Editorial Reviews for Nominees
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 Score: 95/100 (9.5 out of 10)
Author Mike J. Kizman has mastered the art of subtlety! He has taken mundane everyday people and scenarios, like those found in 14 Hours of Saturn and Afternoon Rebecca, and made them engaging, interesting, and intriguing. His work is proof that you don't need superpowers, magic, dragons, werewolves, flashy lights, and explosions to tell an interesting story with compelling characters. 14 Hours of Saturn really exemplifies this. It's not a book about a superpowered girl from a royal bloodline who fell in love with an alien-werewolf prince and has some special prophesied destiny to unite all the tribes of the galaxy against a dark lord. It's just the story of a girl. A normal, everyday girl from Indiana who has a turbulent and fascinating relationship with her older sister. This girl's name is Saturn (Saturn O, to be exact), so named because her father, Michael, loved astronomy and was sick and tired of having the most common name in America growing up. He decided to think outside the box and name his daughters after celestial bodies. Saturn has an older sister named Venus, and their relationship is the heart and soul of this book. We've read A LOT of books about siblings. There was Secrets in the Mirror by Leslie Kain, James & Elle by Casey Rae, Freeing Teresa by Franke James, The Pact by Lisa Darcy, and A Thousand More by K.S. Lynn (to name a few). All of them were impactful and interesting in their own ways, but the Saturn-Venus dynamic in 14 Hours of Saturn stands out in a completely different way—a far more subtle way. Saturn and Venus are simultaneously loving siblings and fierce rivals who can't stand each other sometimes. Saturn lives a lot of her life in Venus's shadow. Venus is the obnoxious show-off of the two, always needing to be seen, acknowedged, and celebrated. Meanwhile, Saturn is far more interested in arts and crafts, using those as her primary forms of expression (along with a budding love for advertising later on). In contrast, Venus sees herself as the art, often wearing skimpy clothing and striving to draw the attention of all the boys (and be the envy of the girls). She needs to be the center of attention all the time, and she almost always needs to be acknowledged as better and superior (somehow) than Saturn. This creates a lot of animosity, resentment, and tension between the two sisters. And what makes a story interesting? Tension. But it never comes across as over-the-top or overly severe. The stakes never seem so great that they're hard to take seriously. The world isn't ending. No one has a terminal illness. There really isn't a life-or-death/do-or-die angle to this book. It's always subtle, it's always calm, and yet it's somehow never boring. This book's strength lies in how relatable and likable Saturn is. Saturn is one of the most relatable characters we've seen. Even from her introduction, she does and thinks little, subtle things that are familiar to a lot of us. For example, she instinctively tries to dip her toast in her eggs only to find the yolk’s already firm and the “dip” dream is a no-go. She shrugs, laughs at herself, and keeps eating. That tiny beat--plans vs. reality, and rolling with it--sets the tone for the whole day. From there, it’s the little rituals: a quick, quiet prayer (not long enough to let the latte go cold), hunting for the perfect window seat, fiddling with a coffee stirrer like it’s a lucky charm. Speaking of prayer, it's also funny how her mom uses prayer as an opportunity to indirectly judge and lecture her daughters. That seems like something a devoutly Christian mother might do. Saturn also adopts a stray cat named Muffin, and she has no idea what she's doing as a first-time cat owner. None of this is epic. It’s ordinary in the best possible way. A rainy Saturday turns into a gentle referendum on who she’s becoming: kinder, braver, a bit more anchored. That’s why it works. Saturn’s life isn’t exploding; it’s unfolding--one imperfect egg, one stirred latte, one rescued cat, one awkward conversation at a time. And somehow, that feels like a win. Another thing we found relatable is how she started reading her sister's magazines for the advertisements rather than the core content. She becomes fascinated with ads and advertising, something which carries on into college and her professional career. While Saturn isn't this extraordinary person in terms of wealth, fame, notoriety, or power, her passion is infectious, especially for her arts and crafts. We are constantly reminded about her "craft sticks" (which most of us would call popsicle sticks), and it's somehow never annoying. In fact, it's both funny and compelling to hear her think and talk about them all the