Now on Vella
Dystopian Novel:
Recent Comments
Category Archives: the human condition
My Sonnet for Act II of “Shake, Willy:”
When all the burdens of the world surround, And no one knows the longing of my heart, My only source of solace is the sound Of thy sweet voice, though ‘kin to Cupid’s dart. I hear thee and my troubles … Continue reading
The Curious Case of Phineas Gage
In 1848, Phineas Gage was a foreman, efficient, capable, and smart, employed to clear a railroad route through rocky terrain. He and his crew broke up rock formations by drilling holes down into them, filling the holes partway with gunpowder, … Continue reading
Posted in history, science, the brain, the human condition
Tagged alcoholism, brain, character flaws, Guardienne, Phineas Gage, psychology
3 Comments
Unforsaken reaches ScreenCraft Semifinals
Unforsaken began as a 1500 word short story, Saguaro Flat — 1909, written for the Palos Verdes Library’s 2017 November Writing month. Audience reaction when it was read at the Library in early 2018 inspired me to adapt it for … Continue reading
Posted in filmmaking, the human condition, writing
Tagged absent fathers, character flaws, fiction, motherhood, psychology, redemption, screenplays, Westerns
1 Comment
A More Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy
Yes, that’s our objective of the day: to turn your novel, novella, novelette or short into a hive of scum and villainy. Stories of any length thrive on villains. The more wretched, the better. For without him or her, there … Continue reading
Posted in creativity, fiction, Lists, the human condition, Uncategorized, writing
Tagged alcoholism, books, brain, character, character flaws, creation, deja vu, heroes, hypnosis, psychology, sleep-walking, villains
1 Comment
Human Brain. the Ultimate Puzzle
The human brain is probably the most complex system on this planet, the ultimate puzzle. Understanding the brain may help us make sense of some of the strangeness in human behavior. The problem is, we can’t take the brain apart … Continue reading
Posted in science, the human condition
Tagged alcoholism, blackouts, brain, deja vu, denial, ESP, Freudian slips, high dream speed, highway hypnosis, hypnic jerks, hypnosis, hypothesis, insomnia, life reviews, physiololgy, psychology, PTSD, road rage, sleep-walking, speculation, the zone
Leave a comment
“Incense Summer”
A Short Story Incense Summer J Guenther Julia doesn’t talk about it, but she still thinks of that summer as “when I learned about incense.” Many things happened between June and September that year at Benison College, but she remembers … Continue reading
Posted in fiction, the human condition
Tagged affection, loneliness, love, psychology, symbolism
Leave a comment
Book Review: My Father’s Keeper by Norbert Lebert
My Father’s Keeper (2001) is the story of the children of upper echelon Nazis, the sons and daughters of Himmler, Hess, Goering, and others. German journalists Stephan Lebert and his son Norbert conducted their interviews in 1959 and 2000, respectively. … Continue reading
Posted in book review, history, In the Mouth of the Lion, the human condition
Tagged Germany, Goering, Hess, Himmler, Hitler, Hitler Youth, Nazis, psychology, Saur
Leave a comment
Beta Readers Wanted
I’ve slated another book for release this year. It’s currently in third draft, an enrichment draft where details will be fleshed out and the character’s arc enhanced. The current word count is 21,000, well into novella* territory, with about 80 … Continue reading
Posted in books, fiction, the human condition, writing
Tagged books, fiction, novel, writing
Leave a comment
jguentherauthor 