NaNoWriMo successes

books and authors

November is in its final week, which means there are only a few more days to go till the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) comes to a close. Aspiring novelist around the world are taking part in this yearly activity and attempting to write a 50,000 word first draft of a novel in 30 days. So to encourage the participants as they cross the finish line (and inspire the rest of you to participate next time), here are some of the biggest successes that have come out of NaNoWriMo in the years past...

Time Off for Good Behavior by Lani Diane Rich 

Lani Diane Rich started writing her first book, Time Off for Good Behavior, during NaNoWriMo. The book was eventually published, making her the first previously-unpublished author to have a NaNoWriMo manuscript printed. The story of a woman who is suffering from a string of bad luck and decides to give her life a makeover, Time Off for Good Behavior connected with fans of chick lit and won praise for its blend of humour and poignancy.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Perhaps the biggest NaNoWriMo success so far is Water for Elephants by Canadian-born author Sara Gruen. The book has sold millions of copies worldwide and was adapted into a movie (starring Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and Christoph Waltz) which was released in 2011. An animal lover, Gruen’s work often features animals, a trait that also makes its way into Water for Elephants. Published in 2006, the historical fiction novel tells the story of a veterinary student who is hired to care for the menagerie of a circus that is struggling to survive the Great Depression. He forms a bond with the travelling show’s star performer, Marlena, and a seemingly untrainable elephant, Rosie, as the tome gives us a touching look at a fascinating chapter in history.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The circus seems to be a popular topic with Wrimos and is also the setting of Erin Morgenstern’s debut novel The Night Circus, which was published in 2011, thanks at least in part to NaNoWriMo, and is now on its way to becoming a movie. The writer had been participating in the yearly writing activity since 2003, and first wrote what would eventually become The Night Circus in November 2005. It is an enchanting tale of a wandering magical circus that only opens after dark and the mysterious characters associated with it.

Wool by Hugh Howey

After the success of his terrific novella Wool in 2011, science fiction writer Hugh Howey decided to continue the tale during the National Novel Writing Month. By the time the self-published Wool omnibus was completed, it contained five stories and had a 160,000 word count, around 80,000 of which were written during NaNoWriMo. Set on a post-apocalyptic world where humanity lives cooped up in a Silo that extends far beneath the surface of the Earth, Wool has since become part of the now-expanded Silo universe, which also includes the prequel series Shift and the final act Dust. A film adaptation is also in the works, and Ridley Scott is among the directors who have expressed an interest in helming the big screen project.

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Fairy tales with a modern spin have become all the rage during the last few years, and jumping on that bandwagon has help Marissa Meyer become a published author who has now penned a successful series. The first three books of The Lunar Chronicles began as NaNoWriMo novels and were all drafted together when she participated in the writing contest in 2008. The first book, Cinder (2012) retold the story of Cinderella with a science fiction twist, while its follow-ups Scarlet (2013) and Cress (2014) did the same with Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel respectively.

- S.A. 

Us Magazine, The News - 28th November, 2014 *

Life of Crime - a crime that doesn’t pay

movie review

No ransom for kidnapping in Life of Crime

The influence of O Henry’s classic The Ransom of Red Chief — the story of a kidnapping gone amusingly wrong — can be perceived in a number of works that have come after it. Joining this considerable list is the new dark comedy Life of Crime, a film that attributes its existence more directly to Elmore Leonard’s 1978 novel The Switch.

Life of Crime is a drama with a compelling premise but waning intensity. In the film, writer-director Daniel Schechter takes us to ’70s Detroit, where two conmen hatch a get-rich-quick scheme but are flummoxed when its execution and aftermath don’t go exactly as planned.

Louis (John Hawkes) and Ordell (Yasiin Bey, previously known as Mos Def) are small-time crooks who, along with their neo-Nazi accomplice Richard (Mark Boone Jr.), are hoping for a big pay day. Their target is Mickey Dawson (Jennifer Aniston), the wife of a corrupt property magnate, Frank (Tim Robbins). But when they kidnap Mickey, the abduction is witnessed by her would-be paramour (Will Forte). When they ask her husband for a million dollar ransom, their plan hits an even bigger snag as they realise Frank has no intention of making the payoff. Unknown to them, he is actually in the process of filing for a divorce and is happily shacked up with his young mistress Melanie (Isla Fisher).

Propelling this series of twists and turns is a winning cast who make a valiant effort to bring their characters to life. Aniston is charming, Hawkes and Bey are reliably impressive with their on-screen chemistry as inept partners in crime and Fisher is amusingly jovial as the conniving Melanie. On the whole, the cast do the best they can with the weak material in hand.

