Just in case you needed the kick—you still have time to submit to Tesseracts 15 by midnight Calgary Standard Time (I think). We’re all doing that up here in the Yukon in a marathon run to 11pm. Good luck to everyone. Have fun! Be creative. But be quick about it…. tempis fugit and all that.
Desperate Times Call For Desperate Magic: A Review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, pt 1. is a good film–a solid film, giving a good arc and screentime to all three of the main characters, and a host of others. There’s plenty of action, but this film also takes time to develop the story and the characters. I stood in line at the Yukon Cinema for two hours to get in to the first showing (-10 C)–so my standards had to go up for how good this film had to be. And I felt like, in the end, it was worth it.
You know the premise: Harry Potter and team are on the run from Voldemort. Nowhere is safe. Harry is out to find as many pieces of Voldemort’s soul as he can and destroy them. We aren’t at Hogwarts anymore. But the lessons, it seems, still go on–and the grades are worth more.
Some small spoilers follow—but nothing major. Read later after you’ve seen the movie. It’s just me talking about the really cool character arcs–but I do a bit of telling what characters do.
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I was pleased at how much this film is about Hermoine. The opening sequence has her erasing the memories of her from her parents’ minds, and also from every picture in the house. She has, in effect, erased her existence in the Muggle world. The film highlights the extreme displacement the kids feel by not being in Hogwarts, and you feel it too. The camera shots from above the various geographies, rotate just slightly, giving you the feeling of being lost. And these students are lost, very lost. They are on the run, and no place is safe. Hermoine guides them through past memories of her childhood, and the movie plays out as a backwards rendition of those memories she has erased. Each place they disparate to, or jump to, is a place she alone remembers from her past. When she is tortured in the film, we realize how much she has always been in potential danger at Hogwarts, especially because she is Muggle born. While Draco Malfoy always carried the racism and bigotry into Hogwarts, because he was a child–he had no power to enforce that bigotry, and we assumed that it would be knocked out of him. Hogwarts has obviously failed a few times to instill responsible and compassion in its students. Voldemort carries this much farther. On a purity spree, he is trying to subjugate the world of Muggles under wizardry control. Hermoine represents muggles on the run, Muggles fighting back. She even helps save another Muggle-born woman who has been stripped of her wand in a courtroom scene straight from the Inquisition. We know that the imperative for the wizards getting back in control of Voldemort is to save mankind, not just themselves. And we realize that the last six books were about Hogwarts, a school that taught morality and self-control to people who had great, destructive and constructive powers. Hogwarts is what stands between wizards and witches taking over the world–young wizards’ and witches’ education is paramount to our safety.
Ron has a great arc as well, as his whole family is left fighting against Voldemort while he and Harry and Hermoine are trying to find the horcruxes. Every day he listens to the radio to see if his family is okay. And every day they don’t find a horcrux is another day that he isn’t doing something to stop the war. He feels guilty that he’s “doing nothing” and doubly guilty because he gets to be with the woman he loves all the time. This turns in him, and with the help of an evil horcrux which amplifies those feelings of betraying his family, it causes him to rage against his friends, and make a big decision. It’s a huge move for a major character. We know part of is the horcrux, but part of it stems from six books of Ron Weasley being seen as less than all of his siblings, and standing in the shadows of Harry Potter. He now has to play the hero–and while he wants to so badly, there’s a fear that it’s always just “playing” and that this playing is actually taking away from a larger duty he owes his family back home. His arc represents, to me at least, the wizarding families and the freedom they are likely to lose if Voldemort wins, and the sacrifices they make to keep people safe.
Harry, though frustrated as a leader, has a lot of moments to make good and bad decisions as he goes. I like that he learns that his friends are doing the best they can. They are counting on him to know what he’s doing–and sometimes he does and sometimes he’s just an 18 year old who is figuring things out as he goes. I like that he’s learning to be a leader here under trying circumstances and there are moments in the film that he shows how good of a leader he can be. We know the final film will explore even more of Harry’s character, and Dumbledore’s. I wonder how much they’ll bring out the relationship between Grindewald and Dumbledore. I’m very excited to see how Harry reaches what he has to reach in the next film.
Even though this film deviates from its normal Hogwarts school year–I was pleased to see that the way the earlier films marked the passing of time was kept in this one: holidays. So even though you are on the run, Harry, you still mark time the same.