time. To her, they're more than popsicle sticks. To her, these craft sticks are the equivalent of a pitcher’s favorite glove or a golfer’s go-to 7-iron. We also get the sense that her craft sticks ground her and empower her, to an extent. They go back to a moment in her childhood in which Saturn, after being repeatedly told to make her arts and crafts exactly like Venus (do it "right"), actually deviated and impressed their mother. We actually see her become bolder and bolder and bolder with increasing confidence, all the way to the point where she seems to be in total control during a job interview. This is impressive considering how she always seemed to be in Venus's shadow during their childhood. While this book doesn't have a villain or antagonist in the traditional sense, there are some antagonistic figures and forces. Venus is arguably the primary antagonist of the book, serving as Saturn's rival and the bane of her existence. At the same time, she isn't evil or cruel. She can be mean, controlling, annoying, and very judgmental. It always seems like Saturn can't go anywhere or do anything without Venus criticizing it (or her). Some of Saturn's boyfriends also become antagonistic, especially the pushy star football player who spreads rumors that she cost them a big game. Another antagonist in the book is the Mayor, who is clearly corrupt. It seems like he gets funding for huge public projects which don't seem to live up to their billing. It's implied that he might be pocketing some of the funds. He is also responsible for driving Saturn's family off their property to build a train line. Speaking of which... it's interesting how that kinda comes back into play when Venus uses that same train line to transit to and from her college. One of Saturn's ex-boyfriend's, the superhero-obsessed Teddy, also returns and has a really touching, sentimental moment that serves to redeem him. Oh, and there's even a cameo by Rebecca from Afternoon Rebecca, which was nice to see. It's awesome how connected and cohesive this book feels. Everything seems connected, like parts glued together in one of Saturn's crafts. There are other very special moments in this book. Arguably the best is when Saturn finally asks her father if they can use his telescope to find the planets Saturn and Venus. This is a really sentimental book about family, siblinghood, and personal growth. Check it out on Amazon!
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 Score: 89+/100 (8.9 out of 10)
Hands on Homicide is another compelling cozy mystery and whodunit by Sarah Hualde, author of the OCA winning mysteries Grounded and Bloodlines & Betrayals. Similar to Grounded, it ventures into paranormal mystery territory, this time with the main character, Corky Hobbs, developing a magical or psychic touch. This is something that we're not sure was necessary for the plot to happen, but adds a layer of intrigue nonetheless. It's something intended to be cool and different. At least this power sort of matches Corky as a character, with her career being in massage therapy. Her touch is already perceived as therapeutic or impactful, powers or no powers. At its core, this is a mystery that revolves around solving the murder of Emma Woods, a beloved high school counselor who drowns in the spa’s serenity pond under suspicious circumstances. Her death shocks the community of Deadhorse Canyon because she was known as kind, supportive, and deeply trusted by students and families. What begins as a tragic accident quickly becomes a hunt for the truth, especially when Corky Hobbs--herself nearly drowned the same night--starts receiving vivid “secret-seer” visions through touch. These flashes expose hidden grudges, long-buried scandals, and a link to the earlier death of Brandon Daze, a golden boy whose supposed accident was never fully explained. Could these two deaths be related? And will the culprit (who is still out there) strike again? Another interesting layer to this book is Corky’s relationships with some of its other characters. We have her two best friends, Stella and Steve ("always even Steve"), who are both nominees for Best Supporting Character. They are the kind of people you'd love to have on your side: loyal and supportive. But then we have the darker or more gray characters like Melinda Carlie, Corky’s long-time rival and the fiancée of her ex, Brett ("butthead Brett"). Melinda is petty, venomous, and all too eager to paint Corky as guilty in the court of public opinion. Then there’s Brett Booker himself, who is neither purely villainous nor heroic. He’s a selfish, indecisive figure who drifts between careers and women, yet still tries to lean on Emma Woods as his mentor. You also have the Hewitts, Henry and Valerie, who walk the line between trusted professionals and