Die By the Pen: I May Have Discovered the Home of a Mythical Creature
In Die By the Pen, Jared Gniewek discusses what feeds his fires as an author of comics, screenplays and radio dramas.
Well gang, I took a few weeks to explore my old home town of Rochester, New York. Often overshadowed by the titans of Buffalo and Syracuse it resides between, Rochester has a charm all its own, which, if left unchecked could eclipse the whole of upstate. While here I have enjoyed reading men’s adventure novels of the eighties bought at Goodwill stores at rock bottom prices, enjoyed the highest quality of heavy metal, and have imbibed a few drinks.
I have not been writing as much as I should be. Not even close. I spastically shot out a thousand or so words on a short story I’ve been wrestling for months. I have been away from the internet. Away from video games. Away from my regular routine.
I have enjoyed the company of friends and have had a few conversations about comics. Maybe I’m sheltered but I always thought Rochester to be a culturally advanced city. For a city of its size the commitment the people of Rochester show towards the arts is immense. The Eastman House has created a generation of film buffs who can chat for days at the very highest level. The Eastman School of Music is an amazing resource and a highly regarded school for musicians. The Strong Museum of Play has a huge collection of toys and ephemera that would dwarf any man’s basement.
In this culture how can it be that people speak of their passion for sequential art in whispers?