Despite the great setting and feel created by director Daniel Schechter, the project would have benefited by opting for a co-writer. For the most part, Life of Crime just plods along, albeit smoothly, but fails to leave a lasting impression. Even the twist thrown at the end is amusing only if one hasn’t already figured it out halfway through the proceedings.

Everything about the movie seems a little too familiar. It mostly comes off as Ruthless People meets Jackie Brown by way of American Hustle, but with subdued wit and spark. The viewer is never invested in Mickey’s fate (or anyone else’s for that matter) to really care about how things fold out eventually. Although the cast adds more depth to the characters, the material lacks the inspiration that could have made this production truly noteworthy. Ultimately, Life of Crime is watchable, but not nearly as gripping or memorable as it could have been.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

- By Sameen Amer

Sunday Magazine, Express Tribune - 23rd November, 2014 *

My teen years: Maha Ali Kazmi

interview

Maha Ali Kazmi

Star and date of birth
Cancer, 14th July.

The best thing about being a teenager
The great thing about being a teenager is that you are young enough to dream dreams and old enough to one day realize your dreams.

I was always listening to
Rolling Stones, John Lennon, and many American rock bands from the late '70s and '80s.

I was glued to the TV for 
Friends and Charmed.

My favourite movie was 
Amélie.

My favourite actor was
Ryan Gosling playing Noah in The Notebook.

My favourite book was
There wasn't one but many. The ones I can recall are Memoirs of a Geisha, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and Dracula.

My friends were
One of a kind.

My room was full of
Music CDs, movie collection, perfumes, and scented candles.

My room walls carried the posters of
Kurt Cobain.

My closet was full of
All the things teenagers generally own. I had a secret compartment where I used to hide things that in my opinion defined me as a person, from small souvenirs to some of my most cherished photographs.

My first crush
A 6th grader named Hasan in school.

What hurt me the most
When my best friend stopped talking to me.

My dream was to become
The most famous singer in Hollywood.

I wish I had known then
That dreams do come true.

Relations with siblings
As the sayings go, "Hey, I'll help you hide the body" or "Don't even breathe in my direction". Nothing in between.

Relations with parents
Loving. It was always full of trust and communication.

My school was
Where my friends were.

Ragging at college/university
That nameless boy who hid my bag every day after school.

I couldn't stand
My Urdu teacher.

My favourite hangout was
Eating candy popcorn and watching movies with my bestie.

My favourite superhero was
I didn't have superheroes.

My favourite sport was
Swimming.

My favourite pastime was
Daydreaming.

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 21st November, 2014 *

Gleesome moments

book review

Book: Brunette Ambition

Author: Lea Michele

Glee actress Lea Michele appears to be having a very busy year. The 28-year-old starlet is currently working on the final season of the series that has made her a household name, but that’s not the only project which has been keeping her occupied. Her debut album, Louder, came out a few months ago, as did her first book, Brunette Ambition.

Partly autobiographical and partly motivational, the tome sees the actress share the story of how she got to where she is today, while dispensing advice on how to live a healthier life.

Lea talks about her family background and upbringing, landing the role of Cosette on Broadway when she was eight years old, her subsequent career trajectory, and the lessons she has learned along the way. Also featured are lists of her favourite things, as well as significant anecdotes from her life, like meeting her role model Barbra Streisand and singing in front of her idol. And if you want to see her childhood and family photos, then Brunette Ambition has that covered too.

The book doubles as a self-improvement guide, with tips on healthy living and motivational thoughts meant to inspire the readers. The actress encourages her fans to celebrate their quirks and roots, and enrich their lives with extracurricular activities, while also illustrating her beauty and self care essentials and no-nos, at home pampering rituals, and favourite exercises. Her love for food takes centre stage often, and her favourite recipes also find a place in these pages.

With its simple style and limited content, Brunette Ambition is a short, quick read. It isn’t meant to be a proper autobiography and doesn’t give a very comprehensive account of her life, as she opts to hold back on many topics. Most notably, while her best friend Jonathan Groff gets his own chapter, her late boyfriend and co-star Cory Monteith (who passed away last year) does not, although he is mentioned a couple of times and she does state that he provided feedback for the book in terms of notes and edits.

At times, the book, perhaps inadvertently, gives the impression that she is more focused on physical appearance than intellectual development, but it is still commendable that she is trying to inspire her young fans to improve their lifestyles by exercising and making better dietary choices. Also, her message of not letting the stress of the outside world impose on ones sense of perspective is definitely apt and important.