figures enmeshed in secrets from the past. They aren’t malicious, but their guarded nature makes them difficult allies. And of course, there’s Davis Pile, the seemingly friendly coworker whose surface charm conceals a dark truth. These characters add complexity to the story, keeping Corky (and us) guessing about who’s hiding what, and forcing her to navigate not only the mystery itself but also the messy, very human web of relationships around her. What we found particularly interesting is how Corky's tense and awkward relationships with Melinda and Brett come into play. She must constantly contain and control her negative feelings toward them, like suspecting that Melinda might be capable of murder. Another thing we liked about this book was Corky herself. Corky previously identified herself as "being the confident, chubby girl with a stunning boyfriend. When my confidence and boyfriend left, I became lonely, shattered, and confused." On one hand, she seems to be a self-insert sort of character and actually very similar to Penny Nicols from Grounded. But she's still relatable and likable. She's an Everygirl sorta girl thrust into a murder mystery and given this extraordinary yet simultaneously subtle power. One thing we couldn't get around with this book is how it often seems like nothing was happening. The book often seemed meandering and stuck. There are a lot of scenes in which characters stand around (or sit around), just talking. You often get the impression that these are just some friends having casual conversations and not friends who are in the middle of a murder investigation with a murderer still at large. It should be tense! We should be on on toes, panicked around every corner. It just doesn't feel that way. There's a lot of talking. It often sounds like high school lunchroom gossip. Yes, some information is gleamed from these discussions, but they're not as dynamic and compelling as we hoped they'd be. This book does have some good writing. One of our favorite lines (and brace yourself for this because it's a bit stomach-upsetting), is: "My iced coffee came up as frosty as it went down." How's that for a line? Oh, and we have to say: we're liking the general approach that Sarah Hualde provides through these mysteries. Amateur sleuthing is, by its very nature, captivating. Heck, many of us have done it. Don't believe us? How many of you have used Google or social media to try to identify suspects in recent crime cases? Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)
K.E. Adamus never ceases to entertain us and make us laugh with her absurdist stories—which are simultaneously both humorous and thought-provoking! Where does she come up with this stuff?! Last Episode follows a disillusioned and disgruntled couple, Ilona and Mark, who have grown almost irreparably distant. While the book guides us toward reasons for their strained relationship, especially Ilona's addiction to watching TV, it's clear to us that there's a lot more going on than just a one-sided television addiction. It takes two to tango, and it takes two to make a ginormous mess of a relationship like this! So, what we're trying to say is... there's a lot of blame to go around, and Mark proves to be arguably just as culpable for the relationship's collapse as Ilona. Let's jump into it. This book introduces us to Mark, a rather insecure husband who manages to "finally" get his overweight wife to come to the gym with him for once. Despite Mark being so judgmental and condescending about Ilona's size and sedentary lifestyle, it's not like Mark is some hardcore gym rat with rock hard abs who does professional workouts with superb form. He's more like a middle-aged dude with a dad bod who got prescribed 30 minutes of exercise by a doctor and who just jumps from machine to machine,winging things, flexing in the mirror, and checking Facebook between sets. His insecurity immediately becomes evident when he starts worrying about his wife potentially checking out other dudes in the gym, including an OLD MAN (who hilariously reappears later). We also get introduced to the idea that, despite Mark supposedly still caring about Ilona, he's no longer attracted to her and actually has a bit of a wandering eye, particularly for the female gymgoers in tight leggings. So, sorry, Mark, you ain't innocent and you ain't off the hook. We'll get to more reasons for that later. Anyway, it is soon revealed that the reason that Ilona decided to stay on the stationary bike instead of "lifting" weights with Mark is because Ilona is fixated on watching television, and it just so happens that the cardio equipment is directed right at a flat-screen. It soon occurs to Mark that his wife actually has an addiction to watching TV, which sends the couple and the plot down a rabbit hole of