(part of my ongoing Unexpected Literary References series) Another Unexpected Literary Reference spotting, this one from Season 9, Episode 4 ("Stan Time") of the amazing series American Dad. the screenshots below don't translate the humor very well, so if you can find a full version of the episode online. Basically, Stan has been trying to read The Hunt for Red October for years, but is never able to get past the first paragraph. In this sequence, he still doesn't make it.
Posts By Caleb J. Ross
Caleb began writing his sophomore year of undergrad study when, tired of the formal art education then being taught, he abandoned the pursuit in the middle of a compositional drawing class. Major-less and fearful of losing his financial aid, he signed up to seek a degree in English Literature for no other reason than his lengthy history with the language. Coincidentally, this decision not only introduced him to writing but to reading as well. Prior this transition he had read three books. One of which he understood.
[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/calebjross/status/137032988696387584"] I'll start by saying that the recording for this episode cut off prematurely due to dying batteries. I was going to re-record, but the considering the content of the episode, dying off seems especially relevant. Though short, I think this episode addresses some important ideas. What happens to our work when we die? And, more importantly, should we even care? How much should we try to control our future reputation? These questions, and more, will be asked in this episode (but will not be answered; see paragraph one above).
Nathan Pettigrew, one of the two minds behind the lit site Solarcide, asked me for an interview a few days ago. This guy knows how to ask questions, ones that not only evoke my own passion for the subject matter but also make it easy for me to answer in a way that is hopefully entertaining for readers. Head over to Solarcide now. Read the interview. Learn of my greatness. Here's a taste of Nathan's humbling intro: He’s one of literature’s most lethal rising stars and highly prolific with not one, but four new releases in 2011. His debut novel from earlier this year, Stranger Will (Otherworld Publications), established Caleb J. Ross as a true talent to be reckoned with. His writing can be described as stylistically beautiful while depicting some of the darkest and most disturbing worlds that fiction has to offer. Picking up on concurrent themes throughout his work pertaining…
75 blog posts. Seven-five. It’s hard to believe that I started this marathon blog tour back in March. I’ve had some good times promoting my novels, and it’s fitting that I can revisit and summarize some of those good times at the Big Other blog, which was the second stop on my tour all those months ago. Click here to read the final guest post of the Stranger Will Tour for Strange blog tour. Also, don’t forget that if you comment on all guest blog posts, you will get free stuff.
(part of my ongoing Unexpected Literary References series) The title of the November 14th episode of Conan is adapted from the James M. Cain novel The Postman Always Rings Twice. This is a bit of a ballsy move, as reading does not seem to be a primary cultural referent these days (even though The Postman is one of the more famous novels out there).Then again, I may give TV too much credit here; the Conan title references are notoriously obscure. I'm quite sad; I was hoping to keep this ol' blog honest and almost 100% cartoons. But I suppose Conan O'Brien is a bit of a cartoon.
Ken Wohlrob, author of The Love Book and Songs of Vagabonds, Misfits, and Sinners made this early morning a bit more bearable by offering a very humbling, very nice review of Stranger Will over at his official site. Here's a few snippets: “It’s been a while since I have read a solid, eerie tale of actual human depravity — let’s face it, most writers are too zombie and vampire obsessed these days — but Stranger Will hits the mark perfectly. The plot, is taught, well-crafted, and 2/3 of the way in hits you with the right-hook to the head where you suddenly realize everything that came before was just a warm-up for the real action. And Ross, never winks, never let’s down his guard — very important for this kind of tale. He could have tried to temper the darkness with humor, but that would’ve undercut the atmosphere. As written, there is…
I have a problem with purchasing domains and never using them. In all I have about 20, all but 5 or so go unused. Many of the domains are literature themed. Today at Shaking Like a Mountain, I offer possible uses for these domains. Click here to read the guest post. Also, don’t forget that if you comment on all guest blog posts, you will get free stuff.