Deathly Hallows does have some overtones of Lord of the Rings, as Harry searches for multiple objects, so that he can destroy them. The scene interrogating Creature about a locket gave me Gollum, Frodo, Samwise feelings all over the place. And the dream sequences of seeing Voldemort closing in on various people acted like Sauron’s eye in reverse.
And then come to the middle of the film, I was surprised and charmed to find such a finely animated film inside. When the story of the “Three Brothers” is read aloud by Hermoine, the film indulges in a beautiful moment of cinema. I was entranced. The short segment is worth its own short film status–and I would definitely be interested in seeing a film like this made from the stories in Beetle the Bard. If this was the director’s way of seeing if we’re interested in seeing that film–let me be the first to say, yes.
Overall, the film far exceeded my expectations, in that it brought out threads that resonated with the first six films, and managed to find humor in the darkest book of the HP series. It also gave such meaty character building parts to Ron, Hermoine and Harry–just when you thought you knew them, now you see them grow again. This is the perfect culmination movie.
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Kudos to the folks at the Yukon Cinemas for decorating the theatre, keeping peace, for filming the line, and asking us trivia questions for prizes. Thank you for threatening any person who had cellphone nonsense during the movie with immediate expulsion. Please do this for every movie! 🙂 I’m very proud of our how well Yukon Theatre did with the massive crowds, and regulating traffic. And they were all dressed in Hogwarts robes! Priceless.
Talking Dog gives Gay Christian Resources: my other project
Talking Dog is one of my other blogs, hopefully a good resource for gay Christians. There are a lot of good gay christian websites out there, and so I decided merely to become a portal so that you could find resources. Mostly I wanted to provide all the information that anyone might need to investigate the whole issue for themselves. Debates swirl about and people need to know the truth. It was websites like the one I created that helped me when I needed information. I needed resources. I couldn’t ask anyone out loud about them, and I didn’t know a gay Christian.
Many of you might recognize the Talking Dog in my title–it comes from “Believing in the Dog” which was the short story that I entered into PSAC’s Anti-Homophobia Week’s contest over two years ago. In the story, I had a man go out into the woods in January at night to kill himself–just sit out under a tree and freeze. There was a talking dog in there–and as the author, I knew I couldn’t save the man’s life without making the black lab into a talking dog. That I had to bend reality into fantasy to save the character. I had wished that there were more talking dogs in the world–or that we would become the talking dogs in someone’s life. The story won the contest, and Darrell Hookey, always encouraging me forward, helped me (i.e. pulled me off the floor crying) when it came time to print my name beside it in What’s Up Yukon.
It’s my way of giving back to the community what it gave me. Maybe there’s someone else out there who’s questioning their faith and their sexuality. Who knows? They might just need a Talking Dog.
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For more on the blog, I have this page.
Solidarity in Purple: Supporting Gay Teens After Spirit Day
As millions are wearing purple today, Wednesday, I found myself trying to imagine what this might mean to a closeted man or woman. Walking down the street are all the people who would support you coming out.
When I was struggling with coming out–I didn’t know who might be supportive and who wouldn’t. I grew up in a culture that would designate a day, “If you wear Purple on Fridays, you’re gay.” So it was a color to avoid–for fear of being outcast. Today, it is THE color–not to show you are weird or different, or even “in” or “cool”–but to help others come out, and know that it’s safe.
That you support and love them and are waiting for the day when they feel comfortable, and pushing for the day when there is no more bullying about anything.
So in the Spirit of Spirit Day, let’s keep the purple flowing–as long as we can, in concerted efforts. Let’s celebrate the color purple. (All of these photos were found on Flickr and are part of the Creative Commons distribution license.)
Purple has a long history of being associated with royalty, kings, priests, and even with Christ. Lydia, famous for her purple cloths, was one of the first leaders of bible studies in the early Christian era. Purple is a rare color in nature–but when it happens, you notice.
Right now, the climate for gay people is getting better. However, there are still large pockets where gay and lesbian people are not affirmed for who they are, and what they bring to their communities, and society in general. We’ve built up a long tradition of pushing men and women back for their sexual orientation, and it’s entrenched in our churches, our military, our governments, our city councils, and it finds its way into schools where kids–who can’t hide a prejudice–act on it. We punish the kids, but they learn it from the adults.