escalating drama. Hilarity ensues! We learn that Ilona's six month break from work turned into two years after she diagnosed herself with depression and supposedly dedicated that time to write a "screen play." Adamus always brings this really unique brand of absurdist humor that's hard to describe. She always crafts situations that are full of ridiculousness, absurdity, and irony. It's so entertaining. The subtitle of this book "Love triangle: her, him, and 42 inches of distraction" is full of innuendo. In fact, the 42-inches thing made us laugh so much. If you don't know, it's a reference to the size of the Ilona's all-important TV at home, but it's often referenced as if it's the size of Mark's... you know what. Our favorite passage in the whole book was: “Does your wife suffer from any mental health issues?” “No, she doesn’t have any disorders. Just an obsession with 42 inches.” “Excuse me?” The officer was clearly confused, seemingly trying to picture a 42-inch length. Oh, there's another passage from the book that made us laugh out load. It involves Ilona's mom taking destiny in her own hands and taking the TV. Despite being scoffed at and rebuffed by the police, Ilona tries to act like the police are ready to receive the warrant for the mom's arrest, and she says: Do you need a photo? The police ones are usually pretty lousy... I’ll give them the one where you weighed 30 kilos more!” Gosh, that's so freakin' funny. Oh, there's another hilarious scene in which Ilona watches a famous screenwriter/author talk, and we're told: “Ilona thought the woman was terrible. But she had published several bestsellers, so Ilona wanted to watch the interview—and hate on her silently. Oh yes, she was envious. If not for her depression … she would have published a bestseller too. Or written a blockbuster movie script." This is oddly so relatable. We also agree that some famous writers actually suck... badly. But let's talk about our contrarian thesis that Mark is actually to blame for a lot of Ilona's issues and a lot of the problems in the book. Yes, Ilona has personal responsibility, and the TV is partly to blame, but Mark is a huge contributor. Let's list some of the things he does: - He constantly shames Ilona. - He won't do his husbandly duty and have sex with her (even when dropped hints), and he does this for two years. - He caused Ilona to quit smoking not because doing so was good for her health but because he hated it and it drove him crazy. This led to her substituting her cigarettes with more food and TV. - He told his coworkers that she hit him as some sort of joke. - To punish and guilt her into changing her ways (quitting watching TV, overeating; getting a job), he left the house a mess, leading her to believe that something may have happened to him. He then leads her to believe that he's having a retaliatory affair with the front desk lady at a hotel. What a jerk! Seriously! But, any, this was still a really entertaining read. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 89/100 (8.9 out of 10)
Elements of Growth by Keynin Battle is the exciting sequel to Elements of Change, a previous OCA winning novel! This book pretty much picks up right where the previous book left off. We once again join the unlikely young hero, Keith Cottam, a teenage boy swept into a magical, fantasy world that desperately needs him. Let's just put it this way: this is a pretty much a male child's power fantasy. Pretty much everything that a male child could possibly want, he has: the magical powers to win every duel, the loyal friends who admire him, the dragon mount to ride across kingdoms, the harem-like attention of beautiful girls from every race, the adoration of kings and queens, and even a comforting home life. It’s wish-fulfillment turned up to eleven, and the book doesn’t apologize for it. Instead, it revels in it. It's borderline impossible to take the plot or its characters too seriously. This exists for FUN and entertainment. And there's a place for that kind of fiction. Fiction and fantasy largely exist for expression and entertainment. But there's another huge purpose for fiction and fantasy: escape. Fiction and fantasy serve as a form of escape for a lot of people—an escape from lives full of real-life stresses, anxieties, vulnerabilities, and the crushing feeling of powerlessness. In real life, you it's normal to take a lot of crap from people: your parents, your spouse, your boss, police, the property manager, HOA, your customers and clients. It's like everyone is trying to control you and tell you what to do and what to think. Fiction and fantasy like Elements of Growth invites readers to imagine a world and a scenario in which they are the center of the universe, the hero of their own story, and the person whom everyone defers