we?

Past:

Yes, a past does shape the present and the future, but don't we have the ability to change our thinking, our philosophies, our ideals and, therefore, change our future and how we view those perceptions? I mean, if you want to stagnate for the rest of your life, work a dead-end job, and live for paying the rent on time, then by all means, who's stopping you?

OR:

You could be a dreamer. You could envision what you want out of life--your passions, your goals, your accomplishments--then do it. Nothing is really impossible. It might take some long-term commitment, but be honest with yourself. If you want it bad enough, will you put yourself out there in order to get it?

Present:

This might feel like the most important of the three, but...it's not. Don't get me wrong. It's important, but not as important as the future (which we will talk about in a few moments). It just feels this way because you're living it now. Sensory experience dominates our reality and, because of this, we disregard what has already happened and what will happen and usually live by one darn catchy catch-phrase:

YOLO = You Only Live Once

I get it. I get that you should enjoy what you have because we just don't know what the universe is throwing our way, but just like the past, the present can still dictate the future and how you perceive your reality moving forward.

Example: You find $10 while fishing through your dirty pants. You're now free to do whatever you please with it. In the moment, you're hungry, so all you can think about is this delicious beauty:

And guess what: It costs exactly $10! You're in luck, so you order it. Because you're hungry. And it will taste so wonderfully good on the taste buds. Each succulent bite is like a small piece of heaven rattling its way down your esophagus. You THOROUGHLY enjoy it.

But halfway through, your friend calls. There's a special at the movie theatre! If you buy an $8 ticket, you automatically receive a large popcorn and a large soda for $2. It's a $35 value for $10!

...but you have no money. You already spent it on that wonderful patty of meat. How do you feel about your decision now that you're full? Still think you made the right decision?

There are two options here:

1) Yes, no regrets! I made a decision and I'll stick with it. I was hungry. Like this guy:

I guess I'll just have to stay home and watch whatever's on TV.

OR:

2) I regret my decision. Was that burger really that important? Could I have eaten something at home and saved that $10 bill for something special? Now I'm stuck at home, feeling all burger-ed out because I couldn't control my appetite.

Yes, of course this is completely hypothetical (not that I haven't been caught with my hand in the cheeseburger jar one too many times before), but it makes sense. Although something might seem mediocre now, you might want to save that pent up energy for something incredible that's lurking just around the corner.

Future:

And that leads us to the grand finale of the R.T. Donlon mathematical equation of the day - the future!

What is more awe-inspiring, so blissfully fearful, so tantalizingly fragile than what the universe has in store for us? It's nerve-racking to think our lives could take so many different paths, which, in turn, could lead to endless, varying outcomes. Humans want security. We want to know that we will be safe from harm with the means to live a happy, fulfilling life. That's all.

Think of the future as the branches of a tree. Say for instance, this one:

Notice how the branches splay out in a million different directions? Some reach high into the sky. Some sprout vegetation and mini-branches. Others hang low to the ground, kind of routed by gravity to grow horizontally rather than vertically.

Are any of these branches bad? No! Sure, there might be some disadvantages to low-hanging branches (vulnerability, etc.), but that just makes them stronger, clasping to the trunk like some sort of behemoth. We are all from different, unique walks of life and we must acknowledge that life is naturally unfair, but I guarantee you, that if you will yourself to accomplish your goals, even when it seems that failure never surrenders, your branch will break away from the ground and reach toward the sky like so many others have before us. This life is all what you make of it and, fortunately or unfortunately, always will be.

Keep on keeping on, ladies and gentlemen! The Reaper Trials is out THIS Saturday, May 2nd, on the Lulu Marketplace (10% off), Amazon (Print) and Kindle, Barnes & Noble (Print) and Nook, iBooks, and other online distributors.

R.T.

There Is No Light Without Dark

When I hear someone else say something that is totally compelling, the words resonate in the back of my head until they settle like superglue behind my eyes. My thoughts simply won't allow me to proceed with the rest of my day without the scribbling of a pen or a brush of keystrokes to preserve it before it fades from memory. My mind, as most of you know if you've read Walls and/or plan to read The Reaper Trials, is strangely twisted. If I hear it, see it, or feel it, I must write it. It's not a choice. It's a necessity.

Thousands of quotes, story ideas, character charts, world-building maps, first drafts, revised drafts, and countless other writings litter my desk at the office, in my home, and by my bed...so when I heard Doctor Christopher Ryan from the Joe Rogan Experience podcast say the quote that changed my day on March 11th, 2015, you bet I had to come home and write it down before I had the chance to forget it.

So what was the quote, you ask?

There is no light without dark.

Simple, right? But for some reason, those six words bounced between my frontal cortex, brainstem, and somehow synced up with my beating heart simultaneously in the span of fifteen weird, impenetrable minutes.

Think about it. You can't truly enjoy good food without the ability to feel hunger. That steak always tastes so much better when you're so starving that you could literally feed on your own left hand.

You can't enjoy peace without the occasional chaos. Those moments of silence really mean something after you've just endured a classroom of 30 high schoolers all with their own questions, concerns, and stories.

You can't enjoy relaxation without stress. When Friday hits and you've just completed a hard five days of time-crunching work, that REM sleep feels like none other.

(Yup, that's a Supernatural drop if you didn't notice.)

The truth is, there is a yin to every yang in our weird little existence we call life. It's what allows us to fully experience the extent of pleasure, joy, and satisfaction.

I am completely convinced: There is truly no light without dark.

I'm always fascinated with the idea of our species' condition. There are so many stories about humans getting caught in horrible, tragic, or unfair situations, yet rising from the ashes like a phoenix to accomplish something great. Humans are burdened with immeasurable fear so that we are burdened with the ability to overcome it. It's like we understand our own destiny a little too well. I think that's why we endure so many painful experiences over the course of our lives, so that we can always strive to attain those ever-elusive moments of inspiration and ecstasy.

I think life is what it's like for a reason. We are meant for something great. We always have been. It's just a matter of enduring the dark so that we can bask in the light.

The Part That Beauty Plays

Beauty. What the hell does that word mean anyway? We hear it all the time. We study it in school, watch it on television, listen to it in music...we even shove it into our mouths at restaurants! But if you think of the word in its entirety, you will see nothing but a hollow two-syllable semantic people are willing to drop everything for.

Our culture is full of steamy, steamy propaganda--a boiling pot of water just waiting to overflow, spilling through a kitchen like a tsunami of everything we have ever wanted to hear. Especially now, in the twenty-first century, where you can sit behind a computer, find literally anything you have ever wanted or needed and have it shipped to your doorstep in 3-5 business days. There is no doubt that companies, organizations, or any sort of institution wants you to understand that you are human and, because of that, you have the distinct possibility of succumbing to "beautiful" things.

