Check out my review of Models, Inc. and Street Fighter Legends: Ibuki on CGMONTHLY.com.
Or, y’know, you can always buy the hard copy of the magazine 😛
Author Archive: miaherrera
TCAF 2010
On Saturday I attended the Toronto Comics and Arts Festival for the first time as a media representative for C&G Monthly. The festival was an awesome glimpse into the world of comics, graphic novels, and small press/indie publications. The day started early with a Tims coffee, a walk around the block, and a printing of my C&G business cards (I am still very excited to have business cards haha).
It progressed with the opportunity for me to get a copy of Body World signed and personalized by its author, Dash Shaw.
After a few rounds around exhibitors’ tables, I headed over to The Pilot to catch the spotlight on Paul Pope and Dash Shaw. Mediated by Vancouver-based Inkstuds’ host Robin McConnell, the spotlight was a fascinating look at comic productions, processes, and the things that drive both men.
Shortly after, following another coffee and bout of round-the-block networking, I managed to catch a panel of cartoonists and game contributors discussing the relationship between comic books and video games – a perfect discussion for us C&G reps to sit in on.
Overall, TCAF was awesome. The library quickly filled up in the afternoon. It was amazing to see so many people gather together – people who were related only by an intense passion for what they did. There were plenty of people that I met and plenty of publishers that I encountered that I would definitely love to investigate in the future.
In the meantime, I’m enjoying my personalized copy of Body World and harbouring a secret (well, now a not-so-secret) school girl crush on Dash Shaw!
Though the Toronto Comics and Arts Festival is over for this year, it is an annual event and I strongly encourage any interested comic fans to check it out next year. Just for the record, if this is something you may be interested in, be sure to wear loose, comfortable clothing and walk-ready shoes (stilettos are strongly advised against, as well as sweaters that you are not willing to tie around your waist)!
Career Change
Tomorrow morning will mark the beginning of a new stage in my life. After much thought, I have finally decided to make the big jump and leave my position as Creative Writer at Ganz, Inc. Now, I will be working as…
The beginning of my work as a Marine Biologist
… a marine biologist specializing in the adjustment of stingrays to artificially constructed habitats! I know it’s a big change, but I was feeling for something a bit different.
…
Okay, well all kidding aside, and taking into consideration the fact that I am deathly afraid of the ocean and most creatures living in it, I really will be starting a new job tomorrow, just not in the aforementioned field.
After much consideration, I found it would be best for me at this time to work in an environment with a more changeable schedule. As a result, tomorrow I will be starting work with the York Regional Police. I’ll be doing something completely different from video game writing, but it will hopefully be something that will allow me more time to focus on my writing and personal life on my off days.
With that being said, I have just returned from an amazing vacation to Miami and the Bahamas, and am more ready than ever to write. I can’t believe it’s been almost a year since my time in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia! At the moment, I’ve been hammering out work for the print and online publications I am writing for, but there was a glorious three hours during my flight from MIA to YYZ that led to the beginning of a new short story.
I suppose that’s all for now, folks. If you want to catch me in print, check out the new SideStreet Review and C&G Monthly. Au revoir!
Book Review: The Surrendered by Chang-Rae Lee
The Surrendered presents two people whose lives are unavoidably entangled after the Korean War. June Han, orphaned during the war, and Hector Brennan, an army man, come together after years of separation in a quest for some sense of closure or relief after the War’s attendant tragedy. Intertwined with the story of their present are the stories of their past and their haunting encounter with a woman named Sylvie Tanner, the minister’s wife from the Korean orphanage where they met.
The Surrendered is an intense read: it is mentally, emotionally, and sometimes even physically challenging. Lee does not shy away from the details that others cringe from. He tells stories of war and post-war life in a stark and carnal way that forces readers to see and feel what the characters see and feel.
Lee’s book is definitely for a more mature audience. Its words are sharp, biting, and to the point. He tells stories of love and war in equally tender detail. Though The Surrendered can sometimes be harsh, slow, and challenging, it opens a window into a period of time that most do not know enough about.
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For more information about this book, please visit the Penguin Canada website.
If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of this novel, please e-mail [email protected] .
A copy of this review may also be found on LiveInLimbo.com.
An advanced Reading Copy of this book was received from:
& 
LIFT Out Loud
Yesterday I attended the bi-monthly LIFT Out Loud screenplay reading series at XPACE. For those who are interested in screenwriting, I highly recommend this series. Though it was my first time attending this event, it’s been a bimonthly occurrence for the past two years.
For only $5, attendees receive free pizza, great readings, great advice, and the chance to mingle with other screenwriters and hear about their craft.
LIFT Out Loud encourages LIFT (Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto) members to submit scripts to a panel of readers. If selected, the script is read by a live cast for a live audience, with a critique and Q&A session afterwards.
Last night LIFT presented TV pilot scripts moderated by Denis McGrath, award winning writer of the mini-series, Across the River to Motor City. Two pilots were read: Ride the Dream, a sitcom by Vickie Fagan, and Marble City, a drama by Kevin Parnell.
