Finding out about fan fiction

Fan fiction

has been around for several years now. And while I had a basic idea of what the concept was all about, I never really bothered to look into it until recently. A friend of the family gave me a few more specific details of what is involved in this fan-driven form of literature.

Imagine reading your favorite science fiction book, or watching a classic super hero movie and having some actual control over the thoughts, actions and just about everything to do with the characters. This is the essence of fan fiction.

The control over one’s favorite characters combined with the ability to express one’s own creativity has made this form of writing a rapidly growing success.  Essentially, everything is possible!

Personally, as a fan of the television series “Revolution,” I am looking forward to checking out what people have written about this futuristic and somewhat post-apocalyptic show. Who knows, maybe someday I’ll even write some for myself.

Pittsburgh bids the Giant Rubber Ducky farewell

The Giant Rubber Ducky drew the attention and affection of tens, or perhaps even hundreds, of thousands of fans during the art piece’s 24-day stay in the city of Pittsburgh.

Here are some photos I took one beautiful evening during his stay.

I hope you enjoy them.

Angry chick songs that this male blogger actually likes

In the world of music, there are no shortage of “angry chick” songs in which a woman rocks out some level of either rage of discontent regarding relationships with men. While many of these may annoy those of us with a with a “Y” chromosome, there are some occasions on which the song is so catchy or the rage comes across as so attractive that it’s hard not to like the song.

With that being said, here are a few such songs that I really do enjoy:

99 Times

By Kate Voegele

Crush, Crush, Crush

By Paramore

Everything Back But You

By  Avril Lavigne 

I knew You Were Trouble

By Taylor Swift 

Do you like “angry chick” music? What are some of your favorite songs that fit this vibe?

Fictional Interview with the Giant Duck in Pittsburgh

What’s up duck?

The 40 foot tall colossal rubber duck currently floating in the rivers of Pittsburgh has taken the city and even the country by storm. After all, it’s the first time this art price has been in the United States. So, I got to thinking. Maybe it would be fun if someone could get the duck’s perspective on the whole experience. That being the case, I decided to use my own personal journalistic background along with my artsy side to create the first ever fictional interview with the world’s largest duck.

Photo by Heather McClain

Me: Hello Ducky, thanks for agreeing to do this interview.

Ducky: My pleasure.

Me:  What do you think about our city of Pittsburgh?

Ducky: I love it here, this place is quacktastic.

Me:  How about the reaction you’ve gotten from the locals?

Ducky: It quacks me up to see how much buzz there is about me.

Me: Did you know anything about Pittsburgh before making your way here?

Duck: I did some research and learned a lot from WQED and Rick Sebak duck-umentaries.

Me:  Have you seen the local news coverage?

Ducky: A little but I mostly tune in for the feather forecast.

Me: Have you taken in any of the local culture?

Ducky: Sure, there’s a lot of fun stuff to do here. And the food is great! Of course, I’m still partial to simple old cheese and quackers.

Me: Thanks for your time and have a wonderful rest of your visit here in the steel city.

Ducky: Quack to ya later.

Awaken Anew (a poem)

I’ve decided to share

a new poem I was recently inspired to write. I hope you enjoy it.

For more of my work, please feel free to check out my poetry books and other publications.