Beautiful Things

Sounds like a book title, right? Well, in this case, I don't think you'd really want to read it if it was.

The human brain is a fickle thing. It relies on the constructs put in place by its evolution for millennia, like the two s words: survival and sex. This is not entirely a bad thing. After all, where would the human race be without its need to preserve legacy?

I'll tell you where. Nowhere. We wouldn't exist. It's simple science.

Instead, we would have given way to another species somewhere hundreds of thousands of years ago. Or, well, at least I presume that would have been the case.

Yet here we are...mainly because of our biological principles, but just like everything in life, however, those same biological principles sometimes get us into serious trouble. Watch beer commercials, Showtime or HBO shows, rated R movies, or a reality show on ABC, it's everywhere. It's unfair, but it's everywhere. Media uses survival and sex (mostly sex) to gauge the interest of its people, particularly men. Why connect with the hearts of men when it's easier to grab them by the balls? Kind of like this:

If you are American (which I assume my readership is as of right now), you have struggled with your biological desires in the form of making societal decisions without even knowing it. It's been engrained in you from the moment you were born to whatever age you are now. It's propaganda.

Now here's the point:

I'm not interested in a one-man front against the ways society pushes us to make decisions. I'm not even interested in changing anything that these companies do. I'm only interested in how it affects me, how you choose to let it affect you, and how to move on in achievement.

I am in a constant search for true beauty, not what is shoved in my face, but the little things that have the power to change a mentality from dead to awe in a matter of seconds. I look for a single ray of sunlight breaking through the jilted branches of an old oak tree in the winter. I listen for the high note in the climax of a favorite anthem. I look for the taste of a favorite meal, steaming on a warmed plate. I look for the conversations between two or more people--accents, emotion. I am constantly reaching for inspiration.

If you allow your environment to dictate your actions, you are only as good as what you can offer to that environment. If you break away from those same confines, you no longer need reassurance. You only need to trust in yourself to find a way to rise above it all. As a writer, I take the "beauty" I see around me and twist it into something different--an alternate universe of sorts where I control what happens, where I control the fate of everything involved. To me, the images, ideas, and power that come from my mind is a way to keep me from going insane.

It's not enough to live one life. I must live infinitely. I must live in everything.

True beauty isn't a concept. It's not in a Victoria Secret model's walk or body shape. It's not colors hidden in the deepest sunset.

True beauty is a choice to be better than who you are right now. It's the decision to undergo a project that might physically, emotionally or spiritually hurt, but will rise you like a phoenix from the ashes of culture. It is an action to pry the roots of human fundamentalism and believe that humanity is no longer grounded, but limitless in the ideas we choose to pursue. Welcome to the twenty-first century, where life is what you make of it, where limits are only held in place if you allow them to hold you there.

Choices.

Decisions.

Actions.

I believe I sense a pattern here.

Go forth and do something great with your lives. I know I will.

R.T.

Keystroke Heaven: A Review on 'Blackhat'

We've done this to ourselves. Do me a favor. Take out the cell phone in your pocket. Hold it in your hands. In that box of electricity, plastic, and glass, holds your key to the invisible digital world. From that screen, you could do some serious damage to cyberspace if you had the motivation and skill. All it would take is a few keystrokes and some sneaky hacking skills.

Just think, even 10 years ago, people were walking around with Razr phones and Sony Walkman CD players snapped to their belts. Now we have 7'' miniature computers on us at all times.

This presents a new problem--one that is addressed in Blackhat.

Let's be honest with each other right from the start. This movie was not as strong as I thought it would be. There were definitive problems with the plot line and the characters that simply cannot be ignored. Regardless, I will force myself to focus on the positives before diving into the negatives. It'll be like one of those smiles that clearly shows you'd rather be anywhere else in that moment than sitting in front of a camera.

Cyberterrorism is a new rising threat that is still relatively new to police and law enforcement. It seems like, whichever way you look, threats are always a step ahead of the officials. It takes a special person to be good at the constructing or analysis of computer programs. Therefore, it takes the anti-good person to do the same thing for the use of evil. Heck, they even have a CSI show called CSI:Cyber that covers all of this now. Go figure.

Chris Hemsworth plays a convicted hacker doing time for stealing money from 4 different banks. He "negotiates" the terms of a deal that will exonerate him from all of his convictions if he brings in the 'blackhat' originator of a mysterious program that destroys a nuclear power plant in China.

So the answer is no. Chris Hemsworth does not play this rugged guy:

The action scenes are pretty cool in this flick. There are exploding things, A LOT of gunfire, and escape sequences, which I did not expect from a cybercrime-type movie. The first twenty minutes is suspenseful and filled with so many questions that are not answered until the end, but unfortunately, there is much more to a good story than action scenes, guns, and questions.

This is the face I'm making as I write this post. Seriously. I mean it.

The weird relationship they try to portray in the story does not work at all. I kind of acquaint it with his:

But hey, it's really difficult to get love right in a story. If it works, it's awesome, but if there is no chemistry, it is blatantly obvious. Unfortunately, Hemsworth's try was just that--obvious.

The story works so hard to build up this crazy villain who steals 75 million dollars, keeping ahead of the cops and Hathaway (Hemsworth) until the end of the film when they reveal his appearance. It's unlike anything I ever thought he would look like...and not in a good way. He's just another pot-bellied weirdo with backing from a thug with a lot of firepower. Ugh...

But it's not even that that really disappointed me. SPOILER ALERT AHEAD. 

It's the fact that the "cyberterrorism" plot boiled down to a 1 v 1 battle with screwdrivers, knives, and guns. It shouldn't have ended that way. One of these days, a direction/producer is going to say, "Enough of this mainstream cyber crap. Let's get it right."

And they will.

Unfortunately, Blackhat was not that movie. I guess we'll just have to wait until next time.

It's amazing to me that cyberterrorism and cyber crimes even exist, but I guess it comes with the time in which we live. Just the fact that you can hide your true identity with fake photos, understanding how routers and IP addresses work, and knowledge of firewall hacking is an incredible feat for the human race. Just think how far we've come. Seriously.

There will always be evil in the world. There will always be people who want to tear everything down. And that's a scary thing.

But the good news is that there will always be people that protect the common good of all. There will always be someone there to stop evil when it seems that all hope is lost. I'm obsessed with these types of people--the ones who would rather give their lives than let evil and villainy wreak havoc on innocent people.

This is why I write. I want to tell stories that help dive into the psyche of such characters and, although Blackhat sucked in many ways, it also reminded me that some stories are so close to fandom and connectivity, but just need a little kick in the ass to get there. I hear you, Blackhat. I won't stop writing until it's that good.