to. This series might be the best example of that. Seriously, if Keith wants to fly a dragon, he can fly a dragon. If Keith wants to use an oddly specific magical power for an oddly specific magical task, he can do that too. He can use fire magic to bake a cake, ice magic to chill banana pudding, and use wind magic to fly. He can use healing to heal pretty much whoever he wants however he wants. And he can summon his shadow wolf familiar, Ash, to be at his side whenever he wants. It's cool and fun, but it really breaks any dramatic tension this book may have had. Keith is literally the epitome of what it means to be a Gary Stu: everyone loves him and he can do whatever he wants whenever he wants. Speaking of which... his cute girl companions and fans of all species/races rejoin him in this book. There’s Catherine Rodante, the noble vampire whose tsundere-like affection keeps spiking at the most convenient times. Lulu Infernus, the bubbly demon girl who takes him home to meet her mom (who is, naturally, a stunningly powerful demon queen). Violet Everglen, his sweet and tragic fairy maid who now doubles as family. Even Princess Gemstarzah Sunstrider, the high elf royal, can’t help but admire Keith’s kindness and loyalty. Add in Olivia Cottam, his adoptive demon little sister, and you’ve got a full supporting cast designed to orbit around him. Oh, and there's Zosk, the lizard man, and the other lizard folk. And the Goblin folk. And the Demon folk. By the way, the villain, Lord Valac seems to have his own entourage that mirrors Keith's: “My demon Abaddon, my dark elf Korshra, my lizardman Balam, my lovely vampire Abchanchu, and my beautiful demon Evilyn." Ok, Skeletor! Whatever you say. A lot of this book seems derivative, like we've seen it somewhere before. We'll get to another example later. Lord Valac and his cronies never quite come across as serious threats including when Keith is having nightmares about them. Part of that is just how OP Keith and his friends are. The villains are pretty much Team Rocket mixed with the Decepticons. You're always expecting them to lose and be foiled by the end. We're not saying that's what happens, but you expect it. Something that we noticed is that Keith is really attached to his MP3 players (which he got from his grandma), listening to a lot of classics on it. This is reminiscent of Starlord's CD player (which he got from his mom). We would not be shocked if that's where the idea came from. Another thing we have to say is that the writing in this book can be unintentionally hilarious. There's a fight scene in this book which reads like a turn-based game. One character launches an attack, the other character launches an attack, back and forth, rinse and repeat. It's really clunky and probably not how an experienced author would have written a fight scene. It's actually a humorous scene to read. Anyway, despite its flaws, it's still a fun book. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 92+/100 (9.2+ out of 10)
Sean Albertson’s Alignment on the Rocks is a fresh and thought-provoking guide that uses a simple yet memorable metaphor to tackle a universal challenge: how to stay on course when life and work keep throwing obstacles in the way. This book presents and uses one of the most elegant metaphors we've ever seen in a book: using the metaphor of rivers and rocks to demonstrate how life and business flow. It's sobering to think that a lot of this originated from a little sentimental experience in which the author stood by the Big Thompson River in Colorado with his three sons. Watching the river swirl around jagged rocks, one of his children asked why the river did not just go straight. Another quickly answered, with blunt sibling wisdom, that "it's the rocks, dummy!" This proved to be an AHA! moment, an epiphany that caused the author to realize that the figurative rocks in our lives don't block us, they shape us. In other words, we can learn from them and build on top of them. The book introduces four essential rivers that shape both personal and professional life: Customer, Career, Community, and Core. These rivers represent the flow of our relationships, aspirations, connections, and personal well-being. When they align, momentum builds and impact multiplies. When they are blocked, progress slows or stops. The concept is easy to grasp and immediately applicable to daily decisions and long-term strategy. Albertson then layers in the idea of “rocks,” the obstacles that disrupt flow. He categorizes them into four types. Sedimentary Rocks are formed by accumulated habits and outdated processes. Metamorphic Rocks arise under pressure and symbolize change that can be both painful and transformative. Igneous Rocks erupt suddenly as crises that demand swift action. Meteoric Rocks come from