On the whole, Brunette Ambition is a quick, light read that takes a brief look at its writer’s world without delving too deep into its complexities. If you want a tell-all with intimate details about her life and Glee, then this isn’t the book for you. The book paints Lea as an ambitious young performer and is clearly capitalizing on her current success. As with most showbiz biographies written by younger stars, it could have been better if she had waited a few more years to rack up more (both life and professional) experience, and come up with more substantial content. As it stands, if you’re not particularly fond of Lea Michele, then it’s very unlikely that you will find the content of Brunette Ambition interesting. But her fans, who are obviously the target audience of this effort, will enjoy this look at the actress’s life.

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 21st November, 2014 *

Tyranny - little right, little wrong

album review

The Voidz debut album is not meant to cater to a mainstream audience, and it won’t

Side projects can provide musicians with an avenue to express themselves outside the confines of their main acts, and that is precisely what Julian Casablancas has done with his new group The Voidz. The latest musical venture by The Strokes frontman sees him team up with a group of eclectic musicians — guitarists Beardo Gritter and Amir Yaghmai, bassist Jake Bercovici, keyboardist Jeff Kite and percussionist Alex Carapetis — and take full advantage of this opportunity to create the eccentric Tyranny.

Helmed by producer Shawn Everett, the group’s debut album delivers a raw blend of punk and alt rock, giving up the more polished sound of The Strokes in favour of an experimental visage. The musicians explore interesting ideas that sometimes come together nicely and at other times collapse under the raucous musical avalanche that envelopes them.

Bathed in angst and disappointment, the first single ‘Human Sadness’ represents the album fairly accurately. The song merges some terrific musical moments with self-indulgent overtures to create an 11-minute opus that is definitely ambitious but perhaps overly so. When these elements are successfully put together — as they are on songs like ‘Where No Eagles Fly’, ‘Crunch Punch’, and ‘Dare I Care’ — the result is exciting. At other times, the output seems too laboured and unfocused. There’s a lot going on in these 12 songs. Furious guitars, angry drums and frantic synths frequently make an appearance as the tracks play with melody and chaos, often at the same time. The effect falls closer to the industrial kick of Nine Inch Nails than to the indie and garage sound you would associate with Casablancas, who also wrote or co-wrote each of the songs on this set.

Experimentation arguably is the best use for a side project, and on that front, The Voidz emerge victorious. Tyranny was clearly not made to appease fans of its singer’s main act, nor does it seem concerned with the opinion of his detractors. It showcases a band that intended to create something interesting, but it also leaves you with the sense that the musicians who made it were perhaps trying a tad too hard. Instead of cramming every idea they could come up with into these overlong tracks, the output could have been more pleasant and accessible if they had reined in the discordance, making the songs less busy and more coherent (although that sentiment probably undercuts the attitude on display here).

As it stands, Tyranny is an unconventional effort by a group that seemed too enamoured with itself. The songs fall on a spectrum that ranges from compelling to grating, although the response to it simply comes down to the listener’s preferences. Even if you are a fan of The Strokes or enjoyed Casablancas’ solo album Phrazes for the Young, there is no guarantee that you will enjoy Tyranny. But if you are drawn towards music that is intriguingly weird, then you might want to give The Voidz debut record a spin.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

More for rock 'n' roll fans

1. Phrazes for the Young by Julian Casablancas
The first (and so far only) solo album by the lead singer of The Strokes, Phrazes for the Young saw Casablancas experimenting with ideas more freely while creating a short but enthusiastic set of alternative rock.

2. Comedown Machine by The Strokes
The slickness of the indie rock band’s latest album, their fifth release overall, might leave you yearning for more rawness, but its diversity and well crafted melodies still make it an interesting effort.

3. Hesitation Marks by Nine Inch Nails
The return of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails (who briefly hired Alex Carapetis as a touring drummer in 2005) saw Trent Reznor and co. come up with their intriguing, inventive eighth album, Hesitation Marks.

- By Sameen Amer

Sunday Magazine, The Express Tribune - 16th November, 2014 *

Boo!

the scrapbook 

Easy Halloween crafts

Paper jack-o’-lantern

Material:

- Sheet of orange card paper

- Pieces of green and black paper

- Scissors and/or paper cutter

- Glue

Procedure:

1. Take a sheet of thick orange coloured paper or card paper. Fold and refold lengthwise and cut into eight roughly equal strips. (You can add another two to four strips from a second sheet of paper if you want to decrease the empty space between strips in the finished jack-o’-lantern.)

2. Place the strips in an eight pointed asterisk arrangement with one end overlapping in the middle, gluing them together as you add each strip to the formation. You can staple the centre for reinforcement.

3. Lift the open ends of the strips upwards, and glue each of them at the top till they form a round shape.

4. Paste green paper leaves and stem on top and add black eyes, nose, and mouth to finish the jack-o’-lantern appearance.