I promise.

Blackhat: I had such high hopes, but the let down was too much. That's why I give it  2.5 out of 5 stars.

Netflix: New Wave, New Face

R.T. Donlon is back! Today is December 28 and, I feel, it is the start of something new. It's the beginning of the next chapter in the R.T. Donlon origination story. I am writer, but besides Walls and the first three-quarters of The Last of the Wanderers (a work of short fiction), I have not made a second definitive staple in the world of authorship. That will change on May 2nd, 2015 when The Reaper Trials is debuted on Lulu.com, the Amazon Marketplace, iBooks, and the Barnes & Noble online bookstore!

If you haven't seen the cover art made by Creative Edge Arts (see their website here), check it out below in all of its glory!

I am so amazingly proud of this design and the work that Creative Edge Arts has done for my upcoming story. It's going to be a wild ride from here through the summer of 2015!

But that's not what this blog post is really about now, is it? Read the title, you silly R.T. fans! Netflix, out of all the times I've used the convenient streaming entity, has really peaked my curiosity with their induction of new series such as House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, Peaky Blinders, and the most recent of the bunch, Marco Polo.

Now usually this wouldn't mean anything. After all, everyone craves interesting television shows that they can invest in, veg out of, or perhaps escape from their hectic schedules, but I've noticed a sort of paradigm shift in the way the entertainment culture is working to capture our attention.

And it all starts with this bad boy:

I'll admit that I was never a Netflix fan until about two years ago. I thought it was another societal scam to offer bad movies and television shows for a monthly charge to people who had a little too much time on their hands. Being a busy college kid and then a very busy teacher, coach, and writer, I never really had any interest in paying for a few hours of bad storytelling, but....I was wrong.

Netflix started attracting me by the onslaught of television shows I could binge watch. Instead of sitting through commercials and waiting once a week for the next installment of whatever you're watching, Netflix makes it possible to watch 1 or 2 or 3 or more installments without leaving your couch. That's pretty cool.

But this isn't why I'm writing about Netflix. Stop looking at me like that! I know, I know...there's more.

The creation of Netflix Originals is something that is wavering society's view on entertainment towards some new horizon. No longer are we limited to the role of big name television channels. Netflix has opened the door for creative freedom--more freedom than our generation is, frankly, used to.

So, why is this a big deal? In the next ten, twenty, or fifty years, I think we will look back on what is happening in today's world and point to these moments as a time when media shifted permanently.

Take self-publishing as a pertinent example. No longer do authors need to submit query letters to big time publishing companies. Sure, the opportunity is still there...and what an accomplishment it would be if traditional publishing was an option for someone, but honestly it is no longer needed. All you need is a good idea, the skill to communicate that idea, and a third party that will help you get your idea out there. So many authors are flooding to this way of writing because, first, it is largely accessible and, secondly, it's a way to skip the involvement of editors/marketers/big wigs that might muddle the story the author wants to tell.

Netflix is doing the exact same thing here, except they have already established themselves as an institution that will provide useful and fantastic entertainment to its customers. The creation of these new Netflix Originals is just the next step in their reinvestment to their ultimate goal. It won't be long until Netflix is a self-sustaining production empire. $7.99/mo is so worth it for such a wide expanse of material you can't find anywhere else online or on television.

So what do you think? Is this paradigm shift a good thing? Is it just another step into the negative censorship argument? Perhaps, but regardless, I see it as completely unprecedented in either case, whether positive or negative.

Let's talk.

Guest Post: My Name is Ariele and I Write Books: Why My Planet Is Shaped Like A Donut

Hello, R. T. Donlon’s fans. My name is Ariele, as you can see from the title, and I write books. This blog is primarily to tell you about the release of my newest novel, The Wounded World, and also to give you a little taste of my universe.  

Let’s begin with the book. The Wounded World is told from the perspective of Quin, a highly respected member of the Sagittan military, and the son of a high-level government official. When Quin arrives home after being summoned by his government for a consultation, he discovers that his father has, in fact, vanished, leaving behind a potentially volatile and dangerous piece of technology called a Polylocus Door. He promptly sets out to look for his father and attempt to solve the number of problems he encounters along the way.

You can find out more about me, my book, and my characters by visiting my website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Now, this book, along with my two others (The Clock Winked and The Lonely Whelk), are primarily based out of Pomegranate City on the planet Sagitta, which is shaped like a donut.

Why is it shaped like a donut? you might ask.

Let me illustrate the history of this particular planet to you. This is a torus, and it represents the general shape of the planet. But it didn’t always look this way.

Once upon a time, it looked like this:

 

It was an oblate spheroid with rings. Also it was in space. Because it was a planet. Obviously.

Then one day, it saw something strange in the generally nearby vicinity. A comet.

Though the planet begged and pleaded, the comet was unable to divert its course, and smashed into the planet with a polite, “Beg pardon, sir.”

The planet was pushed clear of the rings…

...and then exploded.

This, of course, saddened the rings, who were left in the rather cold universe with nothing but the little bits of dust left by the comet to keep them company.

But being rather more self-sufficient than the planet had been, they clumped themselves together and created Sagitta, the toroidal planet circling the star Liera at a 23 degree angle. (They managed to snag dust and particles from passing comets, etc. over the years, for those of you who are wondering where the rest of the debris came from. Also, the debris field was very spread out.)

And over time, it evolved into the beautiful home of our favourite Pomegranate City (see the star shape? That’s where the city is.).

And that is how Sagitta became a torus.

The end.

Although part of the book takes place on other planets besides Sagitta, I do explore some of the interesting potential phenomenons that might occur on this planet. Check it out by picking up a copy of The Wounded World or reading an excerpt from blog #1 of my tour. You can also read more about my characters on H.S. Stone’s blog, Amy’s blog, Zack's blog, and K.W. Keith's blog.

For those of you who are interested in the possibilities inherent in a toroidal planet, read this cool i09 article on torus-shaped planets.

5-Dimensional Sabotage: A Look At Interstellar

It's been awhile...and I owe you one. So here it is! We grow up. We realize that this world is not the perfect sphere of resources we think it is when we're innocent. Some choose to do something about this. Some choose to ignore it.

But people like me, we think about it. We write about it.

I'm not saying I don't act. I do my share of recycling. I'm just as concerned with humanity's apathy when it comes to pollution and waste as the next guy, but I can't change the way my brain works. I can't work 8-hour days making machines to investigate unforeseen inhabitable planets. I can't sit behind a desk reworking theorems or formulas that help empirically solve the space and time conundrums of our universe. I can only write about them. And, although this is blessing and a curse, it's a way for me (and other artists who do the same or similar things) to spread the word and speculate where we might be headed in years or decades down the road.

