Supernatural -- Its Influences -- And Thoughts on Season 6/7

 

One of the few shows I watch any more is Supernatural.  The other main one is AMC's the Walking Dead--when the hell will they bring it back?  Or did it die?   Anyway, I don't know if I admitted it before, but I'm a Castiel fan.  Heck I'm a Destiel fan:  Love the relationship between Dean and Castiel more than Dean and Sam.  Mostly because it provides a reverse--it was always Dean doing the majority of the caring about Sam, Dean needing Sam, not vice versa.  Then Castiel came, and at some point Cas was pulling a Dean in the relationship boat. 

There were many other things I enjoyed about the whole Castiel thing.  Actor's hot--gotta thing for blue-eyed, black-haired men--the humor is great.  And I liked that Cas could go BAMF when needed.  But still, I loved him best when he interacted with Dean.  It seems like none of the three main characters do well on their own.  This show is about relationships.

Though it hurts, I loved the last few eps of Season 6.  And I had faith that they will restore Castiel to the good guy we love to watch.  Then I read about how mum TPTB are being about the status of Misha Collins (Castiel's actor).  
 

Writer as an Entrepreneur

Mommy Millionaire author Kim Lavine listed the following as key characteristics of a successful entrepreneur:

• Persistent
• Goal-oriented
• Willing to take a calculated risk
• Possessing strong vision
• Competitive
• Self-confident
• Creative

Lucky for me, we don't have to possess all of these from the get go.

Why do I bring this up?  Because when I first read it, I saw the strong correlation between being a writer and being an entrepreneur.  And if you choose to become a self-publisher of your own works, that goes doubly so. 

So what do you think, fellow writers?  How do you do according to this list?  Are you like me and have a little ways to go yet?

Influences

Recently, I was reading The Real Kate Chopin by Lorraine Nye Eliot--great book, especially for a yardsale find--and in it, Eliot wrote:

"For years Kate Chopin had been reading authors she admired in search of an authorial voice suited to her temperament.  She found it as she began to study and translate works of a French writer who would have as great an influence on her writing as Gustave Flaubert had on his."

It seems odd to seek in the voices of others your own voice, but I have to admit whether or not you seek, you can find it that way.  The biggest influence on a great deal of my fantasy writing is an author who taught me about how pace, action, and humor can co-exist with engaging characters, emotional connection, and angst.  He taught me this through his own works--books I could read in a day.  Books I couldn't put down.

I don't try to emulate this author.  I just try to learn what I can and apply it in my own way to my own works.

My greatest influence to this date is Jim Butcher and his Dresden Files series.  Chopin's was Guy de Maupassant.  Who is yours?

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Links and Books of Interest in this Post:

(Through Amazon - Amazon Affiliate Sales)

• Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1) 
• The Real Kate Chopin 
• Angst 
• Fanfiction Glossary (archived)