tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post1317275781299463567..comments2024-02-12T17:59:33.534-06:00Comments on RAZORED ZEN: The Dark and Stormy Night EffectCharles Gramlichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-31453462442422130922014-01-23T18:47:35.968-06:002014-01-23T18:47:35.968-06:00Snowbrush, yep, that's the immediacy you get f...Snowbrush, yep, that's the immediacy you get from LondonCharles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-86188739841565694492014-01-23T17:22:41.548-06:002014-01-23T17:22:41.548-06:00"Everyone knows the phrase: 'It was a dar..."Everyone knows the phrase: 'It was a dark and stormy night.'"<br /><br />But, of course, it was how Snoopy started his books.<br /><br />Yes, London used the natural environmentally so superbly that I always wanted to put a coat on when I read him. Snowbrushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00436087215476479042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-45203788851740123682014-01-20T08:53:07.157-06:002014-01-20T08:53:07.157-06:00One a day, indeed!One a day, indeed!Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-21817310717572487322014-01-19T20:23:11.206-06:002014-01-19T20:23:11.206-06:00I followed your other blog too!I followed your other blog too!One A Day Techhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09676998239220528653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-5681391323097922012014-01-19T16:30:16.185-06:002014-01-19T16:30:16.185-06:00Patti, yes it's the same for me.
Jodi, oh suc...Patti, yes it's the same for me.<br /><br />Jodi, oh such a great, great storyCharles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-39983537502995192992014-01-19T14:26:02.515-06:002014-01-19T14:26:02.515-06:00Charles, I remember having to read 'To build a...Charles, I remember having to read 'To build a Fire' in school and absolutely dreading it. Turns out I absolutely loved it!jodihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01798858210138821711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-9066889602729945552014-01-19T12:07:48.796-06:002014-01-19T12:07:48.796-06:00A sense of place is very important to me and the t...A sense of place is very important to me and the time of day and weather figure into it.pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-60756620980530873022014-01-19T09:37:57.687-06:002014-01-19T09:37:57.687-06:00David, agreed. It's got everything I could wan...David, agreed. It's got everything I could want in a tale.<br /><br />Ron, definitely a master at it.<br /><br />Ivan, Yeah, I'm gonna have to give some thought to Mark's comment.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-32122090386422181042014-01-18T18:04:58.868-06:002014-01-18T18:04:58.868-06:00"Pitting the characters against harsh nature ..."Pitting the characters against harsh nature raises the stakes for those characters, and ups the suspense that a writer can wring out of a scene. It's a very effective way of adding depth to a story."<br /><br />Certainly the way Jack London used to do it.<br /><br />I am also intrigued by Mark, The Walking Man's comment.<br />I haven't been the same since I read Wittgentein's essay on Figure and Foreground., eg. "A sentence is a word picture." Mein Gott!ivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05662075375182633162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-60680294560635714522014-01-18T17:41:03.344-06:002014-01-18T17:41:03.344-06:00You are right about Jack London. He knew how to pi...You are right about Jack London. He knew how to pit man against the elements for maximum effect.Ron Scheerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15357501069513854664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-75235570131208601502014-01-17T15:51:07.397-06:002014-01-17T15:51:07.397-06:00"To Build a Fire" is one of the finest s..."To Build a Fire" is one of the finest short stories ever. Great post, Charles.David Cranmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04749857752139212888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-55491269053072176722014-01-17T12:46:18.960-06:002014-01-17T12:46:18.960-06:00Sage, I've certainly never taken it for grante...Sage, I've certainly never taken it for granted again.<br /><br />Mark, that is interesting. I've not thought of it that way. Will have to give it some thought.<br /><br />Prashant, I'm sure there are many indeed. Probably in just about every language.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-6225116487055188262014-01-17T12:06:04.616-06:002014-01-17T12:06:04.616-06:00Charles, I think there are few parallel lines like...Charles, I think there are few parallel lines like "It was a dark and stormy night." It's long since I last came across the line.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-16432272439363481122014-01-17T06:49:48.879-06:002014-01-17T06:49:48.879-06:00((x's of 100 a painter will never paint on a w...