It's one of the main reasons why I love dystopian literature so much. I'm obsessed with scouring the realm of human possibility for serious conflict, then creating characters that have no choice but to fight their way through it. That is what I do.

And what's better than investigating black holes as a place of conflict, if dystopian is what you're looking for? They're massive, filled with all kinds of danger, and seem to have no theoretical mercy about how to avoid them. They are just there...in space and completely inescapable.

So as I'm sitting in the movie theatre watching the newest, surprisingly dystopian Nolan story that is Interstellar, I can only come up with one question that keeps riddling my (nowadays) fragile brain matter: How can I possibly think my life means something when we don't even know what's just outside our galaxy's door? 

I mean, honestly, look at the wormhole below and tell me it doesn't send shivers down your spine. Wormholes are a real theory--something that could potentially occur in our space and time. It's essentially a portal to another place in space.

Yeah, yeah. I know. This sounds like it's getting a little depressing, but it's an honest question built by a quality film. What dictates life? What happens when we can no longer survive on what has been comfortably handed to us for our entire existence? 

I'll tell you what, despite the obvious, (but in my eyes) unavoidable loopholes in the overarching plot, the movie is a work of inimitable suspense. It's one of those films that feels like an hour, when in actuality, you're looking at committing a solid three, at least. It keeps you guessing, asking deep, unadulterated questions, and wanting the maps to space's deepest conquests at your fingertips as soon as humanly possible.

But overall, I felt that this story meant something. Nolan is breaking out here, trying desperately to venture to realms that we never really thought existed, and theorizing the unknown using visualization techniques that relate to the average human's analytical mind. To make a long story short, it blew my mind.

Here are some things about the film that I really liked.  ***spoilers ahead***

The Concept of Time - Our galaxy has some strict guidelines as to how organic beings perceive time, but as technology advances and our ability to observe our expansive universe becomes more of a possibility, why shouldn't our theories of time be considered relative and temporal? If gravity is variable, why can't time be bent, quickened, or slowed? In the world of Interstellar, this is much more than conceivable. It's a reality. Just as black holes increase the weight of gravity, they can also slow time's constraints as we understand them on Earth. Even on the outskirts of it, the frame of time (as stated in the movie) is 7 years per every 1 hour a living organism remains in its field. Yeah, this is interesting and all, but it's the way that that affects the Murph-Coop storyline that makes the development of the characters so undeniable and critical, while fortifying every decision the characters must make in their process of preserving the human race.

The Attempt at the Unknown - I'm not the world's leading expert on scientific knowledge. In fact, I'm not even close, but it seemed, although abstract and, at times, unrealistic, the science behind the universe's giant unknowns (like wormholes and black holes) are creatively sound. Traveling into event horizons and entering a manifested 5-dimensional "tesseract" (as it is called in the film) is an overcompensation, however. Unfortunately, the "horizon" scene was a critical function of the movie's plot, but I can see why the story had to be built in this way. Essentially, I guess the writers of Interstellar want the world to understand that everything is imperfect and temporary, including our perception of time as we know it.

The Illusion of Hope - I wanted this film to be a "feel good" movie, but it wasn't, and to my surprise, I liked it better this way. I wanted everything to go on as planned, like Cooper's travels were nothing more than a bad dream, but that would have clearly demolished the story's true intentions. This story was always meant to emerge from human desperation, to play on our innermost desires to press forward with curiosity, even when danger seems to overwhelm it, and rip at our hearts when the difference of age withers the relationship between father and daughter.

Yet, I was sucked into the idea that, even though things looked super bleak, there was always hope that they would somehow return home. Turns out I was right and wrong at the same time. Go figure...

Overall, I give this flick a solid A-. The "mind-blowing" nature of the film is a spectacle in itself, but the plot and overarching scientific ideas (i.e. Theory of Relativity, Event Horizons, Neutron Stars, etc.) could have been explained in more detail as to ensure complete viewer investment.

Go see the movie if you can. It's a great sci-fi movie that deserves a ton of recognition for its Odyssey-like attributes.

R.T.

Top 10 Best Young Adult Books to Movies

With the onset of The Maze Runner in theaters this month, my popcorn induced coma continues. I swear, if there was a MPA (Movie Popcorn Anonymous...for those of you who aren't up to date with my luscious acronyms), my family and friends would really be pulling for some sort of intervention/rehabilitation. But the good news for all of you is that The Maze Runner and my theater-related addictions effectively stirred up a little thought-stew in my brain: What are the best young adult books that haven't been completely destroyed in their venture to the big screen?  I'm guessing, after reading this list, that some of you will look like this:

and that's okay. Just make sure you comment and tell me why your eyes are falling out of their sockets and rolling out all over the ground. Perhaps I have a conflicting view on these books-to-films. Perhaps my brainwaves work a bit differently than what you are thinking, but nonetheless, read on!

10. The Giver

The book is amazing. It's one part dystopian, three parts philosophical, and ten parts ethical. It raises a million questions about the human experience and dives into the reasoning for living a fruitful life. If you want a rated "R" version of this same plot, check out Equilibrium with Christian Bale. Epic is an understatement. In terms of the movie, however, the only redeeming quality is Jeff Bridges. The protagonist, the story, and the visualization of Lois Lowry's words don't truly come to fruition and it's too bad. I was looking for more investment in the emotional despair, more elation in the moments of emotional awakening, and more disgust in the society's undertakings. Unfortunately, none of that was really present in the film. It makes the list because it's not a bad film entirely, just a predictable one. Plus, they tried way too hard to emerge Taylor Swift as an important character. Come on, The Giver, it doesn't work that way.

9. The Percy Jackson Series

Much like The Giver, The Percy Jackson series has a lot of explaining to do cinematically. The real difference between #10 and #9 is the popularity between the two. Percy Jackson is truly Young Adult. It conceptualizes Greek Mythology in a way that moderate readers can easily attach themselves to. Not only is that difficult to do, but the first film was a brilliant one. It had me guessing. It kept me entertained. The second one, however (The Sea of Monsters), was an epic fail and one that I think the movie writers would like to have back. Suddenly, what should have been a bridge between a coming-of-age growth (Movie 1) and an immersion of a larger underbelly of plot (A potential Movie 3), devolved into a mosh of cheesy characters, a lack of well-devised god play, and a horribly underplayed villain in Cronus. Even with all of these criticisms, the Percy Jackson series still merits a #9 in the Young Adult onslaught of book-to-movie comparisons.

