Action Movies and Pen: “Jason Bourne” scene in the Apartment
I enjoyed most of the Bourne movies though not Bourne #4 with Jeremy Renner. But the apartment scene in "Bourne Identity" (2002) was pretty good. Check out this fight analysis: The Bourne Identity is a 2002 action-thriller film based on Robert Ludlum's 1980...
“How I Write” – Three Pages Technique
"How I Write" - Three Pages Technique Staring at a blank page? Sometimes writers can just get stuck with too many thoughts. I do that by living too much in my 'brain cave' (as compared to the man cave). So, using an external cue (cues are very critical for better...
Action Movies and Knives: “Extraction” with Chris Hemsworth
"Extraction" was a thrilling action movie that delivered big time with Chris Hemsworth. Set in Bangladesh, the action was tough, brutal and non-stop. The premise was very good. The film is about an Australian black ops mercenary whose mission to save an Indian drug...
Writing Research: US v. China naval capabilities.
I am keenly interested in the geopolitics which is the reason I wrote my "Stealing Thunder" series of military thriller books. China has recently pushed the envelope against Taiwan. The Chinese naval threat also extends to South Korea, Japan, the countries around the...
“How I Write” – Technique: Versioning
Creating boldly requires you to leave behind your anxiety and hesitation. I use a Technique called "Versioning"...
Filmmaker Bob Rafelson Passes Away…
I had worked with Bob on several projects. He was quite a character and, working with him on "Blood and Wine", I got to meet Jack Nicholson. He had a lot of stories and insights. One of them was how he wanted to just grab a few crew on "Mountains of the Moon" and get...
Writing Resource: What motivates Spies? Here’s a taste..
“If the Russians or the Chinese recruit a CIA case officer or FBI agent… maybe $1 million per year, in that range,” said a former Western intelligence professional who spoke on condition of anonymity. “We would actually pay less for someone on their side.” An...
Trend: Economics in Europe and Asia – Kaboom!
I have always keenly watched Economic trends - not that I understand all the intertwined mechanism driving economies and economic trends. However, one can see that the immediate trends are affecting people on a global basis. If you are entrepreneur, then you need...
Writing Research Discover: Portugal’s Approval List for Newborns
WRITING RESEARCH: In doing some research for my novel, I discovered that Portugal has an official list of approved names for its citizens. In other words, you cannot name your child just anything. It must be on the approved list. Some limitations: It’s a...
CreativeExplorer-MichaelMandaville-“How I Write” – ACIDS
An aspiring writer was not sure how to start writing so I created this video using ACIDS. Sorry to disappoint, but this is not about hallucinogenics. A Technique to jumpstart the brain and the scene. Good writing! https://youtu.be/JXA_65Q20RA