Books into...games?

I've been seeing this a lot lately, novels being made into games and thought that it was kind of cool. I mean they've been done in the past, especially if it was something by Tom Clancy, but just recently, Nora Roberts and Marjorie Liu jumped into the gaming world. Maybe I should have said that it's recently that romance writers have stepped into the video game world because there's definitely been a lot of books in the past made into games (Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc). I do have to wonder just how close to the book these games are. Fans of the book are often and easily disappointed into the translation of it just on screen. I'm thinking that it'll be one of those, leave-any-preconceived-ideas-of-book-at-the-door type of thing. What do you think? Like or do you stay away from these type of games?

The art of communication- a musing

Something came up recently that has stuck in my mind. In this day and age, we live in a world of social media, where 140 characters or less you can tell all your friends how you are or what you're doing. Before it was msn/yahoo/aol/email and before that hand written letters, etc. The point is that we're living in a world where text messages and social media are a means to have communication at your fingertips. Literally and figuratively. It's everywhere and in one form or another, everyone is doing it.

But what are we teaching future generations? That the written word is pointless? There's already been articles about assignments being reduced to nonstandard abbreviations and symbols. Yes, there are good things that come with texting or social media-- take the earthquake in Haiti and later in Chile; with just a press of a code and you could donate straight to their funds. The moment that earthquake hit, everybody knew about it and could prepare. Yes, there are good points but how will the next generation be affected?

Recently it came up that a bunch of us were talking about Twitter and how we've become so use to writing in 140 characters or less and that anything longer than a paragraph... the reader's eyes begin to glaze over. This was an interesting and it stayed with me. Kids are already becoming more computer savvy at an earlier age. Just how will all this affect future generations?

The importance of the written word

Mondays, they sneak up on you before you know it. Before you're even ready for it. Or at least, that was how it felt today. Not that it was a busier day than usual, but it still felt like a Monday. The weekends are never long enough.

Not that I did anything really exciting either. Still working on that motivational thing, ya know? So I read and relaxed and did some writing. Not as much as I'd have liked but still, I got a bit done.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it before but I have a plan. A goal. I am to read a book a week. For how long? As long as I can go. Why? Because as a writer it's essentially not only to learn and grow but to just see what's out there. My appetite for reading is quite prolific. I tend to read in the mornings while waiting for the bus or the computer to load up. I've always loved reading. As a teen you'd find me up my favourite tree with a book (and is how I received my nickname "tree frog" by my dad), on the lawn with my pet chicken, up in my room or wherever. I got my first Chapters card when I was in highschool and I still have the same one.

Reading is important to me but I could never really tell you my favourite. I'll always have those that tie but will never be able to put the term of 'favourite' on one. I could never even imagine a world without books... a world without stories. Without writing... there would be no art... and no art... means no imagination... which means no innovations. Truly a scary thing how important writing has become.

What comes first?

I've been slacking. *sigh* It's been hectic this past month or so. Although I've been busy, I've read a book a week. I make sure to. Most of the time I read on the bus and while I wait for the computer to boot up (because it's sooooooo slow). But I finished a book yesterday that I had to wonder just what made it so good that I finished it in two days. It wasn't the writing itself. That was quite... well, we won't get into that. lol. I mean it was good, but it just didn't have that spark and at times seemed a bit dramatic.

But the plot? OMG so good. I couldn't put the book down. It didn't matter that I wanted to smack a few characters around because they were so annoying. It didn't matter that there were some scenes I just wanted to skip. The idea behind the two chars and the plot itself, was great. And it had me flipping page after page with anticipation, wondering what would happen.

I can't say that this happens if the opposite occurs- that is, if the writing is fabulous but the plot is eh. I suppose there are some that hook me but for the most part, it doesn't grab me as much. Which is surprising because I am such a character driven writer/reader. I'm all for plot but it's the characters that I love or am more invested in. But for the most part, it's just not the same. I can think of a few books where the plot was horrid but the characters made me WANT to flip because they were soooo good, but I don't have many examples.

In one book for example, the character was tormented. He'd been through so much that you just WANTED him to find that HEA. He went through so much that although the story was a big disappointment, I could not put it down. I did, however, flip through the chapters that he wasn't in because they just didn't interest me. I wasn't there to read about the fluffy extras in the plot. I wanted to read about HIM and his heroine.

So what is the balance then? What comes first? Characters or Plot?