8. Divergent

Just like The Giver and The Percy Jackson series, Divergent is still in the tier of "novels that are strangely popular and do their jobs, but simply can't keep up with the mainstream ideals and requirements needed to keep the series afloat in film". Will the series continue? Probably. Should it? Meh. I wouldn't really care either way. The plot is similar to every other story we've read about in Young Adult literature, just set in an alternative dystopian setting (see The Giver, The Hunger Games, etc.). Authors need to branch out a bit more and Divergent is a prime example of just that. It's too similar to everything we've seen before, but I can't deny the power it's had on people, particularly the YA's out there, hence its rating - #8.

7. The Fault in Our Stars

 New tier alert! The Fault in Our Stars reaches the level of "I'm going to make girls cry while doing a pretty good job of enhancing the novel's initial success" of Young Adult books-gone-to-film. There's something magical about how a film can make you feel when you're watching it in the theater. There's something even more magical about having the same reaction while reading a book. The first is a communal effect. The second is a deeply personal experience. Luckily for John Green readers, The Fault in Our Stars accomplished both of these effects pretty successfully. Although I hold true to the fact that Looking For Alaska is still John Green's most powerful work to date, The Fault in Our Stars and its corresponding film are definitely worth investing time into. #7 may be a slight understatement of value here, but with the lengthy list above it, I couldn't see moving it forward any more. Read on, Read on.

6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is like The Fault in Our Stars in that it produces the same emotional response, but it's a much more controversial, coming-of-age plot. It dives into non-Young Adult themes (or YA in some circles) like sexuality, drug use, alcohol, along with other familiar Young Adult topics like popularity, discovering passion, and surviving trauma. Chbosky does a fantastic job easing his readers into the lure of YA issues, but also slaps you in the face with background information and exposure. It's one of the few novels that is also directed by the author on the big screen. And besides, Logan Lerman and Emma Watson are fantastic personalities that really allow for the characters to come alive in a very distinct way. If John Green's Looking For Alaska was a movie, The Perks of Being a Wallflower would be on the same level. It's THAT kind of novel/film. The TPOBAW film gave me chills, but then again, I watched it alone. It deserves its rating at #6...the best of the first half of ratings.

OKAY... WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH. WHAT'S GOING TO BE #1, YOU ASK?!?

5. The Maze Runner

This pick may surprise you. Out of all the Young Adult movies out there, why would I choose The Maze Runner as (get this) the #5 Young Adult book-to-movie? I'll tell you why--the movie was absolutely wonderful. The Maze Runner was nothing but a mediocre novel. I'm guessing that The Scorch Trials (#2 in the series) is another work of the same average run-of-the-mill writing bleh, but the movie...the movie was a work of art. When I was listening to the audiobook, I couldn't help but believe that I was reading a male version of the Twilight series. It tried to appeal to the male workings of the brain, but failed miserably. Theresa was a below average character filled with too many loopholes. Thomas was just another conflicted, impersonal mirage of inflated beliefs. And don't even get me started on Alby...but let me tell you something, the film cleared EVERYTHING up. It narrowed Thomas, it expanded the personality of Theresa (although slightly)...and nearly eliminated Alby's character all together. Plot mechanisms were changed, but the overall story remained the same. The Maze Runner completely redid itself and, to be frank, put lipstick on a pig and turned it into a model.

4. The Hunger Games

 Ah, the top 4. This is where we go from the "rather emotional" to the "marginally epic". Let's be honest. The dystopian setting is not original, but it is a compelling landscape filled with political feuds that resemble our own in distant ways. Katniss is a strong, female character filled with tribulations, hard decisions, and action, while maintaining a soft underbelly of family, friends, and a strong loyalty to the land and people she loves. The movie maintains the story's justice while adding the visual effects needed to make a strong comparison to the novel's crucial details. It's one of the few Young Adult movies that maintains the genre while breaching the realm of adulthood, as well. Well done, Hunger Games. Well done.

3. Chronicles of Narnia

Although I'd still mark this as an "above average epic of sorts", I think that Narnia makes for an interesting reach into that "obsessively popular and clearly unavoidable" tier. Yes, it is rather childish, but if you step away and admire the storyline for what it is, you'll see that it is much more than just a children's book. It's a detailed look into the mind of an artist (C.S. Lewis, of course). The movies parallel the books and, for that, I give this bad boy #3 on the depth chart. The movies really allowed for a giant boost of new followers without taking from the writing's original plans. Plus, talking lions always seem to be a crowd favorite.

2. Twilight

What is that, you say? Twilight?!? Yeah, yeah. I know, but it's an unavoidable evil. I will be the first to admit that the writing is cheesy beyond belief and feels like it was written in a week, but if there ever was a "crazy obsession that never existed before its time", it's this. Vampires never would have exploded onto the scene as they did and teenage girls around the world would never have known the terms TEAM EDWARD or TEAM JACOB. It's the Justin Bieber of mainstream fiction and mainstream film, but it's worth a #2 spot simply because of its over-exaggerated popularity and breakthrough into yet another sub-genre we never thought existed. But still, vampires and humans romancing it up? GET A ROOM.

OKAY...THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! (DRUMROLL, PLEASE)...........

1. Harry Potter

Oh that lovable, little lightning bolt-faced boy. He's been put through the ringer at Hogwarts. That's for sure. But, in terms of world building, character development, and plot design, J.K. Rowling really outdid herself on this one. I remember the first time I ever picked up a Harry Potter novel. It was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone--a wrinkly copy in the library of my middle school. I remember thinking: Look at the cover. This book is gonna suck. Boy, was I wrong. That novel lit me up like a hormone-induced Christmas tree. It was like diving into a world unlike any other and immersing yourself in a culture and a people with a story all their own. You wanted to cry with Harry, laugh with him, stand up for him...hell, do EVERYTHING with him. And each novel got better and better because you knew, as you read, Harry was growing up...and not only growing up, but growing up with you. That, my friends, is the reason why we read. It's like Boy Meets World literary style.

Then came those movies--the 3-hour movies that seemed to go on forever but never let up. The ones you needed so desperately to go to the bathroom three-quarters of the way through, but couldn't get your butt out of the seat. Even though we knew the story, we couldn't take our eyes off of that film magic because it had the EXACT SAME EFFECT. We grew up with Harry and, no matter what tribulations and difficult tasks lay ahead for that poor, cursed boy, we would do it together. We would watch him suffer, succeed, conquer, and, ultimately, rise to be a hero.

Harry Potter.

Genius.

#1 all the way without dispute.

So there you go. Comment below. Enjoy. I'll see you next time with a surprise guest. This is going to be great, folks. Stay tuned.

R.T.

Quit Being Weird

Again...too much popcorn. I do this to myself almost every time my wife and I go to the movies. The taste of those light, buttery kernels are as close to heaven as we're going to get right now, I think. Plus, it helps when you have $5 in concession gift cards you pretty much got for free. For your reading enjoyment, here is a wonderful human being who I resembled in the late stages of my "night at the movies" festivities.

