Creating Stuff

I'm not sure how often it happens, but enough that I find myself saying at least twice a week "I wonder what I should read." Or a similar version of that when it comes to movies and TV shows: "What should I watch?" In a time where choices are (literally) endless, it seems harder these days to make a simple decision.

There's something pretty ludicrous about that, of course, considering all the information available for anyone able to punch a request into Google. But then, those sites can be overwhelming as well. If I punch in "new movies", for example, I get 2.7 billion entries. (And yes, that figure is accurate. Almost 3 billion!) You need research to do more research just to find a damn movie! Many of my friends who have kids and busy lives don't even bother looking because they don't have time.

Why Stuff?

I've spent the past four years working on a mainstream fantasy novel that I hope will be finished this summer. In the meantime, I wondered what I could do to help my friends and like minded people who enjoy quality stories but don't have the time to do a whole lot of digging for them.

And so, I created Stuff to Read and Watch.

Let me say very quickly that the tastes on this site will not be for everyone. They aren't supposed to be. And while I write Fantasy, I prefer the mainstream novels to the niche markets of speculative fiction. I like the old fashioned epic journeys first perfected by Tolkien and Lewis, now continued by writers like Robert Jordan and Raymond Feist and Brandon Sanderson. I read widely enough in all genres, however, that there should be something for you here, regardless. I admire literary books, but I generally don't read them unless they're relatively fast paced. (There are exceptions, like Jeffrey Eugenides' great novel Middlesex.) I find prose heavy novels and experimental fiction a difficult slog. I prefer an absorbing, accessible story. Something that will take me on a journey and make me laugh and cry and, if at all possible, remind me why I'm on this road and where I'm going.

My taste in movies is similar. I don't hold a great deal of love for quirky, independent films or blockbuster noise that causes me to swallow my intelligence. I prefer stories that allow us all to hop on and enjoy the journey together. From Indiana Jones to The Hunger Games, there are a number of great movies, some we may have forgotten about, that convey a sense of joy and adventure.

Lastly, let me just say that this site is supposed to be a place where busy people can stop by and get some ideas, but not just from me. The hope is that people will interact with one another and provide their own suggestions.

There are a million sites out there, and Stuff is just one of the multitude. I'll do my best, however, to provide you with a place to stop by if you're looking for a new story. If you have any suggestions, feel free to drop a comment or email me, I'd love to hear from you.

Steve