outside forces, like global disruptions, and can redefine everything. By naming and distinguishing these obstacles, Albertson makes them easier to face. Instead of being vague problems, they become specific challenges that can be managed, adapted to, or even turned into opportunities. To address these rocks, the book provides three frameworks. The FIND process helps you identify the real sources of misalignment by focusing, identifying, navigating, and defining obstacles. The BREAK process then gives strategies to handle them, whether by blasting through decisively, removing unnecessary barriers, eroding them slowly, accepting what cannot change, or reframing them as stepping stones. Finally, the FLOW framework represents the goal of harmony, where Fulfillment, Loyalty, Opportunity, and Wealth become the natural results of alignment. Each of these frameworks is explained with clarity, case studies, and reflection prompts, making them useful for both individuals and organizations. The book’s greatest strength is its accessibility. Albertson writes with a conversational style that works equally well for team leaders and individuals. The metaphors stick. Readers can easily imagine their own rivers, rocks, and flow states, and that imagery makes the frameworks more memorable than abstract business jargon. Real-world stories bring the ideas to life, such as a company struggling with customer retention until it stopped obsessing over dashboards and started listening directly to customer frustrations. These examples prove that the frameworks are more than theory. They work when applied with intention. The weaknesses are not major, but they are worth noting. At times the book leans heavily on acronyms, which can feel a little overwhelming, especially when multiple frameworks are introduced back to back. The emphasis on metaphor and narrative also means that hard data is less present than some readers may prefer. While the section on Meteoric Rocks is inspiring, it could benefit from more detailed strategies for handling once-in-a-generation disruptions. These events are the hardest to prepare for, and the book’s lighter treatment here leaves readers wanting a bit more guidance. We also could not help but feel like this book was kind of gimmicky. Yes, the gimmick is cool and interesting, but it seems gimmicky nonetheless. It is sort of like how some people think or feel about Freudian psychoanalysis. On one hand, it offers a clever framework that explains a lot and sticks in your mind. On the other, you sometimes get the sense that everything is being forced to fit into the metaphor whether or not it naturally belongs there. It is effective as a teaching tool, but after a while it can feel a bit like the author is hammering the same nail with a shiny new hammer. It really does seem like another take on balancing Chakras in traditional Indian practices like yoga and Ayuveda, just with a different coat of paint. One final thing we loved is how the author really tried to apply this to business, essentially making this functional and practical. Overall, Alignment on the Rocks succeeds as both a personal and professional guide. It delivers a common language that teams and individuals can use to discuss misalignment and a practical process for finding, breaking, and flowing past obstacles. For anyone who wants to bring clarity to chaos and turn obstacles into opportunities, this book is an excellent companion. Check it out on Amazon!  Score: 93+/100 (9.3+ out of 10)
How to Celebrate Your Fandom is an unexpected, surprising gem that explores a topic that—believe it or not—touches all of us in one way or another: FANDOMS! Oh, the magic of fandoms! Think back to your childhood and the things that defined it. Maybe it was Pokemon. Maybe it was Star Wars. Maybe it was Star Trek. Maybe it was Doctor Who, Dragon Ball Z, or Gundam. Maybe it was a sport or a sports team. Maybe it was a video game or video game series. Maybe it was a person, a character, or a celebrity (like Rory Calhoun in Worldwide Crush by Kristin Nilson). Whether we like to admit it or not, fandoms are a big part of all of our lives. In fact, besides family and friends, your fandoms likely defined the epochs and eras of your life. There's a fine line between passion and obsession. Yet, as "Stan" by Eminem reminds us, our passions/obsessions can be part of what gets us out of bed in the morning and they can also be what distracts us or even drowns us. The key is in maintaining control and navigating our fandoms in a healthy, productive way—a way that brings us joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction instead of anxiety, disillusionment, and instead of anxiety, disillusionment, and toxicity. And that’s exactly where How to Celebrate Your Fandom shines: it doesn’t just list 