The Last Week Or Two

I didn't post last week (I've been aiming for once a week). Why? I spent the weekend attending DVCON and it was been great. Really good panels. Really good people. To be honest, some of what the panels talked about I already knew since I've been a member of the WCYR for a few years. What I found invaluable was how the same things I've already learned can be changed / altered / influenced by the fact that I'm a visible minority / marginalized / diverse voice. Perspective can really change so much. It was the first DVCON, born from #DVPit. It was free, but I would have paid to go. The information and inspiration was fantastic. I also "met" some great people. We've followed each other on Twitter and Instagram. I've also joined a couple Discord groups, which typically isn't my thing (I have a hard time with chat rooms), but everyone has been sharing information and supporting each other. I've watched people find Critique Partners and Beta Readers. Writing can be so isolating, and if you're not part of some kind of group, it can be difficult to get the feedback you need to grow. Friends and family worry about your feelings and don't necessarily have the insight another writer does. 

I finished: How to be an Anti-Racist, by Ibram X. Kendi. It was so good, so interesting. I listened to the audiobook. I really liked his reading style (is that a thing?). How to be an Anti-Racist was part memoir, part history lesson, part instruction manual. It was so engaging, that when it got to the end (I won't tell you what happened), I was concerned and ready to cry. I really can't recommend this book enough.

I finished: We Hunt the Flame, by Hafsah Faizal. I've had it sitting in my Kindle app for a while. When I signed up for DVCON and she was going to be speaking, I knew I had to read it. It was so good. Just so good. I enjoyed the world, the characters, the story. Everything. I can't wait to read the sequel. I also enjoyed the panel and what she had to say. She/they offered us information I had not considered before. I'm definitely ready for the sequel, which was just released.

I finished: The A.I. Who Loved Me, by Alyssa Cole. Alyssa Cole has become one of my favourite romance authors. I'm pretty much ready to ready anything she writes. She blends romance into other genres that she writes in. The A.I. Who Loved Me is a near-future sci-fi romance. I thought there would only be a little sci-fi in the novel, but it surprised me. The Hive is very scary, like if Amazon ruled the US. I wonder if Cole will write more stories set in this world. I also saw her speak at DVCON. I think I could listen to her talk about writing and stories all day.

I finished: Lumberjanes: Stone Cold, by Shannon Watters, et al. I love Lumberjanes. I've been reading them for a few years. Stone Cold is the 8th volume in the series. I feel like "don't make assumptions" and "don't judge a book by it's cover" were really prevalent in the story. Also, "friendship to the max". I haven't met a Lumberjane I didn't like.

I also binged the Thor movies with my daughter. I think she wanted to watch Loki (who doesn't). We ended up watching the first Avengers movie too. It was fun. She knew a surprising amount of behind-the-scenes stuff and I asked her if she Googled MCU stuff. Not specifically. She Googled Iron Man stuff (her favourite superhero) and fell down the internet MCU rabbit hole. 

What's coming up this week? More work on the edits for my manuscript. Maybe updating the Me! and Writing Life portions of the blog. Edits again. Contemplating the fate of the characters in the manuscript. Reading some more poems by Maya Angelou. Maybe writing some new words for my next novel. 

Avengers: Infinity War

These posters are pretty cool

I had so many feelings. It was tense and intense. So much happened. I have so many theories. Hubby thinks he knows how it will all work out. Since what happens in one movie affects the rest of the MCU, I wonder what's going to happen on S.H.I.E.L.D. or in Ant-Man and The Wasp. I can't really talk about anything without giving away something. If you look at the trailers, they're pretty vague too. They are spectacular images and bits of dialogue... not even dialogue, just sentences, phrases. In Infinity War there is always something happening. The movement of the story never stops.

I am going to talk about Thor meeting The Guardians of The Galaxy, because it is hilarious and it is in the trailers. Thor is amazing, Star-Lord is amazing. They all are. I love how Thor interacts with the Guardians. He somehow gets a moment with all of them. The entire sequence from him hitting their ship, to the end, is fun and funny. In general, when any of the different groups met, it was funny. These were the times where I think Marvel and the Russo brothers could add some hilarity. 

Loving these

I loved Vision and Scarlet Witch. I loved Okoye and Black Widow. I loved Dr. Strange and Spider-Man. As many characters as there were, I think all, if not most of the main ones got to have a moment, something that told the rest of them who there were and what they could do. Is it crazy that I think that? Oh well. Seriously, if you haven't seen this movie yet, go see it as soon as possible. Honestly, I want to see it again already. I don't even know if I've digested the movie yet and it's been a couple days. Like I said, I still have so many feelings. I think I might have a movie hangover. 

Infinity War Trailer

Ant-Man and The Wasp Trailer

Avengers

I loved The Avengers.  My husband called it outstanding and he’s not one for exaggeration.  I don't even think this will count as a review since I only have good things to say.  The actors brought to life some of my favourite superheroes.  The actions scenes were fluid and amazing.  There was a lot of CG, but it blended well with the real people.  I loved the humour.  Joss Whedon fans can really appreciate his sense of humour.  (Is it bad that in my head I'm comparing some of the movie dialogue to Buffy?)

So, I want to list all the things/scenes/moments I loved, but there are two problems with that.  One, that would be an entire list of spoilers.  Two, it would be a long list.  Let's just say, that I already want to see it again.  (I probably won't though.  The logistics of going out with my hubby to see a movie drives me nuts sometimes.  I'll just highly anticipate the DVD.)

Whatever you do, don't leave the theatre before the credits are completely over.  Three-quarters of the theatre were out, but we and the other geeks waited until the final names rolled by for one last scene with the team.

I don't know if I could have asked for more.

I couldn't resist adding the Lego poster too. They all look so angry

Thor (3D)

It’s been a while since I did a movie review. Probably because I rarely go out to the movies anymore… Thor was a movie I didn’t want to miss. I’ve really enjoyed most of the Marvel Comic movies and Thor was no exception. Unlike most of the other superhero films, I didn’t know much about Thor going in, I think just the basics. That definitely did not take away from how fantastic the movie was.

Thor is a great superhero action movie. I think the plot was well thought out, the dialogue was great. There were moments of intelligence, seriousness and humour. There were also some great actors in the movie that I was surprised and happy to see. Thor was exciting and the 3D was worth the extra few dollars (for a change).

I loved Natalie Portman as Jane Foster. I know there might be some comic fans unhappy about the switch in profession. Originally, Jane was a nurse (something I only recently learned; in the newest Avengers cartoon she’s a paramedic). In later comics, she’s a doctor, who’s in charge of various staff (changing with the times, I suppose). In the movie, Jane is an astrophysicist trying to learn the reason for the disturbances in the night sky. Of course, these problems are a sign of problems in Asgard. I like that they made Jane an astrophysicist. I don’t know exactly how else she would have come into contact with Thor, since they almost entirely eliminated his “Donald Blake” secret identity. I hope the comic fans don’t hate me for saying that. Maybe because of the change in profession, we’ll see more of Jane as she works with SHIELD and possibly in the Avengers movie (or that could be wishful thinking on my part).

I also really like our first peek at Clint Barton/Hawkeye. He’s a SHIELD agent with attitude!

Thor is hopefully the first in a summer full of great and exciting heroes.