What are we talking about? Oh yeah...Teenage...Mutant...Ninja...Turtles. Anyone from my generation understands the lore of TMNT, specifically because these pizza-eating, little hulk-type creatures originated in, the one and only, Dover, New Hampshire. I remember spending hours upon hours playing the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System for any of you too cool for vintage video game systems) TMNT video game. The premise was simple: fight all the foot clan and get to a big boss battle at the end of every level. These were the kinds of video games that caught my ADD-distracted attention and kept it for an abnormally long amounts of time when I was a child. The golden years of video gaming, if you will.

But a new TMNT wave has been upon us for a few weeks now--one that blends the mega-diva look of Megan Fox, the BOOM and POW of a Michael Bay production, and unfortunately, another lackluster glimpse at Shredder. Why is Shredder so difficult to get right? We'll get there, but first of all, it's amazing that a non-Marvel, non-DC comic brand such as "Mirage Comics" has done so well since 1984, especially since Marvel/DC has continually ruled the film, comics, and merchandise superhero worlds for the past however long. When you think of the "greatest of all time" superheroes and comic books, you may not instinctively think of TMNT, but they are profound, nonetheless, in American Comic lore. There have been mergers and adaptations that have not always worked, but over the long haul, TMNT has weathered the storm of criticism and poorly made cartoons and, that alone, allows for a golf clap.

Good.

In this 2014 reboot, however, there is not much variation from Michael Bay's other movies, meaning if you've seen Transformers, you've seen everything you need to know about Mr. Bay. There's a lot of high-tech machinery, some science fiction-y type of conflict, and a lot of explosions. TMNT is no different. For the most part, the '14 reboot is lightyears better than films before its time, but shouldn't filmmakers be striving for a bit more than "good enough"? I think so. Regardless, going into the movie, I had a few very big concerns:

1) I feared that the turtles themselves would be nothing but miniature versions of the "Incredible Hulk".

2) Megan Fox would absolutely butcher the role of April O'Neil, and

3) Shredder would look and act like just another Michael Bay Transformer.

I was correct about 2 out of 3 of my assumptions, but even then, I feel like the movie was a success. Let me explain:

#1 The turtles were mini-hulks, but what else were they going to be? Being mutant and ninjas can only mean a couple of things: large muscles and gigantic green skin. It wasn't a problem at all, considering the overall plot, but it didn't add to the mystique of the turtle "legend" in the movie, either. In fact, Michael Bay completely ignored that, altogether. Instead, he decided to make them (and Splinter) into science experiments performed by April O'Neil's father. He focused a lot of time and camera work to make this happen, which speaking strictly about the movie's plot, it worked.

Besides, it's definitely better than watching this again. Am I right?

#2 **SPOILER IN THIS SENTENCE**: Megan Fox was great, minus a few obviously cheesy screams (see RAPHAELLLL!!!!!! just after the turtles are captured and Raphael is fighting Shredder 1 vs. 1), but she managed to capture the stubborn, persistent, but playful side of April that makes her the turtles' main squeeze, and does it well, in fact. She doesn't try to be witty, nor humorous, and sticks to the script while letting the other characters take on those important traits, so touchee, Megan Fox, I'm glad we can finally bask in at least one of your film undertakings. Plus, I'm glad there was no cheesy romantic scintillation anywhere in this. Will Arnett might have wanted it, but you and Michael Bay shot that down pretty quickly.

And yet, you went with this guy in Transformers...

Could he look any creepier? Seriously Labeouf, stop going all John Mayer on us, please.

#3 And, finally, WHY IS IT SO HARD TO CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF SHREDDER?!? Don't ask me. He is one of the most badass villains ever created and yet, we can't even enjoy the fruits of the TMNT world without film gurus, directors, and producers absolutely butchering Shredder's sulky, furious personality. Let me give you a hint: just because Shredder doesn't exactly talk much, it doesn't mean he doesn't have a personality. YES! He has an awesome, devilish personality that is a plight of its own. Instead, he is consistently characterized as a silent, broody type that allows his "foot soldiers" to do his dirty work.

Now, I will say that this reboot FINALLY captures Shredder as the ultimate karate guru, as witnessed in the scenes when he absolutely tools on the turtles, but I'm sorry, that is not enough to allow me to give the movie credit. Take away the "Transformer" suit and Shredder is just another "sensai". If you're thinking about going to see the movie just for him, think again. It's not worth it, friends.

But overall, this movie was a surprisingly funny 2 hours of super enjoyable production. There is plenty of action, suspense, and laugh out loud moments. Besides Spiderman, there are not many superheroes that can attract ages 8+ and do it well, but TMNT absolutely falls under this realm.

Here's my rating: 4/5 - entertaining, but could have done more with Shredder's badassery and April's stubborn...ery.

As always, I end with something you'd never guess--a dog wearing a wig. Your dreams have come true...I know.

Until next time,

R.T.

The Typo Fiasco of 2014

"I finished your book last night," says a friend. He is smiling as we walk towards the outdoor basketball courts. Pickup basketball is one of the few, honest golden pleasures of life. "Oh yeah?" I respond. "What did you think?"

"I liked it. The helicopter scene at the end was a little over the top (YESSSSS!!!!!!!, I'm thinking to myself) and you had some typos in there..."

My heart stops. THIS IS MY NIGHTMARE.

Immediately I start to panic. WHAT PAGES ARE THEY ON? TELL ME!!! I feel like the Hulk when unable to control his anger:

Hulk Smash!

But then, I realize a couple of things. 1) I'm a first time author that can't yet afford a professional editor. I made this choice from the very beginning, so I guess I've expected this sort of thing to occur in some sort of capacity, 2) the Scrivener software I use on my MacBook underwent some sort of update just as I was editing Walls and started clunking up the thing (this is NOT an excuse, just what I am rambling on about in my head), and 3) it's easily fixable.

I successfully holster my systemic rage and start concocting a plan to rectify the situation.

1) Finding an editor is expensive work these days. It's one thing to edit someone else's work (I am a consultant and editor myself), but an entirely different animal when you're attempting to edit your own work. Believe me when I say I read Walls no less than 15 times while proofreading, copyediting, and content editing. Even still, I guess it wasn't enough to catch some of the flaws that have surfaced in the first edition. Some nights, this is what I felt like:

Falling asleep in a puddle of my own guilt.

2) Scrivener is great. Don't get me wrong. I don't know how I would organize all of my material if I was just writing in a Microsoft Word processor, but some of the things the company does irks me into blinding aneurysms. For example, Scrivener recently updated their entire system to synchronize with all of the other programs Mac offers. Sounds great for the company...but for an author? They've just made my editing process 10,000,000 times more difficult. Have you noticed that EVERYTHING has autocorrect now?? I type there and the computer switches it to their. Sometimes I think there is a little goblin in the screen that just screws with me for its own hellbent enjoyment.

