tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post538030641862934126..comments2024-03-22T12:11:58.453-06:00Comments on Michael Offutt: I love that I live in the golden age of trash fictionMichael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-76720798858012257312012-06-22T17:37:02.414-06:002012-06-22T17:37:02.414-06:00Apparently I forgot to comment on this when I read...Apparently I forgot to comment on this when I read it earlier in the week. FYI it made me laugh out loud.Callie Leuckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09535505792102190920noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-75936341383889697302012-06-20T15:50:27.119-06:002012-06-20T15:50:27.119-06:00@Helena: You honor me miss. I salute you :))@Helena: You honor me miss. I salute you :))Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-51948210561278046422012-06-20T15:10:33.336-06:002012-06-20T15:10:33.336-06:00Some trash in life is okay, but as a steady diet? ...Some trash in life is okay, but as a steady diet? That'll lead to early brain death. Personally, I gotta confess that right now I'm reading some trash (a 60's Modesty Blaise novel), but I'm also halfway through the brainy and prize-winning Wolf Hall (Wolf refers to Tudor Britain, not paranormal stuff). Over the weekend I also finally bought the non-trashy and very smart Slipstream. You may have heard of it.Helenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14967821142796562697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-21365355635437111912012-06-20T11:00:22.374-06:002012-06-20T11:00:22.374-06:00As to things being completely far out (and not in ...As to things being completely far out (and not in the least bit plausible) - I have a pet theory. It's fairly convoluted but I'll summarize - as a species, we're less emotionally capable than ever to handle the downward spirals of life and major world events (the economic recession, for instance), because the amazing leaps in technology have made us "soft," in a manner of speaking (unlike our ancestors, who had to do a lot more "work" to live, eat, etc.) But we're bombarded by media reminding us, constantly, that the world's a scary, awful, nightmarish place to be. So, because we're so dependent on things outside of ourselves to "get through" the ick, we self-medicate in a variety of ways, one being immersion into fantastical worlds which appeal to us because they're so different/better than the real one. Escaping into fiction is certainly not a new idea, but maybe the environment in which we live is also completely unlike anything that's ever been.<br /><br />Right, so; I didn't say it was a good/smart theory or that it held water, or anything. :-)<br /><a href="http://minalobo.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Some Dark Romantic</a>Mina Lobohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10173895884776280826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-44652887173571786072012-06-20T05:38:48.584-06:002012-06-20T05:38:48.584-06:00I've heard that self-published erotica is a bo...I've heard that self-published erotica is a booming business with eReader anonymity. Now what we need are racy eReader covers for folks to slip onto their Kindles, you know, just to be honest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-50833449498976418852012-06-20T05:31:54.272-06:002012-06-20T05:31:54.272-06:00Funny, Michael. I need to bookmmark this post. I r...Funny, Michael. I need to bookmmark this post. I read 50. It was eh okay. Trashy, but sad. And how they stetched it into a series, Ill never guess. <br /><br />True Blood cracks me up. I loved it when Hoyt's mom whispered to Jason that she was "gonna bake you a pie" for gett'n rid of that vamp whore. Loved it!Mina Burrowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14483363743530076604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-46531633783646191402012-06-20T01:40:07.810-06:002012-06-20T01:40:07.810-06:00trassh traaaaashyyy trassssshhhh (( head explodes ...trassh traaaaashyyy trassssshhhh (( <b>head explodes</b> ))<br /><br />*accidentally used html brackets on previous comment and my witty head explosion disappearedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-26123603191360530762012-06-20T01:38:41.367-06:002012-06-20T01:38:41.367-06:00ummm that Twilight reboot is for real? I thought i...ummm that Twilight reboot is for real? I thought it was a joke. That's it. I'm quitting the genre trash I'm putting out and switching over to trashier trash with trashy dollar sign trashy trassh traaaaassshhh trasss------Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-91087024745920311612012-06-20T00:39:32.123-06:002012-06-20T00:39:32.123-06:00Michael; go edit your novel. You obviously have t...Michael; go edit your novel. You obviously have too much time on your hands :)<br /><br />You crack me up. Loved your dice game story.<br /><br />You do make some excellent points here among the humor. I admire your genius at putting it all together.<br /><br />........dholedolorahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08715849844092553699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-17007368071286203532012-06-19T23:40:46.269-06:002012-06-19T23:40:46.269-06:00Thank you for this 'trash formula' - I am ...Thank you for this 'trash formula' - I am going to roll my dice when I get home & see what I'll be writing next. ha.Trishahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16927558937796802496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-8219534813249745852012-06-19T21:29:31.660-06:002012-06-19T21:29:31.660-06:00so happy i gave up tv, years ago!so happy i gave up tv, years ago!laughingwolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08873675614347328116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-13248719955234298442012-06-19T19:04:10.992-06:002012-06-19T19:04:10.992-06:00Michael: as usual, you made me think hard. I like ...Michael: as usual, you made me think hard. I like depth in my reading. A little fluff now and then doesn't hurt, but not as a steady diet.Shay Lacyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09727706763170739860noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-17929891253419907392012-06-19T17:29:43.370-06:002012-06-19T17:29:43.370-06:00Urk. I really don't understand how stuff like ...Urk. I really don't understand how stuff like this gets popular/makes money.