52 fun activities, it shows you how to channel your energy in ways that lift you up and connect you with others. The book reminds us that fandom isn’t about gatekeeping or proving who’s the “biggest fan”, it’s about sharing, creating, and celebrating together. In short, it’s a joyful toolkit for keeping the best parts of fandom alive while leaving the toxic parts behind. It's easy to scoff at someone else's fandom (or the idea of fandom in general) because it seems crazy or like mania to an outsider who doesn't understand it. However, fandom can be incredibly beneficial. No, not just to the economy (because of the marketability of these fandoms). Fandoms can bring people with similar interests together. Don't believe us? Go to the nearest college football stadium on Saturdays and see the tens of thousands of fans tailgating and passionately cheering on their team. Go to a convention like Comic Con or FanX and see how tens of thousands of fans can escape from the hard realities of school and work for a few hours. And you know what? As many of the contributors to this book remind us, fandoms can actually teach us a lot about ourselves, society, and even language. That's right. A lot of people report learning English (or another language, like Japanese) because of a specific fandom. One of us learned English from watching Friends! A lot of Americans learn Japanese because of anime and manga. Westerners learn Hindi because they fall in love with Bollywood, or South Americans learn English because they fall in love with Hollywood. So, it happens. Fandoms can also teach us life skills beside language like how to sculpt, paint, sew, draw, or even write! Hey, a lot of us authors got our starts by writing fan fiction! Similarly, a lot of artists get their start because of making art for their fandoms. This book even talks about how you can express your fandom by writing/creating skits or screenplays. Ok... this may or may not be something we once did with a 12 lbs. camera and some VHS tapes in the distant past. Some people even have their first public speaking experiences because of talking about their fandoms in public. There are people who've gotten over social anxiety, shyness, and fear of public speaking this way. Some people get over stuttering and stammering by talking about something they're passionate about. There's even a contributor who talks about their Barbie fandom and how it set the foundation for them to learn not only about collecting but also commercialism, mercantilism, economics, and business. And how many people have learned to sing because they've sung along to Taylor Swift or Coldplay? Fandoms can also be an inspiration for people to pursue careers in science and technology. Elon Musk was almost definitely inspired by his sci-fi, anime, and video game fandoms when he developed his technologies. He is still trying to get to Mars, all while dabbling in A.I., cybernetics, electric cars, and robotics. Fandoms like Doctor Who and Star Trek can dare us to create technologies that can go where no man has gone before. The idea of intercepting intercontinental missiles with a "Golden Dome" missile defense system was once called "Star Wars" for a reason. Michio Kaku would probably tell you that a lot of his wild theoretical physics ideas are inspired by fandoms. Fandoms can also teach life lessons. Pokemon is a great example of this. Pokemon encourages kids to be hopeful, determined, hard-working, yet compassionate. Something more obscure like Trigun can teach you about the sanctity of human life and how sometimes you have to jump through hoops and risk your own life to preserve it, which is something that law enforcement does every day. Something like Breaking Bad can serve as a cautionary tale about how not to lose your family and your soul to hubris and ambition. Perhaps the highlight of this book isn't the 52 ideas section but actually hearing from all of the amazing contributors. It's so interesting to read about their fandoms! Some of them aren't fans of conventional things. For example, there's someone in here who doesn't talk about being a fan of a TV show or movie series, she's a Jesus freak—a passionate Christian. Someone else is a passionate Kansas City Chiefs fan. There's also a Nebraska football fan in the bunch, which is actually very interesting because that's a fandom that's infamous/notorious for never giving up hope no matter how badly the team is doing. It's a lesson for all of us not to be "fairweather fans" and only like things when things are going good. You take the highs with the lows. There are a lot of Doctor Who fans in this bunch too! A very interesting book about how to express and celebrate your fandom in a healthy way! Check it out on Amazon! |
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