Paper web

Material:

- Sheet of paper

- Scissors (or cutter)

Procedure:

1. Cut the sheet of paper into a square.

2. Fold across the diagonal to get a triangle.

3. Fold across the middle to get a smaller triangle.

4. Lift the right edge and fold one third of the way in. Repeat with the left. (This is the same fold that is commonly used for snowflakes.)

5. Cut equidistant (straight or slightly curved) slits across on one end while leaving one edge intact. Cut off the pointy end as well as the excess paper at the top.

6. Unfold.

Halloween candy wrappers

Material:

- Sheet of white paper

- Black marker

- Scissors

- Candy bar

Procedure:

1. Place your candy bar in the middle of a sheet of paper, and cut the paper to about three times the width of the bar and two inches longer than the bar’s length.

2. Cut a round shape at the top of the paper and draw a ghost face in it.

3. Fold the bottom of the paper inwards.

4. Fold the paper inwards from the left and right till it covers the bar.

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 31st October, 2014 *

Begin Again - once more, without feeling

movie review

Ironically, Begin Again lacks the very same authenticity that its characters are searching for in their music

The popularity of a movie often tempts its film-makers to repeat the same formula in their subsequent projects in the hopes that they will replicate the success of their previous hit. That appears to be the motive behind musical drama Begin Again — director John Carney’s revisit to the stylings of Once, the 2007 film that impressed audiences and critics alike. This time, however, the experience has been stripped of pretty much everything that made his breakthrough effort special.

The movie revolves around Gretta (Keira Knightley), a young singer reeling from her breakup with musician Dave (Adam Levine), who strays as soon as his career takes off. Heartbroken and dejected, she reluctantly takes the stage at an open mic night, where she is spotted by troubled record executive Dan (Mark Ruffalo), the co-founder of an independent record label. Blown away by her potential, Dan offers to help Gretta land a record deal. But instead of coming up with a demo, the duo eventually sets out to work on a live album in New York City, recording each song outdoors at a different location.

Along the way, the struggling songwriter and disgraced producer try to sort out the various fractured relationships in their lives, with Gretta seeking closure on her breakup with Dave, and Dan trying to connect with his estranged wife (Catherine Keener) and daughter (Hailee Steinfeld).

Corny to its core, Begin Again fails to exude the sincerity that is necessary to elevate its premise into something memorable. Its most glaring flaw lies in the fact that the very authenticity its characters claim to seek in their music is missing in the movie itself. It also doesn’t help that the run-off- the-mill indie pop tunes it tries to pass off as exceptional are, in reality, disappointingly forgettable. Passion — the very thing that should be the driving force behind the music — is sorely lacking in the songs. And while Knightley is lovely, she is completely unbelievable as the singer-songwriter unwilling to compromise on the authenticity of her craft, which makes it hard for viewers to be invested in her journey. Compared to the very real talent in the actual indie scene, both the film’s protagonist and its music seem unremarkable.

That said, the cast, on the whole, is very likeable (possibly with the exception of Levine, who could have been replaced by just about anyone else and it would have hardly mattered). Knightley is (perhaps overly) delightful, despite being miscast; Ruffalo exudes scruffy charisma; and Keener is engaging, making her scenes with Ruffalo the most affecting parts of the film.

Carney does apply some interesting touches to the storytelling (particularly in the flashbacks towards the beginning, and how Dan visualises Gretta’s song when he first hears her sing), but the film fails to capture the magic of the significantly more organic Once or create compelling character portraits like the far superior Inside Llewyn Davis did not too long ago. There is nothing unique about the very clichéd, splintered relationships the film’s protagonists are trying to heal, but, to its credit, the film handles the chemistry between its two leads with grace and doesn’t take them down the predictable path. Overall, Begin Again isn’t nearly as genuine as it wishes it were, and its lack of plausibility and mediocre soundtrack make it far less compelling than it could have been.

Rating: 2.5/5

Recommended movies for music fans

Once (2007)

A Dublin busker (Glen Hansard) and a Czech immigrant flower girl (Markéta Irglová) come together to make music in John Carney’s acclaimed Once, which has also spawned a successful stage musical.

Crazy Heart (2009)

Propelled by an Academy Award-winning performance by Jeff Bridges, Scott Cooper’s adaptation of Thomas Cobb’s 1987 novel follows the story of a washed-up country music singer-songwriter, whose relationship with a young journalist (Maggie Gyllenhaal) inspires him to turn his life around.

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

The Coen brothers’ latest drama Inside Llewyn Davis is a skillfully crafted case study of a folk singer (Oscar Isaac) who is struggling for success and marred by a series of self-inflicted misfortunes.

- By Sameen Amer

Sunday Magazine, The Express Tribune - 19th October, 2014 *