<br />I always feel like I'm in the minority when I say I prefer, for example, movies with character development and depth - vs watching something just for the special effects.Deniz Bevanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17134553551048836979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-58333296309855118812012-06-19T16:41:46.004-06:002012-06-19T16:41:46.004-06:00I'm not a huge fan of trash myself. I prefer s...I'm not a huge fan of trash myself. I prefer stories with more meaning. A little bit of trash is okay, but I'd prefer we weren't surrounded by it like we are.Cally Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08313803959936813426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-86380065431092830492012-06-19T16:10:36.075-06:002012-06-19T16:10:36.075-06:00Wait. They're making another set of Twilight m...Wait. They're making <i>another</i> set of Twilight movies? Well . . . at least there's a different cast to look forward to. :PGolden Eaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721520451194318436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-46389113867929090952012-06-19T15:33:20.788-06:002012-06-19T15:33:20.788-06:00I wonder what Charlaine Harris thinks of the True ...I wonder what Charlaine Harris thinks of the True Blood series. Her books are much different and tamer than the TV show based off them.Cherie Reichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16663147386014122939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-78818235603496403022012-06-19T13:57:03.910-06:002012-06-19T13:57:03.910-06:00Oh, Michael, you should so write the roll of the d...Oh, Michael, you should so write the roll of the dice plot concoction. You are a natural. I love watching True Blood, but I swear it gets more bizarre every week. At least I'm not watching the new Dallas show...Brindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09809660700359597836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-51997197397739231052012-06-19T13:09:52.871-06:002012-06-19T13:09:52.871-06:00Ah, say it isn't so. I suppose there's a p...Ah, say it isn't so. I suppose there's a place, but every place.farawayeyeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17578277501054242356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-7873296613786181022012-06-19T12:30:36.902-06:002012-06-19T12:30:36.902-06:00Okay... I totally agree about Edward needing to be...Okay... I totally agree about Edward needing to be played by someone else. Pattinson doesn't cut it. :( But this is so bizarre that they are remaking it AGAIN! Seriously?<br /><br />Okay - I really did get the point of this post, I just lot myself with the whole remake thing. That's dumb. Give a while, at least!Leigh Covingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16377634002477171615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-76525863516577476472012-06-19T12:11:11.264-06:002012-06-19T12:11:11.264-06:00I think there's always been trash, but not qui...I think there's always been trash, but not quite so out in the open and celebrated. Most of it seems aimed at women. No judgements.<br /><br />moodmooderinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01523337588830695638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-1591951911147881962012-06-19T12:02:04.141-06:002012-06-19T12:02:04.141-06:00As a child my grandmother encouraged all her grand...As a child my grandmother encouraged all her grandchildren to read and I was the only one to get the habit. As a result, until the end of her life I could count on books for birthdays and christmas along getting her old reader's digests whenever I visited. It was the main reason that I excelled in school and was the first to graduate from college.<br /><br />When my grandma was getting near the end of her life, she was chairbound but could always be found with a large stack of books sitting next to her. One day I took a closer look and realized that they were mostly light porn. <br /><br />I asked my mom about it and she explained that was what grandma always read only now she wasn't mobile enough to hide it anymore.<br /><br />I was crushed and though I never was able to speak to her about it I eventually realized that we all have different reasons we read. It's more important that we make time for it.Kevin Longhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01092721842140433268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-29442769081475391302012-06-19T10:55:41.166-06:002012-06-19T10:55:41.166-06:00I wish I could get behind trash. It might make thi...I wish I could get behind trash. It might make things easier for me. The fact that they're going to re-make Twilight just leeches the hope for humanity right out of me.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-19064248074095420252012-06-19T10:53:19.206-06:002012-06-19T10:53:19.206-06:00Whoa, I never expected it to turn out this long, s...Whoa, I never expected it to turn out this long, sorry.Rek Seshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13484322426994645221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-3001126739361911552012-06-19T10:52:33.148-06:002012-06-19T10:52:33.148-06:00Come on, Michael, the habit of reading is declinin...Come on, Michael, the habit of reading is declining all over the world, the trashy ones atleast get people hooked to some written words.<br /> Most classics were by authors who produced less than half a dozen books in their lifetime, nowadays, people put up the equivalent in a 6 month period.<br />Where is the time for quality reading and writing? Even mags want off beat and weird or romantic, feel good stories. You just deliver to the mass market. When teen pregnancies can be celebrated by reality shows and their audiences as an achievement instead of discouraging the fad, trashy books are a way better deal. The e versions help us go green.<br />Good books need brains, not all those who have adequate grey matter and imagination can/want to recreate them into magical words...so, as long as there is good writing with average grammar and a decent storyline with minimal cussing, I'll read the book.<br />I am very selective about the vamp and demon ones though.;)<br /> Rob as Edward was ok, he just needed to go easy on botox and get thinner fangs. The rest except Emmett were pasty wastes. I've read the books, liked Twilight and the fight scenes in Eclipse and watched only the first one of the series fully. I think I skipped the second one after 20 mins and never looked back at the series. In fact, I found the leaked Edward version of the first book and Host more interesting.Rek Seshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13484322426994645221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-46609643258564737912012-06-19T10:29:40.876-06:002012-06-19T10:29:40.876-06:00@Mike I know you read a broad array of fiction (tr...@Mike I know you read a broad array of fiction (trash, treasure and all points in between) but I'm wondering why other people don't branch out. I would think that fans of Twilight or Nicholas Sparks would like the Ishiguro. Fans of the Night Circus or Harry Potter would seem to like Salman Rushdie. Maybe nobody recommends these things, maybe they just don't want to try something more complicated. I'm baffled when somebody says their favorite TV show is Mad Men, last good movie they saw was The Descendants but the last book they read was 50 Shades of Grey. Why are books lagging behind in people reading the top stuff? Maybe TMZ needs to follow authors around more. While I teach math not literature I talk to kids about books from time to time, maybe I'll just start asking.<br />Also read The Corrections before Freedom (or immediately after). The books have so much in common and are so good that it would be silly not to.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com