Yeah...do your little dance now, home slice. One of these days (**shakes fist**)...one of these days.

and, 3) Luckily, Lulu has a revision feature that allows its authors to return to the project and revise the project without penalty (except for the proof novel you must purchase to make sure everything looks alright). I've already scanned the file, fixed those typos and submitted the new project to distributors with the same ISBN and everything. Crisis averted.

GAHH! I can't express the importance of proofreading and editing. I tell my students all the time that it's one of the most fundamental and foundational skills everyone must learn in the English classroom. People, whether you think so or not, do not take kindly to simple mistakes in grammar and spelling. They are such a turn-off to readers, even if they love the story. I know this because I, myself, am critical of those mistakes. Just the other day, as I finished Neil Gaiman's, Anansi Boys, I found myself criticizing the 4-5 spacing, grammar, and spelling mistakes throughout the work. What it comes down to is the simple fact that it's natural to judge in this case. People want perfection...and authors should be striving to reach it all the time.

That's why there's a 2nd Edition already in the system, waiting for confirmation from Amazon and Barnes & Noble for complete distribution. There is an upside to this. If you are (or want to be) one of the lucky ones that have, in your possession, a copy of the 1st Edition of Walls, there will never, ever, EVER be any more like it once the rest of the 1st Editions are sold. Just think, when I'm rich and famous (I'm banking on it - Stephen King, James Patterson, Nicholas Sparks style) and have 30 novels out on the market, the 1st Edition of Walls will be worth MILLIONS on eBay.

 <------- Imagine the possibilities!

In the meantime, here is the breakdown of what I have in stock:

2nd Edition Revised: ($15.99) R.T. Donlon's Official Page : Click "Books" and follow the link for 10% off your Lulu purchase.

1st Edition: (18 in Stock at $15.99/copy) - Message me on Facebook at "R.T. Donlon - Author".

2nd Edition Proof Copy: (I have only 1 in stock locally priced at $15.99) - Limited Edition "limbo" proof copy, contact me on Facebook.

Until next time, enjoy reading Walls with or without the typos and rate/review me anyway! I'll take praises AND criticisms! As always, you guys are the best. Check back later for more autumn details about R.T. Donlon short fiction, book signings, and events galore!

        Let's end by enjoying this photo of Rush Limbaugh. He adores you.

The Florida Effect

It's a foregone conclusion, folks. New Hampshire is my home of choice. No questions asked. Well...until spiders started ruining my new homeowner's glow. Just before I left for my Florida vacation to Jacksonville, I mowed my lawn. It was then my life changed. This picture does not do this little bugger justice. It has fangs and hissed at me as I passed with my mower. Yes. It hissed.

So I ventured from my land of arachnids into the land of reptiles--where lizards the size of your index finger run free literally everywhere. Not to mention, as we stepped foot off the airplane into the Florida weather, this is what the heat felt like:

Nonetheless, it was a fun time to hang out with a few people I don't see as much as I would like and, that alone, makes the trip absolutely worth it. Plus, it's summer! If there's a time I'm going to take a trip like this, everyone knows it's now.

If you're an author...or just anyone who likes reading in general...who is the first person that comes to mind when you think of Florida? Yup, it's Ernest Hemingway. I don't really know how Hemingway became one of my favorite authors, but he has been since my days in high school. I tend to admire authors that I know are way out of my league. For example, Hemingway kills it with character development. He strips his prose to the basics and allows the reader to attach or relinquish the characters in whichever way they please. He tends to get a lot of grief about this writing technique of his, but I think it's simply genius. Look where it's brought his writing--to a level I bet he never knew existed.

I'll be honest. I knew this weekend wasn't about accomplishing huge amounts of writing. In order to do that, I'd have to be sitting behind my computer in complete concentration, which wasn't happening in a time when fantasy football drafts, get-togethers, and America Ninja Warrior completely controlled my consciousness. But what did happen, happened reflectively. It offered me a chance to "free" myself from the crazy world of superheroes, zombies, and "greatest fears" and indulge in the blessing that is my ability to read.

So in this post, I'll be discussing a few novels that I have (and am) reading.

My Kindle Fire says I'm 88% through the novel, which makes me horribly sad it's almost over. I wouldn't say that this is my favorite novel of all time. It's not even my favorite novel of the summer, but there's something magical about Gaiman's use of interweaving folktales and myth to create his own, wildly creative, and humorous storyline. It parallels his other works, especially American Gods, which just happens to be my favorite book of his. That was one I simply couldn't put down. But Anansi Boys has a certain flare of its own, which Gaiman boosts with his English dialogue and quirky personalities. We'll have to see how it ends, but so far, this summer read is worth picking up.

-----------

So the plane is careening into Jacksonville. We're about 80 or so miles out from the airport and, to my right, I see one of the creepiest airplane sights anyone can see: a giant, winding mess of dense black clouds hovering like a tornado in midair. Inside of it, streaks of blinding yellow and orange bolts of lightning burst at each other like a scene straight from The Day After Tomorrow (you know, the film with Dennis Quade...oh, Dennis Quade). There was no announcement from the pilot, nor any reaction from the flight crew, which frightened me a tad. Granted, I don't fly much, but don't you think something like that merits some sort of attention? Apparently not. Instead, the plane bends away slightly and misses it by a good 100-yard distance.

What immediately comes to my head? Hole in my Life by Jack Gantos. That's what. Why, you ask? Well, because of one scene.

First of all, if you haven't read this wonderful piece of writing, you should. There aren't too many works of literature out there that rely on the brutal honesty of someone's reality, but Gantos does this incredibly well. He leaves nothing out. He describes the highs and the lows without censor and, because of this, his audience is able to absorb what they want about the story, the hardships he both undertook and overcame, and the beauty of sometimes having a second chance. Some parts of the story are graphic in nature, but it's well worth the read if you ever get the chance.

Now back to my flirt with death (such an exaggeration, but hey, who cares?). Before Jack's drug trafficking fiasco, he goes through a wild Jack Kerouac (particularly On The Road) phase and travels to Key West in the middle of a hurricane...just for the adventure. He describes the boarded up buildings and the departing traffic, all the while, thinking how he can be more like the characters in Kerouac's groundbreaking novel. He spends some time in Key West and, once the hurricane passes, he visits Hemingway's house and sits there for some time, admiring the dirty, debris-filled water and the sea turtle that had somehow made its way into it.