So, go out there and get your purple on. Show your kids that you stand in solidarity with those who are in the LGBT community, and that you want to assure them that not only 
does it get better, but we–every day–are making it better for them. Slipping on a hat or a shirt or some purple shoes is the simplest start.
What are the next steps–the day after Spirit Day, the week after Spirit Day? The next steps may be harder, but we can do those too.
Get a group of you to wear purple in your churches. Ask to speak from the podium announcing something, address everyone, but specifically those gay people who may be present in your congregations–out or not–and tell them that they have someone in your church (or a group of you wearing purple) that they can count on to be supportive no matter what your church’s theology might say. Your purple shows them that you support them right now.
Get a group of people to wear purple and show up during a city council meeting and ask to speak in honor of gay teens.
As a gay man, I would look for any, any sign that someone might be friendly, supportive, and understanding– the weight of our secret–our fear that being different makes us less than–is
sometimes a lot, especially when we come from communities where there is active discrimination towards gay people. This can take many forms: a theology which doesn’t treat gay and lesbian people as equals in the church, a simple understanding that something “gay” is wrong or weird, or a belief that being a gay man is somehow not masculine enough.
Our military values each soldier, but currently doesn’t value the gay ones if they say they are gay. The soldier at the right here is receiving a purple heart–and that’s why I have him in the post. We value what we give Purple to: kings, deities, soldiers, priests–purple is considered one of the rarest colors, hard to create, and therefore highly prized.
When we wear purple today–we say, “We highly prize gay teens. We value you. We know you have something worth giving and sharing with us. We value what you have to say and the point of view you have. You are loved and appreciated. We want to see what you’ll become. Our country is changing. Our governments are changing. Our churches are changing. And it starts today. It starts with me.”
When the Pilgrims Met the Borg: Faith, Perfection and the Assimilated Pilgrim
As written by William Bradford, 1620, original pilgrim on the Mayflower, original settler of Plymouth Plantation, after the strange ordeals on the Atlantic Ocean on the way to the New World. This account is accurate to the best of the ability of the author, William Bradford, and notes the first instance of the Borg in Sector 001. Though William Bradford is aboard the ship, the reader should note that his record is of the Pilgrims, and notes their struggles, their accomplishments, in a third person, collective account.
There be no assurances in the ways and means of the Almighty God. That He is there to keep and to guide, we may be comforted, but that His methods and ways be strange, there be only the righteous account and evidence of the men and the women of the Mayflower on her journey to the New World.
When they left yon Dutch colonies, they were bound in one ship, leaving the leaky Speedwell back in port, combining the crews of the Separatists, God’s chosen, and the non-separatists, also God’s chosen, to help in the design and building and maintaining of the new colony. There be fifty men and women of God, and fifty merchant adventurers. It was crowded on the ship, and the seas rose and fell with the mercy of God. But to the blessings of God they account that none of the hundred pilgrims, for that is what they called themselves, were in pain, or in hunger, or in distress. All worshipped the Almighty, even as they tumbled and plunged on yon sea.
On the 43rd day of their voyage, the scout above in the mast spotted a floating island, shining in the sun, and this island he claimed was land, and their ship sailed towards it. The closer they came, the more curious the island became. It was not land as they knew it, but shined in the sun like gold, and the merchant adventurers were vastly curious of what created composition the Lord had made it. Others believed, however, that it was a bad sign, a false hope, a distraction from the simple quest of the new colonists, a task given to them in purity and hope and vision.
They did not know that the island was actually another ship, one perhaps capsized by the sea, whose inhabitants the good Lord had proclaimed should drown, for He saves whom He desires to save, and does not save those that are unworthy. And yet, they sailed closer. The ship, for now they knew it must be a ship, was twice as large as the Mayflower, capsized in the sea. Some of the adventurers said it had been forged of strange metal, for the base of the ship, that above the water, was curved like a perfect sphere, and the rods and cross-hatches of the metal formed a metal bowl, with the doors and the windows, and other shadowy recesses.
EVOLVE anthology covered in depth by Temple Library Review
I got a thorough review in Temple Library Review–and so did everyone in the Evolve: Vampire Stories of the New Undead. Read the conclusion of his review of me here, and then go to the link to find the rest. It’s really nice to have anyone review an anthology in this much depth. Thanks!