((x's of 100 a painter will never paint on a white canvas but they will always put a base shade down and build the painting from there...I have always though of writing like that.the walking manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10058913927297370740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-46746245952923459642014-01-17T06:46:56.037-06:002014-01-17T06:46:56.037-06:00I enjoyed "To Build a Fire," which I fir...I enjoyed "To Build a Fire," which I first read around 12 or so and decided the knowledge of how to build a fire was utmost important! sagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17499891950639742366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-8602558600987776842014-01-16T20:21:55.380-06:002014-01-16T20:21:55.380-06:00Victorian, I've read bits and pieces of his st...Victorian, I've read bits and pieces of his stuff and do believe he is unfairly castigated in many cases. <br /><br />Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-90463896504901041242014-01-16T16:14:42.859-06:002014-01-16T16:14:42.859-06:00In defense of Edward George Earle Bulwer Lytton, 1...In defense of Edward George Earle Bulwer Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, who opened his novel "Paul Clifford" with "It was a dark and stormy night," it was not a cliché when he wrote it in 1830. He also gave us "The pen is mightier than the sword." If you like Victorian novels, he's worth reading (if you like Dickens, Collins, Ainsworth, etc.; if you prefer Geroge Eliot, Thackeray, Trollope, you may not like EBL).Victorian Barbarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16996053716446191390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-76610844900560411572014-01-16T16:14:15.499-06:002014-01-16T16:14:15.499-06:00In defense of Edward George Earle Bulwer Lytton, 1...In defense of Edward George Earle Bulwer Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, who opened his novel "Paul Clifford" with "It was a dark and stormy night," it was not a cliché when he wrote it in 1830. He also gave us "The pen is mightier than the sword." If you like Victorian novels, he's worth reading (if you like Dickens, Collins, Ainsworth, etc.; if you prefer Geroge Eliot, Thackeray, Trollope, you may not like EBL).Victorian Barbarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16996053716446191390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-57697243598113269062014-01-16T10:31:50.842-06:002014-01-16T10:31:50.842-06:00Aimless, setting can be hard but for me it is a he...Aimless, setting can be hard but for me it is a heckuva lot of fun.<br /><br />Cloudia, thankee.<br /><br />Riot Kitty, I have Martin Eden but that's one of his I haven't read. Will have to get to it. And yes, Snoopy always comes to mind too with this quote.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-55619395786912254862014-01-15T22:54:18.381-06:002014-01-15T22:54:18.381-06:00I don't know Randy, but will send him good tho...I don't know Randy, but will send him good thoughts...<br /><br />Speaking of London, did you ever read Martin Eden? Not a typical book for him but in my opinion, his best.<br /><br />The "dark and stormy night" reference always makes me think of that strip with Snoopy writing away! <br /><br />Good point though. I've never heard/read an author making that point and thus illustrating the purpose of that intro quote. Thanks for the good food for thought!Riot Kittyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02725825736285347870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-30008610766947087952014-01-15T21:37:12.827-06:002014-01-15T21:37:12.827-06:00Great example, Charles
ALOHA from Honolulu
...Great example, Charles<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />ALOHA from Honolulu<br /><a href="http://comfortspiral.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Comfort Spiral</a><br /> > < } } ( ° ><br />Cloudiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05853753108637831069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-19976556053589477342014-01-15T13:15:44.303-06:002014-01-15T13:15:44.303-06:00I think environment is one of the hardest to write...I think environment is one of the hardest to write. Giving enough to set the scene without overtaking the story. I always loved the line, "It was a dark and stormy night."<br />Prayers going out for Randy.Aimlesswriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03012050763172251381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-16291323736829628522014-01-15T13:06:11.520-06:002014-01-15T13:06:11.520-06:00Brian, Randy posts a lot of great stuff about book...Brian, Randy posts a lot of great stuff about books, which is how I stumbled on his blog.<br /><br />Bernard, indeed. "killer"Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-48650138737480402472014-01-15T11:44:38.133-06:002014-01-15T11:44:38.133-06:00That Jack London story is a great example. Rough e...That Jack London story is a great example. Rough ending.BernardLhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09722619048888613647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28221839.post-37925036644965946422014-01-15T10:19:08.213-06:002014-01-15T10:19:08.213-06:00dont think i know randy, but will still keep him i...dont think i know randy, but will still keep him in my thoughts/prayers.<br /><br />i agree, the environment in those stories really is another character almost working for and against the hero...i am very visual as well so i love to be able to see the world in the story...Brian Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722940075884718007noreply@blogger.com