As I was reading this scene, I thought to myself, I know exactly what that feeling is like. During a giant blizzard, or a rough hurricane up here in New Hampshire, everything stops. No one travels. No one leaves their houses. The world seems to stand still for those long hours of natural wrath. But when it's all over (and, hopefully, everyone comes out of it without any harm), suddenly everything is so much clearer. Have you ever noticed that? There's just something different about the day after a storm. Somehow, we are so immersed in the beauty of escape and freedom that we view the world in a different light.

The Hemingway house is Gantos' moment of literary clarity. His adventure leads him straight into the clutches of a hurricane and he is able to soak it all in. I guess there is a part of me that wants to partake in crazy adventures like this, but that part of me is definitely not big enough to inspire me into a road trip. I'm a settler. I always will be (unlike Jack Gantos--image below.) A trip to Florida to hang with friends and miss an isolated thunderstorm by the length of a football field is as close to a Kerouac adventure as I'm going to get.

Plus, I don't look like Gary Oldman.

Without Time, We Would Not Exist: A Look at Sci-Fi Reading and A Review on the New Sci-Fi Flick "Lucy"

What makes an enticing sci-fi flick? What makes a person who doesn't even like science fiction interested in contributing to the gross box office earnings...or novel publishing revenue? These are tough questions, but questions I must face on a daily basis now. Keep reading and I'll tell you why. As all of you now know, Walls (by yours truly) released on Monday and, so far, it's been exactly the hype I was expecting. There are the die-hards who were first in line to grab a copy and have been reading every night since. There are the "nudgers": the people who have been planning from the very beginning to grab a copy, but need a nudge or two to actually purchase it. And then there are the "lukewarm" fans. And, by the way, this isn't a critique on fandom here. This is me speaking out loud about the honesty of my supporters. They (YOU) are all great in your own ways. I appreciate it all--no matter how much financial or exposure support you offer. The question is: "How do I reach the 'lukewarm' fans that don't see zombies/violence/gore as something they want to invest a big chunk of time into?"

It's a good question, I think.

Last night, I saw the film, Lucy.

It reminded me somewhat of a movie a few years back that made a big splash in the undercurrent of sci-fi fans: Limitless. You know, the one with Bradley Cooper who plays a struggling author. He is given a drug that opens up his brain's accessibility so that he can be more productive.

Well, the same plot applies to that of Lucy: a woman blindsided by a drug ring that ultimately releases a drug into her system that allows her to access more than the normal 10% of her brain functionality. The film dives into the theories of what may happen when we unlock this type of power within ourselves. It's mind-blowing to think we have millions upon millions of neurons in our brains that have yet to be unlocked. It's even crazier to believe that their potential may very well die along with us when we ultimately go to that great blue yonder called Heaven, Elysium, Valhala...whatever you want to call it.

So...how is Lucy recognized as a great flick to see on a Friday or Saturday night, and not just a sci-fi thriller? I'll tell you why...because it's not sci-fi until you make it sci-fi. Once you give it a category, it becomes that genre and people associate it with nothing but that. Months from now, when Lucy is available for home purchase, things might change. The film might be put on the "thriller" or "sci-fi" shelves along with many other titles, but the money has already been made. The box office revenue is set. They have nothing left to lose.

In my personal opinion, there is somewhat of a stigma that comes along with science fiction and fantasy reading. Either you love it or you hate it. Most people think nerds in broken glasses who play with Magic and Pokemon cards read these novels to fill some magical, fantastic void within themselves. That is not the case at all. And who's to say that's bad? All of you reading this most likely know me in some capacity and understand that I, in fact, possess the power of the nerd and am not afraid to declare it. It's a part of the mind that most people are afraid to tap into because it allows them to think beyond the bland and sometimes grim realities of the world in which we live and really think about what this world could be if we, a) took a different path at some point during our human history, or b) change how we are living now.

Yet, the stigma persists.

Back to my original question: How can I reach that next level of readers who think zombies are not worth their time? Perhaps it's not categorizing the novel so quickly (although I don't agree with this at all. I'm proud to be a science fiction writer). Perhaps it means less accentuating of the zombie component...or just maybe, it's trusting my readership enough to allow my words to spread. After all, I tend to think I'm pretty good writer. If I let you all read it, maybe...just maybe...my story will do the talking.

What do you think? Is it worth so much worry? Does science fiction and fantasy writing have a stigma? Am I just blatantly wrong and you want to call me out on it? Hey, I'm open for anything! Comment below or visit my Facebook page (R.T. Donlon - Author) and drop me a line there. I'd be happy to hear your comments on the matter.

Until then, here's my review and rating for Lucy, directed by Luc Besson:

3.7/5 stars

I'm being a little generous here because of the movie's overall nature. There are many good things to say about the movie itself without giving away any true spoilers for those of you who want to go watch the film yourself. First and foremost, it is a sci-fi flick that tests the boundaries of philosophical theories and understanding. It dives deep into the science and workings of the human brain, which has been an ultimate mystery for humanity's entire existence. The mix of sci-fi, philosophy, and thrill really work well here. I found myself eating too much popcorn, sipping too much soda, and clinging to my seat to see where the story would ultimately lead.

There is no question about Scarlett Johansson's prowess on the big screen. She is a master of the craft, but the casting of supporting actor, Morgan Freeman, is what really made the theories pop. He just has a way about him that most actors do not. He can hold his own mini-plot line and conflict without needing the support of any other character. He is pretty much a main character that is told to stick to the story's outskirts. I give him two (three if I could) thumbs up for this one.

As for the storyline, this idea has already been worked and stretched in Limitless. The cinematography even attempts to rival that of its predecessor with the quirky images of molecules, flashback, and random nature scenes that keep the audience's brains stimulated. If you recall, Limitless spaced out the storyline by doing this, too, except theirs focused on mirrors and images-within-images. I'm usually not a fan of films that copy other films' premises, but Lucy possessed such a great blend of philosophy, action, and sci-fi that I am ultimately choosing to ignore this aspect of the review.

As for the ending, I was relieved that it didn't end the way I expected it to. Besson would have taken the easy way out if that had happened. But it didn't, which led to a more potent resolution and, perhaps, a sense of relief. Overall, not a bad flick. I wouldn't jump at the opportunity to see it again, but I'm glad I was able to see it on the big screen this once.

Until next time,

R.T.

Welcome to the RTDonlon.com Blog Page!

Welcome to the new and improved R.T. Donlon blog. It's here that magic will be made, folks! I rate, evaluate, and accentuate movies, ideas, new novels, video games, television shows...whatever entertainment is in the now, I'm all over it. Hit me up with anything you would like me to discuss and I'll do my best to make it happen. This is the start of the new R.T. Donlon experience and I couldn't be more excited to share it with you all.