I was exhilarated to hear excellent scripts, great readings, and invaluable advice. It sparked my blood enough to encourage a return to my own script. If you’re looking for some inspiration, come to LIFT Out Loud next time around!
LiL Article: My Live in Limbo Success Story
Check out my latest article for Live in Limbo titled, “My Live in Limbo Success Story“.
The article tracks my journey as a writer for LiL, how I landed the gig and where it led.
All that remains to be said in addition to the above article is my thanks: Though it cannot be said enough, I’d like to extend my warmest thanks to Sean Chin, the founder of LiveInLimbo.com. You have been a pleasure to work with and a great friend. Without you, who knows where my path may have led. You are an inspiration to all aspiring young adults, and if ever you need a hand, you know who to call!
Game Review: Bang!
Key Designer: Emiliano Sciarra
Distributor: daVinci Editrice
Bang! is a fun, fast-paced card game for small numbers or large crowds. It transports players to the Wild West, where law and order is contested by outlaws, is preserved by the Sheriff and his deputies, and is threatened by the Renegade, who wants to be the new Sheriff in town.
Despite reading Bang!’s instructions, it may be difficult to gain a proper understanding of the game until gameplay begins. If playing for the first time, the first round will be rocky, but players can quickly grow accustomed to the game by referring to the crib sheets included in the card deck. If purchasing the Bang! Bullet, players will receive the original game and its two expansion packs. If you’re playing Bang! for the first time, do yourself a favour and don’t play with the expansion packs right off the bat. Ease into the game first, then ease the expansion packs into your gameplay.
As previously mentioned, Bang! consists of four types of players: The Sheriff, the Sheriff’s deputies, the outlaws, and the renegade. The Sheriff and his deputies aim to kill the outlaws, the outlaws aim to kill the Sheriff, and the Renegade aims to kill everyone.
At the game’s start, each player receives a player type and character card. The character card dictates how much life each player receives and how much ammo (or cards in hand) a user may have. Character cards may also equip players with special, character-specific benefits. Each player begins the game with a Colt .45 – the one gun that each player can never lose. It shoots a limited distance, but can be replaced with better guns as the game progresses.
Turns allow players to draw two cards if allowed in their draw limit and play any number of cards possible for play. Of course, there are some limitations on card play. Players can only play one Bang! card, for example, unless they have special guns or action cards in play. The number of people you can shoot depends on the range your gun has. The better the gun, the more people you can shoot.
All outlaws must die for the Sheriff and his deputies to win. The Sheriff must die for the outlaws to win. And the Renegade must be the last man standing to win.
Bang! is a quick game once you get the hang of it. The Bang! cards are attractive and easily portable. Gameplay ranges from 30 minutes to two hours. As a result of the various character cards and the way cards may interact with each other, gameplay is always varied. There is no sure winner, and the teams of “good” vs. “bad” makes Bang! a fun group game that requires just the right mix of teamwork and cunning.
Bang! is certainly a recommendable game, especially for those who especially enjoy card games. Check it out at your nearby hobby games or comic book store and enjoy!
In other news: Books and Games and Freelance Writing
It is with great pleasure that I’d like to share the news that I recently landed a freelancing gig with SideStreet Review and C&G Monthly. Find me online or on newsstands within the next few months, writing game and book reviews/articles. I’ll update more in regards to my assignments as they are published. Now, all I have to do is land about 15 more gigs like this one, and maybe I can become a full-time work-from-home writer!
Book Review: The Line by Olga Grushin
Good books tell good stories. Great books tell good stories well. The Line by Olga Grushin is a great book. Grushin’s story is simple in summary, but richly complex in execution.
Set in Soviet Russia, a rumor begins to circulate that a famous exiled composer is returning to Moscow to conduct his last symphony. Tickets will be limited, and the line before the concert’s kiosk grows along with peoples’ anticipation. As time passes and seasons change, however, the kiosk remains closed and the line’s individuals begin forming unlikely friendships, recalling buried memories, and encountering unexpected experiences that teach them more about life, its frustrating appearance of futility, and its true beauty.
Though the premise of The Line is simple and its start is a bit slow, Grushin weaves a beautiful and enchanting tale. Her language is rich, her characters are startlingly human and recognizable, and the story slowly yet steadily grows into one that reveals the lushness of everyday life.
Available on April 6, 2010, Grushin’s book is definitely one to look forward to.
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For more information about this book, please visit the Penguin Canada website.
If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of this novel, please e-mail [email protected] .
A copy of this review may also be found on LiveInLimbo.com.
An advanced Reading Copy of this book was received from:
&
“Mahal Kita” on Toronto In Colour
My short story, “Mahal Kita”, is featured on Toronto In Colour. Become a TorontoInColour.ca member and check it out here. : )
I must say, it’s a little nerve-wracking to have the thing online for anyone to read. When it was initially published in the Hart House Review, I felt it had a limited readership since it was in print and therefore somewhat inaccessible to all my friends and relatives. I much prefer the image that accompanies the story on TIC.ca, however. The photo features a beautiful sunset, which is part of the initial setting of my story. When the story was published in HHR, it was featured beside an image of a poor Asian child, which I felt completely misconstrued the story’s Philippine setting!