How Magnificent is the Universal Donor does what few short stories manage. It remains strong on all fronts. Well developed characters, a clever and unorthodox world and enough suspense all result in a must-read page turner. It’s a true gem that fulfills the anthology’s theme and delivers a lot more.
Read his entire review of “How Magnificent is the Universal Donor” here.
Ten Ways To (Seriously) Improve Your Writing (via Broadside)
An awesome post for writers who are at any stage in the game–but especially those who want to take it seriously. Her advice for dealing with rejection, listening to feedback, and doing things to improve yourself, really ring true to me. Maybe they will for you too.
via Broadside
Tesseracts 15: Young Adult Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror
Tesseracts 15 is open for submissions with a call for young adult science fiction, fantasy and horror. NOVEMBER 30 is the deadline. Below is the call.
NOW OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS
(Calgary, Alberta) EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing is delighted to announce that Tesseracts Fifteen: A Case of Quite Curious Tales, is now open for submissions.
Submissions open September 1, 2010 thru November 30, 2010.
This edition of the award winning series of original Canadian Speculative Fiction comes with a twist and touch of whimsy.
| “We’ve decided to do something different with Tesseracts Fifteen.” said Brian Hades, owner of the EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing imprint. “This volume will focus on Young Adult Speculative Fiction – which can include science fiction, fantasy, and horror. However submissions must appeal to the YA audience and be PG-14 in content. As usual, Tesseracts Fifteen is open to both short fiction and poetry submissions.” |
Each Tesseracts anthology since volume one (1985) has featured editors hand picked for each particular volume. For this volume,Julie Czerneda and Susan MacGregor have agreed to co-edit.
| “We seek wonder and astonishment.” said the editors. “Stories that engage the imagination, inspire dreams, and leave hope in their wake.” Both Czerneda and MacGregor want all Canadian speculative fiction writers to “write what will become the classics for a new generation of readers, to be remembered, fondly, for years to come.” |
SUBMISSION DETAILS:
“Adopting My Mother” radio series is up
Hi Folks, if you look under Radio Series, you’ll see I finally put up the 5 parts of “Adopting my Mother.” It was my first radio series. Be kind. I had a lot of fun with it, but it was my first foray into radio series. It tells the story of when my birthmother found me, when I was 30. What follows is me getting used to having another mother, or trying to figure out how to fit in a person into my life who had a very important role in creating me. It’s not easy adopting a new person into your life–when you have a mom, a happy life, and you think you really don’t have to know where you came from or your own history….
But it’s interesting how much that beckons when you’ve never really known where you came from….. or why….
And suddenly here’s someone who can tell you everything… and they’re only an email away.
Come listen to “Adopting My Mother” on the Radio Series page.
Red State America Wants Their Star Trek Series ‘Rough and Tumble’
A recent poll of Red State America, conservatives who either vote GOP or TEA, has confirmed the excitement that producers of the new Star Trek Series, Star Trek: Reckoning, hoped would be there. The poll also scared the socks off them, one insider says. The poll–pondering the success of a Star Trek run by conservatives, with the real, honest to gosh, Sarah Palin playing Captain Nalia Fergus of the USS Steadfast–garnered a stunning 76% of TV viewers. These are viewers who may not have ever watched a Star Trek Series in their lives—they wouldn’t know a Klingon from a Ferengi, but they know Sarah Palin and they remember Captain Kirk. And somewhere that all makes sense with them.
Rarely have TV shows done polls before they even start filming the series, but producers of ST: RECK, as it’s being called, wanted to be sure where they were going. “We didn’t want to wait for a Nielsen Rating confirmation. We needed to know who was out there.” Understand, they only polled Conservatives. All us liberal, compassionate Democrats have not been polled. They’re assuming that any Star Trek series will be embraced by the fans. (So soon forgetting Enterprise?)
Our insider, though, has gone on to reveal to us what else the Poll says–and this is what scared producers: Those conservatives polled wanted to dismantle the Exploration side of the Federation, get rid of the Prime Directive, and see a healthier number of “Americans” on board the ships. Follow up questions revealed that by “Americans,” conservatives meant “white people”. Most didn’t know that Sisko or Uhura or Tuvok were black, or that Sulu or Kim were Asian. When told, many reported that “those people” could stay, but new ships should reflect more of a “middle America” profile.
“They definitely wanted us to put Montana in space…,” said one of the writers.
Bear Witness 